Travel to Italy in March

Hi Linda: my husband and I have traveled to Italy in March 3 times now (number 4 coming up soon!) We have a school break then (we are teachers) and have discovered that March is the perfect time for us. By then we are sick of winter in Connecticut. I leave my heavy winter coat in the trunk of the car at the long-term parking place, and instead put on my all-weather/rain coat with the zip-out lining. That is all I have ever needed, though I did find it chilly enough once to wear a fleece vest underneath the coat. I think it was mid-40's that day in Venice. I always pack items that can be worn in layers just in case.

We've been as far south as Pompeii and as far north as Venice and the weather has been fine for us. But if you are used to Texas' weather, well, you might not be as ecstatic as we frozen New Englanders were. In any case, check one of the Rick Steves' Italy books because there is usually a high/low monthly temperature chart in the back pages.

One of the things I like best about being in Italy in March is that it is not as crowded as it is in the summer. (And this year, with the economy the way it is, it might be even less crowded, who knows!) But March is a great time to possibly avoid the mob scenes at the tourist spots.

Have a wonderful time! It is a beautiful country and it keeps calling us back!

Thanks for your comments, I am a teacher too, and originally from Buffalo, I am n ot afraid of the cold

Thanks for your comments, I am a teacher too, and originally from Buffalo, I am n ot afraid of the cold

Another educator and March traveller weighing in. I was as far north as Venice two years ago and wore my London Fog raincoat with turtlenecks and light jacket. On a couple of cold days that we were out a lot I threw on cuddleduds.
We are heading back to Italy this March.

Linda,

As a fellow Texan who was in Italy last March, the weather is not that much different from a North Texas winter and the further south you go in Italy, the more like a Central Texas winter it gets. We had temps ranging from the upper 30's to the 60's and never did it get below freezing except when we were in the mountains in Austria as we came from Frankfurt to Verona by car the first day. We were there 11 days and it was even sunny about 1/3 to 1/2 the time. We were in Verona, Florence and Venice.

I've been in Italy twice in March. In 2003, I spent a week in Rome. The weather could not have been better. Highs in the high to low 60s and lows in the high 40s to low 50s, and NO rain.

I went back to Italy (Tuscany and Venice) in March 2007 for two weeks. The first week was sunny but windy with highs in the low to mid 60s. The second week we had one really rainy day, one day when it snowed, one overcast day, sunny the remaining days. I didn't mind the snow at all, it was beautiful and melted within a few hours.

We have been to Rome in February, weather was more than fine, maybe be prepared for rain. You will find the crowds much less and if you hit a sunny weekend...be ready, the locals will be out in force, but making for a fun almost party atmosphere.