Traveling to Rome, Florence and Venice in the winter

Thank you so much for your vote of confidence for travel in winter! My family and I will be returning to Italy in late October and your comments are very encouraging! I'm really looking forward to the cooler weather (we were there in early june in 2010 and the heat is really draining, even in early summer!).

I think one of the reasons Rick doesn't always push for "winter" and instead encourages "off season" travel is due to some of the areas being shut down. One that comes to mind is the entire lake Como region - especially around Varenna is pretty much closed After November 1.

I couldn't agree more about the benefits of traveling in winter. We just returned from traveling to Rome, Florence and Venice over Christmas and found the weather very pleasant, lots of outdoor cafe activity and short lines, not to mention nice discounts at the hotels.

Yes. If your destination is mainly the cities, such as the big three (Florence, Rome and Venice), winter is not only doable but even preferable for the reasons you mentioned.
But for non-city destinations, like the lakes, Cinque Terre, Amalfi Coast, Tuscany's countryside, seaside locations, etc. November to March is not the best time to go. The mountains are ok any time of the year, especially in winter if you like skiing.

Sounds wonderful to me! I don't do well with the heat....and I'm from Texas, go figure! :)

Can we get you to also post this in the Italy Trip Report Section on this website! I really was impressed by your post. You never know about weather, I've been to Italy in March and April and September and October and November. One time it was beautifull in April, the next trip it was blowing 25 miles an hour and raining sideways! Once in September had alternating days of warm sunshine and another day of rain -- the same week two years later the heat was unbearable!!!

Winter looks pretty good to me now!

Uh-oh! Now everyone will want to come in winter! Maybe if you all switch to winter travel, it will keep the summer crowds under control. We love Venice in winter more than any other time and we never tire of Rome and her Med climate from October-June. (You can keep July and August although it is fun to see the neighborhood empty in August.) Isn't it fun to see the museums without huge crowds?

Bravo for traveling off-season!

How much daylight did you have? Were things open between Christmas and new year's?

Suzanne

Suzanne:
Daylight hours are diminished, but much is open at night. Many museums, for example, are open until 8:00PM. We love to go to exhibitions about 6:00PM and then out to dinner at 8:00PM. We find museums less crowded and restaurants not yet full.

As to outdoor activities, it is light before 8:00AM, but by 5:00PM in December it's pretty dark. Then there are the Christmas lights to compensate!

On Christmas Day you can see many sights by walking around. The Via Fori Imperiali is fun to stroll, closed to traffic, and the walk up the Gianicolo for the view is lovely. The 100 Presepi exhibit in Piazza del Popolo at the church of Santa Maria del Popolo is open Christmas Day. Dec 26 is also a holiday but most sites are open. We visited the Foro Romano and Palatino on Dec 26 when it was about 60 degrees and sunny! I would advise making reservations for dinner both Dec 24 and 25 as restaurants are busy.

I hope more people see this! I've been to Italy twice in February. In a total of 4.5 weeks, I had more sunny days than not. Temperatures were 40s to 60s, usually in the 50s.

Venice - go for Carnevale. It's high season, but the hotel cost for a few days is offset by much lower prices everywhere else. Fantastic time to be there.
Florence Even when it's grey and raining, there is so much to do indoors: churches, museums, etc. Great prices on leather goods in the market.
Rome mostly sunny, the only place that was crowded was the Vatican museums on a Monday.
Sorrento I was so glad I went, paid an average of €70/night for a beautiful room that costs twice that most of the year. More locals than tourists in town, all the shops and restaurants were open. Day trips to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples were easy - no crowds anywhere, always had a seat on the train, all minus the searing summer heat. I didn't stay long enough to visit the other towns.

I travel to Italy mostly in the winter. Even to the Adriatic. There's always room in a hotel or B and B for me. There's always ristoranti and bars open on the beach.

I have a beautiful hooded mountain coat that I bought in Porto San Giorgio and I just wear that. I love when the waiter tells me to choose a table on the terrace. I go nearest the Sea. Wipe the dew off the table and chair, and just watch the morning sun light up the Sea as it wakes up, brimming at the shore. The coffee is good too.

I've traveled off season for over 40 years. I find the time after Thanksgiving and before Christmas perfect for me. Cheaper air fare and accommodations, less crowded. Yes, on a few occasions weather was dismal but museums are perfect for those moments. Less day light but other than theatre in London not a night person so who cares. Unforgettable moments? Viewing the Last Supper by myself, watching sunset from a bench in the empty Park of Remembrance in Venice, walking right onto to the London Eye, nary a soul in Pere Lachaise (literally and figuratively), hiking into and then driving over the Gap of Dunloe in Ireland. Saw a total of 8 cars, 7 people. For most of the afternoon it was just the sheep and I. NO traffic on Slea Head and being the only person on Inch Beach. No rain, no gales, mostly blue skies with some clouds. Nope, can't beat traveling off season.

We traveled in late November with the temps in the low 40s to 50s in more northerly climes and loved it. And now we're looking at Venice, Florence, and Rome at about the same time this year. Hope the weather has cooled down to your temps and the crowds have begun to thin out. It will be even nicer than what we experienced.

Thank you. Enjoyed your report.