Would you rather- Rome in July 2025, or Jan ‘26?

How many nights will you be there? Helps with the "We thought about also seeing Como, Bologna, and Turin "

Como-- The town or "Lake Como"?

What to Pack: A heavy coat, gloves, a scarf, and a hat will keep you sufficiently comfortable. Rain gear is highly recommended. It's normal to experience cold snaps or warm spells during the winter, so be sure to layer clothing to prepare for all possibilities.

Average Temperatures by Month:

December: 55 degrees F (13 C) / 40 degrees F (4 C)
January: 53 degrees F (12 C) / 38 degrees F (3 C)
February: 55 degrees F (13 C) / 38 degrees F (4 C)
https://www.tripsavvy.com/weather-climate-average-temperatures-rome-4582505

If you go in July, be sure you have a/c at your lodging.

In July you can expect temperatures in the 100s F in Rome, often there are also muggy conditions. The best comparison to the US cities in July is with Washington DC. The weather will be very similar to DC (if you have experienced DC in summer), except that in Rome the chances of rain in July are very low, lower than DC.

In January in Rome you can expect temperatures in the mid 50s F during the day and upper 30s or low 40s at night, therefore in this case Rome is not as cold as Washington DC, where you have freezing temperatures in January.

Chance of precipitation and average rainfall is not high in January (about the same as Washington DC). Rain is more prevalent in the the Fall in Rome, especially Oct/Nov. Snow is extremely rare in Rome since temperatures very rarely go under 35 degree F, even in the coldest nights of winter. Northern Italy will be a bit colder, especially lake Como, which is surrounded by mountains.

In January daylights ends shortly after 5pm, while in July it lasts until well past 9:30pm. So for outdoors activities July is better, but it appears that you are more interested in indoors venues (museums, churches). Obviously outdoors sights like the Forum or the Colosseum can be seen only during the day (they close in the early evenings in January anyhow).

January will definitely be the cheapest month in Rome, both for airfare and hotels, which will be much cheaper. Restaurant prices or museums will have the same prices, but they will not be as crowded, therefore less chance of standing in line to enter museums, churches, or even busy restaurants.

I can't help you with childcare advice.

Oh I would infinitely prefer January 2026 and Rome will be far less busy. (Assuming you mean after the Christmas / NY holidays which in Italy should end on Epiphany, Tuesday January 6th?) I would avoid July for all the reasons you've cited, especially unrelenting heat and humidity. You can dress for winter weather & last NYE Rome was mild, it was in the 50's while we were there for a week, with a bit of rain once or twice. The wonderful thing about winter weather, there is SO much to do indoors in Rome, so many fantastic museums, you won't be sitting sadly in your hotel! I've been in Rome at least 5x over Christmas holidays, it's been cold but not unbearable, and as you say, you're from COLD, Rome never gets that kind of cold! (We returned to a foot of snow in Sweden.)

We thought about also seeing Como, Bologna, and Turin - Then I would consider a multi-leg journey, fly into Rome & out of Milan perhaps, that way you can travel by train to Bologna, or the furthest destination to Turin. It's only 2 hours by train from Turin to Milan. Turin will be colder than Rome, BTW, but not THAT cold, I've looked at the temps for a Dec trip just recently. (And with more excellent museums, food, and 16K of covered porticos to stroll, it will still be lovely.) Not sure about Lake Como in January, maybe give that a miss and hang out in Bologna and do some foodie day trips? Just some ideas...
I assume January 2026, especially after epiphany, is going to be cheaper than July 2015 - YES, very likely.
PS, I posted just as Roberto answered, he made a good point about the cost of hotels and airfare being so much lower in January, that too is a nice perk!

Easy. JULY. No problem, is why it's among the busiest months for Rome and all those tourists can't be wrong. January? No Gelato, no afternoon strolls, no sidewalk cafes.

Hello,

I would rather January. :)

Did Rome in July of 2011 and it was not fun. HOWEVER, some friends went on a short first time Florence/Rome trip July of 2024 and had a great time.

Here is my Trip Report from our February/March visit this year. We definitely enjoyed the 'Off Season'.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-february-march-in-italy

Whatever you decide, Enjoy!

July and August are busy because that’s when schools and colleges are out of session and parents are free to travel at that time.
If it’s a choice— putting on a jacket in January is preferable to melting down from heat exhaustion.in July. When it hits 95 degrees in Rome, the itinerary will get tossed out the window and you’ll likely only be concerned with keeping cool.

January is my favorite month in Rome, especially after the 6th when the city relaxes after the Christmas season. It's jacket weather, with bright blue skies and ideal for walking around without the crowds. You can still eat outdoors at night with the heaters most restaurants have. If you have any interest in shopping, the official sale period begins on the 7th when you can get bargains on clothing, accessories and household stuff. And restaurants will be easier to access at popular times. It's hard to describe how brutally hot July has been the last few years, and air conditioning tends to leave you not cool, just less hot, in the places that have it. I think it's much worse than Washington DC, after having lived in both places. Good luck with your decision.

January, absolutely, if you melt in the heat. I went for my birthday in January (early January at that) three years ago, and it was delightful (and I ate plenty of gelato). Nice winter sun, blue skies most of the time (yes it rained one day), and about one zillion fewer tourists.

I went to Rome once in July. Never again, and especially now that overtourism is such an issue.

January x 1000.

Who says you can't eat gelato in January? ;)

January. You can always put on more layers, but there's a limit to how much you can take off.

Ah, Rome! Is there a wrong answer? Both could be lovely!

Given the crowds though, I'd personally opt for January!

Happy travels!

Another vote for January. I spent 8 wonderful days in Jan back in 2005. Take layers, I was comfortable and I’m a wimpy Texan when it comes to being cold.

Thank you for taking time from your of your busy days to respond to the "would you rather" game. :)

If my tally is correct of the 12 responses:

9 votes for Rome in January,
1 vote for July,
2 responses giving pros/cons of either.

I'm cautiously optimistic about January working out for us, assuming we can get our childcare sorted at home. Grazie mille!

We've never been in January but have been in December and February as well as July. No question January is the best option. The heat and hordes of tourists mean January will be much much better.

Enjoy.