Best time to visit Rome

Cold but relatively rain-free, Rome’s most famous sights are genuinely quiet in January – the Colosseum queue is a fraction of its April length.

The brave can join the New Year’s Day Tiber plunge from Ponte Cavour, a century-old Roman tradition.

Enjoy Rome’s winter dishes at their most warming and tasty including carbonara, cacio a pepe, amatriciana and oxtail stew.

February may be one of Rome’s wettest months, alongside November, but the rain comes in bursts and the Vatican Museums are at their quietest.

Almond blossom emerges across the countryside, colouring the Castelli Romani hills with pink-white clouds – the first proper hint of spring.

Carciofo romanesco arrives from Ladispoli and Cerveteri. Delicious in all forms, these tender artichokes are served braised alla romana or twice-fried alla giudia.

Spring is stirring in Rome with the arrival of mimosa and cherry blossom – enjoy a stroll around EUR’s artificial lake to take it all in.

The Ides of March (15 March) draws toga-clad groups to the Forum and costumed re-enactments take place near the site where Caesar was killed.

Markets are piled high with carciofo romanesco artichokes, with trattorias offering them a dozen ways, while wild asparagus defines early-spring antipasto.

April brings sublime weather with wisteria draping Trastevere’s courtyards and long evenings on the piazzas.

The Mostra delle Azalee transforms the Spanish Steps into a cascade of hundreds of pink and red potted azaleas from mid-month.

A major feature on every trattoria menu, tuck into abbacchio (spring lamb) cooked to perfection.

May is arguably Rome’s finest month with warm weather, blooming jacarandas (later in the month) and evenings long enough for proper after-dinner walks.

The Roseto Comunale on the Aventine is at its most beautiful. Wander amongst 1,100 rose varieties overlooking the Palatine and Circus Maximus.

Enjoy the Villa Borghese at its finest with pine-shaded lawns, rowing on the lake and a proper escape from the crowds around the Colosseum.

Summer arrives with a flourish, bringing temperatures of 30°C by mid-month and long, sunny days.

The outdoor cinema season begins in Piazza San Cosimato and along the Tiber – one of Rome’s great summer rituals.

Stone pines shade Villa Pamphilj and the Park of the Aqueducts, perfect for afternoon walks or picnics as the city heats up.

The driest month of the year, July enjoys endlessly blue skies but this makes early morning or evening the only sensible time for a visit to the Forum.

Estate Romana runs across the city throughout summer including outdoor concerts, cinemas and theatre on the piazzas, riverbanks and rooftops.

Markets at Campo de' Fiori and Testaccio are piled high with peaches, apricots and the first figs of the season.

August is an unusual month for Rome as locals vanish for Ferragosto from the 15th, many trattorias close and the heat reaches unbearable temperatures.

Beach towns come into their own with Sperlonga, Sabaudia and Santa Marinella just an hour or two away – but expect to be joined by plenty of locals.

Markets overflow with cantaloupes, watermelons and late figs – a strong argument for weekend trips in the heat.

A rather idyllic month in Rome, the humidity begins to ease, the city re-awakens and golden-hour light in the Forum is extraordinary.

Vendemmia (grape harvest) begins across the Castelli Romani with Frascati, Marino and Ariccia wineries welcoming visitors for tastings.

Enjoy a new wave of flavours as trattoria menus tilt towards richer, warmer autumn offerings.

Bask in the golden light and clear skies of Ottobrata Romana, October’s ‘second summer’.

Chestnut sellers appear on every central piazza. Roasted in paper cones, it’s the definitive autumn street food alongside porchetta sandwiches.

On Sagra dell'Uva in Marino (the first Sunday), the town fountains run with wine – a tradition kept since 1925 – and Castelli wineries empty their barrels.

Widely considered Rome’s rainiest month, November also means cosy trattoria weather and quieter sightseeing.

Rome does experience a brief spell of surprise bright days to shake up the cloudier conditions.

New-season olive oil from Sabina and the Castelli Romani hits the shelves – unfiltered, peppery and worth a trip to a Frascati cellar.

White truffle arrives from northern Lazio and Umbria, and tagliolini al tartufo bianco turns up on the best menus all the way into January.

Mild by northern European standards, Rome can reach up to 13°C. The rain does persist but there are occasional bright days.

Piazza Navona fills with a Christmas market running until Epiphany. It’s kitsch but wholeheartedly Roman, stacked with nativity figurines and torrone.

Clementines, first oranges, cavolo nero and winter greens dominate markets – Lazio kitchens turn fragrant and fortifying.