Rome in Autumn — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Rome in Autumn offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for foodies & wine lovers. Expect temperatures of 13–23°C, around 6–9 days of rain, and medium crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around €65–140 for mid-range travellers. Book three to four weeks ahead for the best mid-range rates and the widest hotel choice.
Contents16 sections
#At a Glance
Autumn is the season Rome goes back to living at its own pace. The summer heat breaks in September, the light softens to the warm gold that the city's stone was made for, and the markets fill with porcini, chestnuts and new olive oil. It also has a new holiday: Italy restored the feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4 October from 2026, and in 2027 it falls on a Monday, so the city gets a long weekend in the middle of its best month.
All Saints' Day, 1 November, is another Monday holiday, and the clocks go back on Sunday 31 October. Choose September for warmth, October for the best balance of weather and light, and November for the quietest streets and the lowest prices.
#Weather in Rome in Autumn
Rome in Autumn averages 13–23°C (55–73°F) with around 6–9 days of rain, and crowds are medium.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Wet days | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | About 29°C / 84°F | About 17°C / 63°F | About 6 | 7:45pm on the 1st |
| October | About 22°C / 72°F | About 12°C / 54°F | About 7 | 6:07pm on the 30th, 5:06pm after the clocks change |
| November | About 17°C / 63°F | About 9°C / 48°F | About 9 | 4:40pm by the 30th |
Figures are NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Rome (Ciampino).
What that actually means for your trip:
- September is still summer by day. Warm afternoons, with the odd thunderstorm, and evenings perfect for eating outside.
- October is the sweet spot. Mild, mostly sunny days and cool evenings; walking the ruins all day is a pleasure rather than an endurance test.
- November brings the rain. Showers are more frequent and sometimes heavy, and the days are short, but the city is at its quietest.
- The clocks go back on Sunday 31 October 2027, and sunset jumps an hour earlier overnight.
Is autumn a good time to visit Rome? Yes, it is the best season of the year for most visitors. The heat has gone, the crowds thin as the weeks pass, and Roman food is at its seasonal best. Pack for rain in November.
#The autumn calendar for 2027
September brings the Romans back from their August holidays, and the city's restaurants and shops reopen.
The Romaeuropa festival of contemporary music, theatre and dance usually runs from September into November.
October has the new St Francis holiday on Monday 4 October, and Romans treat the long weekend as a last autumn break: offices shut, the buses keep Sunday hours, and visitors from the rest of Italy crowd into the centre.
The Festa del Cinema di Roma, the city's film festival, takes over the Auditorium Parco della Musica in the middle of the month.
November opens with All Saints' Day, Monday 1 November, a public holiday, followed by All Souls' Day, when Romans visit family graves at the Verano cemetery. It is the quietest month of the season and the one most likely to bring rain.
#What to Do in Rome in Autumn
Solo Travellers
Arrive at the Forum and the Palatine at opening time on an October morning, when the low sun lights the columns and the crowds are thinner.
Spend a rainy November afternoon in the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, a private palace with a gallery of Caravaggio and Velázquez.
Couples
Take the train to the Castelli Romani, the volcanic hills south-east of the city, where the wine towns of Frascati and Marino celebrate the new vintage in early autumn; Marino's grape festival on the first Sunday of October is famous for its fountains running with wine.
Back in Rome, dinner in Trastevere or the old Jewish Ghetto.
Families
Cinecittà si Mostra, the visitor exhibition and set tours at Rome's film studios, suits older children.
The Bioparco in Villa Borghese and the open spaces of the Appia Antica park are pleasant to walk in the mild weather.
Groups
Book a long dinner in Testaccio or Ostiense, the neighbourhoods where Romans go out, or a food tour of the Mercato di Testaccio.
For a view, the Vittoriano monument's terraces are free, and the panoramic lift to the top, Roma dal Cielo, is ticketed.
#Getting Around
Fiumicino connects to Termini by the Leonardo Express, about 32 minutes, or the slower FL1 regional train; from Ciampino, airport buses run to Termini.
In the city, the two main metro lines, A and B, cross at Termini, with A serving Spagna and the Vatican side and B the Colosseum. Buses and trams fill the gaps.
A BIT ticket costs €1.50 and lasts 100 minutes, and contactless bank cards work at the metro gates.
Autumn is the season to walk: the routes from the Pantheon to Trastevere, or from the Colosseum up to the Aventine, are pleasures rather than ordeals once the heat has gone.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €65–95 | Hostel bed, pizza al taglio and supplì, public transport |
| Mid-range | €150–240 | 3-star hotel, trattoria meals, one or two paid sights |
| Luxury | €400+ | Boutique hotels, fine dining, private guides |
September and October are still busy and priced accordingly, especially on the long weekends; November is the cheapest month of the season.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Vatican Museums | €20 |
| Pantheon | €5 |
| Trevi Fountain basin | €2 |
| BIT single ticket | €1.50 |
| Roma Pass 72h | €62.90 |
- Truffle supplements are charged by weight; ask the price first.
- The coperto is normal, and tipping is not expected beyond rounding up.
- November has the best hotel prices of the season.
#Food & Dining
Autumn is the richest season in the Roman kitchen.
Porcini mushrooms appear in September and October, served grilled or with fettuccine; chestnuts are roasted on street corners from October; the new olive oil, cloudy and peppery, arrives in November; and truffles from the regions around Rome are shaved over pasta. Roman artichokes are a spring dish, so save carciofi alla giudia for another season.
Roscioli, near Campo de' Fiori, is the benchmark for the Roman pastas; Flavio al Velavevodetto in Testaccio cooks the classic offal and oxtail dishes; and Volpetti in Testaccio is the city's great delicatessen for a picnic.
#Nightlife
The city's evenings move back indoors as the season turns.
Trastevere and Monti have the wine bars; Testaccio and Ostiense the late bars and clubs; and Pigneto the young, local scene. The Romaeuropa festival and the new seasons at the opera and the Auditorium Parco della Musica fill the cultural calendar.
#Shopping
The Porta Portese flea market on Sunday mornings is more comfortable without the summer heat.
Leone Limentani in the Ghetto, a kitchenware shop founded in 1820, is a rummage through ceramics and copper.
Via dei Coronari, near Piazza Navona, is the antiques street, and the autumn collections arrive in the shops of Via del Corso and Via Condotti.
#Culture & Etiquette
- 4 October and 1 November are public holidays; expect closures and holiday transport timetables.
- Churches require covered shoulders and knees.
- Dinner starts late, around 8pm or after; a restaurant full at 7pm is full of visitors.
- The coperto, a cover charge, is normal; tipping beyond rounding up is not expected.
- On All Souls' Day, the cemeteries are places of family remembrance; visit quietly if you go.
#Essential Local Phrases
| English | Italian | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Good evening | Buonasera | bwo-na-SEH-ra |
| Can I book a table? | Posso prenotare un tavolo? | POS-so preh-no-TAH-reh oon TAH-vo-lo |
| Mushrooms | Funghi | FOON-ghee |
| Chestnuts | Castagne | kas-TAN-yeh |
| How much is the truffle? | Quanto costa il tartufo? | KWAN-to KOS-ta eel tar-TOO-fo |
| The bill, please | Il conto, per favore | eel KON-to pehr fa-VO-reh |
| Delicious! | Buonissimo! | bwo-NEE-see-mo |
| Thank you | Grazie | GRAT-see-eh |
#Packing List
- Light clothes for September, layers for October
- A warm jacket and a proper waterproof for November
- Shoes with grip: wet cobblestones are slippery
- A compact umbrella
- A scarf for church visits
- A reusable bag for the markets
#Backup Plans (Rainy Days)
The Vatican Museums fill a day in any weather.
The Capitoline Museums, the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj and the Palazzo Altemps are quieter.
San Clemente, near the Colosseum, lets you descend through a medieval church and an early basilica to a Roman house and a Mithraic temple, all under one roof. A cooking class is the best answer to a wet November afternoon.
If rain spoils a day at the ruins: switch to the Baths of Caracalla or the Forum the next morning; the ruins drain fast and are emptiest after rain.
#Safety & Health
Rome is generally safe, but pickpockets work the crowded places all year: the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, Metro A and the 64 bus to the Vatican. Wet sampietrini, the city's cobblestones, are slippery as ice after rain, so wear shoes with good grip in October and November. Carry a real waterproof in November, when downpours can be heavy. Tap water and the nasoni fountains are safe.
Emergency: 112.
#What's New for Autumn 2027
- St Francis of Assisi, 4 October, is a national holiday again, and falls on a Monday in 2027
- All Saints' Day, 1 November, is also a Monday
- The clocks go back on Sunday 31 October 2027
- The Trevi Fountain charges €2 to approach the basin
- The Vatican Museums cost €20, and the Pantheon €5
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for autumn 2027. Climate figures are NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Rome Ciampino. Dates and prices verified against:
- Office Holidays for the restored St Francis holiday
- Festa del Cinema di Roma for the film festival
- Romaeuropa for the festival
- Vatican Museums for tickets
- Roma Pass for the pass
For each month in detail, see Rome in September, Rome in October and Rome in November.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is autumn the best time to visit Rome?
For most visitors, yes. September is warm, around 29°C by day, October is mild and mostly dry, and November is cool, wetter and quiet. The food is at its seasonal best, with porcini, chestnuts, truffles and the new olive oil, and the crowds thin as the weeks pass.
When is truffle season in Rome?
White truffles are in season from about October to December, and black autumn truffles from September. Restaurants shave them over fresh pasta, priced by weight, so ask the price first. Porcini mushrooms are at their best in September and October.
What is the weather like in Rome in November?
Cool and wetter: about 17°C by day and 9°C at night, with rain on around nine days, sometimes heavy. The clocks go back on 31 October, so sunset comes at about 5pm, falling to 4:40pm by the end of the month. Pack a warm layer, a waterproof and shoes with grip for wet cobbles.
Is Rome cheaper in autumn?
November is the cheapest month of the season for hotels. September and October stay busy, especially over the long weekends of 2 to 4 October and 30 October to 1 November in 2027, when Italians travel too. Midweek stays and early booking help.