At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season
Rome in February
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Rome in February offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for romantics & carnevale fans. Expect temperatures of 3–13°C, around 8 days of rain, and low crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around €55–115 for mid-range travellers. Rooms are easy to find last-minute and hotel prices stay noticeably softer through the season.
Contents14 sections
#Weather in Rome in February
Rome in February averages 3–13°C (37–55°F) with around 8 days of rain, and crowds are low.
| Measure | February in Rome |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 13°C / 55°F |
| Overnight low | About 3°C / 37°F |
| Wet days | About 8 |
| Sunset | 5:24pm on the 1st, 5:58pm by the 28th |
| Carnevale | 4–9 February 2027 expected, ending on Shrove Tuesday |
| Crowds | Low, apart from Carnevale and rugby weekends |
Figures are NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Ciampino, Rome's official climate station.
What that actually means for your trip:
- The light comes back. Sunset moves half an hour later across the month, and the last week of February gives you a usable early evening for the first time since October.
- The days swing. A clear February day reaches the mid-teens and feels like spring in the sun; a grey one with a tramontana wind from the north feels colder than anything in January.
- Carnevale falls early in 2027. Easter is on 28 March, so Shrove Tuesday is 9 February and the Carnevale week runs at the start of the month rather than the end.
- Rugby fills the hotels for one weekend. Italy play Ireland at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 13 February, and Valentine's Day is the next morning.
Is February a good time to visit Rome? Yes, and in some ways it is better than January: the weather is a touch milder, the evenings are longer, and the city has two good reasons to go out, Carnevale and the first artichokes. Hotel rates stay near their winter lows except on the rugby weekend. You still need a coat, an umbrella and a plan for wet afternoons.
#What to Do in Rome in February
Carnevale Romano (4–9 February 2027)
Rome's Carnevale is smaller and less theatrical than Venice's, and that is its appeal: it belongs to Roman children and their parents more than to visitors.
The busiest days run from Giovedì Grasso to Martedì Grasso, Shrove Tuesday. In 2026 that was 12 to 17 February; Easter falls on 28 March in 2027, so the same week moves to Thursday 4 to Tuesday 9 February. The city publishes its programme close to the date, but the events concentrate in the same places every year: Via del Corso, Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona, with smaller street parties in the neighbourhoods.
Expect children in costume, clouds of coriandoli (paper confetti) and silly string, and street performers in the piazzas. The tradition runs deep: the Corso takes its name from the riderless horse race that ended the carnival here for centuries.
Italy v Ireland at the Stadio Olimpico (Saturday 13 February)
Italy host three Six Nations matches in Rome in 2027, and the first is Ireland on 13 February, kicking off at 3:10pm local time; France follow on 6 March and Wales on 13 March. A Six Nations weekend changes Rome: thousands of visiting fans in green, packed bars around Piazza del Popolo and Campo de' Fiori, and hotels that fill weeks ahead. If you are not going to the match, avoid booking that weekend late; if you are, book everything early.
The Parco degli Acquedotti
On the south-eastern edge of the city, the Parco degli Acquedotti is where the great aqueducts that fed ancient Rome cross open meadow, their arches standing in long lines across the grass. February is a good month for it: the meadows are green after the winter rains, the summer haze has not arrived, and on a weekday you share the park with dog walkers and joggers. Take Metro A to Subaugusta or Giulio Agricola and walk ten minutes. Bring proper shoes; the paths are muddy after rain.
Palazzo Altemps
One of the four sites of the National Roman Museum, Palazzo Altemps is a Renaissance palace near Piazza Navona filled with ancient sculpture.
Its centrepiece is the Ludovisi Gaul, a Gaulish warrior killing himself after killing his wife rather than be captured, one of the most powerful pieces of ancient sculpture in Rome. In February you may have its courtyard to yourself.
Valentine's Day (Sunday 14 February)
Romans take Valentine's Day seriously, and restaurants run set menus that book out a week or more ahead.
For a free alternative, walk up the Gianicolo, the hill above Trastevere, for sunset over the domes, then come down for dinner in the lanes below. In 2027 the 14th is a Sunday, the morning after the rugby, so book early.
Solo Travellers
Pair Palazzo Altemps with the Pantheon and the church of San Luigi dei Francesi nearby, where three Caravaggio paintings of St Matthew hang in a side chapel. A lunch of supplì and pizza al taglio, eaten standing, is the cheapest good meal in the old centre.
Couples
Book Valentine's dinner early or skip the 14th and go on the Saturday before. Walk from the Gianicolo down through Trastevere at dusk, or take the evening light at the Orange Garden on the Aventine, where the terrace looks across the river to St Peter's.
Families
Carnevale is made for children: dress them up, give them a bag of coriandoli and let them loose in Piazza del Popolo.
The Explora children's museum near Piazzale Flaminio is a good indoor follow-up, and the open space of the Parco degli Acquedotti is a rare place in Rome where children can run.
Groups
If your group follows rugby, the Olimpico on 13 February is the event of the month; book tickets through the official channels and a table for afterwards well ahead. Otherwise, a long Sunday lunch in Testaccio, followed by an evening in its bars, is the classic Roman group outing.
#Getting Around
From Fiumicino, the Leonardo Express reaches Termini in 32 minutes for €14, and the cheaper FL1 regional train stops at Trastevere and Ostiense.
From Ciampino, shuttle buses run to Termini in about 40 minutes.
A BIT ticket costs €1.50 for 100 minutes on the Metro, buses and trams; a 72-hour pass is €18, and contactless bank cards work at the Metro gates.
Metro C now reaches the Colosseum at its Colosseo–Fori Imperiali station, linked underground to Line B.
For the aqueducts, take Metro A to Subaugusta or Giulio Agricola.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €50–65 | Hostel bed, standing breakfasts, pizza al taglio, one trattoria meal |
| Mid-range | €100–160 | 3-star hotel, two sit-down meals, one or two museums |
| Luxury | €270+ | Historic 5-star hotels near their winter rates |
February rates stay close to January's, except on the rugby weekend and around Valentine's Day.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Leonardo Express, Fiumicino to Termini | €14 |
| BIT ticket (100 minutes) | €1.50 |
| Vatican Museums | €20, plus €5 to book online |
| Roma Pass, 48 / 72 hours | €38 / €62.90 |
| Pantheon | €5 |
| Trevi Fountain basin, 9am–10pm | €2 |
- Two free days fall in February 2027. The state museums and the Colosseum are free on the first Sunday, 7 February, with tickets handed out on the day; the Vatican Museums are free on the last Sunday, 28 February, from 9am to 2pm.
- The tourist tax is added to the room, from €4 a night in a one-star hotel to €10 in a five-star, for up to ten nights.
- Book the rugby weekend early or avoid it; it is the one February weekend when Rome feels expensive.
#Food & Dining
February is when Rome's spring vegetables begin to arrive:
- Carciofi, the Roman artichokes, start appearing on menus in February and run through spring.
Carciofi alla giudia are fried whole until the leaves open like a flower; carciofi alla romana are braised with garlic and wild mint.
- Puntarelle, the curled shoots of winter chicory with anchovy dressing, are still in season.
- Frappe and castagnole fill every bakery window through Carnevale.
- Amatriciana, the tomato and guanciale pasta, is the dish to order on a cold evening.
For carciofi alla giudia, go to the Jewish Ghetto around Via del Portico d'Ottavia, where Nonna Betta, Sora Margherita and Piperno have made them for decades.
In Testaccio, Flavio al Velavevodetto serves the Roman pastas in a dining room cut into the hill of ancient broken amphorae.
For Carnevale sweets, Roscioli Caffè on Piazza Benedetto Cairoli is reliable.
#Nightlife
Testaccio is the neighbourhood for a night out: the bars around Piazza dell'Emporio fill from aperitivo onwards, and Rec 23 is a good place to start. Carnevale week brings costume parties to bars across the city.
Pigneto, east of the centre, is younger and cheaper. On the rugby weekend, the pubs around Campo de' Fiori and Piazza del Popolo are full of Irish fans from Friday night.
#Shopping
The winter sales in Lazio run for six weeks from the first Saturday of January, so in 2027 they should end in mid-February; the last days have the deepest discounts and the thinnest selection. Through the second half of the month, spring collections arrive in the boutiques of Via dei Coronari and Monti.
Testaccio market, the covered market Romans use, is at its best in February, when the first artichokes are piled up on the stalls.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Carnevale is for children. Adults join in, but costumes on grown-ups are less common than in Venice, and confetti fights are fair game in the main piazzas.
- Ash Wednesday ends it. On 10 February 2027 the party stops, and Lent begins with services in Rome's churches.
- The Vatican Museums close on 11 February, the anniversary of the Lateran Pacts, as well as on Sundays except the last of the month.
- The coperto is not a tip. It is a cover charge of €1–3 a head; rounding up for good service is welcome but not expected.
#Essential Local Phrases
| Phrase | Italian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Happy Carnevale! | Buon Carnevale! | Bwon kar-neh-vah-leh |
| A bag of confetti, please | Un sacchetto di coriandoli | Oon sak-ket-toh dee koh-ree-an-doh-lee |
| Fried artichokes, please | Carciofi alla giudia, per favore | Kar-choh-fee al-lah joo-dee-yah, pehr fah-voh-reh |
| Are these Roman artichokes? | Sono carciofi romaneschi? | Soh-noh kar-choh-fee roh-mah-nes-kee? |
| Happy Valentine's Day! | Buon San Valentino! | Bwon san vah-len-tee-noh |
| Where is the stadium? | Dov'è lo stadio? | Doh-veh loh stah-dyoh? |
| The bill, please | Il conto, per favore | Eel kon-toh, pehr fah-voh-reh |
#Packing List
- A warm, water-resistant coat
- Layers for days that swing from cold mornings to mild afternoons
- Shoes with a rubber sole for wet cobbles and muddy park paths
- A compact umbrella
- A mask or a small costume piece for Carnevale
- A scarf that covers your shoulders in churches
- One smarter outfit for a Valentine's dinner
- Sunglasses: the low winter sun is bright on clear days
#Backup Plans
If it rains: spend the morning at Palazzo Massimo or Palazzo Altemps, both parts of the National Roman Museum, and the afternoon in San Clemente, where you can walk down through three layers of churches and a Roman house.
If the Vatican is closed on the day you planned (11 February, or any Sunday except the last): visit St Peter's Basilica, which stays open and free, and climb the dome for the view.
If the rugby weekend has priced you out: move your dates a week either way; the difference in hotel rates can be large.
#Safety & Health
February in Rome is calm. Pickpockets work the crowds that Carnevale and the rugby bring, especially in Piazza del Popolo, on the 64 bus and on Metro Line A; keep bags zipped and in front. The cobbles are slippery in the rain. Tap water and the nasoni street fountains are safe to drink.
Emergency: 112; for an ambulance, 118.
#What's New for February 2027
- Carnevale runs early, with Shrove Tuesday on 9 February, because Easter is on 28 March
- Italy v Ireland is at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 13 February
- Valentine's Day is on Sunday 14 February
- Free days: state museums on 7 February, the Vatican Museums on 28 February
- The Vatican Museums close on 11 February for the Lateran Pacts anniversary
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for February 2027. Climate figures are NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Ciampino. Dates and prices verified against:
- Six Nations Rugby for the Italy v Ireland fixture
- Vatican Museums for closing days, and tickets
- Roma Capitale for the 2026 Carnevale
- Parco archeologico del Colosseo for the free first Sunday
- Musei in Comune di Roma for the Roma Pass
For the whole season, see Rome in winter, and for the year as a whole, the best time to visit Rome.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is Carnevale in Rome?
Carnevale moves with Easter. Its busiest days run from Giovedì Grasso to Shrove Tuesday: 12 to 17 February in 2026, and 4 to 9 February in 2027, because Easter falls on 28 March. The events centre on Via del Corso, Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona, and bakeries sell frappe and castagnole for weeks beforehand.
Is February too cold to enjoy Rome?
It's chilly (highs of 13°C, lows near freezing) but very manageable. The big advantage is having sights almost to yourself — the Colosseum and Vatican have their lowest visitor counts of the year. Pack warm layers and a waterproof jacket.
Does Italy play Six Nations rugby in Rome in February?
Yes. In 2027 Italy host Ireland at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 13 February, followed by France on 6 March and Wales on 13 March. Match weekends fill Rome with visiting fans, so book hotels early if your dates overlap.
Is Valentine's Day a big deal in Rome?
Yes — Romans celebrate Valentine's enthusiastically. Restaurants offer prix-fixe romantic menus, and rooftop bars at hotels like the Hassler and Hotel de Russie book out early. Reserve dinner spots 3–4 weeks ahead, especially anywhere with a view.
How much does it cost to visit Rome in February?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of €55–115, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Quieter periods usually push prices toward the lower end of this range.