Rome in Spring — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Rome in Spring offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for history buffs & couples. Expect temperatures of 9–19°C, around 6–7 days of rain, and medium crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around €70–150 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
Spring in Rome runs from March to May, and it is the season most Romans would choose for you. The city warms from about 16°C in March to 22°C in May, the wisteria and the azaleas bloom, and the terraces fill before the summer heat.
In 2027 the calendar is front-loaded: the Rome Marathon on Sunday 14 March, Holy Week from 21 March, Easter on 28 March, the city's birthday, the Natale di Roma, on Wednesday 21 April, and the Italian Open tennis from 27 April to 16 May. Because Easter falls in March, April is free of the Easter crowds this year, which makes it the best month of the three.
#Weather in Rome in Spring
Rome in Spring averages 9–19°C (48–66°F) with around 6–7 days of rain, and crowds are medium.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Wet days | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | About 16°C / 61°F | About 6°C / 43°F | About 7 | 6:00pm on the 1st, 7:30pm after the clocks change |
| April | About 19°C / 66°F | About 9°C / 48°F | About 7 | 8:07pm by the 30th |
| May | About 22°C / 72°F | About 13°C / 55°F | About 6 | 8:38pm by the 31st |
Figures are NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Rome (Ciampino).
What that actually means for your trip:
- The days are warm; the evenings are not, at first. A March afternoon in the sun can feel like summer, but the temperature drops fast after dark; by May the evenings are mild enough to eat outside.
- Rain comes in spells. About one day in four brings a shower or a grey, wet day, more in March and April than in May.
- The light changes on 28 March. The clocks go forward on Easter Sunday, and from then the evenings run past 7:30pm.
- May can be hot. A warm spell in late May can reach the high twenties, a preview of summer.
Is spring a good time to visit Rome? Yes, it is one of the two best seasons, with autumn. Walking the city is a pleasure, the gardens are in flower, and the heat and the summer crowds have not arrived. Book ahead for Holy Week and Easter, the busiest days of the season, and for the Vatican and the Colosseum at any time.
#March to May in Rome
March belongs to the runners and the pilgrims.
Run Rome The Marathon is on Sunday 14 March 2027, starting and finishing near the Colosseum, and the roads along the course close for most of the day.
Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, 21 March; on Good Friday, 26 March, the Pope leads the Via Crucis at the Colosseum after dark, and Easter Sunday, 28 March, brings the Mass and the Urbi et Orbi blessing in St Peter's Square.
Easter Monday, 29 March, is a public holiday; see our Easter at the Vatican guide.
April is the flower month. The azaleas go out on the Spanish Steps, the wisteria covers the walls of Trastevere and the Aventine, and on Wednesday 21 April Rome celebrates its founding in 753 BC with historical parades and events around the Circus Maximus; see our Natale di Roma guide.
Liberation Day, Sunday 25 April, is a national holiday.
The Italian Open begins at the Foro Italico on 27 April.
May is the warmest month of the season.
Labour Day, Saturday 1 May, brings a big free concert, traditionally in Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano.
The tennis runs until 16 May, and the city's rose garden, the Roseto Comunale below the Aventine, opens free to visitors while the roses are in bloom.
#What to Do in Rome in Spring
Solo Travellers
Walk the Appian Way on a spring morning, past the catacombs and the tombs, then take the train back to the city.
In April, the Galleria Borghese and the gardens of the Villa Borghese around it are at their freshest; book the gallery's timed entry.
Couples
Watch the sunset from the Orange Garden on the Aventine, then dinner in Trastevere, where the first tables go back outside in April.
A day trip to the Villa d'Este in Tivoli, with its terraces of fountains, is lovely in May.
Families
Hire bikes or a rickshaw in the Villa Borghese, visit the Bioparco zoo, and spend a morning at the Explora children's museum near Piazza del Popolo. The Natale di Roma parades, with Roman soldiers and gladiators, are a free show for children.
Groups
Watch a day of the Italian Open at the Foro Italico, with its marble stadium of statues, then an evening in the bars of Monti or Testaccio.
#Getting Around
Fiumicino is linked to Termini by the non-stop Leonardo Express, about 32 minutes for €14, or the slower and cheaper FL1 train; buses run from Ciampino.
The two main metro lines, A and B, cross at Termini: A for Spagna, Flaminio and the Vatican, B for the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus.
One BIT ticket, €1.50, covers 100 minutes of buses and trams plus a single metro ride, or simply tap a contactless bank card at the gates.
Spring is the season to walk: from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona and across the Ponte Sisto to Trastevere, or from the Colosseum up the Celio and the Aventine.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €60–90 | Dorm or simple guesthouse, street food and market lunches, buses |
| Mid-range | €150–240 | A 3-star room near the centre, two trattoria meals, a museum |
| Luxury | €400+ | A boutique hotel, a tasting menu, a private guide at the Vatican |
March is the cheapest month of the season; prices rise sharply in Holy Week and on the April and May holiday weekends.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Vatican Museums | €20 |
| Pantheon | €5 |
| Trevi Fountain basin | €2 |
| Roseto Comunale | Free |
| Tourist tax | €4–10 per person per night, by hotel class |
- Free first Sundays at the Colosseum and the state museums: 7 March, 4 April and 2 May 2027.
- Book Holy Week hotels early.
- The city's tourist tax is collected by your hotel and capped at ten nights.
#Food & Dining
Spring is the best season for Roman food.
Carciofi, Roman artichokes, are at their peak, fried alla giudia in the old Jewish quarter or braised alla romana.
Abbacchio, young lamb, is the Easter dish, with vignarola, a stew of artichokes, peas and broad beans, in April and May. On 1 May, Romans eat raw broad beans with pecorino on a picnic.
#Nightlife
As the evenings warm, Rome moves outside: the piazzas of Trastevere, the wine bars of Monti, and Campo de' Fiori after dark. The aperitivo hour, from about 6:30pm, is the Roman start to the evening.
#Shopping
The spring collections fill the boutiques of Via Condotti and the Via del Corso, and the artisans of the Via dei Coronari and Monti sell leather, paper and prints.
The Porta Portese flea market in Trastevere runs every Sunday morning.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Cover shoulders and knees in St Peter's and every church, and especially in Holy Week.
- Do not sit on the Spanish Steps; it is banned, and the police fine people who do.
- Keep quiet in churches during services, including at Easter.
- On 25 April, Liberation Day is a political holiday as well as a day off; the marches are peaceful, but keep clear if you are not taking part.
#Essential Local Phrases
| English | Italian | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Buongiorno | Bwon-JOR-no |
| Happy Easter | Buona Pasqua | BWO-na PAHS-kwa |
| Artichokes | Carciofi | Kar-CHO-fee |
| A table for two | Un tavolo per due | Oon TAH-vo-lo pehr DOO-eh |
| Is it open today? | È aperto oggi? | Eh a-PEHR-toh OJ-jee? |
| How much is it? | Quanto costa? | KWAN-toh KOS-ta? |
| The bill, please | Il conto, per favore | Eel KON-toh, pehr fa-VO-reh |
| Thank you | Grazie | GRAHT-see-eh |
#Packing List
- Layers: a warm jacket for March evenings, a light one for May
- A compact umbrella or a rain jacket
- Comfortable shoes with grip for cobbles and stone steps
- A scarf to cover shoulders in churches
- Sunglasses and sunscreen for the brighter days
- A refillable water bottle for the nasoni fountains
#Backup Plans (Rainy Days)
On a wet day, head for the Vatican Museums, the Capitoline Museums or the Palazzo Massimo, with its Roman frescoes and mosaics.
The underground layers of San Clemente, a church on top of a church on top of a Roman house, are made for a rainy afternoon.
If Easter crowds fill the Vatican: see the city's other great basilicas, San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore and San Paolo fuori le Mura, which are quieter.
If a public holiday closes your plans: the big sights stay open on most holidays; check opening days for 25 April and 1 May.
#Safety & Health
Violent crime against visitors is rare in Rome; the real nuisance is pickpockets in the crowds at Easter, the Trevi Fountain, on bus 64 and on metro line A. Spring brings pollen from the city's plane trees and grasses, so carry antihistamines if you need them.
Emergency: 112 for all services.
#What's New for Spring 2027
- The Rome Marathon is on Sunday 14 March 2027
- Easter Sunday is 28 March, the same day the clocks go forward
- The Natale di Roma, 21 April, falls on a Wednesday
- The Italian Open runs at the Foro Italico from 27 April to 16 May 2027
- The Trevi Fountain charges €2 to approach the basin
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for spring 2027. Climate figures are NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Rome (Ciampino). Dates and prices verified against:
- Run Rome The Marathon for the 2027 race date
- Holy See for the papal celebrations of Holy Week
- Turismo Roma for the 2027 Italian Open
- Vatican Museums for tickets
- Parco archeologico del Colosseo for the free first Sunday
For each month in detail, see Rome in March, Rome in April and Rome in May.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is spring the best time to visit Rome?
It is one of the two best seasons, with autumn: highs of about 16°C in March, 19°C in April and 22°C in May, with the gardens in flower. In 2027 Easter falls on 28 March, so April is free of the Easter crowds and the best month of the three.
When are the azaleas on the Spanish Steps?
The city sets out pots of pink azaleas on the Spanish Steps each spring, usually from mid-April, in time for the Natale di Roma on 21 April, and they last for a few weeks. Sitting on the Steps is banned, so admire them standing.
Is Easter very busy in Rome in 2027?
Yes. Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday, 21 March, to Easter Sunday, 28 March, with the Via Crucis at the Colosseum on Good Friday. Hotels, the Vatican and restaurants are at their busiest; book everything weeks ahead, or come in April.
What should I eat in Rome in spring?
Roman artichokes, fried alla giudia in the Ghetto or braised alla romana, abbacchio lamb at Easter, vignarola stew of artichokes, peas and broad beans, and raw broad beans with pecorino on 1 May. Book Easter Sunday lunch ahead.
What’s the weather like in Rome in Spring?
Rome in Spring typically sees temperatures of 9–19°C with around 6–7 days of rain across the period. Pack lightweight layers that suit both cooler mornings and warmer afternoons.
How much does it cost to visit Rome in Spring?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of €70–150, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Flexible dates can save up to 20% compared with peak-week rates.