5 Excellent Reasons To Visit Rome In The Winter

Thoughts of long, sunny days, endless gelato and picturesque pavement cafés inspire most people to flock to the Italian capital during the scorching summer months. However, low-season also has much to offer, with empty museums, great seasonal food and plenty of bargains to be had. Here are the top five reasons to wrap up warm and roam the streets of Rome in winter.

No crowds

From spring to autumn the streets of Rome’s historic center are overrun with tourists, making sightseeing a long, exasperating chore in the boiling heat. Museums are packed shoulder-to-shoulder and there are long lines to enter. Come winter, with the exception of Christmas and New Year, the crowds dwindle and the city becomes a much more intimate and pleasurable experience. Walk straight into the big sites, such as the Vatican and Colosseum, without queuing and enjoy having the place (almost) to yourself.

Cooler weather

Eat and drink

Winter in Rome is all about comfort food. Cozy up in one of the city’s inviting trattorias for a long, lazy lunch, stop in a café for a warming hot chocolate, or devour a cone of hot roasted chestnuts as you stroll about the picturesque streets. There are also plenty of enticing wine bars where a couple of glasses of red will help thaw out cold bones. February sees the city gear up for Carnevale, with special sweet treats such as castagnole (fried dough balls often filled with cream custard) and frappe (thin pastry sheets dusted with icing sugar) popping up in pastry shops. Don’t miss the chance to eat artichoke, a seasonal specialty, served either Roman-style (braised with garlic, parsley and mint) or alla giudìa (deep-fried).

Treat yourself to some warm, roasted chestnuts while roaming the picturesque streets of Rome

1. Save money

Hotel

Wintertime also means great deals on accommodation and airfares, as hotels and airlines look to fill otherwise empty rooms and seats. Prices plunge in low-season so look out for midweek specials and last-minute offers. Always wanted to fly business class or stay in a luxury hotel? This could be the perfect opportunity. Early January also sees the start of the sales in Rome, making it the ideal time to pick up a bargain. Take a trip to the exclusive Via dei Condotti, where the high-class designer stores slash prices in preparation for the spring season.

It might snow…

It rarely snows in Rome, so even the lightest sprinkling of flakes can cause excitement in both tourists and locals. The past few years have seen several flurries descend upon the city, creating a truly magical atmosphere – not to mention some unique photo opportunities. Head to the Pantheon where the oculus in the dome is open to the elements, allowing the snowflakes to cascade through the center of the building.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.