Rome in January is Rome at its coldest and rainiest time of year (winter 2022-2023 broke all temperature records!). Rome in January has many advantages: fewer tourists, crowd-free museums, and lower hotel and flight prices than in season.
In early January, historic palaces and Roman churches host New Year’s concerts, and on January 6 you can witness a colorful procession to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany.
And winter is also the best time to experience hearty Roman cuisine and immerse yourself in the gastronomic delights of the Eternal City.
Plus, sales (look for SALDI window displays) in Italy start in January and last about a month, so this can be another “yes” in favor of your trip.
Table of Contents:
1. Weather in Rome in January 2. Rome in January – How to Dress? 3. Holidays in Rome in January 4. What to Do in Rome in January
1. Weather in Rome in January
January in Rome is the coldest month of the year. The air temperature, especially at night, can drop to zero degrees. However, Rome is located in the subtropical climate zone: minus temperatures and snow do not happen here even in January.
Photos with snow-covered panoramas of the Eternal City will immediately decorate the front pages of newspapers and the main pages of online news publications – such a rarity, but a traveler, especially in winter, should be ready for any weather, so it is better to bring warm clothes.
Winter in Rome is quite mild, reminiscent of late fall in countries with harsher climates. January is a rainy and usually cloudy month, but there is no more rain than in February and March. In fact, there are plenty of clear and sunny days even in January.
Daylight hours are still much shorter than in summer, so plan your sightseeing time taking into account that it is already quite dark at 16-17 hours.
- Average daily temperature in Rome in January +8° C/46°F
- Maximum daytime temperature in Rome in January is +15° C/59°F
- Minimum daytime temperature in Rome in January +3°C/37°F
2. Rome in January – How to Dress?
The recommendations on what to bring to Rome are the same as for other winter months. Despite the fact that the Roman winter is not characterized by frost or snow, your suitcase should be filled with warm clothes, and a not too thin jacket with a hood to protect you from the wind.
Dress in the same way as the Romans themselves – in “cabbage” layers. When the sun is warm, you can take off your jacket, but underneath it you should have a sweater and a scarf.
When it gets colder, a hat and gloves will wait for their finest hour. Remember that January is not only the coldest month, but also one of the rainiest (rainfall is even more than in London), so do not forget to bring an umbrella and waterproof shoes.
3. Holidays in Rome in January
New Year in Rome
On the night from December 31 to January 1, as in many other world capitals, Rome celebrates New Year’s Eve. December 31 (La Festa di San Silvestro – the Feast of St. Sylvester) is a working day, but January 1 (Capodanno – literally “the head of the year”) is a day off.
Read more about Christmas and New Year traditions in Italy in this article
Italians celebrate New Year’s Eve, unlike Christmas, on the street and outside the house (many families do not celebrate New Year’s Eve at all). Everywhere in the historic center of Rome there are free concerts, light and music shows, street musicians, actors, clowns and dancers.
The main New Year’s Eve celebrations in Rome begin at 10 p.m. on December 31. Three “epicenters” of the celebrations can be distinguished.
The first is in the Piazza del Popolo (People’s Square), the second in the area between Circo Massimo and Lungotevere Aventino, and the third along Via dei Fori Imperiali, between the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia.
Here are the main popular festivities, free concerts, discos and the launching of the biggest fireworks. People sing Christmas and New Year songs and count down the last seconds of the passing year with glee, and then hug and kiss under the bright fiery colors of fireworks. The traditional New Year’s concert (concertone) will take place at Circo Massimo.
January 1 (Capodanno) in Rome
January 1 is a national holiday in Italy and an official day off, so be prepared that most museums, archaeological areas and official institutions will be closed. These include the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Galleria Borghese, etc.
On January 1, the Catholic Church celebrates a feast dedicated to the Virgin Mary – the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Latin: In Sollemnitate Sanctae Dei Genetricis Mariae), or the Feast of Mary – Queen of Peace. On this day, the Pope participates in a festive Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.
On January 1, Rome hosts a costume parade to mark the New Year and the Day of World Prayers for Peace. The route begins at Castel Sant’Angelo and ends at St. Peter’s Square. It is the only New Year’s Eve parade that ends with the blessing of the Pope himself.
January 6 (Epiphany or La Befana)
January 6 in Italy marks the public holiday of Epiphany (La Festa dell’Epifania), which is a day off and marks the official end of the festive Christmas season for Italians.
The Feast of the Epiphany has another name, the Feast of the Three Kings, which is associated with the Church’s tradition of the worship of the pagan kings of the Magi to the infant Jesus.
To commemorate the appearance of Christ to the pagans and the worship of the Three Kings, a festive procession in historical costumes, Viva la Befana, is organized in the Vatican and Rome. The procession, which will include 1,400 people carrying symbolic gifts to the Pope, takes place on January 6 at 10 a.m. along Via della Conciliazione, which leads to St. Peter’s Basilica.
Services are held in churches (including St. Peter’s Basilica with the Pope’s participation): Gold is offered to Christ as king, frankincense as god, and myrrh as man.
On the night of January 5-6, if the house believes in the good witch La Befana, the children leave their stockings and wait for the good witch to fill them with presents. In the afternoon, a large and rich table is prepared again to celebrate the end of the festivities, and this is remotely similar to the traditions of the CIS countries to celebrate the Old New Year.
January 7 (National Flag Day) in Italy
This day in Italy honors the birth of the national flag (La Festa del Tricolore), the tricolor, an event important to national identity. The main celebrations take place in Reggio Emilia, the city where the Italian tricolor (then with horizontal rather than vertical stripes) was first adopted by the first Italian sovereign state (the Cispadanian Republic) in 1797.
In Rome, the ceremonial changing of the guard and parade of the Corrazieri (the President’s elite guard unit) takes place in the square outside the Quirinal Palace, the official residence of the President of Italy, while a military band plays the Italian national anthem.
January 17 (Saint Anthony’s Abbot’s Day)
In Italy, January 17 is the Day of the Abbot of St. Anthony (Festa di San Antonio Abate), also called Anthony the Great, an early Christian ascetic, founder of hermit monasticism, healer, patron saint of butchers and protector of pets. This saint is especially revered in southern Italy, and festivals in his honor are held in Puglia and Campania.
In Rome, there are also festive processions (particularly at the church of Sant’Antonio Abate al Esquilino on the Esquiline hill) and the “Blessing of the Animals” ceremony in Piazza Pius XII near St. Peter’s Square.
4. What to Do in Rome in January
New Year’s Eve in Rome is a joyous and noisy holiday with fireworks, festivities and street performances. The squares of the Eternal City and the Vatican until the Epiphany on January 6 are decorated with Christmas trees and presepi (skits on the theme of the birth of Jesus Christ made of three-dimensional figures of biblical characters), the streets sparkle with festive illuminations, and various historical palazzos, concert halls and churches host New Year’s concerts. Restaurants offer special festive menus and nightclubs host discos and parties.
Visit Museums
When the weather outside isn’t the best for long walks, museums are a lifesaver for travelers. Plus, after the Christmas and New Year’s vacations, the flow of tourists decreases and Rome’s museums become much more spacious. This is an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the rich museum expositions of Rome in a quiet atmosphere, without rushing anywhere. 
The busy Vatican Museums in January (its second half) are freer than usual. The Sistine Chapel even has chairs on display, so you can sit and admire Michelangelo’s brilliant frescoes on its ceiling.
Go on a Shopping Spree
It is in January that Italy organizes winter sales (oh, that sweet word sounds like a song to a woman’s ear!). Their terms and rules are strictly regulated, and the sales are organized twice a year – at the beginning of January and at the beginning of July.
Usually they last about a month and a half, so if you are planning to go to Rome, January will be a good month for shopping.
Food Tours
There is no better time of year than winter to experience Roman cuisine. Real Roman cuisine (not the kind adapted for tourists) is not sophisticated, but it is hearty and nutritious.
If you’re sick of the usual pasta and pizza, go to one of Rome’s non-touristy trattorias, definitely in the Trastevere or Testaccio neighborhoods, and try some Roman dishes like artichokes Judaean-style, suppli, Roman-style tripe or saltimbocca.
Attend a New Year’s Concert
The historic palazzos and churches of Rome are hosting New Year’s Eve classical music concerts in the first weeks of January. To see the schedule, visit classistic.com.
Ice Skating
The traditional winter pastime of ice skating is available even in a southern city like Rome.
Rinks in Rome:
- Auditorium Parco della Musica (Viale Pietro de Coubertin 10)
- Porta di Roma on Ice (Via Alberto Lionello 201)
- Euroma 2 (Viale dell’Oceano Pacifico 83)
- Ice-Park Stadio Flaminio (Via Álvaro del Portillo 282)
Visit the Exhibition of Christmas Creches in St. Peter’s Square
The Vatican traditionally organizes the exhibition “100 Presepi”. The exhibition includes more than a hundred Christmas creches reproducing the biblical scenes of the birth of Jesus Christ, using three-dimensional figures and made of the most diverse and unexpected materials. 
The exhibition was first held in 1976 as a tribute to the true Italian Christmas tradition (as opposed to the tradition of setting up and dressing up trees, historically common in northern European countries but not Italy). In 2024, the exhibition runs through January 7. Admission is free.
