Where to Go in Italy in Winter

A trip to Italy is delightful in summer when you can make the most of the warm evenings, enjoying dinner and a glass of wine on any restaurant terrace. However, planning to visit Italy in winter can be just as rewarding.  Here are my top tips for visiting Italy in winter, including where to go, what to do and my personal favourite winter activities in this beautiful country. 

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Why Visit Italy in Winter?

While you may prefer to take a summer vacation in Italy, winter is actually the perfect time to visit.  You can enjoy some winter sun in the islands off the mainland, winter sports in the mountains and plenty of festive activities all over the country while making the most of fewer crowds in Italy’s most popular cities.

The prices in typically expensive places like Cinque Terre, Rome and Venice also drop as the visitor numbers decline, aside from key dates like Christmas, New Year, and the Venice Carnival in February.  

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A Woman Wearing a Carnival Mask in Venice - Why Visit Italy in Winter
A Woman Wearing a Carnival Mask in Venice – Why Visit Italy in Winter

Italy Winter Weather

As you’ve seen above, different regions of Italy experience a range of different temperatures during the winter.  Mountain regions in the north of Italy will get snow and freezing temperatures, while southern Italy enjoy a much warmer climate. 

In more central areas you can expect a range of between 2-3 degrees Centigrade up to around 10 degrees, perhaps even warmer.  Bring a jacket and layers with you to cover all bases, and an umbrella is a good idea too, especially the further north you go.

Things to do in Italy During the Winter

What kind of winter activities you get up to in Italy really depends on where you go.  City destinations will have all the usual attractions such as world-class museums, strolls through the street and incredible food to enjoy from Northern Italy to the southern tip. 

More rural locations may have winter sports, especially in the northern mountainous regions, while coastal destinations tend to be quieter.  Here you might be lucky to have a dip in the sea if you’re feeling brave, but more likely you’ll be happy enough to walk along the seafront and enjoy the views. 

Christmas in Italy

If you enjoy Christmas celebrations, there is no place better than Italy to enjoy the religious festivities, from Mass given by the Pope to the colourful decorations and intricate nativity scenes that appear all over the country.

New Year in Italy

Italians bring in the New Year with a bang – literally and figuratively!  Fireworks are common, and you can enjoy spectacular displays in many towns and cities all over Italy – Rome and Florence host some of the best displays.  Food also plays an important part, and a traditional dish of lentils on New Year’s Eve is said to bring wealth and good fortune for the year ahead.

Here are my recommendations for the best places to visit in Italy, no matter what kind of things you like to do!

The Best Places to Go in Italy During the Winter

Visit Venice in Winter

While Venice is beautiful any time of year, the sky-high prices and huge crowds in summer can be horrendous.  Visiting this beautiful city in the off-season is a great way to help prevent over-tourism in Venice, and you can have the streets almost to yourself.   

Any Venice city guide will tell you that a gondola ride is an essential part of your trip, but these rides can cost a lot of money, especially in the summer. Fewer tourists descend on Venice in winter, which means you can take advantage of discounted prices on everything from gondola rides to hotel rooms and enjoy exploring Venice on a budget!

Furthermore, the unpleasant smell that can rise off the stagnant water in the canals is much more manageable without the hot summer sun, making visiting Venice in the winter much more enjoyable. You can wander the streets and take a gondola ride accompanied by a romantic mist instead of a nasty odour.

Watch out for Carnavale, two weeks before the start of Lent. This festival draws huge crowds but provides a magnificent spectacle and vibrant party atmosphere, which certainly makes Venice one of the best places to travel in Italy in winter!

Top Things to Do in Venice in the Winter

The Doge’s Palace is probably the most popular thing to do in Venice at any time of year, you can check availability for your dates here:

 

 

Or you can browse more tours and activities in Venice here.  

 
A Row of Gondolas in Venice - A Great Place to Visit in Italy in the Winter
Venice is a Great Place to Visit in Italy in the Winter

Visiting Italy in Winter: The Dolomites

Ski resorts in Italy are arguably the best in Europe, and those in the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are in an exceptionally beautiful location. With options for beginners and families to enjoy, as well as intermediate and experienced skiers, destinations such as Passo Tonale, Alta Badia, and Sauze d’Oulx offer a variety of ski runs.

There are plenty of off-piste activities too, including other winter sports like snow-shoeing or cross-country skiing – and of course the delightful joys of the “apres-ski” drinks and food.  What better way to warm up at night after a day skiing in Italy than indulging in delicious Italian pasta and a glass of red?  I can’t think of a better way to spend a winter in Italy!

I visited the region of Trentino and its beautiful city, Trento, in summer, but can imagine just how stunning it is during the wintertime, with the Dolomite mountain range as a backdrop.  

Santa Maddalena in the Dolomites - A Stunning Place for a Winter Vacation in Italy
Santa Maddalena in the Dolomites – A Stunning Place for a Winter Vacation in Italy

Where to Go in Italy in Winter: Turin

There are fabulous Christmas markets all over Italy, but Turin holds the top spot due to the impressive Christmas lights on display around the city. In the piazzas, giant colourful trees tower over the Christmas market stalls that sell food, gifts, and decorations, and the tower of Mole Anonelliana is even more striking when it is lit up for the holidays.

Turin is also famous for its daily market at Porta Palazzo, where you can find sumptuous displays of cheeses, cured meats, truffles and other seasonal produce.  Wrap up warm to stroll along the banks of the River Po, or stop for an espresso in any of Turin’s cafes if the weather turns.

 

Don’t forget, Turin is perfectly positioned for skiing in the Alps if you’ve had your fill of markets, or to experience another Italian city, take the train to Milan, less than 1 hour away.

Colourful Christmas Lights in Turin Italy in Winter
Colourful Christmas Lights in Turin Italy in Winter

Visiting Rome in Winter

For Catholics, there are few experiences more special than hearing the Pope give mass in Rome on Christmas Eve. Watching the mass is free, but tickets for Christmas mass inside St. Peter’s Basilica are difficult to get hold of as you have to write to the Vatican to request tickets.

The tickets usually sell out months in advance, so even if you don’t have any luck acquiring them you can still watch the mass on giant screens in St. Peter’s Square just outside the basilica.  Come prepared for the weather and wear plenty of warm clothes!

READ MORE: A One Week Itinerary for Rome, Florence & Pisa

For museums and other tourist attractions such as the Colosseum, the Forum, and Borghese Gallery, you can expect shorter queues as fewer visitors come to Rome in the winter. Check the opening times, as they may vary in winter. These attractions usually close on Christmas and New Year’s Day, but Christmas in Rome is still very special.

If you’re lucky enough to get some snowy weather, there is nothing quite like exploring the historical monuments in Rome while they’re covered in a dusting of snow.

 
The Colosseum on a Beautiful Snowy Day in Rome
The Colosseum on a Beautiful Snowy Day in Rome

Where to Go in Italy in Winter: Sicily

Italy isn’t the first destination that springs to mind for winter sun, but Sicily enjoys pleasant temperatures during the winter. The island also receives relatively little rainfall compared with the rest of Italy. Again, you’ll find fewer tourists in the winter than during the summer, which means you can enjoy Palermo and Syracuse without the throngs of people while still sampling the best of Southern Italy’s hospitality.

Offering a change from Roman history, Sicily has some fine Greek archaeological sites to explore, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Valle Dei Templi in Agrigento and the Greco-Roman Theatre in Taormina. You can explore these beautiful sites in peace during the winter months, albeit with shorter opening hours.

 
The Greco-Roman Theatre in Taormina with Mount Etna in the Background
Taormina with views of Mount Etna in the Background

Where to Avoid in Italy in Winter

There are some areas of Italy where most hotels and resorts close down for the winter, so save destinations like the Riviera beach towns and Tuscany for summertime vacations. Similarly, poor weather and rough seas mean islands other than Sicily tend to close outside of peak season, so it’s best to avoid these when planning your Italy in winter itinerary.

Aside from a few exceptions, most destinations in Italy retain their charm throughout the year, so there’s no need to worry about choosing where to go. The most important thing to remember about travelling to Italy in the winter is to enjoy it!

Where would you go?  Let me know in the comments below!

9 thoughts on “Where to Go in Italy in Winter

  1. LaiAriel Samangka says:

    I heard a lot of great stories about Italy, but yours is different. You went out of the norms. Anyway, I haven’t experienced winter yet, and will love to have my first winter experience in Italy. Your photos are really beautiful and I love that showcase the places that really sound interesting during winter. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

  2. Rahul Khurana says:

    These are really cool recommendation for winters. Dolomites and Sicily look and sound best. Skiing is something i wouldn’t miss when in Europe. Love the mountains no matter where they are.

  3. Rhonda Albom says:

    Italy in winter, what a great idea. We visited Venice in August, which according to Wikipedia is around one of the hottest times of the year. It was very hot, and I think that there being fewer tourists in winter would also be a big bonus. It would be great to return to Venice and see it in winter, as well as the other locations, specifically Sicily for the UNESCO sites, and Rome as well. I remember that the queues were very long (although we managed to cut the queue with a guide).

  4. Izzy says:

    Man oh man, talking about wanting to go somewhere for Christmas! Serious inspiration over here! I love that you put Turin down on this list, it seems magical and you missed out that its the chocolate capital of Italy since Nutella was invented there! But definitely another place to recommend is Bolzano during Christmastime since its close to Germany, meaning fantastic Christmas markets!

  5. Candy says:

    I have yet to visit Italy and these are wonderful winter suggestions. I love lights, so I know I would enjoy the Christmas markets. I can only imagine how gorgeous those impressive Christmas lights must be!

  6. Vibeke says:

    This is a great article. I have a friend who is planning to go to Italy this winter, had to pass it to her, she is from Australia so didn’t really know. I would love to go to Italy during winter especially to skip the crowds, I was there a summer and it was just too many people. I wouldn’t mind seeing Venice during winter 😀

  7. Laura says:

    I would love to have a winter getaway this year; I’m living in Vietnam and it is hot AF, man! I was just in Italy this past spring and loved it so much, but it was boiling hot a lot of the time. It would be great to see the country in a different season. Noted!

  8. Paige says:

    While reading this I was thinking, is there a bad place to visit in the winter, and then you answered my question. Haha. I did a winter trip to Florence, Bologna and Siena a few years ago and it was pretty great. I have to say, the Dolomites is now on my winter travel list! That looks like such a dreamy and romantic destination.

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