As in any other country in the world, the Italian tourist calendar has its own off-season periods that separate the high season from the low. And although the off-season periods in Italy are shorter than in most of the other areas, March refers to those.
Weather in Italy in March
The term that best describes the expectations for the weather in Italy in March, no doubt, can serve as "unpredictable." And although, due to the fact that the country's territory is stretched from north to south and has a very diverse landscape, significant distortions are always possible in its climate, and it is in March that they are most pronounced.
The weather in Italy in March is generally characterized by dampness and rain, although in some places it can still be quite cold, especially at the beginning of the month. At the same time, the further you climb south, the more happy the mercury column of the thermometer is, and the amount of precipitation, accordingly, decreases. In the second half of March, spring is already felt as a full-fledged mistress of the situation throughout the country, and warm and sunny days are by no means uncommon even in the cities of the Italian north.
Finally, since you can never be sure what the weather will bring to you in March, preparing your luggage for your trip is complicated to the maximum. Should I pack sunglasses? Or an umbrella? The answer is usually “Yes” in both cases.
As we noted above, temperature in Italy in March to a large extent determined by the region of residence and can fluctuate over a fairly wide range, but in the general case, the framework can be defined as follows:
Temperature in Rome in March: +6 + 15С
Temperature in Venice and Milan in March: + 3 + 12С
Temperature in Palermo in March: +11 + 16С
Holidays in March
Sometimes it seems that the Italians are always celebrating something, and this impression, in fact, is not so deceptive. However, in March there are several significant holidays and festivals on the Italian calendar worth mentioning separately.
To begin with, we note that, depending on each specific year, two significant events that often fall in March are the Carnival season and Easter. The first are celebrated on a grand scale throughout the country, but the most famous of them are Carnival in Venice and the battle of oranges in hebrew. In order to check whether the carnival in Venice falls on your chosen year of travel, we recommend that you refer to one of our previous posts - Carnival Dates in Italy 2010-2020. However, even these bright and distinctive festivities fade compared to how Italians celebrate Easter (a list of Easter dates from 2012 to 2025 can be found in our Easter post in Italy: dates, traditions and cuisine).
The battle of oranges in Hebrew is considered one of the most colorful carnivals in Italy
The week leading up to Easter is often associated with a huge number of side events and festivals, however Easter weekend in Italy - this is the time when the whole country freezes in order to pay tribute to the Holiday. From Good Friday to Monday after Easter, this is, at the same time, the best time to enrich your impressions of local traditions and the worst - for planning domestic crossings in the country (since transport operates on a reduced schedule).
Other significant events of March include International Women's Day, Turin Chocolate Festival and so-called Open Monuments Weekend. However, regardless of which part of the Apennines you are planning your trip to, it will be useful to learn more about local events on your route. Some may be worth a visit.
Summary
When the weather is unpredictable, and prices are still encouraging with availability, this is the definition of the off-season, and March in Italy absolutely satisfies these parameters. Prices for travel components such as airline tickets and hotel rooms are still low in March, although slightly higher than they were in January and February. Nevertheless, the first month of spring still provides many options for those travelers who are interested not only in impressions, but also in the cost associated with them.
In addition, in March, the country is not yet oversaturated with tourists, which facilitates access to archaeological sites and museums.
The only inconvenience when planning a trip in March is the unpredictability of the weather. This is definitely not the best month to explore the mountains or, say, the ruins of Pompey, because bad weather can still interfere with your plans and spoil your experience.
And, as already noted above, before traveling to this amazing country, it makes sense to double-check the dates of Easter and make appropriate adjustments to the proposed route. A visit to the Apennines during the Easter holidays can greatly enrich your experience, but do not get carried away by frequent trips - not all of these experiences will be pleasant.
