Does it Snow in Rome?

People often ask me if we get snow in Rome. The answer is no, not really. But sometimes.

Snow in Rome - Just what you need to know

So now that we've established that it could snow in Rome . . . here's what you should know:

• How much does it snow and how often?
• What happens when it snows in Rome?
  
• Where should you go to take the best pictures when it snows in Rome?
• Do the fountains in Rome ever freeze?
• Why don't some fountains freeze while others do?
• Which are the best fountains in Rome to get photos of when they freeze?

Snow in Rome - how much and how often?

The climate in Rome is actually pretty mild. We don't tend to have extremely cold weather (although lately, we've had some pretty hot summers!)

In winter, we have short days, with some rain, occasional hail, and yes, sometimes snow (and even ice!)

I'm from Gainesville, Florida which is in the northern part of the state, and I think of Rome having similar weather to that. It might snow in Gainesville once a decade give or take. And even if it snows, there's not much of it and it doesn't stick around for long. So, basically, Rome is like north central Florida where the weather is concerned.

Except it's not.

Rome is actually on the same latitude as New York City.

Can you believe it?

And that would lead us to think we'd get snow here. I'm not a meteorologist but it's pretty clear that latitude is not the only factor affecting the weather in Rome!

The bottom line is that sometimes yes, it does occasionally snow in Rome. 

Obviously the conditions have to be right. The temps must drop to close to 0 Celsius (32 Fahrenheit), and there has to be some precipitation (rain.)

Since I moved to Rome in 2001, there have been two snowfalls, one in early February 2012 and the other in late February 2018.

On both occasions, the snowfall was pretty intense for about a day or two. The snow lasted a few days after that. Then it was all over.

What happens when it snows in Rome?

Since it rarely snows in Rome, there is no hard and fast rule about what can happen when it does.

In February 2012, one of the biggest snowfalls in recent history, the Colosseum was closed for almost a week. This was for safety reasons. (Schools were also closed for several days but this is not really going to affect you, the visitor.)

We were not allowed to drive unless we had snow tires or chains on our tires.

Which meant pretty much nobody was allowed to drive because who drives around Rome with snow tires on their car? (Caveat - I actually drove to our B&B in the snow early in the morning because I hadn't heard this news, and I was amazed to be the only person on the road although I did have to drive in first gear and go at about 10 kilometers per hour due to so much snow and slush.)

We are not equipped for snow here, as are places in colder climates.

We don't have snow plows or salt or other methods for clearing piazzas, sidewalks, and streets.

City workers do what they can but we pretty much have to just wait for the snow to melt.

As far as how snow in Rome could affect you and your visit here, you should:

• Already be prepared to dress for cold (and plan to layer) if you are coming in winter
• Have comfortable, water-proof or water-resistant shoes regardless
• Be ready to get up early and get outside to take photos if that's something you like to do
• Not worry about things being closed. This will depend on a lot of factors, none of which you can control. But again, since snow in Rome is pretty rare, it's very unlikely things will be closed because of it while you are here. If it does happen, simply find another thing to Rome. We are never without museums, monuments, churches, and things to see in Rome!

Where to get the best pictures if it snows in Rome?

Since we live in an Instagram world, I know you'll want to know where to get the best pictures if it snows in Rome.

One trick is to get out as early in the day as possible. If it snows overnight or early morning, and you don't get out until late morning, you will not find as many pristine snow spots. And often, the snow in Rome will have turned to slush by the time it starts to warm up.

The Colosseum

You are not likely to be allowed inside the colosseum if it's snowing, but the photos from the outside are better anyway. 

Try to get them from the side near the Arch of Constantine. 

You can also get great pics from the street just above the Colosseum by the Colosseo Metro stop, so you can include trees and plants in the frame.

The Pantheon

Pictures of the Pantheon, or any Roman monument, with snow on top, are beautiful.

Try to get there much earlier in the day than I did when I took this photo back in 2012 (before I was thinking so much about taking really good photos for the site and for social media!)

Spanish Steps

If you go really early when there's snow in Rome, you can get gorgeous photos of the Spanish Steps. When I went, it was already later in the day, but I still managed some fun pix.

Around the city

If you're looking for great pix of snow in Rome, just walk around in the city centre. You'll find archways, Fiat 500's, statues, and much more.

Frozen Fountains in Rome

Also in recent years, we've experienced such freezing temps that our fountains froze. Not all of them, but quite a few.

For this to happen, the temps have to go below zero and stay there for a while. We don't tend to get frozen fountains if there is snow in Rome. 

It's odd when we have wind while the fountains are freezing, because they get frozen in a swish. It's quite pretty but actually not very good for the fountains themselves.

Why don't some fountains freeze in Rome?

I discovered that not all the fountains in Rome freeze even when it's cold enough. If a given fountain is somewhat protected it won't freeze. 

Probably the most famous fountain in Rome that does not freeze is the Trevi Fountain. It's in a small square surrounded by a lot of buildings, and it would be hard for it to get cold and windy enough in that square to make the conditions right for the water to freeze.

Even if the fountains in Piazza Navona sort of freeze, they are pretty undramatic because they freeze very little. Piazza Navona seems like such a wide open space but I guess where freezing fountains are concerned, the fountains here are well-protected by all the buildings around the square.

Which are the prettiest frozen fountains in Rome?

There are still some stunning fountains in Rome to get photos of when they freeze:

Triton Fountain - Piazza Barberini

Vatican Square

Fountain of the Naiads - Piazza della Repubblica

Four Rivers Fountain - Piazza Navona