If you visit Rome in May you can expect fewer crowds and lower hotel prices than peak summer months, as well as near perfect weather. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, we’ve been to Rome in July and May, and we can tell you for certain the late spring was a much better time to visit. In fact, it wasn’t even a close contest.

Why? Because May gave us comfortable temperatures, hotel prices that didn’t make our hearts sink and attractions that weren’t bursting at the seams. All of which were the total opposite in July when it was so hot, busy and expensive. Read more about us.

Here we are taking a selfie at the Pantheon after dinner

Don’t get us wrong, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. May is the month that tourism begins to spike, so it is going to be more expensive and busier than March or April. But in return you get that nicer weather which is a big deal, and we a great balance between crowds and atmosphere.

In this guide we walk you through the 10 most important things you should know about visiting Rome in May based on our experiences. Take a look at our Rome travel guidebook if you’re a serial planner like us, but for now let’s get started!

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1. Crowds

We took this photo at the Trevi Fountain in May (trust us, it’s quieter than in July!)

Rome is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe and the world, so naturally it attracts year round crowds. But some months are busier than others, and Rome is one of those places that has a crystal clear peak season in June, July and August. So the good news for your visit in May is that it’s a transition month between the shoulder season and peak season.

Early May is actually still considered to be part of the shoulder season, so you’d benefit from even more hotel room availability with cheaper prices and fewer crowds at attractions if you went earlier in the month. Whereas towards the end of the month you’re starting to flirt with the beginning of peak tourism, and you risk losing some of those benefits.

Our Experience: We were in Rome from May 22nd to 25th and it was busy, but nowhere near what it was like in July. Getting into attractions was easy enough, we were able to walk into restaurants without issue and there were plenty of great hotel options to choose between. And we don’t especially love going to major cities when they’re super quiet anyway because they lose atmosphere.

Annual Visitors

In 2023, Rome received a record 35 million visitors, and 7 million of those were international travelers. If you imagine that a huge proportion of those go in the summer months of June, July and August, you can begin to build up a picture of what it might be like at places like The Vatican Museums and the Colosseum. Take it from us, it’s not much fun!

What Does That Mean For You?

Well, it means that May is the last month before summer that you can go to Rome and enjoy it without being completely overrun by tourists. April would be quieter but the weather wouldn’t be as consistently warm. Otherwise you might want to wait until September, or even October but then you run the risk of unpredictable weather again.

2. Weather

Here’s Kristen walking along Via del Corso in the late spring

Let’s face it, the weather is a massively important part of your plans. Who wants to spend all that time and money going to Rome only to walk around in rain or cold temperatures? And don’t forget it also gets really hot in the summer months, almost unbearably hot. You know what that means – along with April, September and October, May gives you those perfect weather conditions.

Rome’s weather takes a huge leap from April to May with much more comfortable average highs and lows. But you also have to consider the 8°F (4.5°C) increase in average high temperatures from the start to the end of May. That’s a pretty big change if you visit on May 3rd versus May 29th for example.

Another benefit is that it starts to become far less cloudy, especially towards the end of the month. And that ties nicely into the percentage chance of rain reducing fairly significantly from mid-May onward. Finally, remember that May is just one month away from the summer solstice, so that means super long daylight hours for ticking off Rome’s top attractions.

Our experience: The weather was amazing for the full three days we spent in Rome in the last week of May. We barely saw a cloud the whole time, but it wasn’t so hot that we needed to go back to our hotel for midday outfit changes! Even at night after dinner we were comfortable in t-shirts and shorts. The only time we had a problem was when we went inside the Vatican Museums and had to wear pants to cover up – let’s just say we ripped those pants off immediately after leaving St Peter’s Basilica.

Rome May Temperatures

May 1st:

• High – 69°F (21°C)
• Low – 50°F (10°C)

May 31st:

• High – 77°F (25°C)
• Low – 56°F (13°C)

Source: Weather Spark

3. Hotels

This is the sort of architecture you can expect in the city

The magic combination of lower occupancy rates and lower average nightly costs for hotel rooms in Rome’s popular neighborhoods (compared to summer) is up there with the very best reasons to plan your trip in May. And this is especially true in the earlier part of the month.

There’s hundreds of hotels that will fill up and cost a small fortune in June, July and August. But May is the transition month so there’s still good value to be had, particularly if you get in early and don’t leave booking until the last minute.

Our experience: We paid a ludicrous amount of money to stay at a good but not great hotel in Monti when we visited in July. Whereas our nicer hotel near the Trevi Fountain in the Centro Storico was surprisingly affordable during our trip in May. It’s a huge perk that shouldn’t be underestimated. Here’s our detailed guide on where to stay in Rome by neighborhood if you want to learn more.

Hotel Recommendations

Is this going to be your first time in Rome? We recommend booking a hotel in the Centro Storico near the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain or Piazza Navona. This gives you a central location and countless places to eat out.

Here’s three excellent Centro Storico hotels to consider:

Sant’Ivo Apartments (cheap)
I Tre Moschettieri (mid range)
Umilta 36 (luxury)

4. Eating Out

Just two of the many pizzas we devoured on our trip

May is a superb time to visit Rome for eating out. Why? Because it’s warm but not too hot, and restaurants have atmosphere but there aren’t long lines to get in. Plus, outdoor dining is perfectly comfortable in the evenings. We never once had to put on a heavier layer, even at night.

Our experience: We basically eat nothing but pizza, pasta and gelato when we visit Italy, and even just thinking about those things makes us want to book a flight right now. And then of course there’s wine, which is incredibly cheap and tasty, so it would be rude not to take advantage. In case you’re wondering, yes we do live in the gym for a few weeks after every trip to Italy!

Restaurant Recommendations

Okay, this is Rome we’re talking about. There’s hundreds of cheap, expensive, unique, fun, hidden or exclusive places you can eat, so you’d have to live in the city for a good few years before being able to profess that you’re an expert on where to go.

But we can offer you the following suggestions based on our experiences so far:

Need help planning your trip to Rome?

Our popular Rome travel guidebook gives you the top experiences, lesser known attractions, exactly where to eat and stay, how to get around, 1-5 day itinerary ideas and much more. Plus, you’ll get an exclusive map to use in Rome!

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5. Expenses

One of our favorite streets in the Trastevere neighborhood

We traveled the world almost non-stop from 2018-2024, visiting hundreds of cities and towns across many continents. And honestly, we think places like Rome, Paris and New York are more affordable to visit than what they’re made out to be.

Sure, you could make a trip to Rome cost a fortune if you stay in a ritzy 5 star hotel, eat in fine dining restaurants and take private tours of attractions. But you can also visit Rome on the cheap if you have a tight budget. Eating out can be super affordable if you don’t do sit down meals in the main squares, it’s a walkable city so you don’t have to take public transport and attractions have fairly cheap entry tickets.

We’ve already talked about cheaper hotel prices, but don’t forget about cheaper flights too. It isn’t quite peak season and airlines are eager to fill seats as early as possible, so there’s discounts and deals to be had.

Our experience: We paid $60 each to take a train from Salerno to Rome and $741.90 for a 4 night hotel stay in Rome (which really isn’t bad). Then we spent roughly $300 on food and drinks, and afterwards we took a cheap $20 direct bus transfer up to Siena. We also spent money on attractions, but we’ll talk about that next (number 6).

How Much Spending Money Do You Need?

Everyone visiting Rome arrives with a different budget, goals and itinerary ideas. There’s no one size fits all budget calculator because you might want to eat and drink your way through the city, you might want to just visit attractions and museums, or you might want to keep costs down.

But generally speaking, let’s say the average couple spends the following (excluding flights):

• $250/night on a hotel
• $100/day on food
• $100/day on attractions
• $50/day on miscellaneous things

So we think the average couple planning a 3-night and 4-day trip to Rome would spend somewhere around US $1,750. But remember, you absolutely can do it much cheaper or spend a lot more than that.

Here’s a few easy ways you can save money:

• Book a hotel offering free breakfast to cut out one meal a day
• Eat at low key takeaway style places
• Don’t splurge on dinner, keep it simple instead
• Book a cheaper than average hotel
• Walk instead of using the metro

6. Things To Do

We took this photo inside the Roman Forum

One of our favorite things about visiting Rome in May was being able to do all of the same things we did in summer, but without the crowds. And this isn’t something to skim over without absorbing it properly. The crowds at Rome’s paid attractions in July were among some of the worst we’ve ever seen, especially the Vatican.

Our experience: We’d already done the major tourist sites in July, so in May we used Go City attraction passes to tick off three attractions; a three tenors performance at St Paul’s Within The Walls, the San Sebastian Catacombs and the Colosseum (which we had done before – and we’ll talk about it next in number 7). We usually love using passes because they save money, but this one wasn’t as great.

Plus, we paid to explore the Caracalla Baths, the Vatican Museums (which we cover in number 8) and the Capitoline Museums. We also tried to go to the Borghese Gallery without booking tickets in advance, which was a mistake because there weren’t any same day tickets available, even in May. Otherwise, we just enjoyed doing free things like walking between ancient ruins and exploring neighborhoods.

Top Attractions

There’s tons of amazing experiences you can’t miss in Rome, but here are the things we would prioritize on a first visit:

• Visit the Colosseum and Roman Forum
• Take a tour of the Vatican Museums
• Explore the Borghese Gallery
• Walk around Trastevere and Centro Storico
• Go to the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon

Special Events

Okay, but is there anything specific going on? Well, we’re glad you asked! Here are some of Rome’s events that take place in May each year:

• Rome workers day – Free music festival at Basilica of San Giovanni  on May 1st.
• International rose competition – In Roseto Comunale near Aventine Hill at the end of May.
• Night of the Museums – Some city run museums stay open after midnight (around mid May).
• Open House Roma – Notable buildings open to the public last week of May.
• Sports – The Giro d’Italia bike race, BNL tennis tournament and Italian open golf are all in May.

7. Colosseum + Roman Forum

Here’s a photo Mark took of Kristen standing outside the Colosseum on a warm late spring evening

Okay, let’s take a deeper dive into the Colosseum and Roman Forum because it’s arguably the most popular tourist attraction in Rome, so chances are pretty high you’ll be going. Is it worth it? A resounding yes. And May is an excellent month to do it because there’s fewer people inside and the temperatures are cooler than summer.

Our experience: We first did the Colosseum on a scorching hot day in July, and it was so busy. The lines were enormous, the one-way route around the Colosseum bottlenecked and the Roman Forum is totally exposed so people were fighting for shaded areas. Then we went back in May and it was still busy enough, but it was calm and people were reasonable. Plus, the sun wasn’t burning holes in people!

We did make a mistake though – instead of booking a highly rated guided tour like this one with Viator or this one with Take Walks, we did the self guided audio tour and it was good but not great. For such an iconic landmark, we should have done a proper tour. Here’s our guide on mistakes to avoid at the Colosseum to learn more.

Tip: If you don’t take a guided tour and want to buy basic entry tickets, head over to this official website and buy the “full experience – underground levels and arena” ticket because it gets you into more areas for the same price. If it’s sold out, try the “full experience ticket with entry to the arena of the Colosseum” ticket next.

8. The Vatican

Artwork and sculptures in one of the first rooms we visited in the Vatican Museums on our early tour

Along with the Colosseum, the other truly unmissable attraction in Rome is the Vatican Museums. And you won’t be surprised to hear our experiences follow pretty much the same trend – in July it was hot, the lines were enormous and we were jam-packed inside the museums like sardines, whereas in May it was cooler and far less chaotic.

Our experience: After our first visit when we waited for ages in the heat to get in and then couldn’t move inside, we knew we had to do it better next time. So we researched, found a highly rated tour and splurged on this amazing early entry tour of the Vatican Museums instead, and it was worth every penny. We had entire rooms and halls to our small group before anyone arrived. Here’s our guide on the best and worst way to visit the Vatican Museums to learn more.

Tip: No matter which month you visit Rome, you should definitely go to the Vatican Museums. But do yourself a favor and book tickets in advance, ideally paying extra for a guided tour to escape the crowds. If you do buy a basic entry ticket, consider going later in the day to avoid the morning rush. Here’s the official website to check hours and tickets.

9. Photography

We took this wide angle photo of the Pantheon at dawn before the crowds arrived

Are you interested in photography? Or do you at least take a bunch of photos on your phone when you travel? Well, the touristy areas of Rome are essentially located around the ancient ruins of the Roman Empire, and that means endless photo opportunities of narrow cobbled streets, huge piazzas and famous structures.

Our experience: As travel photographers, we honestly couldn’t get enough of running around Rome with our cameras. Our favorite thing to do was get up before sunrise and walk to the major architectural sites like the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Spanish Steps at first light so we could have them completely to ourselves.

But you can also take some fun photos of places like the Trevi Fountain in the evening when it’s absolute pandemonium. Hundreds of people all looking at a small fountain is a pretty funny thing to see! You really can’t go wrong taking photos in Rome, so make sure everything is charged and you have plenty of storage available.

10. Packing

Here’s a photo we got of Kristen on the Spanish Steps at sunrise

Packing for a trip to Rome in May is mostly straightforward, but there’s still a small chance of getting bad weather so you should pack a few mid-layer options just in case. By June, we’d say it’s totally safe to turn up with nothing but shorts and t-shirts. But especially early in May, we wouldn’t risk going full minimalist.

Start with the basics, you’ll be walking a lot so comfortable shoes are essential. It’s going to be sunny so you must take sunglasses, sunscreen and maybe a hat. After that it’s all about packing multi-use items that you can dress up or down. If you plan to tick off tons of attractions, go for function over form. You’ll be happier in comfy clothes over things that look good but feel bad!

Then ask yourself some important questions like how much do you plan to go out drinking or partying? How many classy restaurants do you plan to eat at? And will you be going into the Vatican or other places of worship that require covering up fully?

Our experience: We always pack multi-purpose clothes that can be dressed up or down when we travel anywhere. And we always walk as much as we can, so we wear running shoes with lots of spring and bounce during the day. We got lucky with beautiful warm weather the whole time we were in Rome, so we didn’t have to break out our mid-layers at all.

Basic Packing List

• Underwear and socks
• Shorts, pants, leggings, dresses
• Moisture wicking t-shirts
• Light and medium layers
• Smart casual gear for dinner and drinks
• Even smarter clothes for upscale restaurants
• Sunglasses and hats
• Pair of shoes each for walking and evenings
• Camera, lenses, tripod and plenty of data storage

Next Steps

We hope our guide answers your questions about whether May is a good time to visit Rome or not, but please let us know if you have any other questions in the comments box a little further below.

Still figuring out your plans?

Finally, if you’ll be visiting more places on the same trip, we recommend reading our Italy travel planning guide for helpful tips and advice.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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Mark and Kristen spent 6 years traveling the world, visiting over 40 countries across 4 continents and more than 30 US states. They created Where Are Those Morgans in 2018 to help others plan the best possible vacations by writing authentic travel and hiking guides based on their real experiences.

Since the arrival of baby Maya in late 2024, Mark and Kristen’s extensive travels have slowed down but they still take plenty of trips. Where Are Those Morgans now helps millions of travelers each year to visit new places and hike new trails through information-packed blog posts and expert travel guidebooks. Read more about Mark and Kristen.

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