What to Do in Rome in March: Weather and Events

March is when Rome comes out of winter: the days get longer, café terraces fill up, the orange trees and the first cherry trees bloom, and queues at the major sites are still shorter than in April or May. The weather is still changeable, with cool mornings and showers, and the calendar is dominated by Easter: in 2027 it falls on Sunday 28 March, so Holy Week takes place entirely in March. This guide tells you what to expect from the weather, which dates to note, what is free and how to avoid the biggest crowds. Information checked in October 2026; the programmes for March 2027 have not yet been published for most events. If you are running or cheering, see the Rome Marathon.

The weather in Rome in March

The normals for the Rome-Ciampino station (Aeronautica Militare) give highs of around 15°C and lows of around 6°C in March. In practice, mornings and evenings are cool, sunny afternoons can feel like spring, and rain is possible from one day to the next. The sun sets around 6pm at the start of the month; daylight saving time begins in the night of 27 to 28 March 2027 and pushes sunset past 7pm.

Dress in layers (jacket, light sweater, raincoat) with shoes that grip wet cobblestones. To compare with other months, see the best time to visit Rome.

Easter and Holy Week 2027

In 2027, Palm Sunday is on 21 March, Good Friday on 26 March, Easter on 28 March and Easter Monday (Pasquetta, a public holiday in Italy) on 29 March. It is the busiest time of the year at the Vatican: the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum on Good Friday, then Mass in St. Peter's Square and the Urbi et Orbi blessing at noon on Easter Day. The celebrations are free, but seats require a free ticket booked through the Prefecture of the Papal Household. The details are in our page Easter in Rome.

If you come that week, book your accommodation and Vatican Museums tickets well in advance, expect long security checks around St. Peter's Square, and note that the Vatican Museums are closed on Easter Monday. The last Sunday of the month is normally free at the Vatican Museums, but in 2027 it falls on Easter Day: the free entry does not apply that day.

Other dates to note

The Trinità dei Monti steps at Piazza di Spagna

The Rome marathon (Acea Run Rome The Marathon): running websites announce the 2027 edition for Sunday 14 March, with start and finish near the Imperial Forums. The route crosses the centre: streets are closed for several hours, which complicates buses and taxis that morning. Date and route to be confirmed on the race's official website.
FAI Spring Days: each year, on a weekend in the second half of March, the Italian Environment Fund (FAI) opens places normally closed to the public, with guided tours by volunteers. In 2026 they took place on 21 and 22 March; the 2027 dates have not been announced, and the Rome programme is published about two weeks before.
8 March (International Women's Day): entry to state-run sites is free for women, as has been the practice in recent years (for example on the official website of Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este in Tivoli in 2026). Check the site's own page before counting on it in 2027; mimosa is handed out on the street that day.
The first Sunday of the month (7 March 2027): under "Domenica al museo", state sites are free, including the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine, but with no online booking: tickets are collected at the ticket offices on site and the queue can be long. Special routes (arena, underground) are not included.
The Japanese cherry trees of the EUR: around the small lake in the EUR district, about a thousand cherry trees usually bloom from late March to mid-April, for only a few days. Entry is free and open; Romans come to picnic. Metro line B, EUR Fermi or EUR Palasport station.

What to do in Rome in March

The month suits everything done outdoors on clear days, with museums as a fallback:

In the morning: the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine with a timed ticket, before the groups (see ancient Rome).
In the afternoon: Piazza di Spagna, whose steps are decked with spring azaleas, and the Villa Borghese.
If the rain sets in: museums, churches and galleries; see Rome on a rainy day.
In the evening: dinner in a trattoria, to be booked at weekends; see Rome by night.

Crowds, prices and bookings

Outside Easter week, March is a month of moderate crowds: busier than January and February, quieter than April or May. The most popular sites (Colosseum, Borghese Gallery, Vatican Museums) still need an online booking a few days ahead, several weeks ahead if you come at Easter. Accommodation prices rise sharply during Holy Week; outside it, they are generally lower than in late spring. Always compare the same dates (see where to stay in Rome and the budget for a trip to Rome).

Tips for March

Choosing your dates: for a quiet stay, avoid the week of 21 to 29 March 2027; the first half of the month is the calmest.
Switch to summer time: in the night of 27 to 28 March 2027 you lose an hour; keep it in mind for an early flight or train on Easter Sunday.
Dress in churches: shoulders and knees covered (see the rules in churches and at the Vatican).
Opening hours: they change with the season and on public holidays; check each site's official website before you go, especially for Easter week.

Going further

The next month is covered in what to do in Rome in April. For the whole season, read Rome in spring, and for the month before, Rome in winter. To organise your days, see Rome in 3 days.