What to Do in Rome in October: Weather, Grape Harvest and Events

October is a charming month in Rome: highs are around 22 °C, the light is golden and queues get a little shorter. It is also the start of the rainy season, and the clock change on 25 October brings nightfall earlier. This guide covers the weather, the events of October 2026, the schedules that change and ideas for rainy days. Information checked in October 2026. Also worth noting: Halloween in Rome and the Festa del Cinema.

Rome's weather in October

Usual climate values give lows around 13 °C and highs around 22 °C, with about 88 mm of rain over 8 days (indicative figures, based on average climate records). Early-month days still feel like summer; the end of the month is cooler and wetter. Bring a jacket and a small umbrella.

Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati

The clock change and the hours from 25 October

Winter time starts on Sunday 25 October 2026. From that date the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine switch to winter hours: opening at 8:30, last entry at 15:30 and park closing at 16:30, until 28 February 2027. Plan outdoor visits earlier in the day and book a timed ticket for the Colosseum in advance. Other sites, such as the Bioparco, also change their hours: check before you go.

Events in October 2026

Rome Film Fest (Festa del Cinema di Roma): 21st edition at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, until 25 October; the official regulations give an opening on 14 October (some sources say 13). See the Auditorium Parco della Musica page.
Romaeuropa Festival: until 15 November 2026 (it began on 8 September).
Sagra dell'Uva in Marino: main festival on Sunday 4 October 2026, with the "miracle of the fountains" where wine replaces water; dates announced as 3–5 October, to be confirmed with the town. For the grape harvest in the hills, see the Castelli Romani and Frascati.
Free Sundays: on 4 October (first Sunday) state-run sites are free; the Vatican Museums are free on the last Sunday, 25 October.

What to do in October

A day in the Castelli Romani, by train from Termini: new wine, porchetta and countryside views (day trips from Rome).
Villa Borghese and the gardens around Rome.
The Via Appia Antica and the catacombs, pleasant in the cool of autumn.
Restaurants: artichokes, squash, mushrooms and chestnuts reach the menus (what to eat in Rome).

When it rains

October already has many rainy days. Keep in reserve the Borghese Gallery (booking required), the Vatican Museums and the Pantheon. Our guide Rome on a rainy day offers a full programme.

Tips

Crowds: calmer than September, but the All Saints holidays are approaching (see Rome at All Saints).
Hotels: prices drop outside holiday bridges; see where to stay in Rome.
Before: What to do in Rome in September; the whole season: Rome in autumn.

At a glance

Topic	October 2026
Temperature	about 13 °C min, 22 °C max
Rain	about 88 mm over 8 days
Free Sunday (state sites)	4 October
Free Vatican Museums	25 October
Clock change	25 October
Colosseum from 25 October	8:30–16:30 (last entry 15:30)