March: Holy Week and the switch to summer time
In 2027, Easter falls on Sunday 28 March, and Easter Monday (Pasquetta) on 29 March is a public holiday. Clocks go forward on the night of 27 to 28 March: you lose an hour of sleep on Easter morning. Holy Week, with Palm Sunday on 21 March, the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum on Good Friday and the Urbi et Orbi blessing at noon on Easter Day, is the busiest time of the year at the Vatican. All papal celebrations are free, but seats require a free ticket to be booked through the Prefecture of the Papal Household. Everything is detailed in our page on Easter in Rome.
Book your accommodation and your tickets for the Vatican Museums several weeks ahead if you come for Easter, and check closing days: on Easter Monday the Vatican Museums are closed.
April: Rome's birthday
On 21 April, Rome celebrates its foundation with the Natale di Roma: a procession of hundreds of re-enactors dressed as legionaries, ancient rites and gladiator fights around the Circo Massimo and the Imperial Forums, all free. In 2027, 21 April falls on a Wednesday. The detailed programme is only published a few weeks beforehand. Plan a morning or a late afternoon for it, then combine it with the nearby Colosseum or Roman Forum.
Other dates to note in April and early May:
- 25 April, Liberation Day, is a public holiday in Italy: many shops close, tourist sites generally stay open, but they are swamped.
- 1 May, Labour Day, is a public holiday and sites are very busy. A big free concert is traditionally held that day in Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano: see our article on the big events of the year.
- Long weekends: when 25 April or 1 May fall near a weekend, Italians go away for short breaks and Rome is full of visitors.
May: tennis, roses and gardens
The Internazionali BNL d'Italia are played at the Foro Italico: in 2026, the main draws took place from 5 to 17 May. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet. Tickets only from the tournament's official website; see our page on the Italian Open tennis. With a ticket for the outside courts, you can see lots of players without buying the most expensive seats.
The Rome rose garden, on the Aventine Hill, is only open to the public for a few weeks in spring, when the roses are in bloom: the dates change every year and should be checked before you go. Next door, the Orange Garden offers one of the finest views over the city.
The parks are at their best: Villa Borghese and its small lake (rowing boats for hire), Villa Doria Pamphilj, the lawns of the Circo Massimo. On Easter Monday, Romans picnic in the parks or head to the coast and the hills: if you want some peace that day, stay in the centre.
A spring weekend in Rome: the itinerary
- Morning: the Forums, the Palatine and the Colosseum with a pre-booked ticket, before the heat and the midday crowds.
- Lunch: a terrace in Trastevere or near the Pantheon.
- Afternoon: Piazza di Spagna, whose steps are traditionally decked with azaleas at this time of year, then Villa Borghese.
- Evening: a sunset walk on the Janiculum or along the Tiber; see Rome at night.
Our tips for spring in Rome
- Temperatures: pleasant by day, but mornings and evenings can stay cool in March; bring a jacket and a light umbrella, as rain is still possible until May.
- Book early: the Colosseum, the Borghese Gallery and the Vatican Museums sell out several days ahead in April and May. See also the free things to do to spread your spending.
- Accommodation: prices rise around Easter, 25 April and 1 May. The guide to where to stay in Rome details the neighbourhoods.
- Dress in churches: shoulders and knees covered, even in hot weather.
Pour aller plus loin
To compare with the other seasons, read the best time to visit Rome. To plan your stay, see Rome in 3 days, and for the rest of the year, Rome in summer.
