February Weather and Holidays in Italy
| Title: | February Weather and Holidays in Italy | |||||||
| Category: | Weather and Holidays | |||||||
| Author: | Daniele Pintaudi | Updated: | Jan 30, 2019 | Views: | 3,054 | |||
| Tags: | february in italy february weather in italy holidays italey february | |||||||
Weather in the North (Venice, Milan, Turin, Cinque Terre, etc.)
During February, the northern cities in Italy are getting a little warmer, but will still be cold and wet. The temperatures between the high 20's high 40's (-3 to 8 C), and on any given day you have a one in three chance of rain. The larger cities have a romantic feel to them as people huddle in warm bars.
Weather in Central (Soriano nel Cimino, Tuscany, Umbria, Florence, Rome, etc.)
The Central part of Italy is a bit warmer than the north, of course. Rome is often quite pleasant, with temperatures hovering between the high 40's to mid 50's (8 to 13 C) and lows rarely at freezing. Tuscany and Umbria will be 8 to 10 degrees colder. There is about a one in five chance of rain on any given day. When you get a stretch of sunlight in February, it is absolutely beautiful as you heat up in the direct sunlight with a sharp chill in the air.
At our home-base of Soriano nel Cimino, expect the temperatures to be about 5 degrees cooler than Rome, and we do get more rain this time of year than can be expected in Rome. We are not as cold as Tuscan cities like Florence.
Weather in the South (Naples, Sorrento, The Amalfi Coast, Sicily, etc.)
You should expect high temperatures hovering between the low 50's to high 50's (11 to 15 C). You will experience more sunshine as you travel south, but don't expect weather nice enough for the beach.
How to Dress
Always dress in layers this time of year. You may find days during which a light sweater will be enough, and you may find evenings that require gloves, scarves, etc. be sure to have an umbrella with you in February.
Best Places to visit
Smaller towns in Italy have very little life this time of year. Visiting the countryside of Tuscany can be quite depressing. Most people find that the big cities are the place to be in the winter, with lots going on and a very romantic winter vibe. If you could only go to one city in February, we would suggest Rome for weather, or Venice for the Carnevale celebration.
What's Special About This Time of Year
Holidays/Festivals: Many towns in Italy celebrate Carnevale (Mardi Gras) , which will usually happen in February (it is 40 days before Easter). But the really big events are in Venice and Viareggio, where the celebration lasts for a couple weeks with amazing costumes, parades, etc. The Carnevale celebration is probably one of the most famous in the world, rivaling the one in Rio.
Crowds: Tourism is down this time of year, and the crowds are very light. You will be able to visit the ore popular museums without waiting in long lines. This is with the exception of Venice, which is packed with massive crowds during the Carnevale celebration.
Food: Winter is the time that all the Italian comfort foods come out. You will find pastas with richer sauces, lots of amazing soups, more fatty recipes, and probably the single best reason to visit Italy in the winter: Italian Hot Chocolate: The rich and thick hot chocolate that is truly incredible. It is something between our hot chocolate and pudding, and leaves every visitor wanting for more and more and more.