Weather in Italy in January

Is January a good time to go to Italy?

It’s not just another wet and cold month, in fact, Italy, and neighbouring France, are two premiere destinations for ski holidays in Europe. If the slopes don’t seem attractive, many people travel at this time of year despite the weather because of the cheap rates and quiet spaces.  If anything, this is the best time to hide away from the rain in silent museums and galleries for hours at a time and sample authentic Italian cuisine with local diners at a café or restaurant, while all the other tourist are gone. With good planning, it is well worth putting up with the rain for the discounted rates and opportunity to leisurely explore Italy. 

Climate in Italy in January

With the 30cm (11.8in) of snow in alpine areas, snow sports travellers are excited as the New Year rolls in; it is otherwise, like any other cold, wet winter month. It may drop as low as -12°C (10°F) high in the mountains, -2°C (28°F) in the northern and alpine foothills, and won’t reach much higher than 13°C (56°F) anywhere. Coastal regions are the wettest and northern areas are relatively dry.

What’s on in Italy in January

New Year’s celebrations often continue into the first, and on New Year’s Day, there are festivals catering to children, as well as some unique localised traditions to find. The Trasimeno Blues Festival is a multifaceted event, which guarantees a variety of different live performances and entertainment. There are a number of religious festivals during January, but the national holiday, Epiphany Day, is the greatest and many shops owners close down for day in order to watch processions and attend mass.  

What to pack for a holiday in Italy in January

The Italian winter can get very cold and wet so, synthetic, dark material is best. Pack some T-shirts, trousers, jeans (bear in mind that they take long to dry), warm jerseys and long sleeved shirts, thermals, warm hats, gloves and scarves. Pack more than one pair of comfortable, amphibian shoes or boots and wear a light raincoat with a jersey; only pack a very thick coat if travelling to snowy regions, along with appropriate snow gear, otherwise it becomes a cumbersome item to carry around– a regular coat will do.