Italy in February: what you need to know to plan the perfect trip (by a local!)

Visiting Italy in February: best places to visit, main festivities and events, what to expect from the weather in February in Italy. Updated in May 2025.

February is one of the nicest times for sightseeing in Italy, and one of the most commonly overlooked by visitors.

February in Italy is very much a winter month, and this of course has an impact on the activities and areas you may want to prioritize.

If you are hoping for long days, warm weather and dinners out, you need to go to Italy later in the year.

However,there are good reasons to go to Italy in February.

If you don’t mind wrapping up a little, you’ll be rewarded by one of the quietest months of the year in terms of crowds and, often, nicer weather than you may expect: in large parts of Italy, February sees clear sky and a lovely first hint of spring in the air!

My birthday is in February and every year we ‘use’ it as an excuse to take a trip out of Rome and explore Italy. On this page, you’ll find all my tips for visiting Italy in February, based on our personal experience.

Safe travel planning!

Please note: this is a seasonal travel guide about Italy in February, meant to help you decide the best time of the year for your visit. For official information and travel advisory that may affect your trip, please refer to your Government travel advisory. Check here for official info if traveling from US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand.

Italy in February: what you will find in this article

• Overview of weather in February in Italy
• February festivities and events in Italy
• Recommended places to visit in Italy in February
• February in Italy with kids
• What to book in advance for February in Italy

Please note: this post contains affiliate links and, should you make a purchase, we might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The weather in Italy in February: what to expect

February in Italy sees the seasons turn from winter into spring; however, how quickly that turns happens and what weather conditions you will actually get, will vary depending on where in Italy you are, on the year of your visit and even on the luck of the day!

In Italy in February, you’ll find snow on the mountains, but in cities it is not unusual to find yourself taking your coat off at lunchtime in February one day, and reach for an extra scarf at the very same time the day after!

In general, the weather in Italy in February sees the winter slowly release its grip, temperatures beginning to rise and blossoms starting to appear on trees.

However, while Rome and the South in February mix cold days with positively mild ones, the north of Italy tends to stay colder for longer and even see snow and the South may even have you catching a hint of sun on the beach (wrapped up! But you’ll get a nice outdoor walk along the sea)

At a glance, the weather in Italy in February is:

Name of the place	Temperature low/high	Days of rain
Milan, Lombardy	3C/37F – 10C/50F	4
Venice, Veneto	1C/34F – 9C/48F	4
Florence, Tuscany	3C/37F – 12C/54F	7
Rome, Lazio	3C/37F – 14C/57F	7
Amalfi, Campania	9C/48F – 14C/57F	7
Palermo, Sicily	9C/48F – 15C/59F	7

In practice, these temperatures mean you need to wear winter clothes but may experience milder temperatures in the middle of the day that, on a good day, may allow to you take off your coat,

It is however possible and well documented for February to bring even very cold temperatures so proper coats, scarves and winter shoes in Italy in February are a must.

February festivities in Italy you need to know about

The main festivity you need to take into account if planning a trip to Italy in February is the carnival.

Carnival happens on different dates each year, but usually falls during the month of February and can have a big impact on your plans, if you are interested in visiting Venice and Viareggio, the two carnival capitals of Italy.

If you are not, the carnival is unlikely to impact your trip much.

Unless you are in a locality with a special parade or series of events, carnival doesn’t affect museums/attractions opening hours and will mostly show itself in the form of kids wearing costumes and lovely carnival sweets in the shops!

In 2025, the dates for Carnival are 14th February – 4th March.

The best places to visit in Italy in February

Italian Dolomites – best for skiing

If you eyeing Italy for skiing in February then you are in luck!

Italy in February has lovely skiing conditions in several localities and has slopes for all abilities.

Popular places to go skiing are, among others, Val d’Aosta and the Dolomites, at the two ends of the Alps, respectively in the West and the east.

Among the many places to check out, there are:

• Ortisei (Val Gardena)
• Alpe di Siusi (Seiseralm)
• Courmayeur
• Cervinia
• Val Tournanche
• Cortina
• Val Badia
• San Candido

Venice in February

Talking about visiting Venice in February can only start from a mention of Venice carnival, one of the city’s most traditional and important yearly events, happening in February.

Venice carnival is a huge event and you cannot ignore it so my advice is: if you want to experience it, go for the carnival while if you want to avoid it, go before or after.

Basically, there is no avoiding the carnival in Venice during carnival week so you need to plan accordingly!

The pros of visiting Venice at carnival is the chance to participating in a unique and ancient tradition, that can be lots of fund and a one in a lifetime memory.

The cons is that the price of accommodation in Venice skyrockets at this time and the crowds are intense.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you wrap up as Venice in February is beautiful and romantic but cold!

You can find our guides about Venice here:

• Venice itinerary recommendations
• Best areas to stay in Venice
• What to eat in Venice
• Visiting Venice in winter
• Venice with kids (see below)

Rome in February

February is a lovely time to visit Rome.

During this month, the weather is overall mild, ranging from warm in the sun to chilly in the shade: it is the perfect weather for sightseeing!

Crowds in Rome in February are moderate: you still need to book attractions in advance, but you can usually get away with booking a couple of weeks before you go rather than a couple of months or more!

You can find my detailed guide to visiting Rome in February. here.

Florence and Tuscany in February

Tuscany is beautiful but cold in February, most suited to travelers interested in food and wine than outdoor pursuits.

At this time, the best places to enjoy in Tuscany are the historic towns and museums of this beautiful region, while for farm visits and often even winery tours you may need to wait until agricultural season kicks in again.

If you are hoping to go wine tasting, I recommend you make bookings are not all wineries will be open for tours and those that are need to make sure they have staff available to welcome you.

Great places to enjoy in winter in Tuscany are:

• Florence – cold yet so rich in museums and indoor attractions, it won’t leave you disappointed
• Val d’Orcia (click here to read our guide) – Unesco World Heritage, this is an area of great natural beauty but it is cold in winter, which means it is also mostly free from the crowds of the summer! This area has some of the prettiest towns in Tuscany such as Pienza, Montalcino and Montepulciano (famous wine towns for Rosso and Brunello), San Quirico and Bagno Vignoni.
• San Gimignano – delightful medieval town and UNESCO World Heritage Site, very busy in the good season but lovely and quiet in winter. One of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany!
• Siena – One of the most beautiful small towns in Italy, with a wonderful historical town center
• Lucca – a pretty town with a lovely center and the option to cycle along its medieval walls

This is also among the best times to visit Bagno Vignoni and Saturnia, two thermal localities with some of the best thermal springs in Tuscany, an absolute delight when the air outside is cold!

Bologna and the food and car valley

Another lovely place to visit in Italy in February is the area of Bologna and Modena, famous for food and cars!

Perfect for changeable weather, in this area you can visit Bologna itself, which is beautiful and a foodies paradise (have Pasta in Sfoglia Rina, it’s the BEST Pasta in Italy in my opinion), Ravenna and its stunning mosaics and you can visit the Ferrari and Lamborghini museums, real treat for car lovers.

Places you may not want to visit in Italy in February

Coastal areas are in their low season in February and offer limited option to the out of season visitor.

Boat trips usually do not happen at this time, swimming is out of the question (unless you are an experienced cold water swimmer) and even hotels are mostly closed.

However, if you want a quiet experience and you are there for views rather than activities, February can be your chance to see these popular places without crowds!

Seasonal closures do affect Cinque Terre, Amalfi Coast and Lake areas such as Lake Como and Lake Garda.

At this time, you may find accommodation limited and water activities such as boat tours at a minimum (or potentially not happening at all).

I therefore only recommend visiting these areas in February if you are the type of visitor who enjoys a quite stay with a book and relaxed sightseeing more than an action packed, tour oriented stay.

February in Italy is all about managing expectations and I feel this is particularly true in these much dreamed-of area.

The South of Italy in February – need to know

I get often asked if a visit to the South of Italy in February is worth it or if all will be closed.

The best way to answer this question is by making a distinction between where in the south and what we mean as ‘everything’.

The South of Italy is a varied part of the county with a mix of summer resort towns but also many normal living and breathing, stunning, productive cities with a vibrant local life all year round.

Summer resort towns mostly made of hotels and second homes indeed tend to be closed now, in the sense that you can go but there is nothing to see – if there is no sightseeing to be done and the attraction is just the beach then this is not a good time to go.

Personally, I do not feel going to Tropea or Porto San Cesareo in February is worth the trip, especially if coming from far away.

However, there are plenty of wonderful towns and cities that never stop as they have locals that work, go to school, go out for meals etc.

Bari, Lecce in Puglia, Matera, Palermo and Catania (Sicily), Naples, Agrigentos’ temples are all wonderful and quiet in February and they offer stunning sightseeing and are 100% worth visiting even in February.

Just keep weather expectations in check though: February can be cold in the south too, don’t expect summer dresses or boat trips at this time.

February in Italy with kids

February is a hit and miss month to visit Italy with kids.

While they will have their fix of gelato even at this time, February in Italy is not a time for the beach, outdoor pursuits, or playing in fountains so small kids may find it a little frustrating.

If you go, I recommend you stay in the big cities so you can easily mix time sightseeing with time in the playground and indoor kids attractions,depending on the weather on the day.

Fun free resource! If you have small kids, they may enjoy our free seasonal, Italian coloring sheets which include a winter one and carnival one. They can be cute for them to do as you have a meal out or on the train!

Destinations I feel work well with kids at this time are:

Florence with kids – full of lovely children museums perfect even on rainy days

Venice with kids – cold but quiet, unless you head there for the busy days of Carnival

Rome with kids – full of indoor and outdoor attractions for all ages

Bologna and surrounding area, lovely for kids who love cars because of the Ferrari Museum at Maranello especially!

I do not recommend visiting Cinque Terre and Amalfi Coast in February with kids as there is honestly nothing to do for them there, especially if it rains. But if you want to tackle them as this is the only time you have, check our guide to Cinque Terre with kids and our Family Guide to the Amalfi Coast.

Looking for family destination ideas in Italy? Find my selection of the best places to visit in Italy with kids here.

What to book in advance for spending February in Italy

February is less busy than other months in Italy (Venice at carnival excluded) but some attractions need to be booked in advance even at this time.

This is particularly the case in 2025, which is shaping up to be a particularly busy year due to the Jubilee.

You can find my ticket booking resources here

Attractions that need advance booking are:

• Last Supper (Milan) This is the official site but tickets are hard to come by so you can also opt for a solution like this one on Tiqets that offer entrance to the Last Supper and a tour of the city (use code MAMALOVESITALY to get a 5% discount at this aff. link https://tiqets.tp.st/xrEZr8Zl
• Uffizi Gallery (Florence)
• Vatican Museums (Vatican City, Rome)
• Colosseum (Rome), this is the official site; should you also want an audioguide or should it be sold out, you can also try on GetYourGuide (despite the name, they do tickets only too!)

Trains do not usually need to be booked in advance however, high-speed train on popular routes such as Rome to Florence do tend to book out or only have very expensive tickets available. If going in or out of Venice during the Carnival, I recommend advance booking.

The cheapest way to get train tickets in Italy is via the official railway service website trenitalia.it

I always recommend booking accommodation in advance and my favorite booking engine is booking.com.

They have a large selection of accommodation options and excellent free cancellation opportunities too. I use them ALL THE TIME myself and have always found them excellent and the reviews reliable. For some destinations, I have lists of accommodation I recommend, which you can check on this part of the site

I hope you found this quick overview of what to expect in Italy in February useful. Safe travel planning!

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