Best Italian cities to visit in winter

Explore Italian cities with festive markets, world-class museums and sunny piazzas.

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24 October 2025, 18:54

Winter in Italy runs from candlelit piazzas in the north to sunlit promenades in the south. Crowds thin out after the holidays, museum lines shrink, and prices ease up, though daylight is short and the odd storm rolls through. If you’re weighing up Italian cities to visit in winter, here’s a tight, city-by-city guide with what it actually feels like on the ground.

Best Italian cities to visit in winter in Northern Italy
Best Italian cities to visit in winter in Central Italy
Best Italian cities to visit in winter in Southern Italy and the islands
Coastal classics in winter — city bases and pitfalls

Best Italian cities to visit in winter in Northern Italy

Think crisp mornings, grand cafés and the glow of Christmas markets against the Alps. This is where you wrap up warm, duck into world-class museums, and finish the day with a proper sit-down meal and a glass of nebbiolo. Trains make short hops easy, and once Epiphany passes, rates calm down.

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Turin in winter

A winter break in Turin feels refined and cosy: arcaded boulevards for dry-foot strolling, belle époque cafés, and snow-tipped peaks framing the skyline. The city moves at a relaxed pace, with locals lingering over espresso and a square of gianduiotto chocolate while the river fog lifts.
Spend time inside the Royal Residences, the Egyptian Museum, and the MAUTO car museum, then warm up with the typical hot beverage bicerin in a historic café. If you fancy a day out, the Susa Valley towns sit within easy reach by train.
Tip: order bollito misto at a traditional trattoria and ask for the full set of sauces.

Venice in winter

In Venice, winter wraps the canals in mist and hush, with soft light on the stone and fewer tour groups in the lanes. Outside Carnevale, it’s calm enough to hear oars knocking against piers and bells carrying across the lagoon. You can skip the popular Venice activities and opt for smarter alternatives.
Try out some non-touristy things in Venice. Go slow through the Doge’s Palace, pop into lesser-known Scuole like San Giorgio degli Schiavoni, and graze on snacks called cicchetti in snug taverns.
Tip: for foggy-morning photos, head to Fondamenta Nove and watch the lagoon fade into grey.

Milan in winter

Milan in winter is smart and cultural, with opera-goers in wool coats, twinkling lights along Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, and mist rolling over the canals at night. It’s built for cold weather, so you’re never far from a warm bar for an aperitivo.
Book a performance at La Scala, tour design hubs like ADI Design Museum, and browse the galleries of Fondazione Prada. Dip into covered spaces such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II when the drizzle starts, and time a day trip to Bergamo Alta by train.
Tip: snag standing room at La Scala for a budget-friendly taste of the season.

Best Italian cities to visit in winter in Central Italy

Central Italy balances blockbuster art with hearty food and manageable winter weather. You’ll get quieter galleries, lively neighbourhood trattorie, and day trips that still feel easy by rail. Bring layers and plan indoor clusters for the odd rainy spell.

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Bologna in winter

Bologna feels made for winter with 38 km of porticoes shielding you from drizzle and a food culture that leans into slow comfort. Evenings centre on markets and theatres, with students keeping things lively.
Learn to roll sfoglia in a pasta class, browse the Quadrilatero food stalls, and dip into MAMbo for contemporary art or Teatro Comunale for music. Day trips to Modena or Ferrara are easy wins.
Tip: for a classic merenda, order a mortadella-filled crescenta (focaccia) and eat it warm under the porticoes.

Florence in winter

Florence slows to a comfortable rhythm, the Uffizi corridors feel breathable, and the Arno shimmers under low sun. The scent of roasted chestnuts drifts across Piazza della Signoria, and artisans keep the Oltrarno humming while you explore Florence's many non-touristy things to do.
Focus your museum days on the Uffizi, Accademia, and the Palazzo Pitti complex, then tuck into ribollita stew and a glass of Chianti in a snug bar. Jump on regional trains for a quick hop to Prato or Pisa.
Tip: book early-bird slots at the Uffizi and start on the top floor to keep ahead of visitors.

Rome in winter

Rome softens in winter light, with roomy forums and quieter basilicas. Locals lean into the theatre and exhibition season, and non-touristy things to do in Rome open up with fewer crowds. You can actually hear your footsteps on Via dei Fori Imperiali on some mornings.
Group indoor sights by area, exploring Rome's lesser-known landmarks. Capitoline Museums and Palazzo Altemps for sculptural treasures, or the Galleria Borghese for a focused, timed visit. Evenings suit the Tridente and Monti for window-shopping and wine bars.
Tip: on rainy days, explore the Domus Aurea underground site for an atmospheric tour.

Best Italian cities to visit in winter in Southern Italy and the islands

Down south, winter means brighter skies, citrus on the trees and long, late lunches. The sea is for walks rather than swims, but terraces still see sunlight, and there’s plenty of street life. Ferries and flights thin out a touch, so keep plans flexible.

Catania. Leandro Neumann Ciuffo, CC BY 2.0 Creative commons

Naples in winter

A winter break in Naples is lively and untamed: nativity artisans at San Gregorio Armeno, steam from coffee bars, and a soft sea breeze along the Lungomare with Vesuvius looming snow‑dusted on clear days.
Spend time in the National Archaeological Museum, duck into Cappella Sansevero to see the Veiled Christ, and graze on sfogliatella and fried cuoppi between sights. Day trips still work well — Pompeii, the Reggia di Caserta, and, weather allowing, a pastel‑hued wander on the island of Procida.
Tip: at busy pizzerias, ask for pizza a portafoglio — a folded, on‑the‑go classic the locals swear by.

Palermo in winter

Palermo feels balmy and animated even in January, with Arab‑Norman domes glistening after showers and markets like Ballarò and Vucciria in full voice. Afternoons drift by on sunlit piazzas and along the Foro Italico promenade.
Tick off the Palatine Chapel inside the Palazzo dei Normanni, book a tour of Teatro Massimo, and hop to Monreale for gold‑leaf mosaics without the queues. On clear days, ride the train to Cefalù for a medieval centre and beachside strolls.
Tip: try pani ca meusa (spleen roll) with a squeeze of lemon for a time‑honoured street snack that Palermitans are proud of.

Catania in winter

In Catania, black‑lava Baroque facades and snow‑capped Etna set a dramatic scene. Mornings start at the boisterous La Pescheria market, with the city feeling sleek and energetic even on wind‑brushed days.
Warm up in Castello Ursino, admire Piazza del Duomo and the Elefante, then take an Etna winter excursion for lunar landscapes and crisp air. Trains skip down the coast to Siracusa and Taormina for quieter, evocative day trips.
Tip: order an arancino (Catania’s singular) and you’ll sound like a local; in Palermo, it’s arancina.

Coastal classics in winter — city bases and pitfalls

Italy’s coast can be sleepy in winter, but cities nearby keep things buoyant. Services are trimmed, some trails shut after storms, and ferries may pause when the sea kicks up. Anchor yourself in a rail‑connected hub, check notices each morning, and enjoy the glistening light without the summer surge.

Cinque Terre. Carlo Alberto Conti, CC BY-SA 4.0 Creative commons

Cinque Terre and La Spezia in winter

The Cinque Terre are a top destination for winter sun in Italy. The villages turn quiet and evocative of a bygone era, with fishing boats bobbing and waves thundering on stormy days. Many shutters stay down mid‑week, so La Spezia is your steady city anchor.
Use the Cinque Terre Express trains to hop between villages on calm days, and explore Castel San Giorgio or the naval museum in town if the weather turns. If the sea behaves, Porto Venere makes a scenic add‑on.
Tip: check the trail status board at La Spezia Centrale each morning before setting off.

Amalfi Coast in winter

You'll have plenty of things to do on the Amalfi Coast in winter. Explore cliffside villages looking contemplative and terraces dotted with lemons, with much of the smaller resort life on pause. Salerno makes a practical base, with trains, buses and an animated historic centre, and there are countless breathtaking viewpoints to aim for.
Stroll Duomo di Salerno, browse ceramics in Vietri sul Mare, and pick select days for Amalfi or Ravello when roads are clear. In season, the city’s Luci d’Artista light displays add a festive glow after dark.
Tip: buses usually beat ferries for reliability in winter along the peninsula, so plan routes around SITA services.

Genoa in winter

A great winter destination in Italy for snow lovers, Genoa is scruffy‑chic and atmospheric under winter skies, with the caruggi alleys twisting off grand Strada Nuova palaces. The port stays busy and the old town feels authentically lived‑in rather than touristy.
Go indoors for the Palazzi dei Rolli museums, the Aquarium and Galata Museo del Mare, then chase focaccia and farinata at the Mercato Orientale. When the sun peeks out, take a bus to Boccadasse for a seaside amble.
Tip: many civic museums offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month, which is handy for a bargain‑hunter.