Travel in Italy in March

If you are planning to travel in Italy in March, you’re in for a quiet, but beautiful visit. This is still a month considered a bit in the off-season, but the weather begins to warm and the days get longer making it a great time to visit all around the peninsula.

Weather in Italy in March

Marzo pazzerello arriva da leone e se ne va come un agnello
 Marzo pazzarello guarda il sole e prendi l’ombrello

Weather can be a bit unpredictable these days, which means fewer crowds and cheaper accommodations in some areas. Probably not the best time for a beach vacation, but if you want to do other activities outside in moderate weather it’s perfect. 

While the mountains will still be cold, with occasional snow, you’ll get a mix of sunny warm days and cooler rainy ones in every region. To give you a general idea most places will have temperatures in the 50s-60s. In the north, however, our mornings are still cold with early temps in the 30-40s. And if you hit the right day, down in Sicily you might even grab a sunny 70s day.

Here are a few city averages:

• Turin: 36-61℉ (2-16℃) (but expect a fair amount of “summer” days)
• Rome: 40-60℉ (4-15℃)
• Palermo: 49-54℉ (9-12℃)

This is a great time of year to hit up any region of Italy, just know the coastal areas of the North might see a little more rain.

Travel in Italy in March – What Holidays can I catch?

March is a fairly quiet month in Italy, with the main holidays being International Women’s Day on March 8th or Festa del Papà on March 19. While there is no official observance, and they are not official holidays, you will see lots of events on the occasion of these events.

International Women’s Day tradition is to share a mimosa flower with the women in your life. This tradition was born in 1946, when the holiday was first celebrated here in Italy. On the one hand the flowers are available during this season. But on the other they are said to have been chosen for the fact they are a resilient flower, growing in even the most difficult situations.

On Father’s Day, also St. Joseph’s Day, the tradition skips flowers and goes for something sweet. It is a tradition to enjoy a delicious cream filled zeppole – a friend donut like pastry with cream, and topped with an amarena cherry. This was mainly a custom in Napoli, but the rest of Italy found it hard to resist the sweet treat and you are sure to see them nearly everywhere.

Thi year, Easter falls on the last weekend in March.

 Easter is usually celebrated with a large family lunch on the Sunday of, one of those fantastic lunches that never end. Depending on where you are in Italy you’ll find the menu varies, but usually endless appetizers, pasta al forno, and of course a sweet is never missing. You’ll also notice the supermarkets filled with large chocolate eggs, filled with a little surprise.

The Monday after Easter. Italians celebrate Pasquetta, little Easter. Rather than with the family, it is usually celebrated with friends, in the style of a Picnic or BBQ. This is the real mark of Spring, fingers crossed every year for great weather!

Here are some more well known festivals and holidays in Italy in March 2023

• March 9rd-17th: Almond Blossom Festival in Agrigento: A gorgeous way to celebrate Spring at the impressive temples of Agrigento.
• March 8th: International Women’s Day: here in Italy it is traditional to give the women of your life the mimosa flower on this day.
• March 19th: St Joseph’s Day – also known as Italian Father’s Day! While there aren’t many events, it is traditional to snack on a sweet Zeppole.
• March 25th: Pisan New Year: that’s right Pisa loves to keep things interesting, and thanks to local tradition – they like to celebrate NY in March!
• March 24th: Palm Sunday: In Italy you might not see palms, but also olive branches today.
• March 23-24th: Giornate FAI – where you can visit some incredible private heritage sites for free!

March in Italy – Where should I go?

In recent years, March brings quite surprisingly warm weather, though, in theory, it should be bringing rain. The constant toss-up makes it a little tough to decide where to go, but you can rest assured wherever you go, you won’t be finding large crowds just yet.

Although I am partial, Piedmont is a great place to visit in March, no matter the weather. With sunny Spring days, you can catch the spring flowers blooming in Turin’s many surrounding parks, take a leisurely trip through the Langhe and taste outside. Plus sometimes there is still a bit of snow in the mountains for you. If it does rain, Turin’s numerous museums or palaces offer something to do!

This makes it also a great time to visit cities like Napoli, Florence,and Rome. The big crowds won’t have descended yet, so you can make sure to see everything at your own pace. If the weather is nice you can take day trips to the surrounding countryside, or even take a walk through the city. If it rains, pop into one of the many museums on your list, sign up for a cooking class, or settle in for a good book in a cozy wine bar.

High on my list for travel in Italy in March would also be a stop in Napoli: the crowds headed down to Amalfi haven’t shown up, and the warm sunny days are great for exploring, or sitting by the water.