November is one of the less crowded months in Rome. It’s one of the months when it rains the most, so this is probably why travelers are not much inspired to visit the Italian capital.
The weather in November can be tricky. Winter hasn’t started yet, but the fall in Rome is at full speed with temperatures gradually going down. November sees also quite a few rainfalls, one of the things to keep in mind when deciding which clothes to pack. Mornings and evenings require an extra piece of clothing and even though it’s not December yet, the wintery Christmassy vibe starts being felt.
As this is not much of a tourist month, questions like “How should I dress in Rome in November?” or “What should I pack?” are pretty common.
As a matter of fact, knowing what to wear in Rome in November will have you prepared in case of sudden weather changes and hopefully will help you plan your itinerary also if you are thinking about taking a day trip.
So if you are planning your holiday, here are our tips on how what to wear in November in Rome.
Traveling for Christmas instead? Check out our guide to visiting Rome in December!
What to wear in Rome in November + Essential packing list
Comfortable shoes or ankle boots
With so much walking involved in visiting Rome’s attractions, pretty much every season requires comfortable footwear. If you are packing the essentials to wear in Rome in November, however, your shoes need to be also warm and rain-proof.
Ankle boots seem a good option. Obviously, a tested and tried pair that you can comfortably wear for a whole day. Since November can be pretty rainy, wearing a pair of comfortable ankle boots will have the benefits of protecting you from the water and allowing you to walk for hours.
Whether you are inside visiting Rome’s museums or important archaeological sites like the Colosseum or the Trajan’s Markets.
Fancy shoes or boots
Just because it’s cold and possibly raining, it doesn’t mean that you can’t plan a night out. Whether you want to try one of the coolest Roman restaurants, book your spot for an opera show, or go to a local pub, you are going to prefer wearing a pair of fancy shoes rather than your daytime sneakers or ankle boots.
If it’s raining, you might prefer boots, even though being also night, you might as well take a cab so also a pair of fancy décolleté will work. Of course keep in mind that even if you are going by car and even in the case it’s not a rainy night, it will still be cold.
Blouse or button-down shirt
I love blouses. Versatile and easy to match, blouses and button-down or dress shirts are perfect for layering so a great piece of clothing for unpredictable weather conditions. When deciding what to wear in Rome in November, I suggest considering at least one or two dress shirts.
These can be a great fit during the day with jeans or in the evening if you are dressing more fancy. If you don’t have much room in your luggage, go for universal colors such as black or white, but if you have more space, packing one or two more will definitely increase your matching possibilities.
Jumper or sweatshirt
Over your long-sleeve top, November requires also a jumper or warm sweatshirt. Especially in the evening but also during the day, more so if you are starting your sightseeing early in the morning.
You are going to use a jumper the whole month, and towards the end of November, when fall gets closer to winter, you will definitely need a jacket, too.
Long-sleeve tops
In November in Rome, long-sleeve tops are very handy and versatile. If it’s a warm sunny day, you can just wear one under your jacket or raincoat. If it’s cold, you can wear it underneath your jumper in a sort of “onion-style” way of dressing, by layers. This way, you are warm enough if outside it’s cold, but you can remove your jumper if you are inside a museum or a restaurant it’s too warm.
Socks or tights
Socks with trousers and tights with skirts are an absolute must-wear in Rome in November. The season of barefoot sandals is officially over and socks are needed whether it rains or not.
Since it’s not too cold yet, socks don’t need to be wool, cotton is fine. Tights too don’t need to be too warm and they are not necessary under trousers but only if you are wearing a skirt. Tights under the trousers are more recommended in the cold days of January or February, even though I barely do that in those months either.
Coat or jacket
Temperatures in Rome in November range between 9°C and 17°C so there is definitely the need for a coat or jacket. Probably during the day, you will prefer a handy short jacket, a padded one if you are sensitive to cold and humidity. During the night, if you are going out and dressing fancy, you might want to match a longer coat.
A warm jacket can be pretty versatile and can be matched with different pieces of clothing. If you are deciding what to wear in Rome in November, this is a must, more so because the weather can be unpredictable and change quickly also during the same day.
Long trousers or denim
In November, fall is in full swing, so long and somewhat warm trousers or denim are necessary. Trousers are perfect also because when you enter a church or visit the landmarks in the Vatican, the dress code imposes knee-length, in the case of skirts, and definitely not shorts.
Fancy dress
If you are planning to go out at night or book a fancy dinner, you might feel more comfortable wearing some elegant clothes. Your outfit doesn’t need to be an office suit or gala-style. Unless you are going to some 5-star hotels or restaurants that require a specific dress code, which is not really common in Italy, any smart attire that fits your clothing style will do.
Even though not strictly required, you might not want to look like a tourist or sloppy if you go out for dinner. For example, I would avoid wearing flip-flops or denim shorts. Men can wear a jacket and women either a dress, a skirt paired with a nice blouse, or a pair of smart trousers.
In general, when packing what to wear in Rome in November, I suggest including something warm because nights and evenings are cold-ish even if it’s not raining.
Shawl or scarf
In November, a scarf or a shawl is not just a fashion item. If you are prone to a sore throat like me, I suggest you wear a scarf every time you get out of your hotel, whether it’s morning or evening.
You can pack one lighter and one warmer so that you can decide which one to wear depending on the weather that day. For a fancy evening, you can opt for a warm shawl to throw over your shoulders to protect you from cold and humidity.
November is also a good month to wear a cape over your clothes, especially when it’s not too cold.
Raincoat
Even though sometimes temperatures can still be mild and pleasant, when planning what to wear in Rome in November, you need to keep in mind that rainfalls are always around the corner and can start any time.
I believe you can find raincoats easy to fold which become very small and easy to pack, so perfect if you are traveling with hand luggage only and need to pack light.
More tips on what to pack for Rome in November
Umbrella
As soon as it starts raining in Rome, you will find plenty of street vendors. I have bought many times from them because more than once the rain caught me by surprise. Unfortunately, they are low quality and break pretty quickly. So if you have some room in your luggage, I recommend packing a good-quality foldable umbrella from home.
Don’t miss my article on what to do in Rome when it rains.
Reusable water bottle
This is very handy to pack for Rome any season because you will find the handy nasoni all over the city. These are small tap fountains where you can refill your bottle with drinkable water. This saves you time and money as you don’t need to buy a new bottle every time, and especially in the city center and in bars, small water bottles of half a liter (17 fl oz) can cost 1€ each.
Backpack or cross-body bag
Whatever the season, a small backpack is handy in Rome to carry around your essentials such as your water bottle, your umbrella, a camera, and valuables like your phone, wallet, and personal ID.
If you don’t find backpacks handy, you can opt for a cross-body bag to carry your valuables around. Keep in mind that inside the Colosseum, backpacks are not allowed, so a purse or cross-body bag is a better option.
Slippers for your hotel
Usually, high-end hotels include slippers in the room, but if you are booking a budget accommodation or your Rome hotel has also a pool, you might want to pack your own slippers or flip-flops.
Is Rome cold in November?
Yes and no. While you can find mild days, the weather in Rome in November can be cold, especially towards the end of the month getting close to December. Temperatures range between 9°C (48°F) the lowest at night and 17°C (63°F) the highest during the day.
Is November a good time to visit Rome?
If you like the warm colors of autumn, landmarks with small lines, and don’t mind some breezy weather, November is a great time to visit Rome!
Is Rome crowded in November?
No, November is one of the quietest months in Rome. If you travel to Rome in November, you will mainly meet locals as summer tourists just left and Christmas is not there yet.
The most popular landmarks like the Colosseum or the Vatican Museums will have shorter lines and the experience inside will be much better. Even though I still recommend booking your ticket online, you won’t find the big summer-like crowds inside.
Is November a good month for Italy?
November is generally a quiet tourist month and depending on which region of Italy you plan to go to, you can expect a different experience. In northern regions like Trentino Alto-Adige, you will find locals busy preparing for the winter festivities and setting up colorful Christmas trees and decorations.
In other towns of the Lazio region that can be easy day trips from Rome, you can attend typical sagre food fairs such as the sagra of the chestnuts (castagne in Italian), where you find these cherished autumn products served and sold in every shape and flavor.
If you enjoy taking pictures, November is a fantastic month for photographing falling leaves and warm colors all over Italy.
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