Italian winters may not be full of warm weather but they are filled with the warmth of the Italians. It is a great time to visit Italy. the weather in Italy in winter isn’t identical. The portion of Italy that borders France, Switzerland, Slovenia and Austria tends to have a warmer winter than other parts of Italy though there is some rain. The winter is mildest in the areas around Lake Maggiore, Como and Gard

The Po Valley and Northern Italian Plain on the other hand experience snow and fog. The bora, strong gusty winds which brings very cold air from central Europe, blows in the area around Trieste making for very cold days.

The islands and the Italian peninsula get a combination of the winter in the previous two, though definitely milder than in the Po Valley. Cold, cloudy and rainy in unpredictable patterns is the weather in the coastal areas while the areas higher up are cold, wet and snowy.

This overall cloudy and wet weather leads to fewer visitors to Italy in the winter. It does make for lower travelling costs and a better feel for what the Italians are really like as local activities come to the fore since there are very few tourists to entertain.

The winter may have closed the resorts for the season but the cities come alive as the weather cools. The restaurants and bars are open and there are many Christmas markets out in the open.

The weather does not change the taste of the great Italian dishes. If anything the warmth of the kitchens are an even stronger attraction than usual. The smell of chestnuts roasting fills the kitchens. Pizza is absolutely delicious, no matter what the weather. if you’d like to learn how to cook Italian food, winter is the perfect time to take a cooking tour. There is absolutely nothing like learning Italian cooking from one of the masters in their hometown.

For winter sports in Italy the Dolomites are the place for you to be. Go skiing on the slopes of the Italian Alps and when you are ready, have a cozy and leisurely lunch in the chateau. The air in Italy is festive at this time of year.

Christmas in Italy shopping  You will find life size nativity scenes everywhere. Presepi or nativity cribs can be seen in various churches. In fact, there is a competition among the churches in an area as to which of them will have the best presepi. Since Italy is a city of artisans it is hard to tell because all are beautiful. You can purchase all the figures you need to create your own nativity scene for your home.
In Rome for Christmas, don't miss the Papal Midnight Mass at the Vatican. You will need to get tickets in advance as they are taken up quickly. Since Christmas is also considered the season for giving, you may want to buy some presents. You won’t have to go far since the streets are filled with stalls selling many items to give as presents.

Winter is an ideal time to book a visit to Italy
In this season, prices are lower and in the cities there are fewer tourists. Also, Italy has plenty of festivals and events to keep you entertained in winter, from the Christmas festivities, to the superb Venice Carnival.
Enjoy the Colosseum without Crowds If it’s your first time in Rome, you can’t surely miss its most famous building, the Colosseum.
When you travel in the summer months, it can be very difficult to visit this masterpiece of architecture because of endless lines of tourists and hot weather.
Enjoy the Mountains From north to south, mountain lovers have a wealth of choices in Italy; skiing, alpine skiing, trekking, walking, snowboarding and so on, are all activities that you can do in the more than 400 Italian ski areas throughout the country.
Take Your Time in Museums Visiting an Italian museum is one the most extraordinary experiences that you’ll have in your life, but the lines and crowds can be really annoying and can turn your visit into a kind of battle.
Italy is a country where in winter you can always find mild climate destinations and also sunbathe in the coldest months.
Famous destinations like Rome, Naples and Palermo have warmer winter climates compared to other towns, but the best reason is that you can easily visit true hidden gems paying just a few euros, such as Alberobello in Apulia with its fascinating trulli and Matera, which has recently been nominated European Capital of Culture for 2019.
Visit Christmas Markets Christmas is one of the best times to come to Italy at least for Christmas enthusiasts. From north to south, Italy has plenty of street markets where it is possible to find a large number of gifts and handcrafted objects you won’t find in usual shops, and taste some of the most delicious Italian Christmas pastries.
After a day of sightseeing, skiing or shopping, there is no better thing to do than enjoy a dinner with excellent Italian food with a good glass of wine and some friends.
From polenta to soups, from truffles to mushrooms, from risotto to meat dishes, each part of Italy has its own unique and exquisite winter food.
Winter sales in Italy start on the first few days of January and finish at the end of February in all of Italy. If you are planning a shopping trip to one of the most famous fashion countries in the world, there is no better season.
Christmas in Italy is not famous only for its markets and foods, but also for nativity scenes, or Presepi in Italian.
Every family makes their own and displays it in the most visible place of the home, but Presepi can be found everywhere in Italy, in churches, squares, shops and other public areas.
Visit Less Busy Wineries If you are a wine enthusiast and want to taste Italian wines in authentic wineries, winter is a good time to do that.
Stay in Dream Hotels and Villas at a Lower Price. Italy is full of fabulous accommodations that in the summer holiday season are too expensive for many travelers. But winter is the perfect time to book a dream hotel room or even a villa for lower prices.
Carnival of Venice There is no better way to end your winter than with a party at the Carnival of Venice that takes places every February in the famous Italian city.

Italy is 1200 km long from the Alps to Sicily, so expect weather and temperatures to change dramatically from north to south, and from the mountains to the coast.
As a rough guideline, expect to find snow in the Alps and Apennines, but not necessarily in the valleys, even in Northern Italy. In the rest of the country weather is very changeable – grey, overcast days are common, but so are bright winter days, with clear skies and clean air.
The further south you head, the warmer and sunnier it will be. In Sicily, the temperatures rarely dip below 10°C, and it it is usually possible to swim until November.
Italy in December - December marks the beginning of the ski season in the Alps, with resorts traditionally opening on Dec 8th.
This doesn’t mean the snow has already reached the slopes – more often than not, there’s only artificial snow, with ‘proper snow’ arriving a few weeks later in late Dec/Jan.
Christmas market towns and the ski resorts in the Alps and Apennines will be busy in December, but the rest of Italy will be fairly quiet.
In southern Italy, temperatures will be about 5°C warmer compared to the north, especially if you’re close to the sea. Snow is very rare in southern Italy, but you may encounter strong winds and rough seas.
Italy in January - January is the coldest month all over Italy, and the month when you’re most likely to see snow away from the mountains. In northern Italy, it snows most years, but the snow doesn’t often ‘stick’ – sleety rain is more common.
Italy in February - The weather in February is very similar to January, only a touch warmer. February is also Carnival month – many people opt for a skiing holiday in this month, since it is also when the snow is at its best. If you’re planning to go skiing, it will be busy!
Italy in March - By March, temperatures will have risen considerably all over Italy, but this is probably the most unpredictable month of the year!

Reasons to Visit Italy in Winter
Fewer Tourists - visiting Italy in winter means not having to share places like Rome, Venice, and the Cinque Terre with thousands other tourists.
More Affordable Prices - Fewer people also means more affordable prices, and that is the case for everything – accommodation, tours, transport, flights, you name is.
So, if you want a budget-friendly holiday, definitely visit Italy in winter!
Easier to Get Around - Fewer crowds and affordable prices make everything so much easier! You don’t need to book trains and hotels ages in advance, allowing you to change plans on a whim, and decide to travel from Milan to Venice with no advance planning for example!

Bolzano in South Tyrol in winter
This city in the South Tyrol province of Italy is a charming unity of the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
Its history began in 1027. Afterward, it floated between Austria, France, and the Kingdom of Italy before finally becoming part of modern-day Italy.
Sicily in South Italy in winter
Sicily is the exception to the southern rule of rainy days. While drizzle is possible, it’s not common. Instead, the winter months are actually a very pleasant time to visit the island. Cooler but not frigid temperatures give you a new way to experience Christmas and the winter season.
Aosta Valley Region in winter
Aosta is the capital of the Valley region. It’s considered the most “Roman” outside of Rome because of the number of ruins.
The area was conquered by Rome in 25 BC.
Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites in winter
Commonly considered the “Queen of the Dolomites”, Cortina has a thousand-year-old history with testimonies of ancient Roman settlements and traces of Barbarians.


Suggerimenti per Vacanze invernali in Italia Le città italiane più belle per l’Inverno
Perché non visitare una città in inverno?
Se siete in cerca di idee per un weekend invernale romantico, culturale o con gli amici, in una città, fra montagne innevate, paesini incantati e città tutte da vivere, ecco a voi le città italiane da visitare in inverno.
Una città italiana da visitare in inverno? Magari per Capodanno o per le feste?
Ve ne proponiamo molte!
Se vi munite di sciarpe, guanti e cappelli, la stagione fredda può regalarvi momenti dolcissimi e offrirvi davvero scorci unici e inaspettati, specie in queste meravigliose città italiane da visitare in inverno.
Posti bellissimi, pieni di cose da vedere e da fare in ogni stagione… ma soprattutto in inverno!

Trento
Non avete certo bisogno di una stagione particolare per visitare Trento, ma noi ci teniamo a farvi sapere che in inverno l’eleganza ricercata di questa città, il suo spirito regale e la sua doppia anima, che coniuga natura e cultura, sembrano esplodere e mostrarsi al meglio sotto la luce azzurra del freddo invernale o, meglio ancora, sotto la coltre calma della neve.
Bologna
Se non l’avete mai vissuta nella stagione fredda, dovete rimediare prima possibile e andare a godervi le bellezze della città anche se il clima è più rigido: un piatto di tortellini caldi prima di uscire in strada e poi dritti in Piazza Grande ad ammirare la Fontana di Nettuno e i bei palazzi, la Basilica di San Petronio, la Torre degli Asinelli e le altre bellezze di una città vivace, dinamica e piena di giovani.
Verona
Meravigliatevi di fronte all’enorme patrimonio artistico e culturale di Verona: godetevi il romanticismo della città di Romeo e Giulietta, ammirate la bellezza di Piazza delle Erbe, sentitevi piccoli piccoli nell’Arena e gustatevi il tramonto sul ponte scaligero del Castelvecchio.
Torino
La città della Mole Antonelliana è bellissima in ogni stagione e si lascia vivere al massimo, che ci sia la pioggia o il sole: Torino unisce perfettamente storia, cultura, divertimento e gastronomia.
Spoleto
Immaginate la luce tersa e chiara dell’inverno che bacia la Rocca Albornoziana. O che batte sulla splendida Cattedrale di Santa Maria dell’Assunta.
Sulmona in Abruzzo
Patria del celebre poeta latino Ovidio, questa è una città che vi innamorerà a prima vista grazie a un centro storico suggestivo, intricato di viuzze e costellato di palazzi storici e di chiese bellissime, fuori e dentro. L’atmosfera invernale vi farà scoprire la faccia meno nota della città della Giostra Cavalleresca e della Madonna che scappa: camminare lungo il corso o nella piazza, bellissima, incastonata come una gemma tra le arcate dell’elegante acquedotto medievale, vi scalderà il cuore, anche in pieno inverno.
Sutri
Il verde delle piante accanto ai portoni scuri delle case, strette tra loro come in abbraccio; i colori pastello del sole alto e del cielo invernale, che dipingono di magia l’Anfiteatro; la necropoli etrusca , che sa conquistare a primo impatto e la bellissima Villa Savorelli, con la sua atmosfera quasi surreale.
Alba
Le Langhe e i suoi paesaggi sono mozzafiato, sembrano una tela d’artista, nella loro geometrica e armoniosa bellezza.

Italy Attractions in Winter What to see Best hidden gems in italy in winter. Selected websites Top experiences Tourist guides travel blogs in Winter Travel guides & Top sights in Winter time in Italy
Siti selezionati per scoprire le località invernali in Italia Cosa vedere in inverno in Italia
Itinerari Percorsi Guide turistiche e Attrazioni invernali Siti turistici per viaggiare in inverno. 


https://www.skyscanner.it/notizie/le-15-citta-italiane-piu-belle-per-linverno

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/italy/articles/11-reasons-you-should-visit-italy-in-the-winter/

https://www.thecrowdedplanet.com/italy-in-winter/

https://theromanguy.com/italy-travel-blog/places-to-spend-winter-in-italy/

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