I’m getting married in June and for our honeymoon we both really want to go to Rome. But I don’t do very well in heat. How bad is the weather usually at that time of year? And is the tourist situation crazy? And is there anything else we should be aware of?
Well, sure, thanks. But I’m also interested in the opinions of Dopers.
I’ve been in Rome just once, for a few days, so I’m not sure my experience is of much use to you. It was mid-May; the weather was getting on toward too hot, and the crowding at popular attractions was considerable. I was told that it gets worse in June, but have no experinece of this.
OTOH, Rome is a terrific place to visit - it would be a shame to miss it. It’s certainly on my “must get back there” list.
I was there at the beginning of August, and it was ridiculously hot. Restaurants, shops, and tourist attractions were all open, despite the fact that we were warned that Rome was a ghost town in the summer. The city was pretty crowded with tourists and there were lineups for some attractions, but nothing we weren’t willing to put up with.
Have been there in late May, July, and September.
September was the most pleasant but the other times were quite bearable.
In May we stayed in a place that did not have AC and we did notice the heat, we did not have AC in September and did not miss it.
I was born in Rome, and lived there or nearby for more than twenty years, and went to the University there. Rome in July is indeed hot, usually more than 25 Celsius degrees. So if you’re not used to hot, hot, hot weather, it’s going to be ridiculously hot, just like Antigen.
There are, however, plenty of fountains around, and the water is good, so you can keep hydrated; I’d advise you to bring a bottle just in case. Don’t buy from street sellers, they charge outrageous prices, especially if they catch on the fact that you’re a tourist. Better to look for some supermarket in the less touristic areas.
You might also find it advisable to wear a hat. Oh, and avoid restaurants that have people outside trying to befriend you and talk you into coming in; they are tourist traps.
Another suggestion: there are daily and weekly tickets that give you right to travel on all public transport of Rome. They are really a good bargain, and believe me, you don’t want to walk everywhere! Buses are decent even if not exceptional, and the newer ones have also air conditioning! Yay!
There is a map of all the bus lines in Rome, and it’s available on the Net somewhere as a big PDF file. A few years ago it was also possible to get a printed version for free in a branch of the city’s bus company close to Termini Train Station. Don’t count on it being available, though.
People will try to be helpful and give you indications if you need them, especially if you can put together a couple words in Italian. They had smiles a mile wide when my wife would try to talk in Italian to them!
Aww, you’re making me blush! 
Thanks for the advice, everybody! However, I’m specifically interested in June weather. I won’t be there in July or August. Living and working in and around NYC I know firsthand that big cities can vary quite a bit in temperature from month to month.
Whoops, misread! June in Rome is a less definite thing. Some years it can be as hot as July, some years it has been wet. What it certainly isn’t, however, is cold: in average you can count on it being sunny and warm; and I mean warm enough to require short sleeves. Do pack an unmbrella, though. Again, apologies for confusing July and June, I feel a :wally
Oh, and sorry Antigen, I meant to write “ridiculously hot, just like Antigen said”. :o
Here is another weather site.
It doesn’t seem too bad in June. I’ve never been to Rome but my friends, who went in August, (again much hotter) had one complaint. In very crowded places, like a bus or subway, well, smelled unpleasant. Actually the woman described as the Bog of Eternal Stench. But if you’re from NYC, well it can’t be that bad.
I second that. We were in Rome in September and were lucky to have a hotel right next to a supermarket. The unchilled water there only cost 37 cents for a liter. The water in the tourist areas was at least 2 euro.
http://www.enjoyrome.com/tourist/cityguide/public.transportation.html
I visited Rome every week for two seasons (May-Sept). It was always sticky hot, maybe a combination of traffic pollution and weather. Doesn’t matter, it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. Use the public buses, they’re fantastic for sightseeing, but they do smell as if a thousand sweaty tourists have travelled on them by the end of the day. Be warned, public toilets are not a pleasant experience. Street water sellers must go through special training to keep a straight face while charging what they do for a bottle of water.we are not talking small mark-up here.
You absolutely must take time out to visit Pompei (Naples), its breathtaking.
Just never go to Italy in August. Everyone there leaves town for annual vacations and they litterally shutter many of the stores, etc. I stayed in a hotel in Milan one week as the only guest! The ones waiting on me all commiserated at their fate of having to stay open because the hotel went to foreign ownership.
If you get hot weather, I’ve found it to generally be dry heat, which I cope with fine. I’ve done touristy stuff in the city in the height of August sunshine, and it’s perfectly bearable, as long as you drink plenty of water, stay in the shade wherever possible, and don’t rush around. And if you get into the ‘busy morning / lazy afternoon / lengthy evening’ routine, you’re avoiding the hottest part of the day anyway.
Yes, I suspect they know there’s plenty of tourists who “don’t trust the water”, and so only drink bottles.
I was in Rome in June. I’m from Boston and found it hot, but not unbareable. It seemed a little drier than back home, which made it a lot easier. I found it funny that everyone told me don’t worry about rain, it does not rain in Italy in June. We were there for nine days. It rained twice. Ah well.
And oh, congradulations on the wedding thing.
Thanks, everybody!
I think we may save Rome for autumn. Scotland, here we come!
I don’t know why you would ever want to buy water in Rome. Rome has some of the worlds best tasting water, freely avalible via fountains on the street.
Good choice. My wife and I spent a week with family at a villa on a Tuscany hilltop one late June a few years back; we freakin’ roasted. Eating lots of gelato wasn’t just a pleasant taste experience; it was a survival necessity.
Rome is south of Tuscany, urban rather than rural, and the seven fabled hills of Rome are at a much lower altitude. You get the idea.