10 Things to Do in Rome in October

If you decide to travel to Rome in the fall, specifically in October, you will have the opportunity to admire the beauty of Rome without the crowds. At your own pace and in your own time. You no longer have to wait in a huge line to explore the Trevi Fountain or enter the Colosseum.

It's a month when the weather is not as sticky as in summer or as cold as in winter, but somewhere in between. Come on, it's delightful! Do you like movies? Well, this October is the perfect time to attend one of the most famous film festivals in the world.

If one of your motivations for traveling to Rome is to indulge in the delicacies that Italian cuisine has to offer, October opens up a whole new world of possibilities for you to try. This month is synonymous in Italy with seasonal products such as white truffles, pumpkin, persimmons, and mushrooms. Rome's restaurants take advantage of this to incorporate these delicacies into their menus.

White truffles are the delicacy of delicacies. An unaffordable treat that is not usually cooked, but grated over any pasta dish for a result that is out of this world. How can you tell if you are eating a quality white truffle? Because the price of the dish will be around €40. As for pumpkin, it can be found in gnocchi fillings. Yummy!

While mushrooms or funghi are available on restaurant menus in Rome all year round, in October you can be sure they are 100% fresh. Finally, persimmons are the fruit of the season. There are salads with this fruit that are finger-licking good!

Best restaurants in Rome in October

• If you're looking for good food at a more than reasonable price, I recommend the Broccoletti restaurant. It's a tiny but very cute place known for its home-style cooking and, above all, seasonal dishes.

For pumpkin enthusiasts, Colline Emiliane is a restaurant in Rome just a few blocks from the Trevi Fountain. Be sure to try the tortelli di zucca, ravioli stuffed with sweet pumpkin. Words cannot describe how delicious they are!

With autumn just beginning, Rome's parks and gardens are starting to take on a multitude of colors. Yellows are added to the reds and browns, enveloping the landscape in a blanket of color. I'm sure you already had plans to visit the gardens of Villa Borghese, the most popular park in the Italian capital. This place is recommended at any time of year, but in October it is at its most photogenic.

The charming gardens and neoclassical buildings invite you to take a walk where you can disconnect for a moment from the hustle and bustle of the city center. One of the most splendid and picturesque views of Rome is offered by the Lake Garden with the Temple of Aesculapius.

How to get to Villa Borghese

The best way to get to Villa Borghese is by Rome metro. You can get off at the Spagna station. If you are in the city center, you can even walk to this park, as it will take you no more than 20 minutes.

Although Rome is not particularly known for Halloween celebrations, this holiday is gradually becoming more popular in the city. You can take advantage of the scariest night of the year to take a night tour of Rome and discover some of the secrets and curiosities of the Italian capital. These types of tours offer a different perspective of the city, one that is quieter and more peaceful.

Even more spine-chilling are the Catacombs of San Sebastiano. If you want to add a little terror to this event, join an underground tour of the streets of Rome. The catacombs of Rome are underground galleries that were used for centuries as cemeteries, so you can imagine how chilling they are.

The Rome Film Festival has been held annually in the Italian capital since 2006. Its epicenter is the Auditorium Parco della Musica, although there are also exhibitions in other parts of the city. It is usually held in mid-October and lasts for around 10 days. Did you know that the red carpet that is laid out is one of the largest in the world? It measures no less than 1,300 m2!

As a curiosity, the design of the award is inspired by the silhouette of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. If you are traveling to Rome in October, check the festival dates and examine the agenda, because you may be able to find time to attend one of the film talks with guest actors.

The Rome Opera House resumes its schedule of performances and concerts in October, making it an exceptional plan on any rainy autumn day. Ballet and opera performances are held in two different venues. On the one hand, you have the opportunity to attend the Teatro Constanzi, where the main headquarters are located. The National Theater is another venue belonging to the Rome Opera.

The former is where the famous opera La Traviata, dating from 1853, is performed. There's no better plan than this iconic opera on your trip to Rome in a historic theater like the Teatro Constanzi, which will make you feel like you're in the 19th century.

In search of autumn colors, I found that Palatine Hill is one of the best places to enjoy this season. It is one of the oldest places in Rome, a corner where, according to legend, Luperca, the she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus, the founders of the city, lived.

The Palatine Hill is home to an impressive archaeological site which, in October, is adorned with shades of ochre, green and red. This place is a must-see on photographic tours of Rome because the view is splendid.

The Trastevere neighborhood is one of the most charming neighborhoods in Rome. Crowded with tourists in summer, in October you will see its friendlier side. The visibly less crowded streets will allow you to appreciate every corner much better. If there is one thing that people love about this neighborhood, it is because it preserves the traditional and authentic flavor of everyday life in Rome. And now you can enjoy it without the crowds.

Browse the little shops selling curious objects without having to queue and fall in love with the colors of the houses. Trastevere is also one of the best places to explore Italian cuisine in the trattorias, traditional restaurants serving home-cooked food.

Did you know that on the first Sunday of every month, admission to many Roman museums is free? Yes, you read that right. October is no exception, so if you're lucky enough to be in Rome this weekend, take advantage of it. On the first Sunday in October, you can visit the Roman Colosseum, the Barberini Palace, the Borghese Gallery, the Baths of Diocletian, and many more without paying a penny.

But the good news doesn't end there. If the Vatican Museums are on your itinerary, you'll be happy to know that admission is also free on the last Sunday of every month. Of course, the queue can be overwhelming, so I recommend making an effort and getting up early. October is no longer high season, but, you know, no one wants to miss out on the chance to save on admission! One last tip: if you want to enjoy the works of art even more, I recommend a guided tour of Rome's museums. You'll be surprised!

Another of the quintessential events that takes place in the middle of October is Rome Art Week (RAW). This event is conceived as a meeting point between artists and citizens. It also aims to promote contemporary art in all its forms through exhibitions, conferences, and many other activities.

In previous editions, more than a hundred art galleries and institutions participated, which means there is plenty to choose from. Among them are Casa Argentina, the Royal Academy of Spain, the University of Rome Fine Arts, and many more. When the dates are approaching, I recommend taking a look at the agenda if you are interested in art.

St. Francis of Assisi Day is celebrated every year on October 4. Because of his passion for animals, he is considered the patron saint of animals. If you are in Rome on this date, I encourage you to visit the Church of San Francesco a Ripa, located in the Trastevere neighborhood.

This basilica is dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, as he stayed there for a few days when he went to Rome to visit the Pope. Because of its special connection to this historical figure, a special event is usually held in his honor every October 4.

What is the weather like in Rome in October? Will it be sunny or rainy? Knowing what the weather will be like at your destination is very important for planning your trip down to the last detail. While in early October you can still feel the last vestiges of September's warmth, if you travel at the end of the month you may be surprised by rain and lower temperatures.

In Italy, as in Spain, October is part of the fall season. For this reason, it is a turbulent month for which you have to be prepared for anything. The first days of the month can be so warm that you might even feel like going to the beach. However, at night you can already feel that summer is behind us and temperatures are dropping. The highs can be up to 20ºC, but the lows can be as low as 8ºC.

If you plan to travel at the end of October, then the truly autumnal weather will be more pressing. What does this mean? It means you may need a thicker jacket and even an umbrella. Don't worry if you get a rainy day, as it has its own charm too!

I'm not going to lie to you. Rome is a very touristy city. In fact, it is one of the five most visited cities in Europe. That's why there will always be tourists. However, it's nothing like the tourist crowds in the summer months, when the suffocating heat is compounded by the fact that there are people practically everywhere you look. In October, the good thing is that there is a noticeable drop in visitors, which you can use to your advantage.

October is a great time to visit Rome, not only because the temperatures have (finally) dropped and you can sightsee without melting. Another advantage of this month is that, although it is far from empty, the tourist influx decreases. However, remember that in October we have two spectacular long weekends in Spain (El Pilar and All Saints' Day), so if you travel during these dates, there may be more activity in Rome.