Spring has officially started in Rome as the clocks went forward one hour at the weekend. Romans are still huddled up in their winter clothes, however, despite the daytime temperatures being 17-20C.

At night the temperature drops and winter seems to return. This can only improve as April begins and Easter arrives. Currently Easter displays are in full swing in the Eternal City – Babington’s window is decked out with Easter eggs and bunnies and sherbet colours are in every shop window:  this season, we will mainly be wearing sugar pink, lemon and spring green.

Easter is a major celebration in Rome – the city is packed and the main focus is St Peter’s. If you have not visited at Easter, it is an experience and the mood is not only pious but buoyant and uplifting and a family time. 

Rome is also busy with tourists at the moment – Sundays are the busiest day because tour parties arrive and locals throng the streets and shops.  At night-time, the city is quieter, but there are still plenty of bars and cafes to visit – and the major sights are illuminated, so wandering around before or after supper is an event in itself.

At any time of the day, you will need to wear comfortable shoes in Rome, as the cobbled streets are merciless and the amount of walking opportunities endless. Any explorer’s instinct in you will come to the fore once you leave your hotel, as there is so much to see and walking the city is the best way of getting to know it. Every street holds a surprise – an undiscovered building, historical site or even a fascinating shop or workshop.

 

One question you might ask is about the weather: does it rain in Rome? At this time of the year, yes it does. But standing in the pouring rain on the Spanish Steps is not such a bad experience – pack a raincoat and a brolly and enjoy!

Want to go to Rome right now? Download ROME ALONE and ROME AGAIN free at Amazon Kindle or for just £2.40 and set off for the Eternal City without leaving home. Join homemaker Bee and Alzheimer’s expert Dr Neil McCarthy as they escape marital discord – return with them three years’ later in ROME AGAIN and discover the dark forces at work which neither suspected.

Adult sexual content, dark humour and themes which some may find upsetting.

Buon viaggio!

 

Featured image: Palatino from Circus Maximus

All images © Angela Meredith 2017