Rome edges it in May. Rome averages 12–25°C with high crowds; Florence 11–22°C with moderate–high crowds.
By Daan · Last reviewed October 2026
Rome and Florence
The verdict for May
The best all-round month
+Outstanding balance of warm weather, long days and comfortable sightseeing conditions.
–Popularity is increasing, so crowds and prices are higher than in winter.
Rome firing on all cylinders: weather, light, atmosphere.
Warm, green and increasingly busy.
+Great weather + Maggio Musicale continues
–Crowds and prices climb fast
May brings Florence’s most reliable warm weather, with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino music festival still running. It is also when the city noticeably starts filling up, with queues lengthening at the Uffizi and the Duomo.
Scores and crowd levels are my own judgement; temperatures are monthly averages. Higher scores are better: quieter, cheaper and more pleasant.
Another month