What to pack for Rome in November
November is the quiet month in Rome. The summer crowds are long gone, the lines at the Colosseum and the Vatican are at their shortest, and the city smells of roasting chestnuts. Afternoons are mild, in the low 60s, but it is also the wettest month of the year, and the evenings turn cool once the sun drops before five.
So the list is built around rain and stone. Rome's streets are paved with small basalt cobbles that turn slick when wet, so your shoes need grip and should shrug off a puddle. Add a coat that handles a shower, a couple of warm knits, and something that covers your shoulders and knees for St. Peter's and the churches.
Checked
The weather
- Daytime high
- 63°F
- 17°C, cooling through the month.
- Overnight low
- 45°F
- 7°C. Damp, so it feels colder.
- Wet days
- ~10
- The wettest month, often in heavy bursts.
- Daylight
- 9.5–10.5 h
- Sunset near 4:40pm by the end of the month.
The capsule
A week, one traveler, Trench palette. Camel and ivory with burgundy, warm enough for a damp evening and smart enough for any trattoria. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.
Layers
Lined trench
V-neck cardigan
Tops
Merino turtleneck
Poplin shirt
Cashmere crewneck
Bottoms
Dark jeans
Wool flannel skirt, below the knee
Corduroy pants
Shoes
Water-resistant Chelsea boots
Leather sneakers with grip
Three days from this capsule
Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.
The full list
Clothes
- Water-resistant coat or trench with a warm lining
- Cardigan or light sweater
- Four or five tops, two of them warm knits
- Jeans and a warmer pair of pants
- A skirt or pants that cover the knee, for churches
- Something a little smart for dinner
Shoes
- Water-resistant boots with a grippy sole
- Comfortable sneakers for dry days
Day bag
- Crossbody bag that zips shut
- Compact umbrella
- Scarf, for the evenings and to cover your shoulders
- Refillable water bottle
- Sunglasses, for the bright days between the rain
Documents and tech
- Passport
- Travel insurance details
- Card for tap-to-pay, plus some euros for cafés and tips
- Vatican Museums and Borghese Gallery tickets, booked ahead
- Type C/F/L plug adapter (230V)
- Power bank
Toiletries
- Blister bandages
- Hand cream and lip balm
- Any prescriptions, in your carry-on
Gear worth the space
Water-resistant boots with a rubber sole
They grip on wet cobbles, keep your feet dry through a downpour and look right at dinner.
A lined trench
It sheds a shower, cuts the damp chill of the evenings and goes over everything in the bag.
A compact umbrella
November rain in Rome tends to come in heavy bursts. The umbrellas sold on the street when it starts rarely survive the first gust.
A zip-top crossbody bag
Pickpockets work the crowded buses to the Vatican and the metro around Termini. Keep it zipped and in front of you.
A reusable water bottle
Rome's public fountains, the nasoni, run all year with cold, clean drinking water.
Rain on old cobbles, and churches that ask you to cover up. Packlier packs your November in Rome for both, sized to your bag.
Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Free on Android now, with iOS on the way.
