You’ve got a week in Rome this November and the classic question has come up: should you tack on the Amalfi Coast or swap it for Sicily? I’ve been digging into the research, and the short answer is that mid-November changes the game entirely for coastal Italy. The Amalfi Coast in November is a gamble — some businesses close, ferries stop running, and rainy days can leave you with very little to do. Sicily, on the other hand, stays more open and offers a different kind of depth, especially if you’re after archaeology, food, and indoor options when the weather turns. This guide breaks down what each destination actually looks like in late autumn, so you can decide which one fits your travel style — and your tolerance for uncertainty.
End of October and early November is the rainiest time of year in Italy, with an above-average chance you’ll need a portable umbrella and a light rain jacket.
If you want reliable indoor activities, museums, and a city that doesn’t slow down for rain, stick with Rome and add Naples or Sicily. The Amalfi Coast is stunning, but in November it’s partly closed, ferries are unreliable, and a string of rainy days can really limit your options. Sicily gives you more flexibility with archaeology, food markets, and historic sites that work in any weather.
Rome, Amalfi, or Sicily — What Mid-November Actually Looks Like
History & museum lovers
Flexible travellers with backup plans
Food-focused explorers
Mid-November sits right in Italy’s rainiest stretch. According to travellers on the Rick Steves forum, the weather can be glorious — one visitor reported 70°F and sunny days in Rome — but it can also bring steady rain, especially along the coast. The Amalfi Coast sees seasonal businesses close between November and Christmas, and ferry services between towns often stop entirely. That changes what you can actually do there.
Rome, by contrast, is a year-round city. Its museums, churches, and indoor markets don’t shut down for the season. Sicily sits further south and stays milder, with more consistent opening hours at archaeological sites and a food culture that thrives indoors and out. The tradeoff is travel time — Sicily requires a flight or an overnight ferry from Rome, while the Amalfi Coast is a two-hour train to Naples plus a bus or ferry.
Typical daytime high in Rome during early November, though coastal areas can be cooler and wetter.
Rick Steves Travel Forum
One honest limitation: if you’re set on beach time or coastal hiking, November is not the month for either destination. The Amalfi Coast’s pebbly beaches and famous trails like the Path of the Gods are less enjoyable in rain and cold. Sicily’s beaches are also a warm-weather draw. Both destinations shift to indoor and cultural activities in late autumn — which is fine if you plan for it, but disappointing if you imagined seaside lunches and swimming.
What I’d do: I’d base myself in Rome for the full week and take a train to Naples for a day or two. Naples gives you the Museo Archeologico Nazionale (MANN), Pompeii (which one traveller called “enjoyable even with light rain”), and incredible food — all without the logistical headaches of the Amalfi Coast in low season.
What You Can Actually Do in Each Destination
The activities available to you shift dramatically depending on where you go in November, so here’s what research says about each option.
Rome — Museums, Landmarks, and Rain-Proof Days
Rome’s biggest advantage in November is that almost everything stays open. The Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Vatican, and Roman Forum are all accessible year-round, and the city’s museums — the Capitoline Museums, Galleria Borghese, and the Vatican Museums — offer hours of indoor exploration. The Testaccio neighbourhood keeps its nightlife scene active with bars and clubs, and the restaurant scene doesn’t pause for the season.
The caveat: Rome can get crowded indoors when it rains, since everyone heads to the same museums. Book tickets online for the Vatican Museums and Galleria Borghese well ahead. The queue at the Vatican can still wrap around the piazza even in November, especially on rainy mornings.
Amalfi Coast — Scenery with Seasonal Limits
The Amalfi Coast is undeniably beautiful, but November brings real constraints. Multiple travellers on the Rick Steves forum report that ferries between towns stop running, and seasonal businesses close until Christmas. One visitor noted that their favourite restaurant in Sorrento shut down for a break until Christmas. If you get a stretch of bad weather, you’ll have very little to do — the main activities are walking through the towns, hiking, and enjoying the views, all of which are weather-dependent.
The town of Amalfi itself is charming, with a historic old town filled with shops and restaurants, but many of those shops also close or reduce hours in November. The beaches are pebbly and rocky, and swimming is out of the question in November temperatures. Hiking trails like the Path of the Gods can be muddy and slippery after rain.
If you do visit the Amalfi Coast in November, download the revised seasonal bus and ferry schedules before you go — they’re hard to find online and change without notice. Sorrento tends to have more year-round options than the smaller coastal towns.
Sicily — Archaeology, Food, and Indoor Depth
Sicily offers a stronger fallback for rainy days. The island’s archaeological museums — the Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi in Syracuse and the Museo Archeologico Antonio Salinas in Palermo — are world-class. The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento is an outdoor site, but it’s doable in light rain and far less crowded than in summer. Palermo’s markets, like the Mercato di Ballarò and Mercato del Capo, are covered and stay active year-round.
The food scene in Sicily is arguably more distinctive than the Amalfi Coast’s, with Arab-Norman influences, street food culture, and seafood that doesn’t depend on summer tourism. Eggplant, sardines, and ricotta feature heavily, and the pastry shops — particularly in Palermo and Catania — are open regardless of the weather.
The tradeoff: getting to Sicily from Rome takes time. You can fly from Rome to Palermo or Catania in about an hour, or take an overnight ferry from Naples. If you only have a week, adding Sicily means losing at least a full day to travel each way.
Practical Planning for November Travel
The logistics of getting around and what to pack change significantly in November, so here’s what the research says about timing, transport, and costs.
| Factor | Rome | Amalfi Coast | Sicily |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical November high | ~60-70°F | ~55-65°F | ~60-70°F |
| Rain risk | Moderate | High | Moderate |
| Ferry availability | N/A | Often suspended | Limited inter-island |
| Museum access | Full | Limited | Full |
| Travel time from Rome | — | ~2h train to Naples + bus/ferry | ~1h flight or overnight ferry |
Getting There and Around
Multiple airlines fly direct from the UK to Rome, including Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet, Vueling, and British Airways. You can also take the Eurostar to Paris, change for a train to Turin, and then catch an onward rail connection to Rome — it’s possible to do the entire journey in one day. Once in Rome, the train to Naples takes just over an hour from Termini station, making it an easy day trip or overnight stop.
For the Amalfi Coast, you’d take the train to Naples and then a bus or ferry to Sorrento or Amalfi. In November, the ferry is unreliable, so the bus becomes your main option — and the winding coastal roads can be slow in rain. For Sicily, flights from Rome to Palermo or Catania are the most practical choice, though you can also take an overnight ferry from Naples if you have the time.
If you stay on the Amalfi Coast, you cannot wake up there and fly home from Rome the same day — the transport connections don’t allow it. Plan an overnight in Rome before your departure.
What to Pack for November in Italy
A light rain jacket and a portable umbrella are essential — not heavy coats, since it’s not cold yet, but something waterproof. Layering is key: a sweater or fleece under a jacket works for most days. Comfortable walking shoes with good grip are important, especially if you plan to walk on wet cobblestones or hike on the Amalfi Coast. A compact travel umbrella is worth the space in your bag.
What I’d do: I’d pack a lightweight rain jacket that packs small, a couple of sweaters, and comfortable waterproof walking shoes. Leave the beach gear at home — you won’t need it in November.
On the Ground — Food, Customs, and What to Expect
Once you’re there, the daily rhythm of Italian life in November is different from summer, and knowing what to expect makes the trip smoother.
Dining Hours and Seasonal Closures
Italian restaurants generally keep regular hours year-round, but in coastal areas, some places close for a break between November and Christmas. One traveller on the Rick Steves forum noted that their favourite restaurant in Sorrento shut down until Christmas. In Rome and Sicily, restaurants stay open, though you’ll find fewer tourists and more locals eating out. Lunch is typically served from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., and dinner from 7:30 p.m. onward — earlier in tourist areas, later in local neighbourhoods.
The aperitivo culture continues in Rome and Sicily, with bars serving drinks and small snacks from around 6 to 8 p.m. It’s a good way to have a light early dinner without committing to a full restaurant meal.
Church Etiquette and Regional Differences
Italy’s churches enforce dress codes year-round: shoulders and knees must be covered. This applies to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the Duomo in Amalfi, and cathedrals across Sicily. In November, you’ll likely be wearing long pants and sleeves anyway, but if you’re wearing a scarf, keep it handy to cover your shoulders when entering a church. The rule is enforced more strictly in larger tourist churches than in small local ones.
Regional differences matter in November. Southern Italy, including Sicily and Naples, stays warmer and more active than the central coast. The Amalfi Coast, despite being south of Rome, is exposed to sea winds and rain. Sicily’s interior, including places like Enna and Caltagirone, can be cold but offers indoor attractions like ceramic workshops and museums.
- Book museum tickets online before you go — rainy days push everyone indoors, and queues get long even in November.
- If you choose the Amalfi Coast, have a backup plan for rainy days and check seasonal transport schedules before you leave.
- Sicily offers the best balance of indoor and outdoor options in November, with archaeology, food markets, and covered markets that work in any weather.
Common Questions About Rome, Amalfi, and Sicily in November
Is the Amalfi Coast worth visiting in November?
It depends on your tolerance for uncertainty. The scenery is still beautiful, but many businesses close, ferries stop running, and rainy days can leave you with little to do. If you’re flexible and have a backup plan, it can work — but most travellers on the Rick Steves forum recommend skipping it in favour of Rome and Naples.
What’s the weather like in Sicily compared to the Amalfi Coast in November?
Sicily is generally milder and less rainy than the Amalfi Coast, with daytime highs around 60-70°F. The Amalfi Coast is more exposed to wind and rain, and its seasonal closures make it less reliable. Sicily’s archaeological sites and covered markets offer more to do when the weather turns.
Can you do Pompeii in November?
Yes, and one traveller called it their best visit to Pompeii precisely because it was rainy — cooler temperatures and far fewer crowds make the experience more enjoyable. The site is mostly outdoor, so bring a rain jacket and waterproof shoes. The Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples (MANN) houses many of the artefacts from Pompeii and is a perfect indoor backup.
How many days should I spend in Rome versus the coast in November?
Most experienced travellers suggest 4-5 nights in Rome and 2-3 in Naples or Sicily if you’re splitting time. If you choose the Amalfi Coast, plan for at least 3 nights to make the travel worthwhile, but be prepared for limited activities. One forum user recommended spending your last 4 nights in Rome to fully enjoy the city before flying home.
What’s the biggest downside of visiting the Amalfi Coast in November?
The combination of seasonal closures and unreliable weather. If you get a stretch of rain, you’ll have very few indoor options — the main attractions are outdoor scenery, hiking, and beach towns. One traveller summed it up: “if you get bad weather there, you’ll have very little to do.”
Here’s what I keep coming back to: November in Italy isn’t about chasing summer experiences in off-season locations. It’s about leaning into what makes each place work in late autumn. Rome’s museums, Naples’ archaeology, and Sicily’s layered food culture all thrive in cooler weather. The Amalfi Coast’s magic is tied to sunshine and sea — and that’s a harder thing to guarantee in mid-November. If you want to read more about how to spend a week in Rome like a local, I wrote about three distinct neighbourhoods that each offer something different — it might help you decide where to base yourself.
Sources and further reading
Rome and Naples in early November — go or no go? Rick Steves Travel Forum, 2024.
Rome vs Amalfi travel comparison Budget Your Trip, 2024.
Rome and Amalfi Coast holiday guide The Independent, 2023.