Fall Foliage In Rome
 

We'll be in Rome in early November (arriving on the 7th.) Does anyone know when the peak of the autumn foliage is? We live in the Atlanta, GA area of the US and Rome & Atlanta weather appear to be very similar. In Atlanta, the leaves are a little past peak in early November...but still pretty vibrant. Autumn is my favorite season & I'll be so excited to experience it in Rome. Thanks.

You'll find quite different flora and weather I fear. <BR> <BR>Rome is a beautiful city at anytime, even the rainy season. Autumn leaves would detract rather than add, I suspect. <BR> <BR>twenj

You'll find little vibrancy in the fall foliage in Rome. The leaves just kind of turn brown and fall off, though you will find a little gold thrown in for good measure.

Twenj - Thanks for the reply...but...can you please elaborate on your response? What do you mean by quite different flora & weather? Different in what way? I know that Rome will be beautiful regardless. I'm just wondering about the specifics. <BR> <BR>Linda, thanks for a bit more clarification. Atlanta is not noted for it's spectacular fall foliage...The leaves here often turn brown & fall off too. But, we do have some golds & reds thrown in for good measure. (In other words, I'm not expecting a lot.) <BR> <BR>When are all the leaves usually all brown by (& off the trees too for that matter?) <BR> <BR>Thanks, <BR>Kate

As to when the trees will be bare, that really depends on the autumn weather this year. I should think that in the beginning of November there will still be leaves on the trees, though they may be "browning off".

Kate, I've been in Atlanta in the fall, up on top of a high building in the suburbs. Atlanta may not challenge Vermont or Colorado's Aspens, but it looks pretty darned nice in the fall. I grew up with New England's colors near at hand and I'm not easily impressed. I was impressed, modestly, in Atlanta. <BR> <BR>There aren't too many broad-leafed trees in Rome, relatively, to begin with. More pines, at least that's the way my memory would run the percentages. We've been there a few times in fall, and I just have no memory of color at all. Leaves turning brown. Leaaves on the ground. Certainly soome with a dab of color. But not in the sense of New England, Atlanta, Colorado, the Ozarks, or even Missouri. <BR> <BR>November should be peak of the rainy season in Rome. Doesn't mean it rains all the time, but somewhere between late October and the end of November should be the rainiest time of the year for Rome. Not usually devastatingly so ... this isn't a rain forest. But you'll need to plan on rain during most any visit. On average more than 4 inches spread over 8 days during the month. Temps average about 62F for daily high, with 46 as the average low, but it can vary all over the place from year to year. <BR>

One does not go to Rome for fall color. Mediteranian countries have completely different plants than what you have in Atlanta. More evergreens and fewer deciduous trees. <BR> <BR>Fall color is caused primarily by cold weather after the trees stop producing clorophyll - since there is not usually any cool weather in Rome until winter there won't be any "fall color".