Visit Rome in March? Why?

When we were first trying to decide when to go to Rome, we made the following decisions:

Postcard-blue March sky

July? I don't remember that I was uncomfortably hot when I visited Rome in July 1967, but I was young then (ahh, those were the days) and tolerated heat pretty well. But it's like the Spanish say of certain parts of Spain: There are only two seasons, invierno y infierno (winter and hell).

August? Not only is it summer but all Europe goes on vacation in August and many head to Italy. Whence the saying: Mad dogs and Englishmen in the noonday sun. And so many of those Englishmen head for the Chianti region South of Florence that it's called Chiantishire. 

Sept, Oct, May, June? Sounds nice, and is, but people who know better than to go to Rome in mid-summer, go in the temperate months. We were afraid there'd be crowds.

Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb? Presumably fewer crowds, but what would the weather be like?

April? Easter in Rome? We've been told by someone who'd been there recently that it was actually interesting to be in Rome on Easter weekend. Still, we didn't want to deal with a potential a crush of people. Also, this year John Paul II is being beatified on May 1 (a step toward sainthood) and they're expecting millions.

That left March.

The weather turned out to be absolutely perfect: only one morning with a few showers that we easily avoided and one evening of thunder and hail that lasted 15 minutes (while we were at the hotel). Otherwise blue skies and puffy clouds (see photo of the Signoria tower in Florence). Not too hot and not too cold: just right. Fifteen days of Goldilocks miracle. But were lucked out. A friend of Sheila's sister-in-law was there the week before us and got rain and temps in the 40's and 50's every day.

There were crowds here and there, but no at all bad. Mostly Italian tourists, and many many many Italian school groups which, in a way, gave the experience a youthful energy: kids playing catch with water bottles in the meadows above the catacombs. The only really crowded places we visited were the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (which is part of the Museum visit).

Speaking of crowds: I remember how, back when, you'd see groups of Japanese tourists everywhere, older and invariably bedecked with cameras. Times change. The Asian tourists we saw were mostly Chinese and young and seemed to be traveling in small groups of friends instead of tours, often one or two together.

So, the second half of March turned out perfect for us. But future performance not guaranteed as they say of mutual funds.