It gets cold. Really cold. Milan in January is 0°C. Even Rome needs a proper coat.
Plan your Italy trip →Milan/Turin/Venice: 0-5°C average, below zero at night. Fog, occasional snow. Dress like a cold European winter. Florence/Bologna: 2-8°C. Cold, damp, windy. Rome: 5-12°C. Not Arctic, but colder than most tourists expect. You need a coat. Naples/Sicily: 8-15°C. Mild but wet. Still jacket weather, especially evenings.
A proper coat: Wool or insulated. Not a windbreaker — a real winter coat for northern Italy. Southern Italy: a heavy jacket suffices. Scarf, hat, gloves: Essential for the north. Useful everywhere on cold evenings. Layers: Merino base layer + sweater + coat. Museums and restaurants are heated; you'll want to de-layer indoors. Waterproof shoes: Winter rain + cobblestones = slippery. Waterproof boots or treated leather shoes with good grip.
The acqua alta factor (Venice): Venice floods November-February. Bring waterproof shoes or buy rubber overshoes (stivali da acqua alta) on arrival (€10-15 from any Venice shop). The city provides raised walkways (passerelle) but your feet WILL get wet otherwise.
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