Film production in Rome
Between June and December, usable daylight in Rome moves by 6h 04min — from 15h 13min down to 9h 09min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Rome rises at 05:35 and sets at 20:48; the evening golden hour starts at 20:05 and runs for 42 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:31–16:40, with a 45-minute golden-hour window from 15:56.
In practice, a spread of 6h 04min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:36 | 17:04 | 9h 28min | 16:20 |
| February | 07:07 | 17:43 | 10h 36min | 17:04 |
| March | 06:23 | 18:16 | 11h 53min | 17:40 |
| April | 06:31 | 19:51 | 13h 20min | 19:13 |
| May | 05:51 | 20:23 | 14h 32min | 19:43 |
| June | 05:35 | 20:48 | 15h 13min | 20:05 |
| July | 05:48 | 20:45 | 14h 56min | 20:03 |
| August | 06:19 | 20:12 | 13h 54min | 19:34 |
| September | 06:51 | 19:22 | 12h 31min | 18:45 |
| October | 07:23 | 18:30 | 11h 08min | 17:53 |
| November | 07:00 | 16:51 | 9h 51min | 16:09 |
| December | 07:31 | 16:40 | 9h 09min | 15:56 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Rome starts at 21:08 in June and ends at 21:22 — a window of 14 minutes. In December it is 12 minutes from 17:00. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:16) and September (19:22) there are 66 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Rome averages 13 rain days in November and 4 in July. A three-day exterior shoot in November statistically loses 1.3 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.6 °C | 10 | 7.0 |
| February | 9.2 °C | 9 | 8.3 |
| March | 11.0 °C | 10 | 9.3 |
| April | 14.0 °C | 9 | 10.9 |
| May | 18.1 °C | 12 | 11.8 |
| June | 23.3 °C | 6 | 13.3 |
| July | 26.9 °C | 4 | 13.8 |
| August | 26.5 °C | 5 | 12.7 |
| September | 21.8 °C | 9 | 10.9 |
| October | 17.5 °C | 11 | 8.8 |
| November | 12.9 °C | 13 | 7.0 |
| December | 9.0 °C | 10 | 6.9 |
Filming permits
The responsible body is Roma Capitale über die zuständigen Ämter; die Roma Lazio Film Commission berät und vermittelt Motive. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: romalaziofilmcommission.it
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Rome?
In June it starts at 20:05 and lasts 42 minutes; in December it starts at 15:56 and lasts 45 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Rome get?
Between 9h 09min in December and 15h 13min in June. The 6h 04min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Rome?
Combining daylight and rain days, July comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.