December in Genoa brings an average high of 12 °C and a low of 6.1 °C, with 11 rain days typical for the month. Daylight on December 15 runs to 8 hours 51 minutes, shrinking toward the year's shortest day on the 21st. It's Genoa's least sunny month and sits outside the city's best-rated months, which are May, June, September and October. December suits travellers who want a quiet, low-cost coastal city wrapped in winter light, not sun-seekers or beachgoers.
December in Genoa at a glance
- Temperature
- Average high 12 °C, average low 6.1 °C — the 11th warmest month of the year.
- Rain
- 11 days with at least 1 mm, 148 mm in total — the 6th wettest month by rain days.
- Sunshine
- The least sunny month of Genoa's year (relative ranking — modelled data overstates absolute hours).
- Daylight
- 8 h 51 min on December 15 (9 h 03 min on the 1st, 8 h 54 min on the last day); the shortest day of the year is December 21 (8 h 50 min).
- Sea
- 16 °C average sea-surface temperature (2022–2025, Open-Meteo Marine).
- Crowds
- Quiet: visitor nights in the region run at 0.4× an average month. Busiest month August, quietest November (Eurostat, 2022–2025).
- Verdict
- The best months for Genoa are May, June, September, October; December is for travellers who don't mind the cold.
- Source
- ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2016–2025 averages; daylight computed for the city's latitude; crowds from Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation (region by month).
What Genoa is like in December
December is Genoa's 11th warmest month and the 6th wettest by rain-day count, with 11 days of rain bringing 148 mm in total — a touch drier than November's 13 rain days but noticeably cooler, since November's average high reaches 14.8 °C against December's 12 °C. January is barely different in rainfall, also averaging 11 rain days, but a shade cooler still at 11.1 °C. Compared with nearby cities, Genoa stays milder than inland Milan (7.9 °C, 8 rain days) and Turin (7.6 °C, 6 rain days), but cooler and wetter than coastal Monaco (13.5 °C, 8 rain days) and Nice (13.7 °C, 7 rain days); Pisa runs close in temperature at 12.3 °C but wetter, with 13 rain days. Daylight fades from 9 h 03 min on the 1st to 8 h 54 min by month's end, dipping to its shortest, 8 h 50 min, on December 21.
The month carries three public holidays — Immaculate Conception on December 8, Christmas Day on the 25th, and St. Stephen's Day on the 26th — and overlapping school holidays in Germany (Dec 19–Jan 12), the Netherlands (Dec 19–Jan 3) and France (Dec 20–Jan 3) bring a rise in visitors over the festive stretch. Overall, though, the region's visitor nights average just 0.4 times a typical month, well below August's peak, and November remains the quietest month of the year. Expect a largely hushed city outside the holiday window, well suited to museum visits, long lunches, and strolls along the Porto Antico between showers, with evenings better spent indoors than out.
Flights to Genoa in December 2026
| From | Lowest fare found |
|---|---|
| Paris | €84 |
| Berlin | €88 |
| Amsterdam | €112 |
| New York | €399 |
Lowest fares found in recent flight searches (Aviasales), collected 9 November 2026. A guide to price level only — fares change daily and may not be available when you search.
Where else to go in December: warmest, driest and least crowded cities →
Where to stay in December
Holidays in December 2026
- 8 Dec
- Immaculate Conception — public holiday in Italy
- 25 Dec
- Christmas Day — public holiday in Italy
- 26 Dec
- St. Stephen's Day — public holiday in Italy
- Germany
- School holidays 19 Dec – 12 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
- Netherlands
- School holidays 19 Dec – 3 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
- France
- School holidays 20 Dec – 3 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
December in nearby cities
The numbers side by side
| City | Distance | Avg high | Avg low | Rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genoa | — | 12 °C | 6.1 °C | 11 |
| Milan | 119 km | 7.9 °C | 1.2 °C | 8 |
| Turin | 124 km | 7.6 °C | −1 °C | 6 |
| Pisa | 140 km | 12.3 °C | 4 °C | 13 |
| Monaco | 143 km | 13.5 °C | 6.4 °C | 8 |
| Nice | 155 km | 13.7 °C | 6.3 °C | 7 |
Tips for December
- Pack a warm layer and a proper rain jacket, since highs sit around 12 °C with lows near 6.1 °C and rain falls on roughly 11 days of the month.
- Plan outdoor time, including walks around the Porto Antico, for the brighter midday hours given the short 8 h 51 min of daylight on the 15th.
- Book ahead if you're travelling around December 8, 25 or 26, or during the school-holiday weeks from Germany, the Netherlands and France that run through late December into early January.
- For drier, milder days in the same month, Nice (13.7 °C, 7 rain days) or Monaco (13.5 °C, 8 rain days) along the coast are a short trip away.
Hotels in Genoa
See live prices and availability for stays in Genoa on a major booking site.
Frequently asked
Is Genoa worth visiting in December?
Yes, if you don't mind cool, damp weather — it's a quiet month outside the holiday dates, with mild highs of 12 °C, good for indoor sights and harbourside walks around the Porto Antico, though it isn't one of Genoa's top-rated months (those are May, June, September and October).
How cold is Genoa in December?
Average daytime highs reach 12 °C and overnight lows drop to 6.1 °C, with no days hitting 30 °C or warm nights above 20 °C.
Does it rain a lot in Genoa in December?
There are around 11 rain days in the month, totalling 148 mm of precipitation — close to January's 11 rain days but fewer than November's 13.
How many hours of daylight does Genoa get in December?
On December 15 there are 8 hours 51 minutes of daylight, falling to the year's shortest day, 8 hours 50 minutes, on December 21.
More on Genoa
Sources
- Open-Meteo historical weather API — December climate normals for Genoa, 2016–2025 averages (ERA5 reanalysis, CC BY 4.0)
- NOAA solar calculation method — daylight computed for Genoa's latitude (sunrise to sunset, standard refraction)
- Nager.Date — public holidays in Italy, December 2026
- OpenHolidays API — school holidays in the main source markets, December 2026
- ReasonStay methodology — how figures are computed and checked
An independent guide to Genoa in December — every figure computed from open data, no invented numbers. Booking links are affiliate links (how we're funded).