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When Is the Best Time of Year To Travel to Italy?

Byron Mühlberg, writer at Monito.com
Aug 8, 2022
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If you're travelling to Italy, there's no doubt that the time of year can greatly influence your trip.

For example — while it's always an interesting and exciting place to visit no matter the season — you'll probably find summer in Italy to be very hot (especially in the south), crowded, and costly. And while wintertime brings with it some tranquillity, you'll have chillier temperatures and fewer options at your disposal. The best time to travel to Italy depends on precisely what you plan to do, but in general, we think spring and autumn offer the best middle ground for most visitors.

To help you better plan your next trip, we explore the pros and cons of each season below to find the best time to travel to Italy:

Peak Season (Jun-Aug)

La So on Unsplash

Average temperatures (Rome): 16 to 30 °C (61 to 87 °F)

Advantages: Sunny and warm across the country, gelato, sunflowers in Tuscany, open and inviting terraces, long days, Republic Day (2 June), open-air concerts and theatre.

Disadvantages: Very hot (especially in the south), fewer locals and more tourists, higher prices, crowds and queues at tourist sites.

Italy is a hot country during the summer months, and the further south you go, the more profoundly you'll notice this. All in all, summer is generally a good time to travel to Italy ⁠— especially if you're planning to visit coastal towns such as along the Amalfi Coast, Sardinia, Sorrento, or Cinque Terre, where the (relative) seclusion and cooling effect of the sea can make the temperatures quite pleasant, especially in the early evenings. Summer is also an excellent time to visit Alpine Italy (e.g. the Dolomites, Lake Como, or Bolzano), as the temperatures are warm but not quite as hot as further down south.

However, if you're planning to visit a famous city such as Venice, Florence, Rome, Verona, or Milan, summer can quickly get hot and crowded, as July and August are when most international tourists travel to the country. This means that spots at hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, restaurants, museums, and other tourist attractions can be quickly filled, and prices rise due to the high demand. If you're visiting Italy during this time of year, we recommend planning and booking well in advance to secure the best spots. Similarly, if you plan to visit the south of Italy (i.e. anything south of Rome), we recommend going in spring or autumn because the heat can be especially fierce in these parts.

If you don't mind the heat and busy streets, summer in Italy is generally an exciting time of year filled with leisure and activity, from strolling through the park with a gelato at hand, to people watching, to sipping prosecco on a charming terrace.

2nd Shoulder Season (Sep-Oct)

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Average temperatures (Rome): 12 to 25 °C (54 to 77 °F)

Advantages: Pleasant weather (warm, but neither hot nor cold), fewer tourists and more locals, gondola races in Venice, harvest kicks off the high season for Italian cuisine.

Disadvantages: Evening temperatures can get chilly (especially in October or in the north), occasional rain.

When September rolls around, the summer heats begin to subside, and many Italians return home from their summer vacations. The crowds thin (although they don't disappear), and the harvest season begins, starting a season of culinary delights where Italian cuisine can be served at its finest and includes such treats as olives, prosciutto, porcini mushrooms, truffles, eggplants, zucchini, spinach, grapes, and many others.

We think September is easily the best month to travel to Italy for the above reasons. October is also a lovely month, and the temperatures can still be pleasant, especially in the south or in the early part of the month. However, while October brings even thinner tourist crowds than September, it can get chilly (especially in the evenings), so we recommend packing a light or medium jacket or two and an umbrella or raincoat for the occasional rain.

Off-Peak Season (Nov-Mar)

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Average temperatures (Rome): 4 to 15 °C (38 to 58 °F)

Advantages: Reduced hotel and flight prices, skiing season in the Dolomites and Val d’Aosta regions, truffle season (in November), Christmas and New Years' festivities (in December), Venice Carnival (in February).

Disadvantages: Limited tourist options remain open, cold temperatures (especially in the north), rainy with the occasional downpour.

The winter months can be cold in Italy, but fortunately (unless you're in the very north), it's seldom snowy or below freezing. Therefore, if you're willing to brave the chilly temperatures and shorter days, you'll find quiet streets and lower prices for your Italian holiday. (On the flip side, however, many tourist hotspots — especially those along the coast — are often closed altogether for the winter months, and activities are generally a bit more limited during this time of year.)

If you're interested in skiing or snowboarding, Italy's Alpine resorts have a lot to offer. On the other hand, if you're interested in seeing the prominent cultural landmarks and enjoying the culinary scene, autumn or spring are better bets, as there'll be many more options available (not to mention better weather).

However, the off-peak season is arguably the best time of year to visit Venice. In our opinion, putting up with the lower temperatures and occasional rain outweighs the emptier streets. A small city with narrow public spaces, Venice becomes overwhelmingly crowded for most of the year. In December, January, and February, however, you'll be able to catch a glimpse of a more intimate and local version of this iconic city. What's more, February is also the month of the world-famous Venice Carnival (although the city naturally gets busier for this event).

In our opinion, March is the best month during the off-peak season to visit Italy in general, as the days slowly start to become longer and the temperatures begin to climb — all while the country remains relatively uncrowded.

1st Shoulder Season (Apr-May)

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Average temperatures (Rome): 9 to 21 °C (48 to 71 °F)

Advantages: Sunny weather, restaurants open for outdoor dining, few crowds, springtime blooms, Easter celebrations, Festa di San Marco in Venice (25 April).

Disadvantages: Sometimes cold or rainy (especially in the north)

April and May are regarded by many visitors to be the best time of year to travel to Italy. The sun is out, the days are longer, the flowers bloom, and the public places come back to life in full swing. However, despite the good weather and increased activity, springtime still brings fewer crowds than the summertime, making it an excellent time to visit almost any part of the country (with the possible exception of the far north, where the weather can remain rather wet and cold).

In spring, many celebrations and activities usher the country toward the summer, including Easter and Holy Week, Ascension, Festa della Sensa and Festa di San Marco (both in Venice), and — for sports lovers — the Rome Marathon and Giro d’Italia.

While spring is often less crowded than summer, the Italian tourist season is long, and you can expect summer-like crowds in the big cities by May. However, while April is usually quieter, don't expect to have the streets and tourist sites to yourself!

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