Best Time to Visit Florence, Italy

The best time of the year to visit Florence, Italy, is April through May and September through mid-October. These months provide the most comfortable overall weather while having smaller crowds than what you’ll find during the peak summer travel season.

Summer in Florence gets too hot, and the locals typically take a month-long vacation in August, meaning the month is not an ideal time of year to go. Visiting during the winter can be a budget-friendly option, but it can get a bit cold and rainy at times. 

Weather in Florence

In terms of the weather, the best months of the year to visit Florence are April, May, September, and October. During April and May, you can expect comfortable temperatures around 65°F to 75°F and about 2” of rainfall. During the fall months here, temperatures will be around 70°F to 80°F, but it will be about twice as rainy, so traveling during the spring might be your best option to stay a little drier.

The summers in Florence will get downright hot and uncomfortable. During July and August, expect the average daytime temperatures to reach right around 90°F, with the highs creeping up towards 100°F or even 105°F at times. Winter travel to Florence stays relatively mild, with temperatures hovering around 50°F or so during the day. Late fall is the rainy season throughout Tuscany, including its capital city of Florence. 

Best Time for Staying Outdoors in Florence: Mid-April through Early-June and Late-September through early-November

Situated right in the heart of central Italy (as the capital city of the region of Tuscany), Florence experiences the sweltering summer heat of the Mediterranean as much as any other Italian city. This makes mid-April through early-June and late-September through early-November the best times of year to visit Florence for outdoor activities. 

That said, you don’t want to be traveling during the summer months if you’re planning on staying outdoors. The heat and heat index will be unbearable at times, and you will want to stay inside more than go out. If it’s 105°F outside with a heat index of around 10, being outside for even a few hours will be draining. 

Instead, traveling during late-spring and early-fall will provide significantly more comfortable temperatures while also offering lower chances of rain than going earlier in the spring or later in the fall would. 

This makes it the absolute perfect time to visit Florence for outdoor activities. Go on a Vespa tour through the Tuscan countryside as everything is coming into bloom during spring or turning colors during fall. It’s truly the most magical time of year to be outside. 

Best Time for Sightseeing & Museum Hopping: March through May and September through November

The best time to travel to Florence for sightseeing and museum hopping is March through May and September through November. This time of year provides visitors with pleasant temperatures and smaller crowds than other times of the year.

With average daytime temperatures in Florence typically ranging from 60°F to 80°F during these times of the year, it’s perfect for exploring all the amazing places in Florence worth sightseeing, such as the Duomo.

But if it starts to rain, you’ll be able to hop into one of the city’s many museums or galleries to ride out the storm, such as the Uffizi Gallery. These times are also just before and after the crowded summer season, meaning there will be fewer crowds to contend with. 

Best Time for Honeymooners: Late-April through Early-June and Late-September through Mid-October

The best time of year to plan your dream honeymoon to Florence is late-April through early-June and late-September through mid-October. After all, a honeymoon in Florence will likely include many outdoor activities in the nearby Tuscan countryside.

During these months, the weather in Florence will be extremely pleasant, offering the best weather of the year to avoid excessive cold, heat, and rain. This is the sweet spot, and you want your honeymoon to be perfect.

Avoid the rain of traveling earlier in the spring or later in fall while simultaneously avoiding the unbearable heat of summer in Florence that will make you and your new spouse want to just sit inside and enjoy the air conditioning all day. 

These are also the most beautiful times of the year, perfect for exploring the countryside of Tuscany and heading to wine country for a fantastic honeymoon wine-tasting experience. We suggest the spring time frame for a honeymoon that involves wine country, as it will have everything coming into bloom and just be breathtaking. 

Best Time for Budget Travelers: Winter months (minus the holidays)

The best time to visit Florence for travelers on a budget is during the low-travel winter season, including December, January, and February. The only thing to avoid during these months is the holiday weeks of Christmas, New Year’s, and the Epiphany as the city will be effectively shut down.

All that considered, you’ll want to plan your budget-friendly trip for December up until Christmas and then any time starting in mid-January through February. These times will avoid the holidays — and expensive lodging and attractions that come with it — and allow you to get some of the best deals on hotels throughout the year.

As you’ll read shortly, this is also the cheapest time of year for shopping in Florence as well, so you’ll be able to save more money on that front. Some of Florence’s popular hotels can get booked a few months in advance, even during a winter vacation. So make sure you start looking at prices around three months before you go to make sure you get the best deals. 

Best Time for Shopaholics: January through Mid-February and July through August

Like many of the other major cities in Italy (Rome, Venice, etc.), the best time to visit Florence for shopping is during the winter and summer sales to get the best bargains around. The winter sales start the first week of January after New Year’s Day has passed, and the summer sales start in July and run through much of August. 

During these sales, boutiques, mom-and-pop shops, and more offer huge bargains that draw in Italians from all over the country and shopaholics from all over the world. During the early days of the sales, shoppers can find deals of 25% to 50% off on just about anything on their shopping list.

But if you can time it right and get there right in the sweet spot of when the sales go up to close to 75% off, but before inventory starts to run out, you can really get some great bargains. Both sales run until the on-sale inventories run out, which typically takes about six weeks. 

FAQ

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