When Is Best Time to Visit Italy?
By Parker Villas
The best months of the year for visiting Italy are April, May, June, September, and October. During these months, you’ll experience pleasant temperatures, rich colors throughout the Italian countryside, and smaller crowds than you’ll find if you travel during busier months (except around Easter).
From July through early September, the country is teeming with visitors, and the crowds are typically at their highest, as well as the temperatures. Around the major holidays — Easter and Christmas — crowds will be intense, and hotel prices will be high. Other than during holidays, you’ll typically see the highest hotel prices in major cities like Rome and Florence during late spring heading into summer.
Now that you have a general idea of the best time to visit Italy let’s examine the best time based on more specific factors, including weather, holidays and events, prices, destinations, and activities.
One of the worst things that can happen when you plan a fantastic vacation is to show up and be disappointed with bad weather. Maybe it’s too hot or cold, raining every day, or the sun isn’t out as much as you’d like. Whatever your definition of good weather is, you want the best chance of experiencing that while you’re on your trip. Luckily, the average weather in Italy is quite pleasant for most of the year.
Of course, nobody can control the weather, but you can plan your trip accordingly to have the best chance of great weather. For this article, let’s get a loose definition of what “good weather” really is. You’ll have the best experience in Italy with moderate temperatures, sunny skies, and as little rain as possible. So when’s the best time to visit Italy to have weather like that?
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| Month | Avg. High | Avg. Low | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46°F | 32°F | Coldest month, temperatures between 30-46°F in different regions |
| February | 50°F | 34°F | Cool, chance of rain or snow |
| March | 57°F | 39°F | Cool, spring-like, rain possible |
| April | 63°F | 45°F | Mild, spring weather, some rain |
| May | 72°F | 54°F | Warm and sunny |
| June | 79°F | 61°F | Hot and sunny |
| July | 84°F | 64°F | Very hot and sunny |
| August | 84°F | 64°F | Very hot and sunny |
| September | 75°F | 59°F | Warm, chance of rain |
| October | 66°F | 52°F | Mild with some rain |
| November | 55°F | 43°F | Cool, rainy at times |
| December | 48°F | 36°F | Cold, chance of rain or snow |
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Generally speaking, any time of the year from April to October will provide all of the above. Moderate temperatures, less overcast than winter, and some of the driest months of the year — but there are a few exceptions.
You should avoid traveling to Italy in late July through August due to the scorching heat. During this time, daytime temperatures can soar above 100℉ frequently. With heat like that, you won’t want to spend any more time outside than you have to.
The second exception is to try to avoid the rain as much as possible. The earlier you visit in April or later in October, the higher the rain chances. The closer to the summer months you get, the better your chance of clear skies.
The best time to visit Italy regarding weather is from late April to June and from September through early October. These times will provide you with pleasant temperatures, sunny skies, and your best at having no rain while visiting.
If you’ve ever wanted to visit a different country for the holidays, you may consider planning that special trip to Italy. Or maybe you’ve heard of some of Italy’s exciting events and festivals over the years. No matter the reason, let’s look at the best time to visit Italy to enjoy the holidays or experience authentic Italian events.
Leading up to Easter, which is one of the busiest times of the year in Italy, you can join in the extravagant celebration known as Carnival. A huge masked festival country-wide, Carnival, takes place during the time before Lent, which then leads to Easter. The best city to visit in Italy during Carnival is undoubtedly Venice.
The Venice Carnival is an event that draws in thousands of people from all over the world who want to experience an unforgettable event in the watery city. In 2021, the festival begins on January 30th and runs through February 16th, with participants wearing masks and costumes to keep up with the 900-year tradition. This also means that while you’re in the country for the Venice Carnival, you’ll be there for Valentine’s Day.
What could be more romantic than spending Valentine’s Day in Venice with your loved one experiencing the Venice Carnival? It would be a weekend that the person most special to you would never forget.
As we have alluded to, Easter is one of the busiest times to visit Italy. The week leading up to Easter, known as Holy Week, and Easter itself are important in Italy—typically overshadowed by Christmas. As the Vatican City is headquartered in Rome, Catholicism is the nation’s dominant religion, and Holy Week and Easter are the most important weeks of the Catholic calendar.
During this time, plays and street processions are commonly found every day of the week. On Good Friday, states of Jesus and the Virgin Mary are carried through the streets, and these processions are highly revered. On Easter Sunday, parades and mass services throughout the country will end the week on a high note. Holy Week begins on March 28 and culminates with Easter on April 4th, 2021.
In 2021, the 78th Venice International Film Festival will be held from September 1st through September 11th. Known as the oldest film festival in the world, spending these ten days in Venice will give movie lovers an experience like nothing else they’ll ever have the chance to be part of.
The festival is held on an island of the Venice Lagoon known as Lido. Festival-goers will watch screenings of the films at the amazing Palazzo del Cinema before awards are given to the best films at the event. Celebrities from all over the world attend the annual celebration, and the Venice International Film Festival is one of the most popular festivals of its type in the world.
For any chocolate lovers, the Eurochocolate held in Perugia every year is an event you won’t want to miss. One of the biggest celebrations of any kind in Europe, the Eurochocolate festival hosts nearly one million people per year who come together to celebrate chocolate from all over the continent.
Visitors can taste all sorts of chocolates and even participate in workshops, seeing how some make the tasty treats of the biggest manufacturers in Europe. The festival begins October 15th and runs through October 24th in 2021.
The most popular time of year when Italy is the busiest with visitors is the weeks encompassing Christmas and New Year’s. People from all over the world will take their time off work and school to spend the holidays in Italy and enjoy the mild Mediterranean temperatures and a holiday vacation they won’t soon forget.
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are also big celebrations in Italy, as they are throughout much of the world. Most of the major cities and towns in Italy will host fireworks, dancing, and parties all over the place as they celebrate the new year. So, if you want to bring in 2022 with a bang, start planning your holiday trip to Italy.
See Related: Pagan Holidays Adopted by Christianity
If you’re excited about your trip to Italy but want to get the most bang for your buck, then traveling to Italy when you can get the best prices is the way to go. In general, summertime and major holidays will be the most crowded times of the year and, therefore, the most expensive. So you’ll want to avoid going during those times.
Luckily, some of the best prices for traveling to Italy coincide with some of the best weather times of the year. You will typically find the lowest prices in early spring and late fall, with some of the best overall weather of the year.
Ideally, planning your trip in March through April or mid-September through October will offer the best rates and the lowest crowds. If you decide to plan your trip in spring, be sure you take Easter into account. Traveling to Italy during Easter will usually be one of the most expensive times of the year, even if it falls in early April.
If you want to get a bit more out of your money, make sure that you also book your stay months in advance. Some of the top hotels in the most popular cities get completely booked up to six months in advance. So, the earlier you book your trip, the more options you’ll have and the best possible prices.
Italy is usually divided into two main regions: northern and southern. While this isn’t a legitimate distinction, it is widely accepted that the areas around Rome form the separating line between the north and the south.
For your planning, just think of Rome as central Italy, everything above Rome on a map as northern Italy, and everything below Rome as southern Italy. Determining the best time to go to Italy based on your destination depends on what you plan on doing while you’re there, so let’s run through a couple of scenarios to give you an idea of when to visit.
If you’re visiting northern Italy, maybe to check out Milan, Venice, or Tuscany, any time from April through October will be great. It might get a little hot on occasion during the summer, but you won’t have to deal with the scorching heat that southern Italy faces. If you’re planning on visiting Italy for a winter adventure, you’ll need to stay in northern Italy between December and February because, at any other time and any time in southern Italy, you’ll see no snow.
If you want to visit southern Italy to visit places like Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, or the island of Sicily, you may think twice about going during the summer. You’ll face searing heat waves, crowded beaches, and high prices, so visiting in spring or fall is a better option. Southern Italy is also a great location to travel to in the winter to avoid the cold temperatures found elsewhere in the world, including northern Italy.
See Related: Best Colosseum Tours in Rome
If you have a general idea of what you plan on doing in Italy, you can use that to help determine the best time of the year to visit. Some of Italy’s main attractions that draw people in from all over the world include sightseeing, wine tasting, skiing, and spending days relaxing on the beach.
Depending on which of these you will be doing most on your trip, the best time of the year for the trip will differ. With things like weather, prices, and crowds in mind, let’s look at the best time to visit Italy based on the activities you will be doing.
Weather, visibility, and crowds are the most important things that will make your sightseeing excursion the best possible. If you plan to spend your days exploring cities and checking out the amazing sights Italy offers, you want pleasant temperatures, clear skies, and fewer crowds. With that in mind, you will want to plan your trip for mid-spring or mid-fall, with early May and early October being some of the best times.
These months provide the most comfortable temperatures to spend the days outside (with average daytime temperatures typically between 68℉ and 77℉) and pretty clear skies—especially if you wait until a little later in spring or earlier in fall. Crowds will also be far less than during the high summer season.
See Related: Best Time to Visit Venice, Italy
Wine lovers worldwide venture to Italy for some of the best wine anywhere. Traveling to Italy to visit the wine country is commonplace, and you will have the experience of a lifetime. When it comes to the wine country, you’ll ideally want to travel when the scenery is prolific and incredible views and landscapes surround you.
As everything is blossoming, you should plan your trip for early to mid-spring. You’ll be surrounded by pure beauty and enjoy delicious wine while looking at picturesque views. If you don’t mind a bit chillier temperatures and want to avoid the crowds more than anything, consider planning your trip for late winter after the holidays have passed.
When it comes to skiing, of course, you need snow. So, winter is the best time to visit Italy if you want to hit the slopes. Snow will usually only fall in northern Italy from December through February, and the mountains in the north will offer some incredible skiing opportunities.
Snow in northern Italy is common from mid-December through early February, with the mountains typically covered in snow through most of the winter. You’ll find plenty of ski resorts in the area to stay in and lots of other like-minded snow enthusiasts as well.
Remember that winter is typically the low season for the rest of the country regarding crowds, but it’s the high season for snow lovers. So keep that in mind and expect crowds, but the experience of skiing down the mountains in northern Italy will more than compensate for the additional crowds in these areas during this time.
When it comes to visiting Italy, one of the best reasons to do so is to take in the amazing views while you soak up the sun at one of the many beaches that the country has to offer. To enjoy the beach, you want warm weather and sunny skies, so the best time to make your trip to Italy will naturally be summer.
Not all summer months are created equal, however, and we recommend you book your trip for early summer or late summer, even creeping into the end of spring or fall. Late May through early July and September through early October are the best times to visit the fantastic beaches in Italy. These periods will offer the best possible temperatures as well as smaller crowds than you’ll find in the heart of summer.
The best times to visit Italy are from April to June and September through October. Avoiding the holidays will give you comfortable temperatures, smaller crowds, and more affordable rates. If you’re traveling for a specific reason, consider that when you’re booking as well. No matter when you visit, your trip to Italy will be an unforgettable experience!
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