Best Time To Visit Italy in 2024
Italy is a hotspot for international tourists. You should visit this country if you love history, culture, and beautiful things. However, you should plan your visit in such a way that you could enjoy your trip the most.
For this purpose, you should know the best time to travel to Italy. If you go there at the wrong time, you may not enjoy your trip. Besides, it will result in wasting both, your time and money.
Best Time to Visit Italy: Italy Travel Seasons
Let us look at the best time of year to visit Italy and what you should expect from the country at this time. Once you know the best time to visit Italy, you can enjoy the attractions of Italy to the most.
High Season (mid-May through July and September)
Summer is usually the high season in Italy, but even summer is broken up a little bit. So you need to understand which time of summer is best suited. Some people consider August to be the low season because it is scorching at this time, especially in the South. Also, most of the Italians go on holiday at this time.
The hotel rates are low, and there are lesser crowds also. Visitors start coming in Mid May through July and September. It is the time when most people prefer to visit Italy. The temperatures are hot, and in the South, there is high heat.
Shoulder season (March through mid-May except for Easter, October, and November)
The shoulder season is the best time to visit Italy, especially March and April, which are the best months in Italy. The climate is moderate at this time, and during springtime, you can enjoy hiking or trekking in the lush green valleys of the Italian Alps.
There are a large number of food festivals in the fall. There is also the grape harvest in October and the olive harvest in November which are worth experiencing.
Low season (August and December through February except for the Carnival)
Usually, Winter is the low season, other than Carnival which falls in the period before Lent, mostly during February. As mentioned earlier, some people even consider August to be the low season. During winter there will be the least number of visitors due to the cold. But during this season, visitors may find the lowest rates for everything.
Along with the low temperature, there is also rain and snow in the North during winter. However, nowadays you can find some winter sports here so if you are interested in these, then you should visit during winter. In the South, the temperature stays around 10°C.
List of Italy Weather and Festivals (Month by Month)
If you are planning to visit Italy, then you must know about the weather and festivals in Italy in different months, so you can plan your trip accordingly. Below is the information on Italy’s weather and festivals month by month.
January
January is the coldest month of the year in the North, and the temperature is around 9°C in the South. In the North, there is rain and snow during this month, while in the South, the afternoons are pleasant.
In January, there are festivals like New Year’s Day, the Epiphany, The Trasimeno Blues Festival, and the Festival of Saint Antony the abbot.
February
In the North, the temperature begins to increase with an average temperature of 8°C to as low as 4°C. While in the South this month is similar to January. The difference between the North and the South is that there is a little more rain.
In February, you may have festivals like Valentine’s day, the Carnival, Feast of Saint Agatha. Among these three, the Carnival is the most popular festival and is a high point during the dreary winter.
March
In the North, the weather continues to improve, and rainfall and snow decrease. The average temperature is 9°C and can go down as low as 6°C. By the end of March, the temperature in the North reaches 17°C. In the South, this time is spring, and this could be a great time to visit the South of Italy.
The temperature rises to 16°C and becomes warmer towards the end of the month.
The festivals in March are Festa della donna and Festa di San Giuseppe, both are religious festivals celebrated by religious-minded people.
April
April month in Italy can be unpredictable, but still, from March summer starts and continues to this month. Of course, there are likely to be some showers, the temperature is an average of 14°C, and the sun shines more often. The South is sunnier, and you may need sunglasses and sunscreen lotion. Temperatures in April range from 14°C to 19°C.
Holy Week and Easter VinItaly, Verona Liberation day, and Saint Mark’s day are the festivals in April. All these are religious festivals, and if you wish to witness the culture of Italy, then these are the festivals you should attend.
May
May is an excellent time to visit Italy, although the crowds also start coming to Italy this time. May is essentially the beginning of summer and temperature stays around 18°C during the beginning of the month and towards the end, around 21°C. The rain is a little less during this month.
In the south, May is more of summer than spring where the average temperature rises to 20°C. There is less rain in the North and South both, so this is a great month to visit Italy.
Labor Day, Festival of Sant’Efisio, Giro d’Italia and Festa Dei Ceri are the festivals in May. Everyone is aware of the labor day on 1st May and in Italy, this day is celebrated very nicely.
June
June is essentially the official beginning of summer, so there is a hot temperature in the North along with sunshine and crowds. During the beginning of the month, the temperature is 21°C, and towards the end, it is 24°C. You can also expect temperature as high as 30°C during this month in the North.
In the South, the month of June is less hot than August or July. The average temperature is on the pleasant side ranging between 21°C and 26°C. Evenings are more relaxed and the night temperature is around 16°C.
In June, the festivals celebrated in this month are Republic day, Festa Dei Ranieri, Saint Peter and Paul day, Gay village festival. Republic day is a significant festival in Italy, and the Gay Village festival is also celebrated with pomp and show.
July
Along with August, July is the hottest month in Italy. There is almost no rain, and clouds and the temperatures in the North are around 25°C to 31°C. In the South, the average high temperature is 30°C. You need summer clothing, and you can enjoy the beaches and swim in the sea.
The festivals that take place during this month are Il Palio di Siena, Festa Della Madonna Bruna, U Fistinu of Saint Rosalia Festa di Noantri, Ravello music festival, and many more. In the music festival, musicians from different locations join together to enjoy their love for music.
August
Most Italians go to cooler places to escape the intense heat of this month. Daytime temperature is around 31°C and may even go as high as 40°C. Many restaurants and shops shut down during this season. In the South of Italy, it is better to hit the beaches or stay in cool museums, churches, and other such cool places.
The festivals that take place in August are Ferragosto, Palio Del Golfo, Tuscan sun festival, Festa Della Madonna Della Neve. All of these are religious festivals celebrated by the devout people of Italy.
September
During the beginning of September, it is as hot as summer, but temperature begins to decrease as the month passes. The average high temperature during this month is around 27°C which is 4°C lower than August. There are more chances of rain and the evenings can be more cool.
In the south, September ushers in the fall and temperature start to decrease. Even in the afternoon, the highest temperature is not more than 27°C. Some people say that this is the best time to go to Italy.
The most famous festival during this month is the Venice international film festival, during this time people from all over the world come to Italy to enjoy films from different countries. Other notable events are the San Gennaro festival and Juliet’s birthday.
October
October is the official autumn in the North, and during the beginning of the month, the temperatures are pleasant, which is why most visitors come to Italy during this time. There are more crowds, and there are crowds everywhere.
In the South too, the temperature begins to cool off and the maximum temperature is 22°C. There is also more rain during October both in the North and South.
During this month you can enjoy the festivals of Eurochocolate, Alba White Truffle Festival, Boccaccesca, and Halloween. Halloween, like everywhere in the world, is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Italy.
November
There are a lot of grey rainy days during this month, and this means lesser crowds and lower rates but not the best time to visit if you do not like the cold season. The temperature in the North dips to a level of 7°C, and there is a significant amount of rain.
It is also the wettest month in the South, but the temperature is comfortable at 13°C.
In November, the festivals are All Saints Day, White Truffle Fair, and Festa Della Salute. These are religious festivals that mark the catholic religion of Italy.
December
Unless you are interested in winter sports, December is not a good month to visit Italy because of the extreme winter. It is valid for the North of Italy because there is a lot of rainfall and snow. The South is not as cold as the North, but it is winter time here as well, with the temperature dipping to 6°C in the night.
The most important festivals in December are, of course, Christmas and New year’s eve. Like elsewhere in the world, these festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm. The other festivals are wild boar festival, the feast of the immaculate conception, and many more.
What is the best time for sightseeing?
In Italy, the best time for sightseeing is the shoulder season when the weather is pleasant. Of course, there are cities like Rome, Venice, and Florence to visit, but there is a lot of charm in the countryside of Italy.
During the shoulder season, there are maximum crowds here. And, during the other months, the gathering is less, but the weather is not so agreeable. So if you want to do a lot of sightseeing, then the shoulder season is the best time of year to visit Italy.
What is the best time to save money?
The best time to save money is, of course, the winter season, because there are hardly any visitors except those who are interested in winter sports. Even these visitors mostly stay in ski resorts and other places which organize winter sports.
Hence, the rest of the country is open to you because rates are less at this time and you can save money.
August is also an excellent time to save money, but many restaurants and shops shut down during this month, so the choice is up to you.
What is the best time to avoid crowds?
Again winter is the right time, just like it is for saving money; there are hardly any visitors during the peak winter months. At the same time, during August, in summer, the Italians take a holiday and go to cooler places. These are the times when you can avoid crowds, but the weather in both cases is not at all agreeable.
So, the shoulder season is the best time to visit Italy. But if you are the one who doesn’t like crowds, then extreme winter or summer can be your preferred time to visit Italy. From this guide, you can find out the best time to travel to Italy and enjoy your holiday to the fullest.
