When is the best time to go to Italy?

Italy is among the countries that have much to offer to its visitors: beaches, discoveries and relaxation. While the resorts are crowded during the summer, certain historical cities of art, like Rome or Venice, can be visited throughout any seasons.

Passionate beach and seaside vacationers often choose to travel to Italy during the summer. True, the weather is absolutely beautiful but the sheer volume of visitors and crowds may cause for a less intimate stay. In addition, this period observers a fairly dramatic increase in air transport fares and it is difficult to find accommodation without having made prior reservations in hotels.

Place an emphasis on the spring and autumn if you want to spend a good time, enjoying the mild climate while away from the hordes of vacationers. This time of year allows for the opportunity of travelling to Italy at low cost.

From the months of November to March, the tourist season is much less busy. On the contrast, during the holidays, such as Christmas time and New Year, Italy has a peak attendance of vacationers.

So, when is the best time to go to Italy? Here's some more information to help you in your decision:

  • In Italy, the weather is good everywhere in April, May, June, July, August, September and October
  • The best months to go to Rome are March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November
  • On average, the warmest months in Rome are July and August, and the coldest months are January and February
  • November is the wettest month in this city
  • The cities with the best climate are Rome, Sicily, Lecce, Naples, Amalfi, Brindisi, Pompeii, Lamezia Terme, Vatican and Caserta, with good weather at least 9 months a year
  • The best months for swimming in Sicily are June, July, August, September and October



Annual weather in Italy

For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Italy for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:

January 13°F to 59°F
2 to 11 days*
February 13°F to 59°F
3 to 10 days*
March 18°F to 61°F
3 to 11 days*
April 29°F to 68°F
3 to 13 days*
May 36°F to 77°F
1 to 18 days*
June 45°F to 88°F
1 to 21 days*
July 49°F to 94°F
0 to 21 days*
August 49°F to 94°F
0 to 17 days*
September 40°F to 85°F
2 to 10 days*
October 32°F to 76°F
3 to 8 days*
November 23°F to 68°F
3 to 12 days*
December 16°F to 61°F
3 to 11 days*
* weather varies across the country

Best time to travel to Italy by cities

Chargement en cours
Rome

Rome

The best months to go to Rome are march, april, may, june, july, august, september, october and november.

Sicily

Sicily

The best months to go to Sicily are march, april, may, june, july, august, september, october, november and december.

Bari

Bari

The best months to go to Bari are april, may, june, july, august, september, october and november.

See full list of cities


Climate and Weather in Italy

Throughout it's entire length, Italy lies in junction with France, Switzerland and Austria and furthermore, has two main types of climates: a continental climate inland, with warmer summers and colder winters than its French neighbor and a Mediterranean climate on the coast with very hot and very dry summers. The climate in Italy is rather favorable throughout the year due to the fact that it elongates the coast. Thanks to the regulation of the sea and the mountainous Alps, a barrier is provided against the cold.

Italy: Tour de Pise

Northern Climate of Italy

Northern Italy, including the Alps as well as the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano,

has a very hard winter, resembling that of Chambery or Savoy. Winters are particularly cold due the country's latitude and height, but the summers are very hot, offsetting and compromising for the harsh winter temperatures. Furthermore, this part of Italy also faces a very high increase in humidity when the summer arrives.

Central Climate of Italy

Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio … names of Italian regions that make you dream of cultural wealth and very warm weather! In this part of Italy, the climate is more temperate than in the north and the different temperatures are less drastic than in the rest of the country. In the center, in cities like Florence and Assisi, the cold period is shorter than in the north, less intense and with lower temperatures. Summers in turn are much longer and it is difficult to endure the sweltering heat of the more northern cities, such as Rome, the capital of Italy. On the Mediterranean coasts, Italy's climate experiences more enjoyable and bearable temperatures, similar to the city of Nice, in France.

Southern Climate of Italy and the Islands

Heat and sun are on the program in the southern part of Italy, on the islands such as Sicily and Sardinia. In the extreme south, such as in Puglia, one can even describe a Mediterranean-African climate. Winters are never frigide or difficult and in general, this part of Italy as well as cities like Naples and Pompeii have autumn and spring seasons with the same summer temperatures as the rest of the area. In the islands, cities such as Palermo enjoy warm and fairly wet winters, while summers are very dry and very hot. On the coast however, the sea allows for more bearable temperatures.


Temperatures and rainfall in Italy

On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Italy and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Rome, Sicily, Bari, Bologna and Florence, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.


Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Italy

Find out when Italy has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.

Tourist seasons in Italy

The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, November and December. The number of visitors to Italy is high in: April, May, June, July, August, September and October.

  • Very low season in Italy: January, February and March.
  • Low season in Italy: November and December.
  • High season in Italy: April, June and October.
  • Peak season in Italy: May, July, August and September.

Figure: Visitor index for Italy month by month


Average price for flights to Italy

A return flight between New York City and Milan is generally cheaper if you go in february ($ 499 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 532 more for your airline ticket to Milan if you go in july.

Find the best price for your flight



Where to go in Italy?

This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).

Cities jan.feb.mar.apr.mayjun.jul.aug.sep.oct.nov.dec.
Rome56°F56°F61°F67°F74°F83°F88°F90°F83°F74°F65°F58°F
Sicily59°F59°F61°F67°F72°F81°F86°F88°F83°F76°F68°F61°F
Bari56°F56°F59°F67°F74°F81°F86°F88°F81°F72°F65°F58°F
Bologna47°F50°F59°F67°F74°F85°F90°F92°F81°F70°F59°F50°F
Florence50°F52°F59°F67°F72°F81°F88°F90°F81°F70°F59°F52°F
Lake Garda (Lago di Garda)47°F49°F58°F63°F70°F79°F83°F83°F76°F67°F56°F49°F
Lecce58°F59°F61°F67°F74°F81°F86°F90°F83°F74°F68°F61°F
Milan47°F50°F59°F67°F74°F83°F88°F88°F79°F68°F56°F49°F
Naples56°F58°F61°F67°F74°F81°F88°F90°F83°F74°F67°F59°F
Sardinia52°F54°F59°F65°F72°F81°F88°F88°F79°F70°F61°F56°F
Venice47°F50°F58°F65°F70°F79°F83°F85°F77°F67°F58°F49°F
Amalfi56°F56°F61°F67°F72°F81°F88°F90°F81°F74°F65°F58°F
Amalfi Coast58°F58°F59°F65°F70°F77°F85°F85°F79°F74°F67°F59°F
Brindisi56°F58°F61°F65°F72°F81°F86°F88°F81°F72°F67°F59°F
Calabria50°F52°F56°F63°F70°F77°F85°F86°F77°F68°F61°F54°F
Capri58°F58°F59°F63°F68°F77°F83°F85°F79°F74°F67°F61°F
Dolomites31°F32°F38°F45°F52°F63°F67°F67°F59°F50°F41°F32°F
Genoa49°F50°F58°F65°F70°F79°F85°F85°F77°F68°F58°F50°F
Ischia56°F56°F59°F63°F68°F76°F81°F83°F77°F72°F65°F59°F
Perugia49°F52°F58°F65°F70°F81°F88°F90°F81°F70°F59°F52°F

Legend:

perfect weather

good weather

tolerable weather

bad weather

very bad weather



About Italy

What can I do in Italy?

Beaches / swimming

Nature and countryside

Culture and heritage

Sports

Family travel

Crafts / shopping

Gastronomy

Nightlife



Is this weather information for Italy reliable?

Climate data for Italy has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Italy allows us to determine the average for each month in Rome, Sicily, Bari, Bologna, Florence, Lake Garda (Lago di Garda), Lecce, Milan, and 92 other cities.

So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.

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