Best time to go to Italy for a perfect weather and where to go?
Get the very best time to go to Italy from seasonal norms in many locations like Siena or Sicily right here.
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:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13°F to 59°F | very bad weather* | |||
| February | 13°F to 59°F | very bad weather* | |||
| March | 18°F to 61°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| April | 29°F to 68°F | good weather | |||
| May | 36°F to 77°F | good weather* | |||
| June | 45°F to 88°F | perfect weather* | |||
| July | 49°F to 94°F | perfect weather* | |||
| August | 49°F to 94°F | perfect weather* | |||
| September | 40°F to 85°F | good weather* | |||
| October | 32°F to 76°F | good weather* | |||
| November | 23°F to 68°F | good weather* | |||
| December | 16°F to 61°F | very bad weather* |
Best time to travel to Italy by cities
Rome
The best months to go to Rome are march, april, may, june, july, august, september, october and november.
Sicily
The best months to go to Sicily are march, april, may, june, july, august, september, october, november and december.
Bari
The best months to go to Bari are april, may, june, july, august, september, october and november.
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.
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.
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. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Rome | 56°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 83°F | 88°F | 90°F | 83°F | 74°F | 65°F | 58°F |
| Sicily | 59°F | 59°F | 61°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 88°F | 83°F | 76°F | 68°F | 61°F |
| Bari | 56°F | 56°F | 59°F | 67°F | 74°F | 81°F | 86°F | 88°F | 81°F | 72°F | 65°F | 58°F |
| Bologna | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 74°F | 85°F | 90°F | 92°F | 81°F | 70°F | 59°F | 50°F |
| Florence | 50°F | 52°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 88°F | 90°F | 81°F | 70°F | 59°F | 52°F |
| Lake Garda (Lago di Garda) | 47°F | 49°F | 58°F | 63°F | 70°F | 79°F | 83°F | 83°F | 76°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Lecce | 58°F | 59°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 81°F | 86°F | 90°F | 83°F | 74°F | 68°F | 61°F |
| Milan | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 74°F | 83°F | 88°F | 88°F | 79°F | 68°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Naples | 56°F | 58°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 81°F | 88°F | 90°F | 83°F | 74°F | 67°F | 59°F |
| Sardinia | 52°F | 54°F | 59°F | 65°F | 72°F | 81°F | 88°F | 88°F | 79°F | 70°F | 61°F | 56°F |
| Venice | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 77°F | 67°F | 58°F | 49°F |
| Amalfi | 56°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 88°F | 90°F | 81°F | 74°F | 65°F | 58°F |
| Amalfi Coast | 58°F | 58°F | 59°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 85°F | 85°F | 79°F | 74°F | 67°F | 59°F |
| Brindisi | 56°F | 58°F | 61°F | 65°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 88°F | 81°F | 72°F | 67°F | 59°F |
| Calabria | 50°F | 52°F | 56°F | 63°F | 70°F | 77°F | 85°F | 86°F | 77°F | 68°F | 61°F | 54°F |
| Capri | 58°F | 58°F | 59°F | 63°F | 68°F | 77°F | 83°F | 85°F | 79°F | 74°F | 67°F | 61°F |
| Dolomites | 31°F | 32°F | 38°F | 45°F | 52°F | 63°F | 67°F | 67°F | 59°F | 50°F | 41°F | 32°F |
| Genoa | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 79°F | 85°F | 85°F | 77°F | 68°F | 58°F | 50°F |
| Ischia | 56°F | 56°F | 59°F | 63°F | 68°F | 76°F | 81°F | 83°F | 77°F | 72°F | 65°F | 59°F |
| Perugia | 49°F | 52°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 81°F | 88°F | 90°F | 81°F | 70°F | 59°F | 52°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.