Italy in Autumn

Autumn holiday in Italy – fantastic places to visit

Autumn is quickly becoming one of the favorite seasons to travel to Italy. Places like Florence and Venice are very expensive in summer due to higher “tourist prices”, it can often be extremely hot and there are many foreign tourists. But when September ends, cooler winds blow the harsh summer heat a little to the side, and nature's colors change in a color orgy of autumn.
That's why you should visit Italy in autumn.
There are countless reasons to visit Italy in autumn – cooler weather, cheaper prices, far fewer tourists, good photo opportunities, beautiful food and wine festivals, and there is even the possibility of having a fantastic beach all to yourself.

1) Autumn Italy: fantastic weather

It is always difficult to predict the weather – and in these years it is almost impossible. But, in general, you can count on September in Italy still being warm and sunny. Temperatures start to drop at night, but daytime temperatures will still be between 25°. (30° in Southern Italy).
In autumn there is normally more rain than in summer – rain normally starts at the end of September, with frequent and heavy rainfall in October and November. Temperatures fall during October and November – in October you will still experience temperatures around 18-20°, while in November it will be around 10-15°. Compared to Denmark, the weather in Italy is normally really lovely in autumn!

2) Fewer tourists in autumn

This is probably the primary reason to visit Italy in autumn. The number of tourists starts to fall from the end of August onwards, especially after schools start again. In October and November there are far fewer tourists in Italy compared to autumn and summer – but expect the larger cities to still be quite busy.
November is one of the best months if you want to avoid the large crowds of tourists in cities like Rome and Florence. Conversely, it will be if you plan to visit places like Sardinia, Puglia or the Alps. Here it can be very quiet – perhaps a little too quiet?

3) Cheaper prices for holiday homes in autumn

Fewer tourists mean cheaper prices, which makes an autumn holiday in Italy a budget-friendly option.
Tourist influx and prices go hand in hand. They rise and fall at the same rate. If you are considering a holiday in the big cities or in southern Italy, where the warm weather lasts longer, prices remain high until mid-October. A good tip is that the same places tend to fall dramatically in November.

4) Fantastic photo opportunities

If you love landscape photography you know that there is nothing better than a cool and clear autumn day to capture that Insta-perfect picture – and you don't have to wait for tourists and other good people to move, as you patiently do in the summer period. And if you like nature, October and November are the perfect time to “snap” the autumn leaves in all their glory and beautiful colors!

5) Vendemmia and Food Festivals in autumn

At the end of September there is vendemmia (grape harvest), and many food and wine related festivals take place. You cannot avoid sagra in one of the many villages - where they celebrate Sagra. “Sagra” is the name of the traditional town festival in Italy, where local products and specialties are celebrated – so if you come across a village where they celebrate sagra, you should not cheat yourself out of an experience with a lot of food and wine. Northern and Central Italy can be especially recommended if you like fantastic food and wine related festivals.

Vendemmia and Food Festivals

6) Beaches in autumn ...

As I mentioned before, the temperature varies throughout Italy in autumn -- Sicily and Southern Italy can remain very warm (20° or more) even at the end of November, while the Alps can experience the first snow in October, around 2000 m or so. You get it all in Italy.
Ok, Italy is a big country -- so what are the best places to visit in Italy during autumn?

If I had to choose, these 4 places would be my choice!

Autumn in Tuscany is perfect for wine and food festivals

1) Tuscany in autumn

Of course, I can't help but mention Tuscany! My “own” region. In autumn the weather is still good, and it is during this period that you can experience a lot of wine and food events. For example, now is the time to experience the truffle market in San Miniato and Volterragusto in Volterra. Taste the Italian truffles from San Miniato, the Tuscan wine from Chianti or San Gimignano or the Tuscan honey and chocolate. You should also not cheat yourself out of the cheese, olive oil, onion jam or the sweet desserts. All together a trip worth to the autumn-quiet Tuscany.

2) Cinque Terre in autumn

The 5 magical towns on the Ligurian coast are almost everyone's favorites. In summer there are a lot of tourists here -- in fact so many that the experience on the trip from town to town can be a little ruined. Among other things, you can advantageously stay in the nearby town of Levanto. In September and October the number of tourists is at a minimum, and the weather is still stable – autumn is therefore an obvious season to visit Cinque Terre.

The number of tourists is at a minimum and the weather is still stable

3) Sicily in autumn

If you visit Italy in autumn, but still want the warm weather of summer, my recommendation is to go to Southern Italy. Italy is over 1200 km long, and the southern regions often still have good weather when the Alps are covered in snow. October and November are a good time to visit Sicily – it is often warm enough to go to the beach and swim, and it is also the perfect time if you want to go volcano hiking on Etna or visit Sicily.

Here you will find “dolce vita” in autumn.

These 4 Italian destinations for an autumn holiday are just a suggestion – there are many more places that are wonderful in September and October.
Contact me if you would like to experience Italy in autumn.
Then I will send a tailor-made proposal for your holiday.