Best time to visit Italy

Get the most out of your Italian adventure by picking the best time to visit Italy. Events are on throughout the year so find out the perfect time for you.

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How to pick the best time to visit Italy

Best time to visit Italy: Spring (April to June) or fall (September & October) when the weather is moderate, crowds are thinner and prices are lower. In the summer, it’s busy, sizzling hot and prices are sky high. In winter it’s cheaper, but it’s cold and wet, although south of Rome the weather is better. 

When To Book Hotels in Italy: Book early, 4 to 6 months in advance if you’re planning to book the Florence and Venice Hotels. You can get away with booking just 3 months before you visit if you’re looking for the Best Hotels in Rome.

Best Time for Sightseeing: In Italy, the best time to go sightseeing is in early spring, April and May (except for Easter week) and again in fall, from mid-September to mid-October, when you’ll find pleasant weather and fewer tourists. In late spring, it’s generally drier, but rain arrives in mid-autumn. The cities are emptier in August but it's really hot and at this time, a lot of businesses close for the summer holidays, especially smaller, family-owned shops and restaurants. To save money, remember: on the first Sunday of the month in Italy, all state-run sights including galleries,ruins,  museums and parks are free. 

Best Time to Visit the Colosseum: There are always crowds of people visiting the Colosseum although if you go in the evenings, it’s generally quiet. Take a night tour and you’ll find less people. You may also get to see areas usually closed to the public and there’s nothing more spectacular than the sight lit up at night. If you can only make it during the day, it’s best to book in advance, or go very early in the morning, around 8am. It only opens at 8.30 but if you wait till then, the crowds will be clamouring at the gate.

Best Time to Visit Pompeii: Pompeii is popular sight. To see how people lived there around 79AD, it’s best to visit in the cooler months, November to April, although avoid Easter and the Festive Season. From late April the weather will be better, so that’s a good time to go. Regardless of when you visit, make sure to get there at least 15 minutes before Pompeii opens at 8.30am.

Best Time to Visit Venice’s Canals: In January, Venice is a wonderland, and it’s an ideal time to visit and enjoy a gondola ride, wrapped up against the cold. If you can’t get there when it’s cold, make sure to visit when it’s less crowded in peak season, in the late mornings and early afternoon. The canals are busiest at sunset. 

Best Time For Shopping: The summer and winter sales in Italy are legendary. Winter sales start from the first week of January, right after New Year and continue through till the middle of February. Summer sales take over the stores in July and August. The longer the sale lasts, the better discounts you’ll get.

Italy Travel Seasons

High Season (June, July & September): Summer is peak season, as in Italy August is considered to be low season, when most Italians go on holiday and close up shop. But the weather is really hot at this time, especially in the southern part of the country. September is also a busy time – peak season with prices to match. Sometimes peak season even continues into October. However, if you visit smaller, lesser known towns and villages, you won’t find any crowds. Most tourists consider this the best time to visit Italy due to the stunning weather.

Shoulder Season (March to mid-May (except Easter), October & November): The in-between seasons are the best times to visit Italy, particularly in early spring (March and April). Fall is also a good time, but find out if October is peak season in certain areas. 

Low Season (August, December till February, except around Carnival and the Christmas Season: Winter is considered low season – except for religious holidays and  Carnival in February. Some say August is also low season – it depends where you plan to visit. Winter is cold but crowds are less, prices are lower and if you don’t mind braving the cold, you can enjoy a reasonably priced vacation. But if you’re planning to visit the ski resorts, remember: it’s peak season for skiing and prices escalate accordingly.

Weather in North and Southern Italy 

North Italy, generally the Tuscany/Umbria region, is colder than Southern Italy, particularly the Rome/Naples regions. In winter temperatures are cold and there’s snow in the mountainous areas in the north. In summer, the further south you venture, the warmer the temperature. 

Italy Events and Festivals

January

• Epiphany/La Befana – January 6: A national holiday marking the end of the Festive Season. It’s customary for Italian kids to get gifts of toys and candy when they wake up. Italy hosts several celebrations and parades – and Rome is no exception. The city comes alive as a vast procession of people wearing medieval garb and carrying gifts for the Pope makes its way to the Vatican, where the Pope says a morning mass at St Peter’s Basilica.
• Post-Holiday Sales – January & February: The date changes annually, but it’s usually right after La Befana. It’s a great time to pick up a bargain, so watch out for the SALDI (Sale) signs in shop windows.
• Festival of Saint Anthony – January 17:  The feast day for Saint Anthony Abate, patron saint of animals, is held at the church dedicated to him where locals take their pets to be blessed. 

February

• Carnival – Around February 3: Carnival (Carnevale) is celebrated just before Lent starts. Although it’s celebrated with a splash in Venice, Rome also celebrates the festival, with religious processions, including on Ash Wednesday. Piazza del Popolo hosts numerous events, including lots of fun for kids and in the area surrounding Castel Sant’ Angelo, there’s always plenty of festive fun. 
• Valentine’s Day (Festa di San Valentino) – February 14: Celebrations are pretty much the same as everywhere else, with chocolates, cards and romantic dinners. Rome’s more recent tradition of padlocks attached to bridges and lamp posts, is also popular.  Great news for tourists: couples get a 2-for-one discount at some museums and archaeological sites.
• Sales – Sales continue, with prices reduced as the stock diminishes.
• Feast of Saint Agatha – Early February: In Catania, Sicily, one of the world’s biggest religious festivals takes place, attracting nearly a million people to the streets. Starts with a midday procession that goes to Piazza Duomo, site of St. Agatha Cathedral. Ends with a magnificent fireworks display.

March

Sometimes Carnival and/or Easter fall during this month, as they follow the liturgical calendar. Be sure to check the dates before planning your trip if you want to attend or prefer to avoid peak season.

• Festa della Donna – March 8: On International Women’s Day or Festa della Donna, Italian men give the women in their lives bunches of yellow mimosas. They also help with household chores.
• Commemoration of Caesar’s Death – March 15: To honor Caesar’s death, a number of events are held in the Roman Forum including re-enacting the assassination at the site where it happened, Torre Argentina.
• Maratona di Roma – Third Sunday in March: Runners from around the world come to participate in the Rome Marathon, which starts at the Roman Forum, passes numerous famous sights and finishes at the Colosseum. 
• Easter Week – Either March or April. Starts on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter: On this day, there’s a special mass in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican City held by the Pope. Best time this week to see the Pope is on Holy Thursday when the crowds are thinner. On Good Friday, there’s another papal mass at St Peter’s Basilica that is followed by the Stations of the Cross. Then on Sunday morning, the Pope leads an Easter mass and also appears at noon to deliver a blessing to the city and the world.

April

• Settimana della Cultura – Mid-April: During The Week of Culture, admission to all national museums and archaeological sites is free of charge. Some sites that don’t normally open to the public also open at this time.  
• Rome’s Birthday – April 21: This day honors the day that Romulus founded the Eternal City in 753 BC. Admission to many monuments and sights are free and numerous events take place including historical re-enactments including chariot races and fireworks.
• Liberation Day – April 25: Most shops, tourist attractions and restaurants close on this national holiday that celebrates the end of the Second World War in 1945. Numerous events take place in Rome, including parades and concerts.
• Saint Mark’s Day – April 25:  Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice is celebrated in Venice with a boat race and a massive party in Saint Mark’s Square.
• VinItaly, Verona 4 days in April: The world’s largest wine exhibition in the world, is held in Verona offering visitors a chance to taste, buy and learn about wine Also includes food, art and music.

May

• International Workers’ Day – May 1: Labour Day is another national holiday, celebrated in Rome with a free rock concert on Piazza San Giovanni, usually with plenty of famous international bands.
• Festival of Sant’Efisio – May 1: Cagliari, capital of Sardinia, hosts a traditional festival including a colorful procession that follows the statue of Sant’Efisio through the streets.
• Giro d’Italia – Early May: This is Italy’s version of the Tour de France. Lasts throughout May.
• Open House Roma – First weekend in May: Rome is open to the public with lots of free guided tours of the city’s buildings and architectural firms. Book ahead.
• Italian Open Tennis Tournament – Early to mid May: The Italian Open, Internazionali BNL d’Italia runs over 9 days at the Stadio Olimpico. Many major tennis stars attend, as they use this tournament as a warm-up to the French Open.
• Festa dei Ceri – May 15: The town of Gubbio hosts an annual race to honor St Ubaldo. There’s also a procession where locals carry huge wooden ‘candles’ from the town center to the Basilica of St. Ubaldo on Mount Ingino. Each candle is crowned with a statue of a saint and weighs around 700 pounds.

June

• Festa della Repubblica – June 2: Republic Day is a national holiday commemorating the day Italy became a Republic. There’s a parade along the Via dei Fori Imperiali and various music performances held in the Quirinale Gardens.
• Festa dei Ranieri – June 16 & 17: This ancient festival in Pisa includes the Luminara, a parade on the eve of June 16, (June 17 is the patron saint’s feast day). On the afternoon of June 17, Pisa hosts the Regatta of San Ranieri, a regatta on the Arno to commemorate Pisa’s nautical traditions. The celebration includes fireworks.
• Festa di San Giovanni – June 24: The Feast of St John celebrates the birthday of St John the Baptist. Festivities are held at his namesake church, Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano and include stalls selling snails and Porchetta (roast pork) as well as fireworks in the evening.
• Saints Peter & Paul Day – June 29: A religious holiday celebrating these 2 Catholic saints. Masses are held at the St Peter’s Basilica San Paolo Fuori Le Mura.
• Gay Village Festival – Mid-June for 6 weeks: Plenty of music, dance and theater as well as a film festival.

July

• Expo Tevere – Early to mid-July: Big arts and crafts fair on the Tiber’s river banks, offering all sorts of stalls selling everything from olive oil to Italian crafts.
• Alto Roma Fashion Week – Early to mid-July: Rome’s second Fashion Week of the year offers a showcase for designers to display their fall/winter fashion for the coming season. 
• Il Palio di Siena – July 2: On of Italy’s most famous sporting events, a bareback horse race held in Sienna around the Piazza del Campo. It takes place again on August 16. Before the race, there’s a spectacular procession with participants dressed in medieval garb, as well as festive open-air dinners.
• Festa della Madonna Bruna – July 2: In the cave city of Matera, known for its or cave dwellings, a huge float of the Madonna Bruna is paraded through town. The event ends off with the statue being torn apart and burned, followed by a dramatic fireworks display.
• Festa dei Noantri – 3 July: The city’s ancient religious festival includes a parade carrying a bejewelled statue of the Virgin Mary through Rome’s Trastevere district. 
• U Fistinu of Saint Rosalia – July 10 to 15: One of Sicily’s largest festivals, The Feast of Saint Rosalia is held over 5 days in Palermo. It honors the patron saint of the city who was apparently saved residents from a terrible plague. There’s lots of food and music plus a parade with a 50-foot high float that features a statue of Saint Rosalia and a musical band.
• Festa dei Noantri – Last 2 weeks of July: The ‘Festival for the Rest of Us’ centers around the Feast of Santa Maria del Carmine and honors the working-class heritage of Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood and the Madonna of Mount Carmel. Includes a feast, lots of wine, music and dancing, plus a magnificent fireworks display.
• Ravello Music Festival – July through to September: The Ravello Music Festival is hosted in a beautiful outdoor venue along the Amalfi Coast. Expect performances in various genres including jazz, classical, opera, contemporary Italian music and more.

August

• Festival di Caracalla – Late July & first week of August:  The Opera Under the Stars is held in the evenings at the Baths of Caracalla.
• Tuscan Sun Festival – First weekend in August: Popular 9-day arts festival held in Cortona in the Arezzo province, featuring well-known artists and musicians. Includes music, art, food and wine, cooking demonstrations, local crafts, and lots of superb Tuscan wines.
• Palio del Golfo – First Sunday in August: Rowing race where 13 maritime villages around the Bay of La Spezia compete.
• Festa della Madonna della Neve – August 5: A festival celebrating the miracle of a snowfall in the midst of summer in 352, when Pope Liberio was told in a dream to build a church on the site of the coming miracle. Basilica di Santa Maria is the church in question. Every year on this day, hundreds of white petals are let free from the top of this basilica to re-enact the snowfall.  
• Ferragosto – August 15: This is the official start of Italy’s summer holidays, and to celebrate museums and shops stay open despite most businesses closing for the day. To celebrate, there are several music and dance performances of held in Rome’s pretty piazzas.

September

• Sagra dell’Uva – Early September: A special harvest festival honouring the grape held in the Forum at the Basilica of Constantine. There’s plenty of music, entertainment and stalls selling grapes, food and wine.
• Arts and Antique Fairs – Throughout the month: Rome holds numerous arts and crafts fairs, including the famous antiques fair in Via dei Coronari, the art fair along Via Margutta and a crafts fair in Via dell’Orso near Piazza Navona.
• Regata Storica di Venezia – First Sunday in September: Venice hosts this important event in the rowing calendar featuring 4 different races and all sorts of boats, including the gondola. Teams of gondoliers, some wearing elaborate costumes, race through the Grand Canal. The Regata also includes plenty of tasty foods and music.
• Venice International Film Festival September 2-12: The world’s oldest film festival takes place every year at Palazzo del Cinema. Countless big-name stars come to grace the red carpets and the gondolas.
• Juliet’s Birthday – September 12: Juliet of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is celebrated in Verona with street entertainment, dancing and parades.
• Notte Bianca Festival – Mid-September: The White Night Festival offers performances of every imaginable music genre as well as other fun acts and stalls selling various items.
• San Gennaro Festival – September 19: Important festival held in Naples to honor its patron saint, Saint Gennaro. Thousands fill the Naples Cathedral and Piazza del Duomo in the morning, hoping to see the saint’s blood liquefy in what is called the ‘miracle of San Gennaro’. 

October

• RomaEuropa Festival – October & November: Rome’s most celebrated art and music festival includes a selection of music concerts. 
• Alba White Truffle Festival – Weekends throughout October: This festival in the town of Alba is the largest truffle festival in the country.
• Eurochocolate – Mid-October: One of Europe’s largest chocolate festivals, it takes place in Perugia for 10 days. Visitors enjoy tasting chocolate from around the world, taking cooking classes, seeing incredible chocolate-sculpture displays, enjoying wine tasting and numerous performances.
• Boccaccesca – First 2 weekends in October: The town of Certaldo Alto in Tuscany hosts this gastronomic fair featuring food stalls selling some of Tuscany’s most famous foods and stunningTuscan wines.
• International Film Festival of Rome – Second half of October, including some days in September: Popular red carpet event filled with celebrities, exhibitions and international film premieres. 
• Halloween – 31 October: Not traditionally Italian at all, but Halloween is also on the calendar for those who enjoy dressing up and attending parties at a selection of Rome’s nightclubs.

November

• All Saints Day – November 1: A public holiday to remember those loved ones who have died. Many residents visit churches and cemeteries or the Roman catacombs.
• White Truffle Fair – 2^nd, 3^rd & 4th weekend in November: The medieval Tuscan hill town of San Miniato hosts the White Truffle Fair offering entertainment, craft stands and a wealth of restaurants celebrating the truffle on their menus.
• The Roma Jazz Festival – Second half of November: International and Italian jazz musicians take part in performances at the Auditorium Parco della Musica.
• Festa della Salute – November 21: In Venice, this annual festival commemorates the plague that ravaged the population in the early 1800s. A footbridge is laid down across the Grand Canal, leading from the San Marco quarter to the steps of the church of the Madonna della Salute, where the main doors open for mass.
• Feast of Saint Cecilia – November 22: Festivities are held in the Basilica Santa Cecilia in Trastevere as well as the Catacombs of San Callisto offering live music performances and traditional food.

December

• Christmas Markets – Early December to January 6: Rome’s legendary Christmas Markets are a treat, offering a myriad stalls with handcrafted items, kids toys, delicious Italian delicacies and religious items. One of the best is the market at Piazza Navona. For festive market lovers this is definitely the best time to visit Italy because it is pretty magical.
• Wild Boar Festival – Late November until December 8: Held in the medieval Tuscan town of Suverto. On this 10-day festival, a huge feast is offered that includes wild boar and many regional products. Festivities include medieval competitions and dress.
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception – December 8:  The celebration of the Immaculate Conception starts on the Spanish Steps, from where the Pope leads a procession to the Vatican and lays a wreath on the statue of Virgin Mary and heads for the church of Santa Maria Maggiore where he gives mass.
• Santa Lucia Day – December 13: On this holy day there’s a procession from Castel Sant’Angelo to Saint Peter’s Square in Rome. The biggest celebration is in Sicily where the city of Siracusa hosts a massive parade that carries the saint on a golden coffin to the Church of Santa Lucia.
• Christmas Eve/Christmas –December 24 & 25: Christmas Eve is spent with family.  Christmas markets are open and the baby Jesus is added to nativity displays including the famous one in St Peter’s Square. Many Romans head to St Peter’s Basilica for midnight mass and to hear the Pope deliver his speech, which is broadcast live to over 40 countries.
• Festa di San Silvestro/New Year’s Eve – December 31:  Rome celebrates a new year with plenty of celebrations throughout the city, including music, dancing and fireworks in Piazza del Popolo. Naples offers some of the best festivities, with a concert at Piazza del Plebiscito and fireworks that are shot over Castel dell’Ovo as the clocks strikes midnight. Most towns host music and dancing, while the cities of Palermo, Milan and Rome also feature large outdoor concerts.