I have had the good fortune of visiting the country twice in the past twelve months—once in August, and again this past March. While in Rome on both occasions, I stayed near the Trevi Fountain and so I was often made to walk past it in order to get to any given destination. In the dead of summer, the steps leading down to the water looked like bleachers at SeaWorld on a full-capacity day, such was the size and density of the crowd. To my surprise, the same could be said of the off-season visit. Is there a good time to visit the Eternal City? And what of the rest of the country?
Unfortunately, there may never be an empty moment at such landmarks again. But the case as we made it in our recent ode to Italy in the Off Season (where you'll find reasons to hit everywhere from the Italian capital to Florence, Puglia, and Portofino between the months of October and April): Late fall, winter, and early spring are the best times to visit Italy, when you'll get the most Dolce for your Vita.
To bolster our argument, we turned to our vast team of travel specialists and got in touch with a couple of intrepid Italy experts. Answering our call was Emily Fitzroy of Bellini Travel, the wizard who brought Succession to Tuscany and The White Lotus to Sicily (she even cameos in an episode of the latter!), and Georgia Yuill, an experience designer for travel company Butterfield & Robinson. Find their tips below.
To beat the heat and avoid the crowds, visit Italy's cities (like Rome, seen here) during the mild winter months.
The seasons immediately pre- and post-high season (spring just before, and fall immediately after, summer) yield the highest dividends. “Spring is the most magical time across most of Italy,” says Yuill, whose work focuses on the country’s northern regions—think Milan and the Dolomites–but extends south. It is from April to June that you can expect mild weather across the country and fewer crowds than in later months—making it ideal for both the city, where congestion and heat can be deterrents, and the coast, though warmer weather may have you considering a later visit.
Yuill adds that life begins anew in springtime across the country, “from the vibrant floral boom on the meadows of the Dolomites to the warming seas in Sardinia and Sicily. It is also a period of renewed social energy—evening temperatures encourage gatherings over aperitivo and time outdoors is maximized before the heat cranks up.” There’s also the matter of the food: artichokes and asparagus are in season by May, and tomatoes are on their way, too. Yuill waxes poetic about the north of Italy in October onward as well; after a busy summer season, the region takes on a quieter vibrancy with crisp,
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