We are planning an eighteen day trip to Italy in September and are considering several travel dates. Knowing September is high season, do the crowds decrease during the middle to end of the month and the first week of October? We are also assuming the weather is cooler during this time?
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8371 posts
Depending on where you'll be traveling, the early part of September is often hot. Going the last of the month is preferred. Except travel to Munich the end of September for Octoberfest, the rest of Europe is back to normal after the European citizens' vacations of August. I also like the month of April for European travel, especially around the Mediterranean.
Posted by
Boston
1816 posts
Italian schools begin around mid-September and that will reduce crowds in resorts and places where there are a lot of 2nd homes. Mostly it's not worth the worry, empty places are not as much fun!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16232 posts
September is not high season anymore. By the end of August everybody is back from vacation in the seaside and mountain resorts, which in September become primarily frequented by retired seniors. There might be a little more people at the resort areas during weekends and toward the end of September when the Germans who don't go to Munich come down for their Sept. holidays, but overall you are not going to see the same crowds of late spring and summer. The weather may be cooler starting mid September, but it depends on location.
Posted by
Centennial, CO, USA
1898 posts
a lot depends on the region you are visiting. Rome and Florence will be busy almost year round. We were in Florence middle of September last year and I was amazed at the crowding around the Duomo and all the sights! We were in Le Marche region and froze our butts off, but almost died from the heat in Florence! Don't choose dates based on crowds, weather. Go when you want and expect heat/cold/crowds, etc. Just go enjoy. You will make the best of it and have a great time. Do plan to pack clothing for both warm and cold temps. You don't need a heavy overcoat, but plan to pack layers, a long sleeve shirt, a sweater and a rain jacket should take you through the cold days. If you tour in the north of Italy, around the mountains, you could expect cooler temps. As you go south, it's naturally warmer. Several years ago I was in Rome the first week of November and the days were cooler, and overcast, but we had the best of times! September is not high season, but it's not shoulder season either anymore..Italy is like Disneyland...it's visited year round!
Posted by
Truro, NS, Canada
3943 posts
Ellen - you must have been there in Florence when we were!...3rd week of Sept...it was very hot...like, in the 80's at least...and I was warm in a skirt and tank top/ light cardi, yet I saw local folk wearing long sleeve shirts and those dang cotton scarves wrapped around and around their necks...I can tell you if I had one of those on, it would have ended up in the river! More accustomed to the heat, methinks. We've always travelled overseas mid-Sept/early Oct, and I don't remember any cool days in Italy, unless it was overcast/rainy (which luckily for us, was rare)...but by the time we got to N France and UK at first of OCt, it was getting cool there