Best Time to Solo to Italy/France

I was in Venice, Florence and Rome last April, middle to late in the month. Crowds were moderate to small depending on how popular the sight (Saint Peters Cathedral/Sistine Chapel and museum crazy busy). Most museums were empty in the morning, churches easy to see and pray in peace. Restaurants were easy to eat without need for reservations. Loved sitting outside under heaters except in Rome (too much street traffic). I was able at last minute to buy concert tickets in Venice and Florence. Temperatures were mid 70s to lower. Rome the warmest near and into the 80s. I needed a jacket every day. Nearly sunny each day to light clouds. The mornings mostly overcast but cleared by mid morning. I traveled by train. The regional train was not crowded and my reserved train travel had many empty seats. Enjoy your trip.

I was in Italy for the month of May in 2014. I traveled south to north — Sicily, Naples, Amalfi Coast Area, Verona and Venice. Only a little bit of rain in Venice, nowhere else. Mild temperatures, I don’t remember any real crowding. Wonderful trip!

I was just in Italy and France solo in May - had been to both before. I took trains the entire way from Venice to the Italian Riviera to Nice, to Arles, to Paris. No problem doing it alone, though I've traveled solo numerous times in Europe by now.

Venice did seem slightly less crowded this time (mid-May) than on my previous visits in September and October, but that may have been a fluke or lack of cruise ships that day or something. (not like it was empty - but last time I visited a few years ago, Venice was completely mobbed). I had really good weather in Venice, the Italian Riviera (brief side trip to Cinque Terre where I'd been before), Nice, Arles/Avignon, and Paris. In fact, by the time I got to Paris it was quite warm - glad my hotels had AC. I had a bit of rain here and there but not for very long, not all day. One advantage of going in May vs. September is the longer days. However, I do kind of prefer the fall given the choice. I've done my last few Europe trips in the spring due to life scheduling reasons, but I'd love to go back in the fall again next time. But I don't think going in the spring is a mistake, either.

If you haven't been to Paris before AND you want to see Normandy, I suggest doing more than a quick day trip up there. Normandy is really beautiful countryside, in addition to the D-Day stuff. So you might reconsider only four nights in Paris if that includes Normandy, unless, as I said, you've been before. I took the train from Paris to Caen on a past trip and rented the car up there and drove around for a few days - very easy to do, lots of fun, plus there's of course some significant history up there.

If you need to take a day away from anywhere, it might be the Cinque Terre. I had three nights there on my first visit - it was lovely, so I didn't mind the third night at all, but I had already finished hiking by the end of the second day, and nowadays one can't do all of the direct hikes between the five villages anyway - the trails from Riomaggiore to Manarola and Manarola to Cornigilia are still closed and may still be closed next spring. Whether two nights there would be adequate for you depends on how you can time your arrivals and departures. Obviously arriving late the first day and leaving early the last gives you very little time there.

There is a better chance for more favourable weather in May compared to April. Crowds, however, do build over that same period, early April to late May.

Rome - 3 nights
Cinque Terre- 2 nights
Florence - 3 or 4 nights
Venice - 3 nights
Milan - 2 nights
Provence - 3 or 4 nights
Paris - 4 nights

I spent May of this year in southern France. I was based in Nice the first 16 days, then I worked my way westward, ultimately reaching Collioure (almost on the Spanish border). I wouldn't hesitate to repeat that timing, but I would say there was a bit less sunshine than I had expected. The temperature was fine, but I had a couple of days of really heavy downpours (one early in the month, one much later), and there were some light showers on a few other days. Locals told me that May weather is somewhat unpredictable, and I don't think I'd recommend that month for a sun-worshipping beach lover. I was a bit puzzled that the receptionist in Nice pushed me so hard to go out and see some of the city on my jetlagged arrival day; looking back, I realized that from the weather standpoint, it was the best day I had in Nice. He knew that weather was to be cherished and taken advantage of.

Toward the end of May it was getting hotter in southern France; if you dislike heat, you may want to avoid the very end of May.

May is nowhere near the tourism peak on the Riviera and in Provence (that would be July and August, for sure), which makes for comparative ease in finding hotel rooms unless you run up against a significant local holiday or event, as I did in Arles. There will be some attractions still on less-than-peak schedules, so they may be closed two days a week and may not be open as late as will be the case in July and August. There was one small museum that wasn't even open for the season yet, and a few excursions may not yet be running in May. This could complicate your efforts to get to small towns (Gordes, Rouissillon, Les Baux, etc.) if you opt not to rent a car, because public transportation to the smaller spots in Provence is rather limited. Les Baux may not be accessible by public bus in May; I'm not sure when those buses begin running.

I have not experienced the mistral (very cold wind from the north), but I believe it's more of a risk in April than in May and more likely to affect the western area than the far southeast coast. This could be a risk if you're focusing on Provence, so perhaps do a bit of Googling to see what advice turns up.

I agree that Normandy is a great place to spend more than a day, but if you have time at least for a full-day D-Day tour, I'd say it's worth the slog up from Paris. I really do recommend one of the van tours (I used Overlord) rather than simply driving yourself around, assuming you are not a WW II historian. The museums in Caen (huge), Bayeux and Falaise are all quite interesting. There are others scattered around.

I was in Normandy in July of this year, spending a total of about two weeks in Normandy and Brittany, and it got up to about 86 F only once. That area was a welcome respite from the heat I had been experience elsewhere in France. Given what I encountered in mid-summer, I'd expect coolish, cloudy days in both April and May, with cold days possible in April if you're unlucky. The weather chart on Caen's Wikipedia page says it rains, on average, one day out of three in both April and May. And coastal wind can be a significant factor in how comfortable you are.

In 2015 I flew into Rome on May 25 and was told that the weather had very recently been unseasonably cold (and I think also wet). I got rained on significantly two times during my first two weeks (Rome/Orvieto), but the temperatures remained comfortable during my stay. I, personally, would not go to Rome in April.

There is 15 years' worth of actual hour-by-hour historical temperature graphs for cities in the areas you plan to visit on wunderground.com. I feel like that gives me a better grasp of the range of possibilities than the averages in weather charts and anecdotal evidence like mine.

Thank you all for your suggestions and advice. I took the first step and booked my flights, into Rome and out of Paris. Now I have to fill in the blanks. As to weather and timing, based on what was said it seems that May is better than April. I have to admit that now that the first step was taken I am starting to get nervous about being there all alone. Never had to do that in a foreign country. I'm sure I will be back with many other questions as I go forward, but your help has been invaluable and appreciated. Many thanks.

Jim