Curious about Italy next summer

Well to start off July is HOT as in sticky sweaty hot, but you do get those long days with it not getting dark till after 9PM. What part of Italy are you thinking and we can provide better suggestions. With just a week are you looking at going to just one town? Have you purchased good guide book yet?

We were in Italy this past August and heat was much more of an issue than covid. Italy was delightful and I felt safer than at home. You had to show your CDC card to do about anything.

A week is not very long considering how long (and costly) it is to travel to Italy. We did a week once with a direct flight to Madrid when our daughter was studying abroad and we had to rope a relative into coming to watch our other two kids. I was glad we did it but 10 days is much better (and 2 weeks is even better).

Syrian refugee situation? Look at the actual displacement numbers to Italy (table is in link and can be sorted by country) and decide for yourself:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugees_of_the_Syrian_civil_war

Not sure where you read what you’ve posted but all of the reports from forum members that have traveled recently don’t indicate those issues at all.
Almost everyone does mention how great things are and feeling safer there than here as far as COVID

Rick is in Italy now
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/travel-news/november-2021/hi-from-rick

July will be very hot and crowded no matter if you are in cities or countryside

In answer to you question about avoiding big cities, in late July vacationers will be all over Italy, in the big cities and everywhere else. This means if you want to be in smaller towns or out in the countryside at an agriturismo you should book well ahead. Considering Covid, read the cancellation policies carefully. Although by this summer I would guess lockdowns and travel bans are very unlikely, it’s still important to know what your options would be if the pandemic were to flare up again.

As others have commented, a week is a very short time for a trip to Europe. Is there a way you can stretch it to 12-14 days?

Hot for sure in July and August. So many of us are locked into vacation availability and length by kids, school and careers.

We took an eight day trip to Europe nearly every year from 1999 to retirement - the longest I could be absent from my business and professional career. Everyone else went to Destin for spring break (for the 15th time), we went to Europe. We made it work. Not ideal, but we saw a great deal of Europe using Ricks 6-7 day planning.

Post retirement the trips have grown to 3 weeks, but do not regret the shorter trips we took. Would however encourage March - April, cooler temps, cheaper airfare and fewer crowds.

No one knows what the Covid situation will be next July.

Italy is no worse than anywhere else in regards to Covid and I haven't heard of any refugee problem (I can only imagine where you heard that.)

Let me also say it will be hot and crowded everywhere. You're better off deciding where you want to go rather than trying to find a place that isn't too crowded.

I would also suggest limiting to one or two places if you only have a week.

Thanks, everyone for your responses. I'm glad I asked. The current thinking is about 10 days in or around Florence/Tuscany. Since it will be so hot, maybe something by the coast will be better? Livorno? Pisa? Not planning any major city hopping. Probably day tours and some exploring. Any pointers would be helpful.

I’ve met a few asylum seekers from Africa while in Italy, but I’ve never had the pleasure to meet anyone from Syria. I think that Syrian refugees should be the least of your concerns. You probably have a better chance to find one in the US.

The Covid situation is currently enormously better in Italy than in the US. Italy is recording approximately 5 Covid deaths per million residents a week, versus over 20 here in the US. In other words, if things remain the same next year, if you stay in the US your chances of dying from Covid will be 4 times higher compared to going to Italy, therefore you will increase your chances of survival by going there.

As others have mentioned, heat is the only serious issue to consider when traveling to Italy in the second half of July. That is the hottest time of the year, with temperatures in the high 90s/low 100s during the day. The coastal areas and mountains are a bit better, but not by much in the middle of the day. If you plan on a week roaming around Tuscany outside the big cities (namely Florence, the only big city in Tuscany), you should consider renting a car. That should be very enjoyable especially during a pandemic, due to possible restrictions to public transportation.

Do some research on places you’d like to visit and come back with more specific questions.

If you are focusing in on Tuscany, I'd give Lucca a serious look. We've been to Florence and it's amazing. But Lucca is a walled town that has an incredible charm all its own and isn't nearly as touristy as Florence. Even tho you said you weren't interested in city hopping, If I was going to be in Tuscany for 10 days I'd stay in Florence for the majority of it and do some great day trips (we did a day trip to Siena/San Gimignano as well as one to Pisa, and an all-day cooking class in Florence that was an absolute blast) as well as explore Florence and then go to Lucca for several days as well. (One of my favorite experiences in Lucca was an hour-long concert featuring opera singers performing works by Puccini, who was born there. It takes place every day of the year I believe and was just super cool in that environment.)

What is your wife interested in??

If Tuscany is a must do, then I would probably fly into and out of Florence. I would only be able to handle 2 full days there at the most given that it will be painfully hot and crowded.

I would head over to Monterosso in the Cinque Terre and spend two days there to beat the heat.

I would also consider two days in either Lucca (my favorite town in all Italy) or Siena and San Gimignano area.

Like others have said, stretch your trip out as much as possible. No less than seven days in country so nine days total with travel.

If you are not set on Tuscany at that time of year, I highly recommend Lake Como and Milan. A bit less crowded and much cooler. However, on our trip to Lake Garda a couple of years ago, we still had temps in the high 90s.

Make dang sure you confirm any accommodations have air conditioning. My brother found out the hard way that you cannot assume that all rooms have AC even when the hotel advertises AC.

Forgot to mention that one special thing I did for my wife's birthday trip in Italy was to book a personal shopping tour for her in Florence. Ten years later, she still raves about the experience and smiles every single time she wears the jacket and handbag she bought.

The lady we used was a Seattle transplant named Maren Eriksen. https://florenceshop4it.com

Prior posts indicate you've traveled in Europe before. What is important to your wife? Is it seeing specific sites or having a cultural experience?

Even with 10 days, I'd avoid the temptation of trying to do too much. I'm thinking you could spend some time in Florence, then spend some time in an agriturismo in the Tuscan countryside, using the agriturismo as a hub and exploring Tuscany in a car.

If you go to Florence, especially that time of year, I suggest using Walks of Italy. Through them you will get a guide and skip the line tickets. If you look into staying at an agriturismo, which we have done, check their amenities. Some may not have air conditioning and may be uncomfortable if there is a hot spell. I also like the suggestion of staying in a smaller city like Lucca.

You could also think out of the box and consider visiting the lake region or even the Dolomites. The lake region will be busy and touristy, but summer is more of an off season for the Dolomites.

It's nice you are planning well ahead. There's plenty of information on the internet for food and wine tours and agriturismos. We prefer to travel "close to the ground", avoiding fancy digs and staying in more modest accommodations. We have the luxury of traveling off season, but even during the busy summer you should be able to have a memorable and enjoyable experience.