Italian weather in October

Hi Stefanie, I was there in October 2008 and the weather was gorgeous. I packed for "Vancouver weather" (read: miserable) and ended up shlepping around a big coat that I didn't wear once. I was on outdoor patios for dinner in a short sleeved shirt!! Going again this October and will pack much lighter...I say pack light and if the weather gets chilly..oh well, you'll just have to buy something new :)

We were in Rome two years ago in mid-October and the weather was terrific. Very comfortable day time temps will cool evening for dinning out. Friends were there two weeks earlier and it was miserable. Cold, very windy and lots of rain -- sheeting rain that tore away umbrellas. Just be prepared for a little of both.

This site http://www.wunderground.com/tripplanner/index.asp gives a succinct summary of the actual weather for the last 10 years, for specific dates you input (e.g., Oct 6 - 16).

Hi, Stefanie! I only go to Italy in November and except for 1 drizzly day, have always had nice weather. Sure, some days are overcast but that is far outweighed by the temperature (mid-50s to 70s), fewer crowds and cheaper accommodations (rates in Venice drop by about half on Nov. 1). I would imagine October would be a great time to go.

I'm with cat - pack light and buy something warm if you need it - a lovely woven wool shawl is also rain-repellant for short periods. I'll be living out of a carry-on for a month in October - in CT the 3rd week. I'm definitely implementing a "buy-as-you-go" plan for bad weather!

I was in Italy for almost those exact dates in 2009. In Venice, Bologna, and CT it was a bit chilly in the early morning and at night (I had a long, heavy cardigan-coat and it was plenty warm). It rained the whole time I was in CT, which made it pretty boring. Apparently Oct-Apr is the rainy season there. So unless you're really dying to check it out, you may want to save that for a future trip. Once we got down to Florence, Siena, and Rome the weather was great. We barely needed our coats and were out and about in t-shirts most days. have fun!

I was there from Oct 1 to 12 last year, and went to Rome, Florence and Venice. We got all sorts of weather from rain to sun all on the same day! I brought a hooded lined jacket for the rain. Rome was great, just wore shirts and jeans, in fact, with all the walking the jeans got too warm and I wished I brought capri pants. I even wore my Skechers shape up flip flops in Rome. Some days I just used a pashmina like wrap to for the cool mornings and tied it around my bag strap when I didn't need it. They sell them pretty cheaply all over Rome too. Long story short, bring an umbrella or hooded jacket for the rain and it was cooler in the north (Venice) and definitely much warmer in Rome.

I was there from Oct 1 to 12 last year, and went to Rome, Florence and Venice. We got all sorts of weather from rain to sun all on the same day! I brought a hooded lined jacket for the rain. Rome was great, just wore shirts and jeans, in fact, with all the walking the jeans got too warm and I wished I brought capri pants. I even wore my Skechers shape up flip flops in Rome. Some days I just used a pashmina like wrap to for the cool mornings and tied it around my bag strap when I didn't need it. They sell them pretty cheaply all over Rome too. Long story short, bring an umbrella or hooded jacket for the rain and it was cooler in the north (Venice) and definitely much warmer in Rome.

Rain is more likely than at other times and it can get chilly to cold in more northern areas. In 2009 Siena was downright cold for a few days in October. But it can also be very pleasant, not as hot as summer and fewer tourists which is a plus.

Each year we spend the entire month of October in France and Italy (first two weeks in France and second two weeks in Italy). We only bring one roller board/carry on each and a smaller under seat bag. The weather is usually Mahvelous Dahling--not too hot, not too cold! Bring a light coat for cooler evenings, layer your clothes and be prepared for the occasional rain shower. Few tourists = no crowds and all the sites are yours to see. Oh yes drink plenty of Italian wine.

We were in Italy for the whole of October 2008 and the weather was delightfully sunny, a little rain in Como at the start of the trip and a shower on the morning we left. Perfect for lots of walking.
Rome. I do recommend travelling from North to South as Como into November , will be much cooler and things start to close down.

I took a Village Italy tour last oct and the weather was great mostly in the mid to high 60's and some rain especially in CT. My favorite month to travel in europe is oct.

October was great when we were there. In northern Italy, it was comfortable days and somewhat cool nights (not cold). A light sweater and a rain shell were plenty. In Rome, it was warm days and somewhat cool nights. You could feel just a hint of why Rome would be miserable in July. We saw very little rain, never enough to keep us indoors. We missed a bigger rain, that washed out part of the trail, by a few days in CT (so there is a possibility of getting more rain).

I am going to be in Italy right around the same time as you and I was wondering what shoes I should bring. We will be on a Med cruise that leaves from Barcelona. I was going to bring my Ecco sandals but now I am wondering if it will be to cold to wear them. Any feedback would be very grateful.