Italy - avoiding Easter Break 2025 - go before or after?

If we travel in May, it will be after May 1.
Probably five+ days in Tuscany, and 3 nights each is Varenna and Venice. Two weeks total.
My experience is that Lake Como books up early, so changing hotels at the last minute yields diminishing results.
My husband doesn't want to wear a winter coast for this trip. (Smile emoji) Who knows? Thanks so much to all!

Go in May, you were unlucky in 2023.

We were in Venice and at Lago di Garda in early April 2003 and had lovely weather every day but one, where there was a bit of drizzle for half a day. The temperatures were in the mid-sixties and very pleasant; no winter coats necessary. I am pretty sure it is warmer now, 20+ years later.

We also had great weather in Bologna and Venice for 10 days in March, 2023, apart from a short but impressive cloudburst gully-washer when we first arrived in Bologna.

Rain can happen anytime, anywhere. I saw all the reports of rain in Switzerland this year—— was that May or June? Lots of disappointed people. And I remember that rain in Italy in May 2023. Wasn’t there flooding that closed rail lines to Ravenna or somewhere nearby?

I would be more concerned about high temperatures and crowds in Italy in May, than I would be about cold and rain in April. But that’s just me.

Lola, we were in the rain in Italy in May, 2023. The entire country was receiving the rain, with flooding in northern Italy. We had 48 hours nonstop rain in Venice. We tried to make lemonade, but after two weeks, we were really tired of it, especially in the AC, which offers little in terms of indoor amusements.
Nonetheless, it is a crapshoot.
I would like to see the gardens in bloom, and sometimes early April is too soon for leaves on the trees and flowering.
Hmmm...what to do.....
Thanks for all the insights and experiences.

I do not know about Lake Como, but Easter in Tuscany might be a good option to consider.

We spent a wonderful Easter in Cortona a couple of years ago. We were lucky and enjoyed wonderful weather. Easter dinner there was fabulous, and the local celebration was great too. If you can’t tell, we loved Cortona.

I wonder if you could contact some of the gardens around Lake Como to ask about April blooms. I just had a look around the web and found references like these to the microclimate around mid-lake (Varenna, Bellaggio,, etc. being particularly favorable to April blooms of Camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, and wisteria.

Spring as well as Autumn has the most jaw dropping scenery. In March and April the microclimate of Lake Como sees wisteria blooming all over the lake as well as early hydrangeas and a host of spring flowers as the gardens begin coming alive again after their winter hibernation. You will see the white peaks, green slopes and deep blue lake while traveling from village to village in the ferry boats. In these seasons I never feel more blessed and grateful to be alive.

https://villapontibellavista.com/spring-and-autumn-on-lake-como-italy/#:~:text=In%20March%20and%20April%20the,again%20after%20their%20winter%20hibernation.

Nestled on the picturesque shores of Lake Como, Villa Carlotta is a stunning villa and botanical garden that’s a must-visit for nature lovers and garden enthusiasts alike. Springtime is an extraordinary time to visit Villa Carlotta in Lake Como, as the gardens burst into bloom with an array of colourful flowers and blossoms.

In April, you can admire the beauty of Villa Carlotta’s spring blooms, from the vibrant rhododendrons and azaleas to the fragrant citrus trees and wisteria.

https://comolake.today/virtual-event-lake-como/

It looks like most of the gardens open in late March, after the 25th or so. So if you put Lake Como near the end of your trip, it seems like there should be lots to see. Maybe put Venice first? I think the earlier you get there the better, in terms of crowds.

I am also wondering if the good prices on British Airways you are seeing now for April might not last into May.

Susan, I was wondering if wineries were closed on Easter, but perhaps not in Tuscany. One Easter we visited my husband's son, in the Air Force, outside of Venice, and local wineries were closed that weekend. Thanks for the info.

Lola, that is an incredible amount of garden research, thanks so much. In May, 2023, we went to Villa Carlotta, and the blooms were mostly knocked off from the heavy rains. I do like Villa Balbianello more, perhaps we will go out there again next year. I do enjoy the Wisteria.

Yes, we never know about airfares, May's were just posted, I think I'll decide in the next month.

Thanks for all the kind and helpful input.

Miuccia makes an excellent point about unsettled weather in April around the lakes (probably due to proximity to mountains). I guess there are no good answers about weather these days.

Landed in Rome this past Good Friday (late march/early April). We only had one bad weather day and while it was our first trip to Italy I found crowds not insane. We spent Easter weekend in Orvieto - which was completely open and mostly local tourists. Then onto venice and Florence. It rained the day we traveled to Venice and I'm glad we were not there during the rain -- platform sidewalks were set up everywhere. We were told we missed crazy crowds by coming after Easter weekend (Tuesday). However, we did pre-book everything, same in Florence. Frankly, I don't do well with huge crowds and was pleasantly surprised. Apart from the one day of rain, the weather was excellent - cool in the morning and warm in the afternoons.

We were considering Lake Como and decided not enough would be open. However, I think it would've worked....

mcm,
thx for sharing your experiences. Oh, so many decisions to make .....