Please help me pick my Best of Italy tour dates :)

Tamara,

Based on your criteria, mid-September to mid-October would probably be the best time, but as you noted there are never any guarantees with the weather. I usually travel in September and for the most part the weather has been great although at times quite warm. I've also experienced some torrential downpours of biblical proportions in September (even in Sicily), so it's a good idea to pack along some light rain gear or at least an umbrella. On a positive note, the rain doesn't usually last long.

stop fretting and just go. September is a great month, and October can be too. You cannot count on the weather, but you can be prepared.

We've been to Umbria in late Sept and had great weather, been to Rome in early November and had great weather, been to Le Marche in Sept and FROZE our butts off.

Depends on the region and the weather patterns during the year.... Just pack a rain coat/ umbrella and water proof shoes and go for it, either date.

The first week of your tour is in the north (Lake Como, Dolomites, Venice) so I would definitely choose the earlier departure. By the time you reach Rome the sting of summer will have left, but it will still be pleasantly warm.
Be sure to add on some time afterwards to take in the Amalfi Coast (Sorrento, Capri, Positano) as well as Naples and Pompeii.

What can you tolerate better, the heat or the rain?

My first trip was in early October. I managed in Venice with only a fan in my room and wouldn't have slept well in Florence without AC.

For real weather data, go to wunderground.com to the trip planner section. With a little patience, you'll get to a page where you can fill in a range of up to 14 days and get actual daily info - highs, lows, precipitation - for the past 10 years or more for many of the cities on the tour.

We've had four trips to Europe, and all included Italy. The first 3 were 3rd/4th week of Sept to the 1st/2nd week of Oct. I found the temps almost perfect, and rarely any rain. Of course weather is very changeable.

Last year because my mom was joining us, we went to Italy the first two weeks of Sept. Temps very hot in Rome and Amalfi - so much that we'd go back to our apartment in the middle of the day to get out of the heat. By the time we got to Venice at the end of the trip, the temps were more tolerable. We had one 'pop-up' thunderstorm and one evening with light rain in Amalfi and the rest of the time was sunny.

But then again, we were in Florence one trip the 3rd week of Sept and I thought I was going to melt. Perfection for me is about Sept 15-Oct 7. If I had to chose, I'd probably go with the later dates.

We are going in the middle of September, coming back 9/22. Because of work, I had to schedule like this. If I had my way, i definitely would have been going the last week of September into the first week of October!

You summed it well - obsessing and bad weather luck. We generally travel mid Sept through end of Oct for best shot at good weather. Works most of the time. It is luck or random - however you play it, you just have to prepare for a wide range of weather and adjust accordingly. A slight drawback to going later into Oct is that the days get shorter so day light activities are more limited.

If you obsessing over something you absolutely cannot control or predict at this time, I hate to think what the rest of your planning looks like. Relax. I would rather be sitting in the rain in Italy than at home.

Thank you all for your responses. It helps to have other perspectives. I know we can never be sure of the weather, but there are some times of year that are notorious for bad weather in certain areas, so I'd like to be educated enough to play my percentages. I would never recommend someone visit my area in November or January because I find that they are usually cooler and rainier than other months. Not a perfect science, of course, but I don't think it hurts to know the inside scoop from people who have traveled before. I think we will go September 25th through October 11th and hope for the best. Believe it or not, I don't worry about the rest of the planning at all! I'm just hoping we have a clear day in Lake Como and the dolomites so we can see the mountains, as we missed the Swiss alps in Murren entirely on our GAS tour due to heavy fog.

We chose September 16th through October 5th for our first trip to Italy in large part for the weather. We'll be in the Dolomites from September 24th through September 28th and purposely added an extra day in case of bad weather.