summer vs fall temperatures in Italy

July and August temperatures can be fatal, therefore I would skip it unless you plan to spend every day at a beach resort where there is at least some sea breeze or up in the mountains at higher altitudes. Early September is not much better. Latter part of sept is generally ok. I prefer May or early June (longer days)

Depends on where you'll be. In the north I didn't find summers to be any worse than Georgia. October time frame could be a toss up. There would be days that were fine and other days that could be really cold.If you're talking about the south and Sicily then, yeah, can be brutal but do-able. I did Sicily in July one time. Just dress for it, keep plenty of water with you, take shade breaks when possible and appreciate the weight you lost at the end of the day along with that funky smelling sweat soaked t shirt.

Thx. Sounds as if waiting till September is the thing to do.

We often travel in late Sept and early Oct. We've usually been fortunate with great weather in this time period. We've had the same success in late May and early June.

I have traveled in Italy in July and August, and survived, but it's not very pleasant to be out at midday. An afternoon rest helps but cuts into sightseeing time. I would prefer late September to October, but I have an academic calendar to follow.

We always luck into such beautiful weather when we travel - usually last 2 weeks of Sept/1st week Oct. We were in Florence for a few days last week of Sept in 2012 and it was so hot then, I thought I'd melt. I don't handle extreme heat particularly well (I get a serious case of the heat grumps) and can't imagine going in July or August. Other then the shorter daylight hours, I love late Sept/early Oct. Even our time in Rome mid-Sept back in 08 was really really hot.

Why not June? Longer days, as noted. And it's greener and there are more flowers blooming.

You know what, Tom? Weather is weather. Summer is hot, and Winter is cold. That's the standard, and unusual things happen weather-wise no matter where you are. Last year the very end of April (25th) it snowed in the South of Spain. I was there. This year, the END of September in Italy had an oppressive heat wave. So, you could go late Spring -- April-May or early Summer May-June, or early Fall -- September-October, but you just never know. Have a great time whenever you go. If it's hot, get up early and do your sites early in the day, take a mid-day Siesta. Whatever you decide to do, this is an incredible opportunity to spend a month, and who cares about the weather. You can't control it, It may rain, it may be hot, it may be cool -- but you're in ITALY!!! Lucky you.

Summers in Italy do not necessarily have to be oppressively hot. I've only been to Italy once, but here was my experience in July. We rented a chalet for a week high in the Ortler Alps (BTW, it's a misconception that "Dolemites = Italian Alps". The Dolemites are just one subrange of Italy's much larger Alpine territory. But I digress...). Local daytime highs were about 20°C, and the temperatures at night regularly dipped to around 5° or so. We descended down from the mountains one day to explore Trento, a little over an hour's drive away. I don't remember the exact thermometer reading, but it had to have been well above 35°. Needless to say, we spent the remainder of that trip at higher altitudes.

We try to go to Tuscany the first week of October and the weather is fantastic. Rarely rains, and daytime starts as jacket weather, warms up during the day, then cools at night. We have been in the summer and, as was said above, summer is hot. And -- be careful of hotels with "AC". Some times that means a slow room blower, not dehumidified air. We learned that the hard way.

Hi Tom, I completely agree with Donna. Weather is weather. Pick the best time that works for you and go for it! If you happen to be there on a hot day, drink more water and wear a hat.

The only consideration I would have is travelling to Rome in August. Many of the restaurants and stores close for part or all of that month. So if that is something that would bother you, avoid that city in August. The weather is not a problem.

I agree with finding May and June more pleasant as everything is fresher. Since you have so much time, you could start in the south and work your way north, and if you chose to travel in September and October, you would reverse the travel from north to south. If you are going to rent a car, we have found that it is usually less expensive to lease in France, but that may have changed.

Our last visit to Italy was in the month of May. We were in the north and the weather was cool and moist but very comfortable. We spent a few days in the Cinque Terre and it was busy but not absurdly so - plenty of room on trains, in restaurants, etc. We'll be returning this fall to see the southern part of the country. Quaero: for those who have been to Siena, Rome, Naples and points south in late September, is it any less crowded at that time of year than in the summer 'high season'?