Greetings,
To recap, a friend and I made plans to travel to Italy for 18 nights in May 2023. Sparing you all the details, her daughter may be getting married next May, and we would need to move our trip to fall of 2023. I’m hoping to know in the next month or so. Although a little disappointed, fall was of original interest to me because of hopefully cooler temperatures than May, as well as fall festivals. What do you suggest for weeks in September and October? I’m open to making some changes to our itinerary if there are things or places we should see in fall.
Thank you.
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2580 posts
What was the original itinerary? Why would you need to change it?
Posted by
11647 posts
90% of our trips to Italy have been in later half of September and October. We have had hot temperatures around Sept.20 in Rome. We went to Sicily in October and it was warm not hot. The lakes region in the north was comfortable earlier in Sept. So later September may be best. But Italy varies greatly by regions and their range of temperatures. What it the itinerary??
Posted by
Idaho, USA
7919 posts
If you like attending festivals, the first Sunday in September is the Venice Regatta and the Arezzo Jousting Festival. Mid-September is the Luminara in Lucca. I know there are many others. If you can share your itinerary, we can give you recommendations on dates.
Posted by
OP
North Carolina
237 posts
The itinerary is as follows:
Fly into Venice 4 nights
Train to Florence 3 nights
Rent car and drive to Villa a Sesta (30 minutes north east of Siena) 4 nights
Montepulciano 4 nights
Return car
Rome 3 nights and fly home
The only reason I thought about possibly changing the itinerary was if there were any fall events in areas we weren’t planning on going to. Harvesting olives, grapes, etc.
I did read that September be could be hot and I get that weather is unpredictable. Would you lean toward the last week of September and the first 2 weeks of October.? (My previous visit was in April 2017)
Posted by
1125 posts
Your daughter “may” be getting married in May. This after you had planned for your trip? Did she not know your plans? Couldn’t she change her date. It seems simpler to do that. 18 nights verses one day.
Posted by
Saint Paul, Minnesota
1605 posts
I say the later the better --- fewer crowds and it should be less hot!
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8951 posts
I'm glad it is for such a happy reason as a wedding!
Posted by
OP
North Carolina
237 posts
To clarify, it is not my daughter. Sometimes things in life things change, and may actually work out for the better. Granted, I don’t know if this is one of those, lol. My friendship is too important to cause a rift over this.
I appreciate you responses. I’ll check into the festivals you mentioned as well as the advice about going in later September. The biggest drawback I see is the shorter hours of daylight.
Posted by
Atlanta
189 posts
Looks like a lovely trip. I would go later. End of Sept and early Oct. And yes try and find a place harvesting olives. It will be a treat.
Posted by
Rural Georgia
2208 posts
This guide may help. The specifics may change a little for 2023 but based on the available activities and where you will be, I'd make the trip starting in October. We were in Tuscany just before Christmas a few years back and even then, the temps were comfortable.
I hope things work out. Fall during harvest will be a wonderful time to visit.
Posted by
OP
North Carolina
237 posts
NewNona and DougMac,
Thank you for your replies. Fall is definitely my favorite season here in the US. The link you sent to the fall festivals is full of good information that will give us a lot of ideas to choose from. So, you both are voting for fall. 🍂🍁🍃
We don’t know yet whether we can go in May or not. And now with thoughts of fall, my heart is leaning that way. We hope to know in the next month or so.
With much appreciation to everyone,
Kathy