Weather and shoes

It will still be pretty warm (or at least it was to me). I would pack two pair of pants and a couple ot skirts. One or two light sweaters for the evening.

It could be very hot (or rather pleasant), and you could also experience some chilly nights. Weather is so unpredictable. Check www.accuweather.com for a long-range forecast two weeks before you go, and then check for updates up to the day before you leave. You can check most major/minor cities and get a sort-of-accurate forecast. We were in Rome, Tuscany and the CT three years ago in early September. Weather was great most of the time, but one afternoon/night (Volterra) it was really rather chilly (and I am not one to chill easily). So, take a shawl or a light jacket, just in case. For the Cinque Terre, if you plan to hike the trails, take sturdy shoes (or sneakers, if that's what you already own and if they are well broken in). I wore Merrell Waterproof Pandi shoes, because they have great arch support, are sturdy, can be washed totally and dry quickly. For that 10-day trip, I packed two skirts and for the CT a pair of shorts. Various tops, scarves, a pair of flat black casual/comfy shoes that could also work at dinner, etc.
You'll also want a sun hat. Can't advise on Venice, as it is still on my bucket list :)

Hi Evie: we will be in Italy a bit later (9/18-10/6) but from everything i've read, it will still be quite warm over there when you go. It helps to read travel books, as they usually have a little weather graph over the months or chapter about weather. Another idea is to email your hotel(s) and ask what the weather is like during your stay. If you're going to the Cinque Terra, then you'd know that tennis shoes (or some sort of hiking footwear) is necessary if you wish to walk from town to town. I encourage you to read up on the places you are visiting! There will be a wealth of knowledge and answers from any of the great travel books (Lonely Planet, Rick Steves, Frommers, etc.). Pack light as lugging heavy suitcases around cobblestones and up steep hills, hotel stairs and trains will be a total drag. Have a great trip!

There's an FAQ at this site for weather questions. Happy travels.

I was in Venice in mid Sept 2009 and it was really warm during the day. Weather was perfect -sunny everyday. I recommend packing light w/ a sweater just in case. I recommend comfortable shoes as there is a lot of walking in Venice. There are no cars. It is a beautiful city. Enjoy it! I can't speak for CT since I have not been there.

Check your cities on weather.com daily 10 days or so before you depart, so you'll get an idea of the weather and know what to pack.

Whatever footwear you take should have thick soles. Cobblestones hurt if you can feel them through your shoes.

If you go to wunderground.com, enter the city, and scroll down to "History and Almanac", you can type in your specific dates for the year 2010 and see what the weather was like last year. Of course, that is not a guarantee but it does give you an idea. It is a very interesting website.

at wunderground.com you can also use the trip planner page to see daily temps for the last 12 years.