Where to visit in April in Italy?

Any first timer must go to Rome and Florence. Many would also include Venice. If you want some some smaller towns you could spend a night or two in a smaller village in Tuscany. Sorrento would also be fantastic.

You're fortunate to be able to travel out of season. Whatever attracts you to Italy will be fine to visit in April before the crowds of the summer hit. Get your guidebooks and decide where you want to go and what you want to see. It will be great.

Erin,

As the previous reply mentioned, you'll probably get some good ideas not only for sightseeing but also Hotels by checking the Guidebook. The "Italy 2011" edition is now available from the Travel Store on this site (and probably at larger bookstores in your area as well).

One comment though - with such a short time frame, I'd recommend focusing only on Rome and north this time. Leave the south for a future trip (especially as this is your first time in Italy).

Regarding the weather, I've been in Italy in April and the weather has been great (slightly chilly at night though). However, no guarantees so be sure to pack accordingly. As the saying goes, "there's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing".

Happy travels!

Going by last Aprils weather here near Bologna: Slightly cold during the day, alot of rain. Pretty much got by with a light jacket/fleece. As I understood it the amount of rain last year was a bit unusual for this area but not totaly out of the norm.

Got to agree with Giovanna; Sicily is absolutly beautiful in Spring, and can be warm. Once we were wading in the Ocean in the end of April. It is quiet, and you have so many options/areas to explore.

One year we combined a trip to the Amalfi Coast, Naples/ Sorrento area with week in Sicily. It is an easy trip by overnight ferry from Naples, or a cheap trip on the budget airlines that fly from Naples and Rome.

If you consentrate on South Italy or Sicily, you will have a better chance of finding good weather.

Sicily is gorgeous in April!

Rick Steves tends to recommend starting in the north of Italy and working your way south; then if you absolutely LOVE Italy as far as Rome, continue south, but if all those Italian idiosyncrasies are getting on your nerves, fly home from Rome. We spent 3 weeks in May, flying into Milan, driving ourselves from Lake Como to Paestum (Greek Temples) and flying out of Rome. So many highlights: Venice, Vernazza and Cinque Terre, Siena, Civita (Romantica Pucci), Capri/Sorrento, Positano, Pompei, and of course Roma. Another great tip from Rick is to "expect that you will return." Ten days? Venice, Vernazza, Siena, Florence, and Rome. Go back again to start in Rome and head south. Been to 20 Western European countries, and Italy is tops, in my opinion.

We are going at the end of March, beginning of April. Our plan is to begin in Venice for 2 nights, take the train to Florence for 1 night, bus to Siena for 4 nights (rent a car for day trips to Chianti for vineyard wine tastings, Montepulciano/Pienza, and San G./Volterra), drive to Oriveto for a visit and to turn in the car, and finish with 3 nights in Rome before flying home from there. We like to do as much as we can with the time we have.

I would agree with others as far as saving the south for another visit. It is great but you really don't have enough time to do it all.

Have fun planning. It is a lot of research but all worth it in the end.

April is early in the season. Start in the south and save the north for another time.

In spring, start in the south where it's warmer and work north. In the fall, start in the north and work south.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the issue of Easter week in Rome, or is it in March this year? Unless you want to be there for religious reasons, I would plan to avoid that time period - - VERY crowded and lodging prices tend to be higher. It's ultra-high season for Rome. On weather: we were in Rome mid-April a few years ago, and the high temp the first day was 40F. The next two days were marginally warmer, but rainy. People told us that the prior week the temps had been in the 70's. It's a very unpredictable season, so pack accordingly. You know the magic word, "layers."

this past april i was there and this is how my travels went

milan/lake como
venice
florence/siena
rome

the only time it rained was my first day in rome and even then until night time it was a slight drizzle

other than that it was normal spring weather you would expect...some days cool and other days warm

wouldn't go there any other time of year except maybe for christmas