We are in the Dolomites, earlier than we usually come. So many families still on vacation, mostly Italians. School is perhaps, starting later these days. One Italian mother told me school does not start in their town, Verona, until Sept 12. So much for il rientro right after Ferragosto (Aug 15).
It is not super crowded but it is busier than we have experienced in prior visits. Also, the last couple of years it seems the lifts are open a little later in the fall season. That is nice to see.
Hope you are having wonderful weather, Laurel!
It is actually quite usual for Italians to be on vacation throughout the second half of August. I remember a visit to Milan on Saturday, 30th August a few years back: the place was a ghost town!
Glad you are having a good time, otherwise!
It does seem like end of Aug. and early Sept. are popular times to travel. From what I’ve been reading on the forum, many are getting ready to head over to Europe sometime in the next few weeks.
I find scheduling to be like a puzzle. I try to plan around public holidays, school holidays, marathons, and special events in hope to avoid the crowds. But it does seem as if there is always something going on.
I was planning on Sept. for my Belgium/ Netherlands trip for 2023, but I’m starting to think about Oct. instead. I just have to watch out for Oct. school breaks.
Enjoy the Dolomites!!
I take a trip in September just because I can! Unless you have spent a lifetime being limited by the school year calendar, you just can't imagine the thrill of planning and taking a vacation in September!
The European school calendar typically puts most Europeans on vacation from the end of July, through August, before starting back in school in early September. This is peak travel time for Europeans. I was always careful to plan my European vacation for June rather than July/August. But, like Carol, I am recently retired from education and can now go any time of year. (September/April may now be my months to visit).
margaret
What is the weather in the Dolomites like? We will be there in a week and the Weather app predicts thunderstorms every day into the foreseeable future.
Having lived in Rome, we were used to the city slowly building back up to “full strength” after the 20th or so. We are usually here after Sept 1 so maybe this week things will start to shift. We have encountered no Americans yet, several groups of — shall we say elderly? —Germans.
We have found that services start to become a problem here by late Sept. Some buses quit running which makes it challenging to get to some lifts, but one can always find something to do and it is eternally beautiful.
As to the weather question, 24 degrees C the past two days but rain and cooler tomorrow. Variable instability is the watchword. Expect rain or thunderstorms later in the day. Thunderstorm last night left trails puddly today so waterproof hikers essential.
In previous visits to the Dolomites, we saw hotel prices drop dramatically around August 26 or so, because Italian kids were going back to school. Apparently things have changed.
We are at Lago di Garda, and have been listening to thunder off to the north for 30minutes now. The weather forecast for Lombardia says severe thunderstorms through tomorrow. And now the rain is starting so I must retreat inside from our lovely lakefront terrace!
Edit: after dinner, at 9 pm, there is near- constant sheet lightning off to the north and east. But the thunder seems far away.
I’ve always read that August is when the Europeans go on vacation. Sounds like that is still true. My kids don’t start school (in the US) until the second week in September. Other places must start earlier, because many of the tourists in my town have cleared out.
Thanks for the weather reports. Sounds like rain and thunderstorms are part of normal weather for this time of year but occur mostly late in the day.
I tried posting on your blog website, Laurel, when you posted about your trip. Love hearing about all your travels, thank you for sharing. Have a great time!
We like October for cooler temperatures & no school children crowds
