Climate is a major part of vacation planning in Italy, particularly if you are lucky enough to be able to vacation in the off season. Italy exhibits tremendously diverse weather conditions. The weather in Italy remains constant during summers but climatic conditions keep varying in the autumn, winter, and spring seasons. During the afternoon and night hours in the summer season, the northern regions, face thunderstorms and grey rainy weather. The moderating influence of the sea and the protection given by the Alpine barrier from the cold north winds join to bless Italy with a temperate climate. However, the weather varies significantly according to how far one is from the sea or the mountains.
The winter is very bitter in the Alps, cold and foggy in the Po Plain and the central Apennines; mild and even warm on the Ligurian coast, the Neapolitan coast and in Sicilia. The summer is hot and dry, but the temperature is alleviated on the coast by sea breezes and in the Apennines and Alps it is enjoyably cool.
Temperature all round the year
There is a noteworthy difference between the temperature of the northern and southern regions, particularly in winters such as, if Milan experiences snow and temperature there falls by -2 ° C, then in Rome temperature would be +12°C and in Palermo it would be +18°C. Summers are moderately the same everywhere throughout Italy.
January is the coldest month and the last 3 days of January are the coldest days. Accordingly, in the native language they are called "giornate Della merla" which means "days of the black bird". February is equally cold and freezing and Italians call it "corto e maledetto" which means "short and accursed".
March is the month of volatile weather. Italians call it "Marzo รจ pazzarello" which means "March is crazy". The climate is quite cold, stormy and rainy. The days get longer and spring creeps in from the 21st of March. April with a warm climate is the month of tourist in Italy. Italians call it "Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi" which means "Christmas with the family".
The month of May is humid with lovely roses blossoming across Italy. May and June are pleasantly warm throughout most of the country, attracting large amounts of tourists. Reservations for hotels, train travel, and museum entrances recommended as you can Expect long lines and crowds, and high season pricing. July is essentially and extension of May and June, with continued warmth, high prices, and long lines.
July and August are exceptionally hot. September is the finest time to visit Italy. The temperature starts falling and the weather becomes dry. The days are clear and sunny in the month of October and called "ottobrate romane" by the Italians. In the northern regions of Italy and the regions at higher altitudes, the temperature is often very low especially during the night. November has short days and the climate usually is quite rainy though not very cold. December holds the shortest days of the year with temperature falling extremely.
Italy: When to Go
Italy is a popular tourist destination and the tourist hot spots on the map are crowded in summer. Late September to Early November is the best time for tourists--the best light for photography and the best food. Truffles fairs start in November for the better winter white truffle, and the harvest and wine fairs are also going great guns in the fall. Flower lovers (especially if visitors like Europe's red poppies) will be better off choosing a spring vacation. For the north of Italy, The middle of April through June is fine. By June, the south is starting to get hot, if that's your thing. With respect to cities, the climate in Rome is consistent with the season you are in, that is to say, hot dry summers, wet chilly winters, and a very pleasant spring and autumn. In mountain areas, winter is ideal for skiing, and summer for excursions, hiking, etc. Coastal and lake resorts, with their excellent hotel facilities, have an intense tourist season in the summer, while the cities that are rich in art treasures are perfect in spring and autumn.
The Italy weather varies from place to place as the inland northern areas of Italy experience continental climate, while the coastal areas of Liguria and the peninsula south of Florence experience the Mediterranean climate. The winters are mild and the summers are hot and dry. The climatic conditions of the interior regions are quite different to that of the coastal areas of peninsula, especially in the winter months. The regions at higher altitudes experience a cold and wet climate and it frequently snows in these regions.
Duration of Sunlight
One of the secondary considerations of tourists visiting Italy in the off season is the number of hours of sunlight there will be as they want to ‘see things’. Euroweather has a nice calculator to find out just how many hours of sunlight you'll see in a particular city on a particular day: obviously, eating dinner underground a cantina by a roaring fire in winter is similarly compelling as eating outside as the sun slowly sets over the Adriatic.
