The Best Time to Visit Italy

Italy is glorious year round and each season offers its own advantages however, from my experience I would say that autumn the best time to visit Italy. Specifically, I choose October as my target month due to lower prices and less people crowding the streets and sights.

The fall season in Italy varies from cool and rainy in the north to dry and warm in the south. Most of the northern towns, especially Venice, consider October to be the last month of tourist season. Some smaller hotels close for winter months but, autumn is considered mid season rates for accommodations and airfare. You can find some stellar bargains and packages on travel websites and last minute fares if your schedule is flexible. Just make sure your passport is up to date and you should have no issues.

If you are flying into the north for the start of your journey, check fares to Milan's Malpensa airport. You may save a couple hundred dollars by taking a train from Milan to Venice or Florence. Rome also offers a high number of daily flights and through there you can easily reach Sorrento or Naples. One of the great things about Italy is the train system can get you anywhere. Check the official Italian rail website for exact schedules and information for booking http://www.trenitalia.com

You can't throw a rock without hitting a hotel in Italy. It is not necessary to spend a ton of money on a hotel as you are really only going to need it for sleeping and bathing. Three star hotels are comfortable, usually include private facilities and are reasonably priced. Make sure when you are selecting a hotel that you look at the map and check the distance to the prime areas of the city you are staying. A lot of websites claim their property is in Rome or Venice but, this could leave you twenty miles outside of town. For example; Mestre and the Lido are not on the main cluster of Islands that make up Venice.

I do not recommend staying close to Termini rail station in Rome as it is notorious for petty theft and drug activity (I have had to walk over junkies on the sidewalk in front of the station at night). You are better off staying near the Forum, St. Peters or the Spanish Steps. Generally Italy is a safe country but, it is always wise to keep your valuables out of sight and your purse or wallet firmly attached to you. Pickpockets and distraction schemes (involving children sometimes) are a problem. Again, this is more of an issue in high tourist season. I suggest doing your best to blend in, no obvious signs of being foreign, no Yankees caps or giant American flags on display, etc. I have never personally experienced theft or crime while traveling in Italy and I have taken the necessary steps to be aware of my surroundings and maintain a low profile.

Autumn is less crowded and therefore, provides easier access to museums like Florence's Uffizi and the Vatican Museums in Rome. Bookings for special tours like St. Peter's tomb and the necropolis are limited and can be done through the Vatican's excavation office http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/institutions_connected/uffscavi/documents/rc_ic_uffscavi_doc_gen-information_20040112_en.html

For reservations to the Uffizi, home of works by Botticelli, Michelangelo and Giovanni Bellini (among numerous other outstanding artists) in addition to reservations for the Boboli gardens and Bargello museum, visit http://www.uffizi.com/

If you would like to see Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper while in Milan, reservations are required. I suggest making these as far in advance as possible through their website. There are plenty of sites online that will charge exorbitant amounts to do it for you but, it's a fairly simple process http://www.vivaticket.it/evento.php?id_evento=298097&op=cenacoloVinciano

Spring is comparable in regards to crowds and prices. The only difference is booking around Easter and student's spring breaks, when prices spike. Spring also tends to be heavier on the rain in the northern regions. If you don't mind carrying around your umbrella or simply enjoy wet weather, April is another prime month for getting the most for your money in Italy.