Exploring Italy in Shoulder Season
If you’ve traveled anywhere during a destination’s peak season you know that it can make for amazing weather and a bustling atmosphere. However what you also might know is that traveling during peak season also means very long lineups, overcrowded attractions and paying top dollar for all expenses.
At Milk + Honey, Italy has always been one of our most requested destinations. We have travelers in different parts of the country throughout the year, so I thought it might be helpful to share the benefits of visiting during what I believe is the very best season in Italy.
The tourism seasons in Italy are as follows: peak season (June - August), shoulder season (April/May & September/October), and the off-season (November-March). Italy is one of the most popular travel destinations worldwide, welcoming an average 65 million visitors annually. This means that the best time to visit Italy is during their shoulder seasons (April/May or Sept/October) in order to ensure you get the best prices, temperate weather and have the best travel experience.
While the least expensive time to travel to Italy is in the colder months (November-March), you can still save some pennies and catch the Italian sun in shoulder seasons. During shoulder seasons flights to the major cities, such as Rome, Milan, Naples and Florence, are far less expensive than during peak season. You’ll also have a much easier time securing your dream accommodations, and again at a far better price. By saving money on transportation and accommodations, you’ll have more money from your travel budget to spend on day trips, dinners and all-you-can-eat gelato!
If basking in the Mediterranean sun and swimming in the Thyrrhenian Sea is what you’re seeking on your Italian vacation, let me assure you that those activities are still possible in shoulder seasons. Rome has an average high temperature of 82°F in September and 75°F in May, making for some stunningly sunny beach days on the coast. The cooler days during shoulder seasons are ideal for touring the cities and taking in the attractions, either indoor or outdoor, without baking in the hot summer sun and searching for shade which can be the case during peak season. Shoulder season weather is certainly the most temperate and comfortable for travel and touring.
Italy is home to the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world (58) and a many number of popular cities and attractions. This means that during peak season you can wait hours in line just to get into a popular attraction such as the Colusseum or Vatican City. Traveling during shoulder seasons will literally save you hours of your valuable holiday time, spent doing things that you actually want to do during vacation, such as eat, drink, shop and relax.
There are many travel destinations which I would only recommend traveling to during their peak season, but Italy is certainly not one of them. If you’re planning a trip to Italy I would urge you to consider a trip during shoulder seasons in order to save yourself, time, money and stress. Italy is always a good idea…but it's the best idea in a shoulder season!
If you are interested in a Milk + Honey luxury trip for yourself or someone you love, please get in touch. Let’s get dreaming!