Italy in September

regatta September in Italy is, at least so far, my favorite time of year to be in the country. You still get the after-effects of a hot August, but without the heatstroke-inducing temperatures; and while there will be crowds of people in even the second tier tourist attractions, there’s something about the color of the light when Summer is changing to Autumn… It’s hard to explain, but I know I’m not alone, because vacationing in Italy in September is really popular.

While the weather in Italy won’t be an issue for most of September, you can run into brief moments of less-than-perfect weather. During one mid-September visit to San Gimignano in Tuscany, after spending a glorious day driving from one unidentified tiny hilltown to another, I got caught in a sudden and fairly violent rainstorm back in San Gimignano - complete with thunder and lightning. It lasted throughout the evening and into the night (and I don’t mind admitting that I was a little nervous with all that lightning and all those city towers), but by the next day it was back to glorious weather. What I’m saying is that in September, you either have to be prepared for a downpour by having an umbrella with you, or you’ll end up like I did - running through the rain from restaurant to hotel, getting thoroughly soaked and laughing the whole way.

In addition to the largely fantastic weather in September in Italy, it’s also a great time to be in the country if you like the idea of taking in some local Italian festivals and special events. This is the start of harvest time, and you don’t have to be a bona fide foodie to enjoy a food-related local festival - we’ve all gotta eat, and Italian food is some of the best on earth, so why not? Check with the local tourism information office wherever you’re visiting to find out what events and celebrations are going on nearby - many of them are not tourist attractions, they’re put on for the locals and by the locals, but everyone’s welcome. You just might not see many other non-Italians around. (And that’s probably just fine.)

In poking around, it appears that some of the September events in Italy include a fig festival, peach festival, and polenta festival (in Tuscany); a grape festival (in Umbria); a cheese festival (in the Veneto); and a wine festival, walnut festival, and porcini mushroom festival (in Lazio). And that’s just at first glance, and that doesn’t include the non-food festivals! If you’re not hungry, you can still get in on the party - September is when you can check out the Regatta on the Grand Canal in Venice (pictured above), the Palio di Asti, a live chess match in Marostica, and the city of Verona even throws homegirl Juliet a birthday party. To find just a few of the festivals and events taking place in the areas you’ll be visiting, you can use this handy Italian festival finder.

Do keep in mind that although September might feel like it’s trending more toward Autumn than Summer, it’s still very much part of the high season throughout most of Italy. Expect to pay top prices for everything from your hotel to your car rental, and don’t expect a dip in airfare to Italy, either. For the cheapest flights, you’ll usually have to visit in the winter - and bring a coat.