November in Italy

My first trip was in summer, and even in the heat of midsummer there was a noticeable difference in the climate as we went north - the stifling heat of the Roman forum at midday (yeah, not the best time to visit an area without much shade) one day transformed to a chill in the air an hour north of Venice at the base of the Dolomites the next day.

BootsnAll member Llalewyn will probably be visiting Italy in November, and wanted to know whether that’s a good time to visit. As with any other destination, it all depends on what you’re hoping to spend your time doing. Every place has something to offer regardless of the time of year, and Italy is no exception. In fact, in a country with such an overwhelming supply of museums to visit, dreary winter weather could be just the excuse you needed to hustle from one museum to another getting yourself all cultured. And though you might not be sitting at the outdoor cafe tables, you’ll be happily sipping espresso in the land that perfected it. Oh, yeah, and the wine the country’s famous for will probably also help to warm you up, too.

November airfares from the US to Italy are also going to be less expensive than summertime fares, so you’ve got that going for you as well. Pretty much every industry that caters to the “tourist” times of year will have reduced their rates, so even though your suitcase will be heavier with all those sweaters, you’ll be paying less for your stay. And that’s never a bad thing.

There are some Italian festivals and holidays in November which you may want to participate in (or avoid, depending on how much you like crowds), including Tutti i Santi (All Saint’s Day) on November 1 and 2, and chestnut harvests (which mean that street vendors start selling roasted chestnuts). To find out what’s going on when you’ll be there, use this excellent festival finder - choose “November” from the drop-down menu and then choose the region you’ll be visiting and you’ll get a list of what’s going on. You’ll also find other treats and foods which only begin to make an appearance when the weather turns cold, too, which could make for a special meal or gift to bring back home.

Get yourself to Italy with these cheap international plane tickets, and do a hostel search to find yourself a bed for your stay - no matter the weather, you won’t regret it.

For reference, check out the Italy weather page with temperature charts for Milan, Rome and Palermo - to give you an idea of what northern, central and southern Italy will be like - which are in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. You’ll also find the average number of wet days per month on those charts, too.

(Okay, the only caution I might give is that wintertime in Venice usually means some degree of flooding… As the picture above shows, it’s pretty interesting looking and will make for some great vacation photos. It can also mean it’s a bitch to get around. Just so you know.)