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Winter sports aside, this diverse and sophisticated region offers plenty to see and do
When To Go
Outside the Alps themselves, northern Italy has a milder climate than most in Europe, with winter temperatures rarely dipping below freezing and summer average highs in the low 80’s. The most agreeable times of year to visit are spring and especially fall, the latter of which also brings most of the year’s cultural, food, and wine events and festivals, including Asti’s historic Palio horse race the third weekend in September and November’s Turin Film Festival; Alba hosts a satirical version of the Palio races on donkeys, in October, the same month as its white-truffle fair. For the best bang for your buck, consider springtime and winter – though the latter, of course, is peak season (so to speak) up in the Alps. Otherwise, high season is fall thanks to conventions in Turin and food/wine festivals throughout Piedmont. Summer brings a fair bit of tourism from elsewhere in Europe and the highest transatlantic airfares, but there are still some good hotel deals to be had.
When To Go
High-season
June-October
Low-season
November–February
Best bang for your buck
February-May
