Italy: When To Go

Peak Season: June to mid-September Hot and crowded. You won’t be able to move in the streets of Venice and you’ll be stuck in long lines to get into top attractions in Rome and Florence. Prices everywhere will be higher.

Off Season: November to March As long as you don’t mind bundling up a little, you’ll have access to museums, palaces, and top archeological sites. Finding reasonable hotel rates shouldn’t be a problem, though you may miss out on seeing the richly varied Italian landscape at its best.

Sweet Spot: mid-September to October; April to May The best time to go to Italy for value, weather, and crowd control. Throughout the country you’ll experience wine festivals in the fall and flower festivals in the spring.