2 weeks in italy in early december
 

Hi folks ,
I am planning to visit italy in first 2 weeks of december. But i m doubtful about the weather at that time. Is it ok to visit italy during that time and still have fun. is the cold bearable ? What kind of activities can be planned in italy at that time and what places we should target to visit in tht period. ? A rough itenary would also help . Thanks in advance.

Anytime is a great time to fisit Italy.

Without any information of your interests and why you want to go to Italy, posters can't really help you.

The first two weeks in December can produce clear skies and fairly mild days throughout most of Italy except the mountainous north. However, you could also find yourself faced with chilly rains that last for days, and even icy conditions on roads in some hilly areas. Days will be getting shorter and shorter, cutting into driving time if you were thinking of renting a car.

Most coastal areas will be extremely quiet, and some restaurants and many tourist shops will be closed. Many places in the countryside hills will be completely closed, and without heat.

All that said, it can be an ideal time to visit Pompeii, Rome, Florence, Venice as well as a hundred other destinations that are usually overrun with tourists. It's also a great time to visit areas like Piemonte, which have truffles, very robust food and wine that is best in cool weather. It can be a fabulous time to go to Naples and enjoy its preparations for Christmas. It is opera season, so a destination like Bologna -- which has many porticoes that shelter walkers from the rain plus a grand opera house -- can be wonderful.

So what do you want from Italy? If it is beaches and boat trips, and wandering around all day outside in historic cities "soaking up the culture," you could end up soaking in the rain. But if you enjoy cities and indoor activities, you can have a great time, and might even get great weather from some selected day trips to fabulous sights.

"A rough itenary would also help"

Yes indeed, so please post one that we can comment on.

Thanks for a really useful response. I am planning to go to italy on a honeymoon with my wife. We are looking for a little coldish weather ( 5-10 degrees is fine) but that should be bearable and allows us to step out of our hotel at ny time and explore the cities, dine out etc. We wouldnt mind lil bit of rain and snowfall as well. However continuous heavy rains would make it difficult. We would be interested in seeing the historical monuments , njoy the natural beauty of the country, visit romantic places, njoy the night life and absorb the italian culture - christmas festivities, opera as u mentioned. Walk along the beaches would be nice to have but we wudnt mind missing out on boat rides or getting tanned on the beach in the sun. I guess now i can expect even more useful posts. Thanks in advance.

Italy is beautiful all year around, its better to go between to June to September..

You can't rule out continuous rains in that time period, no matter where you go in Italy.

Honeymoons usually mean upscale hotels, booked well in advance. But if you and your fiance can be flexible, you might have a better time in Italy during those two weeks only booking your first couple of nights and then letting the weather dictate your subsequent choices.

I would start out in Rome, since it has so much to offer, rain or shine -- but after that, simply follow the sun to the places you most want to see. In the first two weeks of December, you won't have any trouble booking accommodations in all price categories. You won't have trouble booking train tickets, or renting a car.

You might consider booking a flight out of another city: My pick would be Bologna, since it is so central to everything. I would plan on spending my last two nights there, one to go to the opera, one to enjoy a final wonderful meal. Bologna is a wonderful town, rain or shine.

But in between, weather permitting, you could visit the great art cities of Umbria and Tuscany, or the Tuscan hills, or dip down to Napoli and Pompeii before heading north again. Or you could head up to Venice for several days, then head off to Verona, Mantova, Milan and Parma before heading to Bologna. Or just extend your time in Rome. You get the picture.

Italy in December will be chilly, could be rainy and will have short days. I think cities are better in that situation because you can spend time inside of museums, churches, etc, if the weather is bad and outside during nice weather. Have you been to Italy before? If not, you might consider Rome, Florence and Venice for your trip.

No , this is my first time to europe infact. And i choose italy as my first destination as i knw its a beautiful country to visit. I was only concerned abt the timing. But thts the only time i cn take a vacation.

I've been to Italy twice in early December. To the Rome area in 2008 and to Naples/Sorrento in 1999. Both times I only wore a blazer with a light sweater while the Italians were wearing winter coats. It depends what weather you are used to but for me I would still go to a city even if it were around 20 degrees farenheit. Why let a little cold stop you?

All you really have to do is look at the historical temperatures and decide for yourself if that is too cold for you.

Saw this about a November trip to Italy...

http://lakecomoapartment.wordpress.c...november-stay/

I have checked the historical temperatures. What i understand is that only in the northern part the temperature may go below 0 degrees. Central and southern italy should be fine i guess. ?

mamacalice -- you don't know what you are talking about! Period!

I live in Italy and the first two weeks of December are NOT necessarily "chilly" or rainy. They might be. They might not be.

tarunmn1982,

You simply cannot go by the past to predict the weather for the two weeks you will be here. You are right that if you head for the northern lakes and mountains, your chances of encountering freezing weather are pretty high. But you could also get a COLD SNAP in Napoli.

If this is the ONLY time you can travel, do the best you can to pick locations that interest you and will be not be ruined by cold outdoor weather.

I agree there's no way to predict weather or temps.

I'd stick to main cities with lots of indoor attractions (museums, churches, villas, etc.), but I'm an admitted city girl who loves museums so that would be a great trip for me.

If "enjoying the natural beauty" you mean exploring the countryside, that would probably be best left to another trip at a different time of year. But you could easily train through the countryside to a medium or small town with its own attractions (Perugia/Assisi come to mind, but there are many others).

If opera is important, you need to start looking for performances and tickets NOW and likely plan your itinerary around what's available. (I think you're going to find more ballet than opera scheduled in December.) If you just want to hear classical music and perhaps some vocal performances not necessarily in an opera house, then you can probably wait until you get wherever you're going and see what's on.

Forget any beach and IMO the lake area. Too cold with too many hotels and restaurants closed for the season.

Italy is small country and you can make spontaneous forays for countryside lunches or walks or drives if the weather is nice. And it can be nice. I have experienced early Decembers in Italy where I ate lunch outdoors by the sea. But I was staying in a city -- like Lucca or Pisa -- and when the weather turned nice, I went to the sea for lunch. I had to wear my sweater and jacket, even in then sun, and I ate warm soups and drank coffee. But it was sunny and fun.

You can't count on that. It also rained buckets in Lucca on some of those days. But those were the day I visiited Pisa and Florence, and saw the insides of museums and churches.

In many cities in Italy like Rome, Florence and Milan, the outdoor cafes have outdoor heaters so you can still sit outside.

Put your heads together and decide what indoor things would be fun. If you like cars and movies and wine, go to Torino. If you like fashion, go to Milan and Rome. If you like history, try the great art cities. Chocolate? Head to Perugia, and from there see Assisi and many other treasures. If you like pizza and surprises, go to Napoli . If you get beautiful weather, hire a driver or hop a train and have lunch by the sea that day, and visit Pompeii the next day.

Like I said, if at the last minute you want the honeymoon suite at the best hotel in Napoli, you can probably get it the same day in December.

Zeppole, I wouldn't argue with you for the world. You will notice I said "could" be rainy. And, it could. But I will defer to you in most things Italy.

We have visited Italy twice in winter. First trip was for three weeks and a bit, arriving 27th December. Venice/Verona/Como/Florence/Assisi/Rome. Como was pretty flat, other cities were great. Certainly it was chilly in Venice, in Florence we had the most perfect sunny day. The weather in Rome was OK, but we had to buy a five Euro umbrella which survived for all of three hours!

Second trip was mostly Venice, for a couple of months, from early December to early Feb. It was very cold – even the locals were commenting on the cold. It’s manageable, though, as long as you dress for it. A hat and gloves is a good idea. After New Year, the daily temperature hovered around two or three degrees C for a week.

But don’t be put off by the weather. We weren’t, and we’re going back again this Christmas. I’ve bought a new hat!

Comments about our time in Venice are here (along with a bit of Rome):
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-verbose.cfm

I loved Italy in December. I prefer walking and touring in cool weather to sweating. With a good coat and hat, you can stroll in comfort.

We found Venice cold but lovely- crisp air with wisps of fog floating around, not crowded with tourists, and overall a wonderful time to be there. We saw an excellent chamber orchestra in a very, very old church. We also loved seeing the chic Italian dogs in their fancy coats out for walks, especially the Burberry jackets many of them were sporting!

Florence was warm- in the mid 50s and sunny. We had a great time there and actually had to leave our coats in the hotel.

We experienced a cold snap in Bologna. This made the rich bolognese food taste sublime during long lunches with lots of rich red wine which we then walked off in the frigid air. The porticoes did provide a great place to walk in the snow as someone mentioned above. One tip we learned- we chose a budget hotel in the suburbs to save money. It was clean and comfy but the long walk into the center of town was prohibitively chilly in the evenings (it was miles and we were too cheap to taxi but hadn't discovered the ease of local busses at that point in life). We wished we stayed closer in so that we could head home for a warm nap in the early evening when everything shuts down and then head back out for a late dinner.

Here is a romantic cold weather idea for your honeymoon: We always look for hotels or apartments with nice looking bathrooms with tubs when we travel in winter. On our first day, my husband always buys me a bottle of fancy bubble bath (great toiletries like this in Europe everywhere). I love warming up with a glass of wine in a hot bubble bath before a night on the town, and then when we return home I have the rest of the scented bubble bath to remind me of our trip whenever I use it.

Winter can be a magical, romantic time to travel if you dress right and don't end up in deserted, off season beach resorts but stick to cities and towns that are still bustling. In December you might also hit the Christmas markets. We loved those, along with the skating rinks in the town centers in many places.

Oh yes, my final tip: Italian hot chocolate is fabulously decadent and perfect for a quick warm up in a cafe.

Thanks for the experiences. Can you also suggest some decent places to stay in these cities within 50-60 euros / day and closer to the main streets.

I think that you will struggle to find rooms at 50 to 60 Euros a night. An apartment might be possible.

www.venere.com is a hotel booking site that we used for our first trip to Italy.

Hi guys ,
I am planning to visit following places during my 12 day visit to Italy in early dec.
Starting from Rome. check in .
Rome - 2 days
Rome to Tuscany
Tuscany - 2 days - visit Siena , Florence , Pisa , Umbria?
Tuscany to Venice
Venice - 2 days
Venice to Milan ( 1 or 2 days )
Milan to Bologna ( 1 day )
Bologna to Amalfi Coast/Naples/Pompeii ( 2 days )
Sicily ??
Back to Rome - spend remaining 1 day or more there. Visit Vatican City . Fly back from Rome

Does this itenary look ok for early dec. Please comment and suggestions are welcome. And wat would be the best mode of transport between these places ? Shall i drive or take trains/buses ? Do we need to reserve train tickets beforehand? . How is the frequency of trains ? And do comment on approx time of travel between these places if its considerate ?
And shall i give a thought on visiting swiss/paris from milan abd back to replace the last 3-4 days of my iterary. Wat do u suggest ? Thanks in advamce

"Does this itenary look ok for early dec"

No, it is far too rushed. Have you actually plotted out your transfer times between these cities on your list? You are all over the place.

Are you planning to rent a car or use public transport?

Cut out out the Amalfi Coast (not a good choice for December anyway) and add the days to Rome and Tuscany. Keep Naples and Sicily for another trip.

In 12 days (does that include travel days?) I would fly directly into Venice and stay for 3 nights. Next head to Tuscany. Perhaps base in Florence for 4-5 nights and see Siena and Bologna as day trips from there, very easy via bus and train.

Spend the remaining time in Rome and visit Umbria from there.

To do much more will have you experiencing nothing but train stations.

You are going to have to make some choices about what you want to see most. Remember that the days keep getting shorter in December, so if you spend so much time traveling, you have very little daylight left to see anything once you arrive. It is really not possible to see most of Italy in 12 days.

SInce your trip is so far off, and it is easy to book hotels last-minute in December, you should spend more time with a good guidebook.

As the others said, that itinerary is totally unreasonable. Days are so short in December that you have to count two December days for a normal summer sightseeing day, more or less. So what you could do is stay two December weeks in Sicily, for example (where the weather is going to be warmer than most other regions, of course); you have no chance to see all of Sicily in two weeks with those short days, but you could do the north and east/southeast, probably. Or you could stay in Rome and do one or two daytrips. Or you could base in Florence (which must be nice without the summer tourist crowds) with some daytrips and then go to Siena, for example, for the second part of your stay. Or you could stay in Venice for one week or ten days (that's one of the greatest times for Venice, I'm going almost every December, and spend the rest of the time in the Veneto region (Padova, Vicenza, Verona, Montagnana). Whatever you choose, concentrate on one region; I'm advising everybody to do so all year round, I know, but in December, the reason why I do so is less philosophical than otherwise, and just practical thinking: days are too short to waste daylight on traveling all over the peninsula.

"Days are so short in December that you have to count two December days for a normal summer sightseeing day, more or less. "

Franco brings out an important fact many folks don't often think of. I often travel to Italy in October. It's a great time to visit, but I sacrifice the much longer days of May and June (months I also try and stay there).
I've only been to Italy once in December and once in November. Less crowds, but much less to see. Even many sites and museums close earlier during these shorten months.
I love Rome and usually recommend it first, but Venice and Florence are other great bases. Stay in one place and do day trips.

I agree with others, you're trying to pack in too much. We spent close to 3 weeks starting in Rome and doing the areas north that you are mostly trying to see, ending in Venice. Then we returned to Italy another time to experience Amalfi coast area. Remember, it's your honeymoon :)- romance is slow. And personally, I think south of Rome and the Amalfi Coast will be a much more memorable time if you go when it is warm. It's an international destination in the summer. Don't worry about the weather. We were there in October, it rained in Rome on occasion. One of my favorite memories is walking through Rome under an umbrella with my DH and having dinner outside under an awning in the rain. Very Romantic. We also unexpectedly experienced hail in Tuscany. It was Under the Tuscan Hail instead of Sun. :) No biggie. Italy is a beauty, with so many wonderful things to experience. You'll love it. And congratulations on your engagement!

Thanks..:-)
So wat i get is days are shorter. Means i should have things to do wen its dark. So wat activities and places can be planned in the dark?
In day time we can concentrate on sight seeing places - museums ( i assume they will get closed in evenings) , monuments , gardens etc.
after sunset - we can walk around in city area - shop , dine out etc. wat else to do ? and can we travel between cities in train wen its dark.
Rome being the start and end point is fixed. and i get 12 full days in italy. And i am coming from thousands of miles away. May not get another chance to visit italy.
I can start at rome - 2 days. Head straight to Venice - 2 days. Back to Florence ( visit Pisa , Siena , Tuscany , Bologna) - 4 days. Then head to Naples/Pompeii - 2days. Head back to Rome - spend remaining time there if any as 2 days might go into travelling.
I have heard a lot abt Pompeii - and realy want to be there. Nt sure how it will be in dec ? And nt sure how to fit in Milan.
But travel , i am thinking of taking trains between these main places and then rent a car while i am there OR can i just rely on public transport within cities as well ?

Another thing i want to ask is - if i can manage in italy knowing only english ? Not knwing ny other european language.

It is still too much rushing around. If you eliminate Naples, it is more reasonable.

You will actually have one day and maybe a half in Venice on arrival and you will be jet lagged and tired on arrival.

If you visit Pisa, Siena, Tuscany (which is the region where Florence is located, not a city) and Bologna you will have no time for Florence at all.

Everyone here has given the same advice but you are certainly free to ignore all of us and spend your 12 days on trains and checking in and out of hotels. Not at all how I like to spend time in Italy or anywhere.

Whether you return or not is really irrelevant IMO. This is a "If it's Tuesday it must be Belgium" type of trip and you will not have time to take a deep breath and experience anything.

You seem to be thinking that transportation inside Italy is very fast and easy. It is not, and the fast trains that save time are very expensive. And many train stations are not near the center of town, which is what you want to see, so it takes extra time or money for taxis to get there.

I sympathize with your feeling that there are so many famous places it is hard to resist at least getting a peek at as many as possible. But the train system in Italy isn't reliable enough for you to book a trip like the one you describe. You could end up spending hours in train stations, hours just checking in and out of hotels, and lots of money on taxis trying to keep you and your luggage out of the pouring rain.

Here is a plan that might work extremely well for you and your bride:

Land in Rome. Plan to spend 5 nights in Rome. Get an apartment to save money.

The first sunny day you have, take a day trip to Pompeii from Rome.

On another day, take a day trip to Florence from Rome.

On the sixth day, leave Rome for Venice by train. If it is a nice day, stop in the walled medieval hilltown of Orvieto on your way. Stow your luggage in the train station, go up into the walled city to see the great cathedral, have lunch, get back on the train for Venice.

If it is NOT a nice day, stop in Bologna on your way to Venice. Stow your luggage in the train station. Have lunch and see the old town (including the anatomical theater and the church of Santa Maria della Vita), get back on the train to Venice.

Spend the rest of your time in Venice, with a day trip to Verona (and/or to Bologna if you get a very rainy day in Venice and haven't seen it yet).

If you can, fly out of Milan. Otherwise, return to Rome your last night to fly home the next day, or fly from Venice.

Okay?

Sounds good. I didnt get "get back on the train to Venice" thing. Is there like a train to Venice every hr from Orvieto/Balogna - the place i stop so that i get a train back easily ?
And shall i get a "Eurail Italy Saver Pass". Looks like it will be like 265$ for a week for both of us. Wat i understand is tht saver pass is a common pass for 2-5 ppl who travel together and would save a lot compared to adult pass. But if i just go from rome ->venice -> rome , then i m nt sure if its worth it and i mayb better off taknig just a one time ticket. ?

You should price out your options and make a decision.

Trenitalia.com will give you schedules but you cannot purchase tickets with a US credit card so you will need to purchase in Italy if you decide against a pass.

Many here do not like passes but we use them and will continue to do so when it makes sense for us.

Zeppole's suggestion is very good and allows you to actually enjoy your honeymoon and still see a lot.

zeppole's plan is not only good, it's wise; just let me add that if you realize the daytripping is still tiring you, don't feel obliged to work off the whole list, and skip some daytrips. As kfusto said, even if you never return, it's preferable to visit two places less and really see the others, rather than visit two more while seeing four less (the additional two, and two others where you have to rush in order to reach them). The value of having been in a city or town is only to SEE it (which needs plenty of time), not to cross it off an imaginary "must-visit" list.
As for your other questions, in the places that you want to visit, English is going to work, though it's certainly recommended to learn some basic Italian phrases: people will simply treat you better since many Italians consider it impolite if you address them in English without even trying to speak some words in their own language. Until December, you have plenty of time, you could be quite fluent in Italian until you travel!
The rail pass may not save you anything if you just go Rome-Venice-Rome, but if you include some daytrips, it likely will. A car isn't necessary for this trip, and for the Venice leg, it would of course be nonsensical to have one.

Sorry for not being clear.

I can't answer your questions about a rail pass. But if you end up not buying one, and you want to stop places for lunch on your way to Venice, which is what I was suggesting, you will need to buy a ticket to your first stop, and then a separate ticket from there to Venice.

For example:

Day 6 -- you wake up in Rome and you know it's a nice day in Orvieto (you've looked at the internet the night before) so you pack up everything and go to the train station and buy a ticket for Orvieto. You go there and see the town and have lunch, then you go to the train station and buy a ticket for Venice and arrive there before dinner.

or

Day 6 -- you wake up in Rome and you know it is raining or snowing in Orvieto, so you pack up and head to the train station and buy a ticket for Bologna. It may be snowing in Bologna, but you don't care, because the city has miles of porticoes, it's flat and has wonderful food and things to see indoors. Once you are through with Bologna, you buy a ticket for Venice.

I don't know what happens if you have a rail pass or if it is worth it.

To take a Day trip to Pompeii from Rome, you need to know it will be a nice day in Pompeii AND get up very early in the morning. You can either take a tour with a tour company for the day, or you can do it on your own, buying train tickets to Pompeii. But you want to get there early in the morning, because the days are short in December and Pompeii is very big. You might want to check out the times that the archeology museum is open in Naples and try to see it the same day, on your way back, because many important artifacts from Pompeii are in the museum for safekeeping.

If you look on the BBC website, they offer free Italian lessons, via e-mail.

Hey tarun, I will also be going on my honeymoon during the same time. May be we can coordinate and exchange notes for our trip.
This is what i'm thinking http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-december.cfm

The blog I mentioned in this post has moved and is now here http://lakecomotraveltips.wordpress....november-stay/

I know the weather isn't the same but don't feel you can't enjoy Europe in winter. We have been to Paris the past 2 years, in late November and over Christmas and enjoyed our time. One huge plus....few to no crowds at the big sites!

Several regular posters also have posted great reports about their winter vacations in Rome, so you will still be able to enjoy. Take boots that are warm and water proof, if possible. Travel umbrellas and hats, gloves and scarves are musts. I love the air activated hand and foot warmers you can get in the outdoor/camping sections of sporting good stores. They can really help when you are outdoors in cold weather. Plus the cold weather will give you a great excuse to drink lots of the wonderful hot chocolate.

Do resist the temptation to try to squeeze too much in. You will be tired, frustrated and end up seeing less! It will turn your trip into a chore...relax and soak it all in.

This is a 2 year old thread.