A/C needed in San Gimignano in the summer?
 

I notice that most of the popular San Gim hotels don't have A/C. Is it unnecessary, even in the summer, or will we be miserable at one of these hotels? We were planning to make reservations at La Cisterna overlooking the countryside.

I have not been to Tuscany in the summer. However, we were there in March and April.

In April, the weather was delightful but the sun was strong. Since we love fresh air in our room, we opened the window for a breeze one night, only to find out that there were no screens on the windows. And, yes, we did have a few bugs join us for the night.

So, if you decide on a hotel without air, find out if they have fans and if bugs and mosquitoes are an issue with you, find out if they have screens on the windows.

Depends on your tolerance for heat-the evenings and nights are cool enough for sleeping (and our hotel did have screens)and being in the Tuscan hill country means its a lot less stuffy than Florence. But it is hot, if you want to nap in the afternoon, as most sensible natives do!

I spent all of July in Montepulciano in 1999. Temperature-wise, air conditioning would have been nice, but it was not required. It definitely would have kept the mosquitoes (zanzare) at bay though.

Assuming that the summer isn't extraordinarily hot like 2002 was, A/C isn't mandatory but if it's possible to have it, get it. If you go a city, however, search for the A/C!

I typically travel to Italy in June and July. Normally a/c is not needed in most places, San Gim is one. Humidity generally isn't too high and if you aren't in the direct sun, have a good breeze its quite pleasant, evenings cool.

I was in Italy in late June/early July of 2003 during that unusual heatwave and it was terrible, no a/c and couldn't sleep until 3am when things cooled off enough and slept till 9 or 10 when things started to heat back up again.

Only good thing that came out of it was when I returned home to east coast US I had no jet lag! Going to bed at 9 and waking up at 4 or 5, my normal routine for work, was no problem!

So unless its unusually hot you shouldn't have any problems with no a/c...however I have noticed more mosquito problems throughout Tuscany and Umbria in recent years than in the past, is it just me?

Happy travels all.

I disagree with the Traveler 863. It is HOT in Tuscany in the Summer, humid too.
Do you use A/C in your home in the summer? If you do you'll need it there also. If you don't..........

Lewis,
I've been to that area of Italy many many times primarily in the month of June, sometimes into early July at the latest. I've never needed a/c until summer of 2003! It is not as humid as the DC area in summer, perhaps its all what you are used to....and yes here we need it, there you really don't unless you're really into unnecessary pampering.

Don't know about San Gim--can't find weather history on it. But Florence gets very hot in July. It is subject to inversions--holding the heat and humidity in day and night. 100+ F. days are not unusual. 90s typical, and humid.

It could be that San Gim is not subject to the same conditions. Just depends on its microclimate.

We were there in the summer of 2003 also, it would've been unbearable without A/C.

I don't think it was unnecessary pampering, it was being comfortable enough to sleep at night and sightsee during the day. It all depends on what Carol_A needs.

Summer of 2003 was about a once in 50 year occurence. To seek out a place with a/c on those chances is crazy. However, in summer 2003 I would have been glad to have had it, no doubt! It added to the adventure I guess you could say. A city like Florence does generally need a/c for obvious reasons. San Gim not necessarily, though I guess it depends on what you find pleasant and what gets uncomfortable! That is all subjective. Again I usually go in June, I go again this June and going to San Gim, a Fattoria outside town without a/c.....I will report back upon my return!

Traveler863, just how hot was it in the summer of 2003? ((a))

I remember in June 2002 it was very hot and wished we had A/C. ((b))

Budman, some areas where we were temps reached 100+

It depends on your tolerance for heat. I won;t stay anyplace escept Scandinavia without AC in the summer - but then I can't sleep at all if its warm.

If you keep your own house cold in the summer you will probably want it. If you're one of those people who uses your own AC as little as possible you'll probably be OK without.

Nytraveler,
You are absolutely right. But wow you have a pretty low tolerance for heat :) You wouldn't stay in the Alps without a/c? Even Spain was fine without a/c in the summer, hit 90s during the day quite often but such low humidity, very pleasant in the shade but in direct sun was like having your head cooked however in evenings it cooled off quite a bit and very comfortable sleeping. For me, its not so much the heat its the humidity...that is what I just can't take, the ick and stick. Again I'm in the DC area and humidity is terrible, a/c running just about all summer....though when I can open the windows when a cold front rolls through I do so, much prefer open windows to closed up a/c running. So thats my comfort level.

Actually we did have some a/c for part of the summer 2003 trip when we stayed in a hotel south of Naples....but this was also the summer the major cities were having the rolling blackouts due to the extremely high demand for electricity. The hotel shut off the a/c at around 2am to 8 or 9....which was terrible, the room would get stuffy, you'd wake up and not be able to get back to sleep. I think after summer 2003 many places installed a/c and you will find more places with it now.

Again, happy travels and be comfortable and do what works for you is great advice.

Anyone who thinks keeping cool in the Summer is "pampering" probably thinks you can go without heat in the Winter in Alaska, too.

ONE mosquito in a room is enough to ruin anyone's sleep..but I suppose screens ane even having a bed to sleep on would be considered unnecessary pampering by some.

I know this may be high maintenance - but I really cannot sleep if the temp is over 70 - and fans do no good at all - just blowing around the hot air.

So I must have AC - and yes - I do keep our apartment cold enough to hang meat - and we do pay for it - in the summer our electricity bill is $250+ per month. But being able to sleep is worth it.

We stayed in San Gimignano last August. Town was brutually hot during the day, but cooled off considerably by the late evening. Unfortunately, our room had no screens on the windows, so we spent a few sleepless nights there swatting at mosquitoes!

Our hotel did have air conditioning, but it was turned off every night after 11 PM. The front desk said this was due to a town ordinance meant to conserve energy in the summer, and that all the hotels had to abide by it. Just thought you'd like to know about this before booking! At any rate, I'd definitely plan on bringing plenty of bug spray!

Thanks! I'd hate to book a hotel for the air conditioning and find it turned off. I'll ask about the screens. It wasn't La Cisterna, was it?

CarolA,

No, it wasn't Cisterna. We stayed at Relais Santa Chiara, just outside the walls. I would recommend it except for a major reservation snafu. When we arrived, our reservations for two rooms at least on the same floor ( travelling with our kids) had been changed, even though we'd made them a year ahead!

My wife and I stayed at La Cisterna in June. As others have said it gets hot during the day. We were able to get a room with a/c, although the hotel called it a jr suite, but the 1980's vintage a/c kept the room cool enough to get a good night sleep.