Afraid of Tuscan Mosquitoes
 

Have you ever been bitten at any time of the year in these higher elevations:
Cortona, Montepulciano, Castellina in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Pienza?

We are planning a trip to mostly S Tuscany at the end of Sept but will change to Oct if necessary to avoid mosquitoes.

I am now rethinking the first night at a villa hotel outside of Florence without a/c or screens. Florence el=50m. According to tripadvisor hotel reports, they are sometimes biting in Florence into Nov!

Any comments appreciated. Mosquitoes love me!

Never had a problem with mosquitoes in Tuscany at any time of year......but watch out for the snakes!

I have never had any problem with mosquitos in my trips to Tuscany.This doesn't mnean that they aren't there. You can buy Autan ,a good repellent, in Italy to be safe.

Mosquitoes in Tuscany ? sounds strange...they like more humid climates..like the one here where I live in summer LOL.

Are you allergic? If not, even if there are some around, I wouldn't worry too much. Just get yourself a good repellant, and use it!

Hi Calville,

I can understand your anxiety, as I am very allergic to the little devils. My last visit to Tuscany was in Sept and I didn't have any problems. Believe me, if there had been just one mosquito within a 100 mi., it would have found me! (did you know that they can smell you that far away?!)

Now, the Amalif Coast was another story! Everyone I saw had huge red welts on their legs, including me.

The buzz on the street is that a squeeter was sighted in Tuscany a few years back - they are now protected as an Endangered Species!

You may be thinking of Venice area where there could be a problem.

Dayle- within 15 mins I can have 10 bites and my husband not a one.
I'm surprised about the Amalfi coast though- hadn't heard about that.
There are numerous comments about mosquitoes throughout tripadvisor reports on Tuscany (and a few on fodors).
St Cirq- are the snakes venomous? I think I'm more scared of mosquitoes.
One of my worst travel experiences was a night in Oaxaca, Mexico- no screens, no a/c, no fans, we felt like we would suffocate without the windows open, millions of mosquitoes and the repellant didn't seem to contain any DEET.

Hi, calville:

I really don't think you need to be worried about snakes...that was a reference to a recent thread by a woman who was terrified about encountering snakes at her rented Italian villa..

Did not mean to alarm you :)

We stayed in Radda a few years ago. I don't remember mosquitoes being a huge problem, and I am typically very appealing mosquito bait!

Don't laugh, but I've found that if I put a lot of Noxema on and rub it in pretty well, it seems to keep the mosquitoes off me. I have no idea why that works, but it does!

Mosquitoes, snakes, how about scorpions? Trying to get the little buggers out of the shower (and sink hole - brushing teeth was a challenge) of our cottage in Cortona is not an experience I care to repeat. Of course not enough of a fright to keep us out of Italy.

Job816-I got used to lots of scorpions while living in Costa Rica but was fortunate to never get stung.
Were there really mosquitoes in Cortona? Now you've got me alarmed!
What month were you there?
Is the Fodorite who lives in Pienza reading this? How's the mosquito situation there?

Hi C,

Mosquitoes love me too.

Bring a good repellent and a bottle of Caladryl Clear from home.

I have found that the Caladryl prevents itching and keeps the bite from swelling.

((I))

Some years ago my spouse and I spent four days in Radda and escaped without a mosquito bite. (No actual sightings either.)

We then proceeded to the Ligurian coast, precisely Tellaro. where we were attacked by mosquitoes the size of Mothra.

I am a Mosquito magnet as well. I learned. Big, burly, flannel-shirted hunters before dawn breakfasting at a diner (Practice Husband liked to begin journeys early). They were rubbing all exposed parts with Skin So Soft by Avon. They swore by it before they went a-huntin

Ugh, Skin so Soft - can't stand the smell myself!

Hi, calville-

we had a stay in Amdsterdam completely ruined by mossies in our room - and that was in April!

so i would suggest taking repellent with you anyway - we always do now, whereever we're going, and we've not had any trouble since.

regards, ann

We were in Tuscany in Sept/Oct in 2005 and I don't remember seeing a mosquito. We weren't running through the grapes though!

Snakes in Tuscany??!!! Yikes, I HATE snakes... really hate them. Am I likely to run into them?

Hello St Cirq ... we met years ago in a little cafe in Normandy. It was too late to buy a phone card and you gave us one of yours! I also used your directions to Mont St Michele that you posted on this board. Just goes to show, you never know where you will see another Fodorite!

Thanks everyone for your entertaining replies. I can understand air conditioning not being the norm in Europe but think the lack of window screens in mosquito prone areas to be totally bizarre!

I'm a slave to tripadvisor and read hotel reviews obsessively while trying to decide where to stay. I just came across a review for a B and B in Castellina in Chianti, someone reported being cooked by the heat in June and then eaten alive at night!
I hope they have died off by Sept. in S Tuscany.
Our experience last summer in Switzerland taught me that air conditioning in Europe is meaningless- may or may not work.