apell

Is an air conditioned apt recommeded during July? and /or is there an area of Tuscany that gets a better breeze at night where air is not necessay. I've noticed very few apts have air.
thanks ann

WallyKringen

If you are used to a/c you'll probably miss it if it's not there. Traditional houses, built from stone etc., don't get as hot inside, and in family homes people know which doors and windows to leave open to create the cooling cross-breezes - it's a well-rehearsed choreography throughout the day as the sun moves overhead.

But in a building that has been altered to make for small hotel or guest rooms, this all breaks down and you may not like the warm and stuffy air that results from having maybe just one window open if outside noise allows.

So it really comes down to your ability to adapt and find your own comfort level. Some can, some can't - choose accordingly. The trouble is - if it's a window a/c unit, the noise may bother you more than the heat would. So you need to find one of the rare buildings where a/c is central and integrated.

WK

nytraveler

Yes- you need AC in the summer n Tuscany (unless you live in Houston WITHOUT AC) but you are unlikely to find it.

One reason I would never do Tuscany in the middle of the summer. If you have any aversion to heat (24 hours a day remember) really search for a place with AC - or reschdule your trip.

Grinisa

Our family rented a villa, actually half a villa, near Volterra last July. No AC. Unfortunately, any breeze that showed up at night came from the east/southeast. The bedrooms had north and west facing windows. It was pretty miserable the first couple of nights, especially since the people in the other half of the villa stayed up to the wee hours drinking and talking below our windows. Ceiling fans would have helped but they were non existent. I would strongly recommend AC for any accomodations in Tuscany during the summer.

ira

Hi a,

Will your vacation be ruined if your bedroom doesn't cool down to 72 F until about 02:00?

alex2

My answer is: it depends.
You need air conditioning in the car. Sure.
If you stay in a hotel in a city (i.e. Florence) you absolutely need air conditioning.
But, if you stay in an old house located in a high area (like the Chianti or near Pienza-Montepulciano) air conditioning is not a "must". In these areas the "day" is very hot but the night is a little more "fresh". I stayed in Radda and Pienza during one of the most hot summers in Europe (2003) and we could sleep very well without AC. Anyway, swimming pool is recommended.