My wife and I are planning a last-minute trip to Italy this August (I know its late and not the best time of year, but we're expecting our first child in the fall and this is the only time we can go). It is our first time in Italy and unfortunately, we'll only have about 6-7 days. Given how little time we have, we'd rather concentrate in 1-2 areas than spread ourselves too thin. We can fly round trip NYC-Milan or Rome or into one city and out of the other.

Before I dive into the research, I was hoping to get some advice on where we should try to spend our time. The only part of the country we're not interested in on this trip is the Amalfi Coast, but otherwise we're open to all suggestions. Thanks so much in advance.

-aari

First, consider that it will be beastly hot in Italy. It will also be sinking under the weight of tourists, because half of Europe will be on vacation. They will flock to the beaches, so you are right about Amalfi. And in Florence, which will be like an oven, the Ponte Vecchio will be so crowded with tourists you won't be able to cross. Probably the same at the Rialto Bridge in Venice. The Po valley, from Milan east to Venice, is another sauna. If you are expecting a baby in the fall, consider how the heat will affect you.

I would go to someplace up in the mountains, where it is cooler and hopefully not as crowded. Look in the area to the north of Venice, or the lakes.

Accommodations will be hard to find this late in the game, too.

Sorry to be so negative, but do consider these facts before you decide to go. Perhaps you should go next spring, when your baby is an infant.

Charnees, no need to apologize. I appreciate the advice and we may indeed decide to go elsewhere, if it simply doesn't make sense. But the wife has her heart set on Italy, so I will do my best to see if we can make it work, even if it is not ideal What if we spent 4-5 days in Rome and the surrounding area and then 2 days in a more country-like area, like Tuscany?

The lakes will be infested with tourists too. Go to the Dolomites or hide yourself in some hidden spa town deep in Umbria. Otherwise, it will be hell on earth for your pregnant wife.

This was not a good plan, by the way. I was twice pregnant and traveled in Europe both times on several occasions, and was supremely healthy, but probably would not have had an ounce of fun being that pregnant in Italy in August.

Setting prenancy, humidity and crowds aside; a good 7 day itinerary would be 4 days in Rome, then train to Siena for 2 nights, return to Rome for last night before flying home. Rome beats Milan, IMO.

I say, if she has her heart set on Italy and you're willing then go for it.

As far as I know August is low season in ROme. So you can get good deals there providing you can bear the heat.This of course should be doable.
I would stick to basics .

Hi aar,

Since you want to go to Italy during the height of the tourist season, when the weather is at its hottest, with a wife in the last trimester of her pregnancy, I suggest a week in Venice.

Early in the morning, before the crowds, and after about 4:00 PM, when the crowds leave, it is a charming and beautiful city.

Breezes from the lagoon help keep the place comfortable.

I applaud you...There is nothing better than taking a vacation BEFORE you have a baby. Go for it. You will not regret it. Nothing is more stressful (including crowds, heat, fat pregnant ankles) than the sad little newborn cry of your first born! Live it up and take it easy (find somewhere that you can do a lot of relaxing, eating and watching the world go by).

Before each kid we took a vacation and didn't regret one second. Who cares if its hot, at least you don't have baby poop under your fingernails! Who cares if its crowded, at least you're not carrying a whining baby around for the 23rd hour that day. Who cares if you're pregnant -- you can SLEEP IN!!!

Kids are great, awesome and fantastic.... but they suck your life out sometimes. Take this time to enjoy your freedom and enjoy each other BEFORE you become "Mom and Dad".

I'm not a fan of high heat and humidity, and I certainly want to be as far away from umbrella tour groups as I possibly can, no matter what time of year. Then I discovered August on Lake Como, and I've been celebrating my birthday there ever since. This August will be my 7th year.

My take on crowds may be skewed because Union Square in NYC is a 24/7 zoo. Yes, August is a vacation month in Europe, too, and Lake Como is a popular destination but I simply don't find it "infested." I have never had a problem getting a restaurant reservation with only one day's notice, and all my favorite restaurants are open. I've never had a problem getting an outdoor seat on a ferry. I don't even find Bellagio to be insane, as so many people insist it is. If you want peace and quiet in Bellagio, take a simple stroll over to Villa Melzi and catch the beautiful breezes off the lake under a shady tree. You'll probably be alone.

I would never want to do any of Italy's larger cities in August. The heat and terrain is too tiring, the car fumes give me a migraine, and the air conditioning is really bad. Being pregnant is extremely unpredictable. Why test your wife's stamina on a first-time visit?

The quality of tourists suffers, too, because August is the cheapest time to go (for good reason). And a lot of shops and businesses close to take their own holiday.

However, on Lake Como, the weather in August is divine due to its unique micro climate, and there isn't enough famous art to attract umbrella tour groups. One hour north of Milan and you and your wife can be in Italian paradise. Lake Como allows you to tour villas and gardens casually and rest as you go. If you need a swim, hotels with pools are available.

You won't see David, take your photo with a Colosseum gladiator, or share a gondola down a smelly canal but a week's vacation on Lake Como will provide a very special Italian experience, a safer one, too, and you can come back to visit Venice, Florence, and Rome when your wife isn't pregnant.

I'd suggest 3 days in Rome; hit some of the highlights & then off to maybe the lakes area....fly into Rome; out of Milan....we stayed in Stressa which has incredibly easy access to Milan airport. We only had one night there but wish we had more time to enjoy the lakes region. It was early August for us & we found it pleasant....views of the snowy Swiss alps across Lake Maggiore was beautifully cooling!

I'd suggest 3 days in Rome; hit some of the highlights & then off to maybe the lakes area....fly into Rome; out of Milan....we stayed in Stressa which has incredibly easy access to Milan airport. We only had one night there but wish we had more time to enjoy the lakes region. It was early August for us & we found it pleasant....views of the snowy Swiss alps across Lake Maggiore was beautifully cooling!

I'd suggest 3 days in Rome; hit some of the highlights & then off to maybe the lakes area....fly into Rome; out of Milan....we stayed in Stressa which has incredibly easy access to Milan airport. We only had one night there but wish we had more time to enjoy the lakes region. It was early August for us & we found it pleasant....views of the snowy Swiss alps across Lake Maggiore was beautifully cooling!

I'd suggest 3 days in Rome; hit some of the highlights & then off to maybe the lakes area....fly into Rome; out of Milan....we stayed in Stressa which has incredibly easy access to Milan airport. We only had one night there but wish we had more time to enjoy the lakes region. It was early August for us & we found it pleasant....views of the snowy Swiss alps across Lake Maggiore was beautifully cooling!

aari5,
I second ira... we were in Venice late July, early August and although crowded I didn't mind and loved every minute! After Venice we took the train to Rome and although visually stimulating was so hot/humid that after the second day and all the walking I thought I had a heat stroke and I was 25, from AZ, and not pregnant! I love that you're going to take your wife somewhere before the baby! Be patient and just enjoy this stage..cause it ALL changes real soon...

I'll 3rd ira. Or suggest the lakes region.
With 6-7 days, you won't want to spend a lot of time traveling from point A to point B, and dealing with the heat, too. So I would greatly limit the itinerary. If, as one poster suggested, you're going to "hide" in a spa town, why bother going to Italy?

A peaceful, romantic (and less hectic) week in Venice or the lakes is your best bet, IMHO.

Hello. I'm giving you my experience of Italy in august... since I am from Padua (near Venice): avoid cities. Stay away. They're not very crowded (in facts, they're mostly empty), but humidity reaches unbearable levels. August is better than July anyway, and in the last years there have been frequent rainfalls and moderate temperatures. But if you really want to enjoy a vacation here, you have two options:

- go for the Dolomites. Their beauty is stunning, no need to say it, but one thing not everyone knows is that it's a lovely and friendly place where you will feel welcome, you'll feel like you've always lived there. The average quality of hotels is matched nowhere in the world (and I've travelled a lot) , even the smallest 2 star family-run hotel will be a jewel, with not a single dusted spot, with very few exceptions (check tripadvisor and you won't go wrong). There you can see very interesting towns and castles, go hiking (there are very easy and short walks, so no problem for a pregnant woman) and have great healty food. It's a popular location among tourists, but you won't notice it. The best places to see (in my opinion -which may be very different from others, every valley has its share of diehard fans) is Val di Fassa, Val Gardena and Val Rendena. Also, the Asiago plateau (or "Plateau of the seven commons") is sort of little Switzerland, with a long and fascinating history, and is among the best places in Italy for food. You won't see famous monuments and such, but you'll return home with your batteries recharged. Anyway, you can book now and many places in the northeastern Alps still have plenty of room vacant.

- Look for an "agriturismo". Agriturismo is a farmhouse, often with the comfort of a 4* hotel and a very low price, where you'll find the real Italy: you'll have a close contact with people, often eat the best food one can possibly imagine, and stay in peaceful and calm places. The hills of central Italy, from Tuscany to Molise, are full of such places. You can stay in the Chianti hills and eventually plan a daily visit to Florence or Siena, for example. In my opinion, the Agriturismi are the best way to experience Italy in the most autenthic way, you won't find fake touristic experiences (as they're usually made for italians and not for foreigners)

One more thing: if you really want to stay in a city, and choose Venice... don't! Venice in summer is like a turkish hammam, all the northern Italy plains are the worst place to be in summer.

Most old-timers on this board knows that Venice is my second home. I adore the place. In the month of August, if you can't afford the Cipriani hotel or the San Clemente Palace, with their private boats to Piazza San Marco and their fabulous pools, then I would be careful about making this my first-time-to-Italy choice. July and August are the only two months I will not visit Venice.

Venice is ridiculously expensive these days. Maybe the most expensive city in Italy. Finding good food (that is not fake and/or a rip-off) requires committed effort. Many of the better restaurants close in August. If fishy seafood served with head and bones is not your thing, dining in Venice can be problematic. No matter what anyone on travel boards tell you, pasta is not a Venetian specialty and very few (quality) restaurants specialize in meat dishes.

The AC in most boutique hotels is a joke. Cheaper rooms tend to be ridiculously tiny. And on very humid days, the air can be so thick, you can cut it with a knife. Been there, done that. Still, I think the place is beautiful and growing more sadly beautiful with each passing day.

Venice is a fabulous experience, IMO, but if you must visit there in August, I'd splurge and make the visit as luxurious as possible.

Even though I celebrate my birthday at the fabulous Villa d"Este, you do not need to splurge to fully enjoy Lake Como. There are many charming mid-price options, even with a pool. IMO, Bellagio is not the best place to stay, although I understand why so many people love it there.

Thank you all for your help. Based on the suggestions, I think we are going to try to spend about 7-8 days in the Lake Como region mixing exploring and relaxing. We will always have another chance to see Rome-Florence-Venice.

-aari

Surprising to me, there is still availability of apartments at Residence La Limonera in Bellagio in August. Unless you are looking specifically for a hotel, you might want to consider:

http://www.residencelalimonera.com/

aari - I have been pregnant in August in Italy and I would second, third and fourth the suggestion to stick to a lake/mountain region. also a place with a pool/lake swimming.

you can have a good time, but definitely stay out of the cities.