debbspero

After months of careful planning, luck would have it that next week will be the first bad weather week of the season in the Dolomites. the forecast is for rain/snow for the entire duration of our trip. we were planning 4.5 days in the Dolomites and 3.5 days in Venice. It seems as if all of Italy is scheduled for rain next week! we are flying in and out of Milan. should we stick with our original itinerary, or should we aim for someplace warmer, such as the Lake region or Tuscany? will Venice still be enjoyable in the rain? we would appreciate all suggestions!

hazel1

Hey, weather happens, despite all the "careful planning" you put into it. And going into the mountainous regions in mid to late October will always carry a risk of inclement weather - it snowed 2" in the Sierras last week. Yes, Venice is still enjoyable in the rain. If you can't stand the thought of poor weather in the Dolomites, then by all means head further south - Tuscany is quite lovely in the fall, although, again, it could rain.

LoveItaly

Hello, deb, personally I would not want to be in the Dolomites with rain/snow. I have several friends that have second homes in the Dolomites. They do not go there past late September but wait until the snow is such they can ski and snowboard. So having said that if it was my trip I would make other arrangements. Venice in the rain, I have been there several times when it rained and always had a good time but it didn't rain days on end. I can't imagine the Lake Region being enjoyable if there is rain in northern Italy. I would be inclined to head down south. Do you know what the weather forcast is for the countryside of Tuscany? It sounds like you are not interested in big cities. Personally, again I have not checked out the weather reports as I am not going to be in Italy, but I would be inclined to go to Rome. Best wishes for a good trip and decent weather whatever your decision is and hopefully your it will be a good decision.

nytraveler

Rain in Europe in October is the norm -you really can't expect a trip of anylegth without it. And I wouldn;t head into mountains in Oct with rain and snow anticipated(what would you do). (Have been to varous parts of europe in the fall-Oct/Nov at least a dozen times and it has always rained part of the time - and on a couple trips most days were grey/drizzly at least.)

I would head for a city -where rain doesn;t matter so much - and you can both indoor and outdoor things.

sarge56

debbspero,

I cannot make any suggestions on the Dolomites.

But I have been to Venice twice, and both times we had some drizzle for a couple days. It was still perfectly lovely! I don't remember the rain so much... just Venice and how beautiful and peaceful it was.

I agree that in October, you are bound to have some rain. But keep in mind that weather forecasters in Europe are no better at accurate forecasts than their American counterparts.

We read that it was going to be cool and rainy when we were due to be in Florence. It was sunny and very hot (80's) for April. As a matter of fact, we ended up buying my DD some shorts and t-shirts in Florence because she just couldn't go a second day in long pants. And that is all we'd brought, based on the weather forecast.

Just remember that you are in Italy!!! Nothing could be so wrong with that!

Buon viaggio!

StCirq

Agree with nytraveler - head for a city. The Dolomites are a pain in the snow and rain.

But don't let it spoil your trip - it's Italy, you'll have a ball!

alihutch

Just because it's forecast at the moment, doesn't mean it won't change....

JulieVikmanis

LoveItaly, you mention that your friends don't go to their places in the Dolomites until they can ski and snowboard. When is that time usually? We keep talking of a trip there for our son to ski at Christmas. Can we be assured of snow and skiing then?

LoveItaly

Hello Julie, around Christmas time is when various friends usually go to their homes in the Dolomites to ski and/or snowboard. Can you be assured? Well I don't think with all the unusual weather changes around the world (including where I live) nothing can be assured but I would think that Christmas time would be a safe time to book you trip. It is sure more of a worry when one has to fly to Italy versus driving some hours to get there but if I were you I would plan a trip during the month of December. I don't know if the Italian Alps have never had sufficient snow during December but if so I have never heard of that so your trip and plans should be just fine. Best wishes for a wonderful trip in such a beautiful area!

JulieVikmanis

Thanks LoveItaly. I think I'll start planning for next year now. I know when I toyed with the idea of doing it this year I got a bit overwhelmed, so I'm going to give myself plenty of planning time, this time--for next year.

hausfrau

I am sure you are disappointed, but let me say from experience...you really don't want to visit the Dolomites in bad weather. We had some clouds and rain during our visit there (in August!) and although it didn't ruin our trip, it was a bit of a downer. Luckily for us the weather cleared enough to take a tram ride and go for a scenic drive, but if you have a whole week of rain predicted...I agree with the others...look at the forecast for points further south, or go to Rome (have you been?). I am not a big city person, but Rome is my favorite big city in Europe. You can spend all your time in the historic center and walk to your heart's content without having to take any kind of motorized transport. Cities are naturally easier when you have to deal with rain because you can always go inside a museum or church to escape a downpour, and the cultural sites are just as fascinating in the rain.

mr_go

Deb, I had a post almost exactly like yours last year before our Dolomites trip. The weather forecast was sounding grim for most of the time we were there.

Here's the thread: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...my-fingers.cfm

Then a miracle happened. We had excellent weather for the rest of the week! So chin up, it can still happen.

Here's our trip report, w/ pix.

http://www.onelittleworld.com/dolomites_1.html

Hope your weather is better than expected, and hope you have a blast!

zeppole

debbspero,

I really sympathize. I just completed a visit to the Dolomiti -- but I had to stand on my head to do it and turn my whole trip around in order to catch the good weather. The time I planned to be there -- the second half of my trip -- had a forecast of rain. So I flipped the trip and zoomed to the Dolomiti first.

I'm VERY glad I did it, because it began to cloud over as we were finishing up, and it the upper half of all the fabulous rock formations simply disappeared. It would be like going to NYC and seeing half the Empire State building. Impressive (and the Dolomiti are way more impressive than the Empire State building) but frustrating.

I think Venice will be still be quite enjoyable in the rain, but then I would plan on a trip that goes to the beautiful porticoed towns of Ferrara, Bologna, zip over to Ravenna for the glorious mosaics. Try Parma for all its glorious food and eye-popping art, and the sweet smell of its violets. Modena is in-between Bologna and Parma.

Mantova can be a very atmospheric place in the rain yet it also has no end of indoor treasures, and legendary, unique food.

If you are looking for beautiful scenery in the rain, sometimes Lago di Como retains its charms.

But personally, I wouldn't go to Tuscany in the rain. Not when there are so many lovely places closer to Milan and Venice, including Verona.

If you stay more towards the north with a car, you can bomb up to the Dolomiti if the weather turns sunny and dry.

Hang around Verona, Treviso, Asolo (beloved by the Brownings) and Bassano del Grappa for the first part of your trip, so you can dash up to the Dolomiti if the weather turns out to be dry. Italian weather forecasts are often more pessimistic than what proves to be the case.

But I would not keep reservations in the Dolomiti in mid-October. I would only go up if an overnight or morning weather forecast said sunny skies.

Good luck!

yestravel

We were int he Dolomites in late April last year and the weather really made the difference. When it was clear and sunny, the views were spectacular and great time for outdoor activities. Then the clouds and rain and snow in the higher elevations moved in. Not so much fun -- no views and the snow made it difficult to drive around. So I say, skip the Dolomites if there is bad weather forecast. I would think that in October having bad weather could be very different than a summer trip.
I would head go to Venice and then head to Tuscany or go to Bologna and enjoy the beautiful city and fabulous food. Lots to visit from there all by train -- Ravenna, Ferrara, Modena, Parma. Visiting cities is much nicer if the weather is bad.
Have a great trip!

Steve_James

Hi Julie - Snow is a bit hit-and-miss in the Dolomites in December from my experience.

The ski season officially opens the first weekend of December (- Sat 4th) - so main lifts are open from that date.

They have a 'snow guarantee' (- i.e. they use snow guns if necessary) - on the main runs.

Hope this helps ...

Steve