We've been many times to Europe....but never in the dead of summer. We'll be in Rome and the Amalfi Coast the last week of July. What to pack/wear? What to expect with regard to temps?
Many thanks!

It will be darn hot. High 80's Farenheit mid day? Rome will be, in my opinion, more uncomfortable than the AC. Cities with their exhaust and concrete are wretched in the summer. Light comfortable clothes are in order.

According to BBC weather, the average high for Rome in July is 30 C, which is 86 F.

86F may not sound too hot (and 94-95F is just as possible) - but you have to factor in really old bldgs w/ little or no air conditioning (and what a/c there is isn't powerful forced air like you may be used to)

Hello gogo, let me put it this way. My son-in-law who was born, raised and lived in younger adult life in Rome never complains when here in the Sacramento Valley of CA gets up to 105 degrees. The reason is that as he always puts it "when it is hot in Rome you can cut the air with your hand" Humid and bad air plus the heat plus what Cimbrone and janisj posted.

As far as clothes personally I never understand wearing shorts. Anytime yu sit down the seat of the chair can be hot. I would pack for very hot and humid weather. I find dresses or skirts cooler in horrible hot weather then pants. I am assuming you are a female. My husband always wore lightweight long pants with a cool short sleeve colored shirt.

Agree that the issue is not one of heat - Rome will be something like DC in the summer, the AC a little cooler due to sea breezes - but the widespread lack of AC.

Most people in the US in warmer areas use AC constatly 6 months per year or more - consider hotels, restaurants, buses, taxis etc - all with no AC - or minimal europen style AC (sort of a fan blowing air over some ice cubes - not literally, but in effect).

So - you can become very enervated, can do less per day, need to stay out of the sun and drink lots of water etc. Don;t count on being able to do as many things - esp strenuous things - as you would at home.

Gulp.....this is sounding even worse than I thought! I'm from the Southeast...hopefully I have built in "heat immunity". Still...there's no turning back. I'm assuming major attractions, i.e. Vatican, Pantheon, etc. won't have much in the way of air movement? Anybody have an encouraging word for July?

The flip side to the summer heat is the ability to travel with way less stuff, and I love that. I was in Rome and also the coast in the middle of August last summer. I don't think it was any hotter than any big city in North America in the middle of summer and certainly less humid than some. I almost entirely wore two skirts, both solid colors, made out of a floaty-ish gauze-y cotton purchased at the Gap that were just below knee length. The key was the floaty-ness, which was so much more comfortable than the capris I also brought- whether waiting in lines or going through train stations, they caught every little breeze. I wore them with an assortment of tank tops, of the 'whisper weight' material, easy to wash out in the hotel sink. One of those moisture wicking type t-shirts in a larger size makes a great sleep shirt. I carried a lightweight semi-sheer shawl in my day bag to use when going into cathedrals and for sitting at cafes. Summer in Rome was gorgeous! Have a wonderful trip!

Hi

You can check out weather stats on http://www.weatherbase.com My wife and I went to Rome in July 2005 and it was not unbearable hot. Here is my trip report with pictures and links: http://gardkarlsen.com/rome_italy.htm

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

I'm a person who absolutely wilts in hot weather but I was ok in Rome in August when it was 30c plus every day.

We just went out early, did our thing, then went back to the hotel for a rest and snooze for an hour or so at the hottest part of the day, then went out again. Our room had A/C, which helped a lot. If you can get yourself cooled down during the day it refreshes you enough to deal with the 2nd half!

We just tried to be sensible with what we did, when. Even though the older buildings/monuments/churches don't have AC of course, they normally have thick walls and can be lovely and cool inside, compared to the outside temps. I don't remember feeling uncomfortable indoors.

Rome can be brutal in late summer. I was there in late July and have never sweated so much in my life. It was like I had taken a shower.

I agree with loveitaly, I never wear shorts, i think cotton skirts and dresses are much more comfy, Italy gets pretty hot in July, Good Luck!

Welcome to hell!

Average C° will be over 35!
Actually, we're around 25 C°.....it's only april.....

Thanks to all for the reality check. We're actually looking forward to our Italian sauna. Maybe after all these gloom and doom replies, it won't be nearly as bad as we expected....at least we will be prepared!

You might try places like Shanghai to get things into perspective.

I'd take hot anyday over cooler temps. Leaving tomorrow for Buenos Aires and the forecast is for 60's and raining!!! And sure as you would know today is 81 and sunny there.

I think you'll love Rome anyway, go and enjoy!

I am generally not a skirt wearer, but I was a total convert to the cooling power of the skirt in Germany last summer during a heat wave. There were many women in skirts and they all looked so much cooler than I felt. So I bought a skirt and matching top and it was great.

I live in the Florida panhandle with some of the most humid summer weather in the US and I thought I'd die last July in Florence. My clothes were always wringing wet. I agree on the skirt issue. They were a lot more comfortable then anything else I took. I'm not sure, but there may be more places with AC in Rome than in Florence. We can say we're prepared for not having the air conditioning, but we aren't. We're far to used to/spoiled by it. Make sure you have really good AC at your hotel.

visited Rome in July several years ago; it was hot but not too humid. Stayed inside in the afternoon and survived.
If you have to go in the summer, July is probably better than Aiugust.
Summer dresses, skirts and very comfortable footwear would help.

Well, as snow flakes are falling here, hot and humid sounds great to me.

But to add an encouraging word -- the tips for floaty gauzy skirts and tops you can wash out in the sink are great. I much prefer packing for a summer trip. And think of those cute Italian sandals you can buy there.

Take a pack of those little face-blotter tissues and some wash-n-dri type towelettes.

(When I lived in super humid Asia, I used to carry a small thin washcloth, soaked in cold water and wrung out a bit, in a baggie in my purse/pack and use it to wipe off my grimy hands during the day. Refresh washcloth during the day if you are around cold water. Toss at the end of the trip.)

Take lots of breaks; drink lots of cool drinks (iced/cold coffee is sooo much better in Europe); enjoy guilt-free gelato as many times per day as needed.

Linger longer at cafes, checking out all those sexy Italians in their summer attire; sit on the edge of every fountain you pass by and cool off your hands.

Stay longer inside any cool place you find yourself -- museums, dept stores, dark churches; explore underground Rome, like San Clemente church or the catacombs.

Wander lit up Rome at night, especially quieter piazzas and around the Forum - magical.

Take advantage of the somewhat cooler evenings, sitting in a great outdoor cafe (maybe rooftop in Rome; seaside at the coast)and reminding yourself that it is Italian heat/humidty that you are literally soaking in!

Beats staying home!