Italy Countryside
 

Hi, I visited Val d'Orcia in October 2013. The landscape at that time had already turned brown although I could still see some patches of green. I plan to visit the area again in winter (end January/early February). I know the best scenery has to be found some time in April / May. But, how is the landscape like in end January/early February? Apart from Va d'Orcia, I also plan to explore other regions such as Molise, Le Marche, Abruzzo, etc. How is the farming/cultivation landscape like in those regions in winter? Are they all hibernating at all at that time? Thanks.

Yes, in midwinter almost all the vegetation (except conifers ) are hibernating. If you want a pretty outdoors experience consider from early April on.

In jan/Feb I would do only cities - esp given the short days and early dark.

We spent NYE week there last year - you can see our pics here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7639164500734/

I imagine it would look similar later in Jan...

Hi nytraveler, thanks for the reply. I'm not into outdoor activities but into landscape photography. Winter can be a good time to capture wintry ambience of a countryside and this is the main reason I'm considering going there in winter.

Thanks for sharing your photos, jamikins. They look lovely and now I know how does the winter landscape look like in Val d'Orcia.

Happy to help - we had a great time and found the landscape very beautiful.

Happy planing!

We absolutely love love love Le Marche and have been 5 weeks in the last 2 years.

Pics here https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7634528008046/

Watch the weather there in winter though, they had tonnes of snow a couple years ago in Feb!

Wow, your photos of Le Marche came timely as I was trying to search it over flickr. Thanks again.

You are most welcome!

jamikins,

Your pictures made my mouth water! Now I'll definitely be heading to Le Marche on my next visit. You have an excellent eye for composition - your pictures are wonderful.

I see you are the pug girl. Do you have pugs? I have a black one named Yoda! He makes me laugh every day.

Thanks so much Dayle! I hope you love Le Marche!!!

Yes I have two fawn pugs, our boy Hamilton and our girl Charlie! Aren't they the best dogs ever!?

They really are. Yoda is very elderly now and I don't know how much longer he will be with me, but we've had many great years and quite a few travels together! We are totally attached.

Ours are 12 and 10 and getting very old...but kind are going to live forever ;)

There is so much rain in late autumn and early winter in much of Italy, including southern Tuscany, that the green appears in mid-winter and late winter (meaning January and February). You might of course see white snow.

Nytraveler has never been to that part of Tuscany in winter, so she doesn't know a thing about it!

Here is a report/quote from the NYTimes (not "nytraveler) about visiting the val d'Orcia in winter:

"The temperature had dropped to 40 degrees and the color palette had shifted to the shockingly bright green that appears in these hills only in the winter and early spring."

There are more quotes in the article about how the landscape there in winter is colorful and lush:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/tr...anted=all&_r=0

I live in Le Marche. It definitely isn't totally brown in the winter, and in February there are already many signs of spring. The almond trees bloom even in January sometimes. The fields that have been planted in winter wheat are already a bright emerald green by December, and remain green until May or June, when they begin to turn golden. There will also be plowed fields, which will be planted later in the year, so the green will alternate with brown. If you're in sight of the mountains, which means almost anywhere in Le Marche, the peaks will normally be capped with snow.

Here is a photo I took once in January or February:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3...o/IMG_0935.JPG

(The date shown under details is the date I scanned the photo, which was originally on film.)

There is a possibility of snow in February, but the big snowfall of a few years ago (with snow up to our windowsills!) was a once-in-a-generation event. Many years there is no snow at all where we live, in the foothills. Other years, we have snow, but it's gone by noon. I've only once or twice seen a snowfall here that lasted all day. Of course, the possibility of snow varies by altitude. In the mountains, there is snow much more often, or even all winter on the higher peaks.

Bvlenci - gorgeous photo!

Thanks, that's the view from my terrace! It's not as good as it should be, as it was scanned.

Oh my what a beautiful view! We are new converts to Le Marche, having had a few days there in the 2nd week in October near Montegiorgio. I can't wait to go back, so beautiful, delicious food, lovely places to go walking, nice people, no hordes of other tourists...aahhhh. (not to mention all the wonderful factory stores to visit)

Wow I am so jealous of your view!!

Ok nothing to see here people (let's keep it as our little secret!)

I hope that photo once and for all silences the constant falsehoods on Fodor's about Italy in winter from a handful of people who repeatedly jump into these threads -- for reasons I cannot fathom -- to discourage people from taking the trip to Italy they would enjoy.

These people will not take responsibility for the fact that new people here obviously expect experienced people to answer their questions -- not people who have no experience to offer.

Anyone who has been to the Italian countryside after the rainy season has seen how green it is. If you live in New York, Italy doesn't look like New York in winter.