Time to start planning for next year's vacation. This time it looks like I'll be going with DD, her boyfriend, and perhaps my DS. We'll probably have three weeks.

I asked DD where she'd like to go and she mentioned Rome and Cinque Terre. While both of these places sound great to me (I haven't been to either), she doesn't get out of school until May 22 and I'm concerned that they'll be hot and crowded at that time of year. On the other hand, it's equally hot where I live, although I've gotten used to air conditioning.

I did read one trip report and the poster had a great time in Rome in June but others have said that it's too hot. I'd appreciate more input from Fodorites on the pros and cons of traveling to Italy in June.

I've been to Venice and Cinque Terre in June and neither was too hot but they're by the water which helps with coolness. Rome will be hot.

June shouldn;t be unbearable in June - or fully packed yet - just be sure you get hotels with reliable AC (many do NOT have it).

That said we do Italy in May and head further north in June - Switzerland or further.

I have been to Italy in various months of the year and June is not that bad! It's hot don't get me wrong, but I agree that you would be better off to get a place with A/C. I wouldn't worry, it's actually a good time to come to Italy. Where are you thinking about going exactly? If it's in one of the places I have been, I could perhaps give you some tips.

Hi Shanti,
June in Italy is quite wonderful no wonder is still highest season, it's not too hot (depending from which side of italy you go) but certainly crowdy. Rome can be quite hot or simply warm, it really changes from year to year but in my own opinion end of May - beginning of June and september until early october are the best periods to visit the ethernal town.

Hi Shanti,

Start in Rome end of May / early June then head to CT.

By late June the hot humid days may be in Rome. Book hotel with AC, not that they will let you use it.

We were in Rome during May/June this year and each day the hotel insisted AC worked. After I argued like an Italian on day 2, the AC did then work... not before.

Nice video of the top terre of the Cinque Terre - Monterosso - here:

http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=376

More CT coming this week. We stayed in Levanto this June and loved it. If its good enough for the Agnelli clan, it is good enough for us! Great boat trip up and down the coast etc etc. No worries ehre about heat in June - it was gorgeous. We also took day trips from Levanto to northern Tuscany, like Pietrasanta:


http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=373

Sounds like a great trip. Enjoy!

Thanks for all the input. We'll plan on leaving as soon as they're done with finals, about May 23 or 24, and go straight to Rome and then travel north. And I'll look for an apartment with air conditioning.

Watching the videos makes me wish I could leave today!

Shanti,

Unless you're from the Yukon/Alaska, barring anything unforeseen weather-wise, you're there at the best time. Expect it to be about 20C/70F on the average day.

We did Paris(7)-Venice(3)-Florence(8)-Rome(3)-Amsterdam(3) and could have blown-off Venice to add more time to Florence had Mrs. K been to the Continent before. In any case, keep up the research and questions and hope you have a wonderful time

Hi Knickerbocker,

I had been thinking about visiting Florence again but was concerned, not so much about the weather, but about crowds. Would it not be too bad in early June?

We didn't find it to be particularly so. To be sure, some things were more popular than others. However, for the reliably popular ones like the Uffizi for instance, we'd made reservations for around opening time and because that day happened to be rainy, quite a few people who'd been considering doing other things had migrated there. However, in general, we found things quite open and the pleasantness of the weather and company made what lines we ran into more than bearable.

Regarding what adrienne said about Rome being hot, we were there about mid-June and comparatively, it was getting on the warm side (23-23C/75-ishF)[especially in retrospect when we stepped off the flight in Amsterdam]. Of course, hot/cold is a relative term.

I'd second what nytraveler said about working your way north in that timeframe which should give you the best of all worlds.

End of May/early June is a very good time to visit Italy including Rome.

Do not count on finding an apartment with a/c and I do not think it will be really necessary. A good location will be more important than a/c.

Shanti, we rented an apartment in Rome from ItalyPerfect last year. I highly recommend them! Some of the units do have a/c.

http://italyperfect.com/Rome/Rome.html

I did our booking through venere.com. Depending how you allocate your time and how you like to vacation, you may find an apartment in any given city as a better value for your buck. We did apartments in Venice and Florence and we'd certainly go back to the ones we rented.

This year in Liguria and a good chunk of Italy it rained almost continuously from the first week in May until the third week of June.

Abnormal, to be sure, but I just saw on another thread people cautioning against the Amalfi in November, where last year people were dining outdoors on the coast (and in Liguria) until the first of December (and the year before).

So it's just really impossible to predict. If you are headed for a destination that is almost totally dependent on nice weather to enjoy it, I suggest having a back up plan that allows you to cancel reservations and rebook elsewhere.


If you are sensitive to heat, booking a place with AC is always a good idea. There times in May in June all over Italy where temps shoot up and stay up.