Italy in late March?
 

My husband and I thought we had a BA companion ticket that expires next September, but double checking today, we realize it expires April 6, 2015! Yikes! The only flight we could find to beat the deadline was leaving March 16th from Dallas to Rome and returning April 2nd.

I have only been to Italy once and it was in July and pretty hot! Checking the weather for Rome, it looks like it averages around 60-65F during the day & around 50F at night. For those of you who have been there that time of year, what was your experience?

My husband has not been to Florence, so how would that time of year work? Any other suggestions? I assume the coasts will be cold, right?

Thanks for any help. We have 24 hours to think about it and make any changes.

We've spent about 12 days on two separate trips in late March/early April in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany within the last 10 years - and it was stunning. We did a 2 night trip to Florence on one of these trips, and it was magic without the hoards of tourists.

Here is something I posted after the latest trip (last year).

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...y-171368-2.cfm

Stu Dudley

Those temps are averages and it may be warmer or cooler. Can be quite cold at night.

Also do realize that in the off season you need to check carefully on opening hours of the places you most want to see. In off season some places are open only from 9 am to 2 in the afternoon - and many places are not open extended evening hours.

I think the weather would be fine - but it's a lot warmer than NYC - probably cooler than Texas.

Florence should be fine, as will Rome - just don't head for the coasts or the lakes.

Thanks Stu and nytraveler. You have both eased my mind. I like the idea of Florence without the hoards of tourist.

nyt, thanks for the info about the early closings. I'll plan carefully.

PS
During our trip last year, we dined outside for lunch several times. On our first trip, we got a little snow one day at higher elevations.

Stu Dudley

I would not hesitate---just be sure to take some rain gear.

I live in Italy, and I don't know about the early closing thing. What kinds of places close early in the off season? Shops are certainly open all day, and I can't think of a single city museum that closes early in the "off" season. Maybe some rural tourists sites, especially if they're privately owned.

Count with tons of tourists from Northern Europe in the Easter Week (March 29th until April 6th), especially at Florence and Rome, less in the countryside.
March 16th - 28th will be low season.

Yes, to what bob said.
No, to what nyt said about "early closings." You could run into some of that in a tourist-driven area like the Amalfi Coast, but I highly doubt it in some place like Rome or Florence.

topeater,

My first trip to Italy was mid-March for skiing in the Dolomites. After the first week, we did a whirlwind (first timers) tour to Venice, Florence, the Amalfi Coast and Rome.

Regardless of the short time, we loved it and we were there the week before Easter. Florence was very crowded, Rome busy but didn't feel crowded, Venice nearly empty and very atmospheric with a little fog.

Weather was cool but nice. We wore winter coats in Venice, but no hats or gloves (although we had all the winter clothing we needed from the ski trip). Florence was warmer and Rome was sunny and balmy. Just wore a nice wool blazer in Rome.

Amalfi Coast had heavy thunderstorms 2 nights out of 3, but nice days. I wouldn't try to visit the Amalfi Coast during off-season. Only during shoulder season - May, late Sept, early Oct.

Definitely book those tickets!
Buon viaggio!

if you fancy Florence, you could simply divide your time between there and Rome, though with 2 weeks at your disposal, you could easily fit in a third base in Tuscany somewhere like the Val D'Orcia as Stu suggests.

it is possible to go directly from Florence to Naples on the train and if the weather were good, Sorrento would make a lovely place to stay for a few days with lots of potential trips; we were there for a week last February and had mostly excellent weather. however if you decide that you don't want to be stuck somewhere like that [or indeed the Val D'Orcia] in potentially bad weather, you could compromise and stay in Siena, which would give you the possibility of easy day trips, and indoor sight-seeing options.

Thanks for all the information and reassurances about March. As the plan is shaping up, we are thinking 4-5 days in Rome, 4 days in Florence and then 4 days in the countryside. That way, we can avoid the holiday crowds in Florence and Rome, although we will have to spend the night in Rome before leaving as our plane leaves around 11am. Usually, I would leave from a different city, but in order to use this ticket, we had to fly back out of Rome and spend the night in London.

Hi topeater,

a way to avoid that rogue last night in Rome is to put all your stay in Rome at the end of the trip. Assuming that your flight arrives in Rome in the morning, I suggest getting the train into Rome from the airport, [when it would be too early to check in anyway] and then immediately catching the train to Florence. That will get you there in nice time to check into your hotel, and you can spend your first possibly jetlagged day in travel.

After that, pick up your car and drive south as you will, then return the car to Orvieto [make sure that you see the Cathedral at least, though there is plenty there for a day at least or even an overnight] then get the train to Rome and finish your trip there.

Hi topeater! I'm leaving on the 16th as well, leaving on March 16th doing 4 days in Rome, 5 days in Florence (with a few day trips), and 4 days in Venice. Hope your trip is wonderful!!!

Hey, yours too! We'll be in Florence 5 days, Tuscany 6 days (TBD) and Rome 5 days. Wanted to also go to Venice, but just not enough time this trip. Let me know how it goes.

Unless you are really, really into art museums and want to spend a lot of time there - 5 days in Florence is a lot of days in Florence (unless one of those 5 days is completely eaten-up by travel). I would add 1-2 days to Tuscany - it is beautiful in the Val d'Orcia with all the winter wheat looking like green velvet thrown over the rolling hills, with a few cypress trees "dancing" on a ridge, and a medieval perched village here & there.

Here is what Tuscany looks like that time of year - If you didn't see it on the link I posted above.

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/re...=1EYt2Llw1ZMgm

Stu Dudley.

I would much prefer to have the added time in Florence and enjoy it at leisure rather than add to the Tuscan countryside. I would not find 5 days in Florence a lot of days and there is a great deal to do in Florence that does not involve being inside a museum -- although its museums are among the most glorious in all of Europe. (By the way, Florence is the capital of Tuscany, so when you are in Florence, you are in Tuscany.)

Whatever pictures Stu Dudley took at the time of year he visited are not necessarily the pictures you will get traveling in the same time period, as I am sure you already know. I wouldn't hesitate to plan a trip to any part of Tuscany in late March. However, you can continuous days of nonstop rain, overcast, chill, in some years. (In 2013, Tuscany recorded more rainfall in the month of March than in any 50 years previous, with triple the amount of "normal" rainfall. Hope you get sunny skies and, even in the rain, Tuscany's variety of art cities offer plenty to enjoy if you have even a minimal interest in history and art.

Equally truthful pictures of what you could see in Tuscany in late March:

http://www.firenzepost.it/2014/03/22...ggia-e-freddo/

Zeppole - give it a break!!!

We've stayed in the Val d'Orcia for a total of 28 days in late March/early April over 2 trips. Sure - there are rainy days. There are rainy/overcast days anytime of year. The most rain we've experiences there was in early October in '99. Would you advise not going in October? The PRETTIEST time of year we've ever been there, was in late March/early April. Fewer tourists, blankets of green with wild tulips in the fields, and dancing cypresses.

We didn't have a digital camera when we were there for 2 weeks in '04 - or I would post pretty much post the same pictures.

Stu Dudley

Thanks for the perspectives. I'm posting our itinerary on a separate thread along with some practical questions. I hope you will respond there.

Loved the pics.