May or September?
 

Hi ;) I had a plan to travel next year to Italy for 2 weeks (Rome, Florence & Venice)... I had thought of going in the month of May... However someone that I know told me that the best time to go to Europe including Italy is September because everyone goes back to school and work, so there are less crowds and tourists... The weather apparently is also very good.

My question is, how do both May and September compare in your opinion? Which month usually has best weather? And which month has fewer crowds? I'm very flexible with my vacation time, I can go any month. Which one would you recommend personally, any preference? And is there an even better month in terms of weather/crowds combo?

Thanks.

I have been both times with the most recent being May-July. That said, I was there last August-October, too.

I liked May better. The weather was not as hot and humid as it was last September. May, even in Rome, was temperate. When I returned to Rome and Florence two weeks later (in June), they were both miserably hot, humid, and crowded.

That said, realize that Rome, Florence, and Venice are going to be crowded. I found that there were fewer tourists in May than September because school was still in session. In addition, a lot of people think that they should go in September, so you get a big influx of people without kids.

Either can be good -- May before the summer holiday, September ( or at least late Sept.) after it.

I think -- and could easily be wrong -- that days are a bit longer in many places in May than in Sept. But check http://www.timeanddate.com
for info about sunrise / sunset times, some basic climate info, etc.

If it makes no difference in any other way, I like going in May: Many people in the travel business are fresh and ready for their next crop of tourists then. By Sept., they can be a bit weary of us.... Just a thought!

And I like seeing wildflowers, often more evident in May -- but of course, that depends on where you go. :-)

Enjoy!

May for me

Hi

I started a tour in Rome in mid May and finished back in Rome early June. I noticed the weather had gotten warmer and crowds had grown. I've also been in the second half of September. "Six of one and half a dozen of the other". I have heard that by September the tourism industry had gotten sick of tourists! So if that's the case go in the second half of May. Definitely avoid July and August.

Unfortunately, the idea that September is best because schools have restarted means that one of the largest tourist demographics for Italy -- retirees -- now come in droves in September. Also, you can check schedules, but I think not as many cruise ships dock in Venice in May as they do in September. Not sure if that is correct, but if it is, the cruise ships make Venice quite crowded during the day.

It is also true that in many super-popular tourist destinations in Italy that "tourist fatigue" sets in among people in the tourist service industry. Generally they are saints, but you would be surprised at what they have to endure from some tourists.

Other considerations are that usually it is a bit cooler in May, whereas summer continues on in Italy under September 21, so it can be quite warm stomping around ruins. You can also get a heatwave in May -- but it is not normal. However, if your dream of Italy is to be dining al fresco, and you really hate it when it rains on your vacation, then September is drier and warmer.

Lastly, if you travel for food, I think September gives you more options, but there are nice spring dishes in Italy everywhere you have mentioned.

We prefer May since:

It is early in the season so few kids/families are around
Weather is pleasant but usually still not too hot
Days are longer giving more time for sightseeing and enjoying cafe sitting
It's early in the season so locals are not yet exhausted serving tourists

Sept can still be very hot and locals can be exhausted by serving hoards of tourists for 3 months straight

Another factor in favor of May, especially if you're going to rural areas, is that the countryside is prettier in May. After the wheat harvest, usually in June, fields contain stubble, or are plowed already by September. Sunflowers are either stubble or ugly sticks standing in the fields. In May, these fields will be green. In many areas, you'll see fields of red poppies, and in hilly areas, maybe wild broom already.

We took our first trip to Italy in early May. We hit a hot spell in Rome, but overall the weather was nice - warm and not too humid.

Lee Ann

Love May with the Spring flowers. We just traveled in Italy this past May and lots of school trips with kids everywhere.

September '13 was viciously hot in the Veneto, if that makes any difference.

I like late April, early May a lot.

Thanks guys, I'll stick with May :)

(I also accidently bumped another thread that was in my search history lol)