What´s the best way to avoid the crowds in August?
 

Hi folks!

Heard that one should avoid visiting Italy in august due to the heat and crowds. Unfortunately, that was the only time I could go. My question is: in the circumstances, what´s the best way to avoid the crowds? I know it´s almost like mission impossible but would it help to start walking around very early in the day? And would it be safe?

Thank you so much.

Of course there will be fewer people out at the crack of dawn anywhere, anytime. Most everything will be closed, too, so I'm not sure what the point is. At any rate, in any southern European country if you're visiting in summer and want to make the most of your time, you'd best be up and out early, because you're going to be forced into a siesta of anywhere from 2 to 4 hours in the afternoon when you can't get much of anything accomplished anyway, so you need to learn to divide your day up accordingly.

Safe? Unless you act foolishly, of course it's safe.

If you want to avoid crowds in Italy in August, head to inland areas. A large percentage of people will be on the beaches that time of year. Go up into the Dolomites or deep into Umbria, or any number of places where vacationers are less likely to congregate in large numbers.

Avoid the coast or the lakes. I like the Dolomites idea.

There will still be a lot of people at all inland tourist sites, and most of the visitors are from abroad. Italians do their sightseeing in the cooler weather. Thing to do is to start early (not at the crack of dawn) but before tour buses arrive, which is usually after 10 am. Churches often open early around 7 or 8 am, so you will have the place often to yourself by starting early. Try to get the bulk of sightseeing done in the morning before the long siesta begins around 12.30 to 1 pm and lasts till 4 pm or later. Major basilicas in Rome, for example, stay open throughout the day as does the Forum (if you can stand the heat) and many large museums. Make lunch your main meal of the day, and return to your hotel for a snooze before hitting the streets again later.

An article from an Australian newspaper regarding crowds in tourist destinations:

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/trav...617-1g6ow.html

Thank you all very much for the tips!