Here’s why travel planners suggest avoiding Italy until after September 10

If you dream of the cobbled streets of Italy, hills draped in vineyards or piazzas in Sun, consider waiting for mid-September to move. Although summer can get the spotlight (and the most sun), the beginning of fall is when Italy really shines – offering thinner crowds, a softer time and a more authentic rhythm of daily life, especially in the north and in the most popular destinations in the country.

Italy in September

In mid-September, the tidal wave of tourists who floods Italy in July and August began to reflect. Families come home as school resumes and many European travelers envelop their holidays. Until then, a large part of Italy is one of the worst places to visit in Europe.

This change is particularly visible in hot spots like Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast, where shoulder visits and restaurant reservations of several weeks become more manageable. Walking in the uffizi or slamming a gondola selfie suddenly feels less as a competition sport and more as a quiet indulgence.

Best time in Italy in September

Even better, time is starting to soften in September. The north of Italy, which can feel stifling and humid in summer of peak, is plotting in soft and comfortable days and refreshing and crunchy evenings. Cities like Milan and Bologna become more accessible on foot, and the Dolomites exchange high season hikers for the tranquility of golden colors – adapt to picturesque records, peaceful trails and wine harvest festivals.

Things to do in Italy in September

Food lovers, take note: September marks the start of the harvest season. The ruined markets with fresh figs, pig fungi and early grapes. Vineyards through the Piedmont, Tuscany, and buzz with activity, and many open their doors for visits, tastings and even gear celebrations. This is the perfect time to sip Barolo under pergolas or linger on a long lunch of truffle pasta on a vineyard terrace.

What part of Italy to visit in September

Trains are less congested, shop hotels become more accessible and residents – having resisted tourist crushing – tend to be more relaxed and welcoming throughout Italy in September. With fewer groups of tours obstructing alleys and better availability in restaurants and museums, your route gains flexibility and serendipity.

That said, the main tourist hotspots like Rome, Florence, Bologna and Milan remain crowded. As such, you may want to consider less exploded areas. The heat can always be quite intense in September in certain parts of Italy, and you can avoid it by sticking to more northern areas and a higher elevation, such as dolomites. Alta Badia is an excellent option because it is less congested than in summer, but you avoid running in a dolomite snow dumping ground, which can occur in October.

Alta Badia, Dolomites in September

Visiting Alta Badia in September has the impression of tripping in a secret season – a season when dramatic dolomites project long golden shadows, the trails fall perfectly silent and the harvest passes through alpine villages. Nestled in southern Tyrol, this Ladin’s corner of northern Italy is a paradise and a hiker’s culinary jewel, and September reveals it to its most enchanting.

Summer crowds ended spectacularly after the middle of the month, which facilitates it from emblematic routes such as Puez-Odle or Via Alpina without jockey for space. The weather remains comfortably clear and clear, with a bright blue sky and menecal forests that are just starting to sparkle with autumn gold.

September also marks the start of the famous gastronomic festivals and the food search for the region. You can one day savor Michelin -starred mountain restaurants in the Michelin and feast on rustic polenta and chanterelle mushrooms the next day. Many mountain huts (Rifugi) remain open throughout the month, offering comfortable stops with generous dishes and superb panoramas.

Whether you are online in the mountains and silent valleys, you sipped the local lagrein in a sunny piazza, or that you draw the history of the Second World War along the picturesque Rigelines, Alta Badia in September invites a slower and richer adventure – an atmosphere of alpine beauty, culinary depth and breathtaking solitude.

But, if you really can’t help yourself and feel that you should go to the Dolomites in August, plan to join a group trekking trip instead of having to bother you to find accommodation and last minute visits to join.

Why not visit Italy before September 10

In short, September gives you all the beauty of Italy, less professional exhaustion. Come for art, food, landscapes – but stay so that space breathes. But there is a big difference between the beginning of September and the mid-September. For what? The answer comes from an Italian friend who runs an operating company throughout Italy.

I contacted him where to go to Italy in early September. I thought that, like the Americans, most Italians would have returned to work and to school so that the country is less crowded in August. Here is his answer.

“The crowd will be like hell throughout Italy until children go back to school on September 8 or 10.” He couldn’t be clearer.

Ciao!