5 Great Reasons to Celebrate Spring in Italy!

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Jun 08, 2016

1. Spring weather is simply beautiful!

Spring is a wonderful time to be in Italy, especially April, May and early to mid June. It is warm enough for dresses and sandals and cool enough for sightseeing all day. It is also perfect weather for enjoying hearty meals and a glass or two of vino rosso or bianco! Most parts of Italy get less rainfall in spring than in the autumn and you can expect average maximum temperatures between 20-25°C.

(Springtime panorama of the Ligurian Sea from our Seaside to Hilltops Tour accommodation which sits high above the town of Sestri Levante.)

2. Springtime is “shoulder” season which means more reasonable airfares and hotel prices!

With fewer people around, you can find hotel and accommodation bargains before the high season starts in the summer months. Of course, be prepared to pay more during Easter, as many people travel to Italy to experience the religious festivals. You can also save on airfares by keeping a close eye out for the September early bird specials which include spring departures.

3. Beat the Crowds and mix with the locals!

(Mark (Far left), a guest on May's Seaside To Hilltops Cinque Terre Tuscany Tour , mixes with the locals in the charming seaside town of Camogli on the Italian Riviera)

Spring is a fantastic time to visit Italy's amazing cities and charming medieval villages. During our tours guests are often amazed at the lack of crowds when they casually explore popular locations such as Siena, Perugia, Gubbio and Pienza (all featured on our Treasures of Tuscany, Umbria and Lombardy Tour ) Milan, Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and the Italian and Swiss Alps (featured on our Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tour the carrugi (narrow alleyways) of Genoa,and the stunning San Gimignano (both featured on our Seaside to Hilltops Cinque Terre/Tuscany Tour ). During Spring / early Summer visitors to Italy also avoid those lengthy queues that can sometimes extend for blocks, and mix it with the local Italians, which is made all the more enjoyable because the hoards of tourists that arrive in the height of summer simply aren't there!

4. Blossoms, blooms, wildflowers and more shades of green than you could possibly think exist!

(Tuscan farmhouse just outside of Pienza in the Val D'Orcia ( Treasures of Tuscany and Seaside to Hilltops Tours)

In Italy the greyer months of Winter and very early Spring are characterised by ploughed , bare fields and dormant trees. However, this picture soon makes way in late April to an amazing array of colours and vibrant and lush green regrowth. The countryside, towns and cities are equally as colourful, with tree lined streets in full blossom and parks, gardens and planters full of blooming flowers. There are many spectacular gardens that are worth seeing in Spring also. Isola Bella's garden on Lake Maggiore is in full bloom and Bellagio's Villa Melzi is also stunning at this time of year. Villa Melzi is featured on our Classic Hidden Delights Tour and they are both featured on our Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tour. Some gardens are only open in spring, such as Florence’s Iris Garden (open from April 25-May 20).

5. Spring produce - Deliziosa!

Remember oh so long ago when fruit had flavour? Well in Italy during spring there are stalls selling fresh seasonal produce that will take you back to those wonderful days. Our favourites for this season are strawberries which is a specialty of the area around Varzi, which is featured on our Treasures, Classic and Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tours. Cherries, peaches and nectarines can also be bought by the box load during spring in some parts of Italy for next to nothing. Eating seasonally and locally is very important to Italians and in early spring it is also the time to enjoy artichokes prepared in many different ways in restaurants all over Italy.

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