Best time to visit

rvenhaus

New member
My wife and I are planning a trip to Italy in the fall of 2015. Would the end of August or early September be better. We have been told the many businesses are closed in August as it is local custom to vacation in August. Proposed itinerary is 3-4 days in Rome, 7 days in Tuscany, 2-3 days in Venice and maybe a couple days in Croatia. We will pick up a rental car when we leave Rome and drop it off in Venice. Are seriously considering Agritourismo Moltalbino for our base while in Tuscany.
 
Time to visit Tuscany

You have created a wonderful itin and looks like you are allotting just the perfect amount for each area.

Many things are closed in August but I would access this is more a hassle for the locals than the visiting guest - since most things you will be interested in are (almost) always open!

As per the time frame - August has its pluses, longer daylight hours for example...but personally the early fall in Tuscany is amazing. Between the colors, the harvest and the nice mild temps I would definitely lean towards mid to late September for your visit.

Montespetroli is a goregous area and very central for city visits to Pisa, Lucca and Florence as well as discovering the awesome countryside surrounding it.

Buon Viaggio.
 
Would agree with Donna that many of the places that close in August are more of a hassle for residents as these are the shops in the outskirts away from the center - most in the center always remain open or alternate, closing for a week or two and then reopening.

August is still peak season month, particularly for Tuscany - so rates will be higher for lodging and airfare (as are temps, usually). So overall, I generally recommend September as a better month to visit ;-).
 
How many days will you have Jia? There are many things to see, but you can start your planning by looking at some of the suggested itineraries on here that cover the top attractions in Tuscany, particularly the 7 day itinerary:
http://www.discovertuscany.com/itineraries-in-tuscany/
 
September is the best time to visit Tuscany

I know this question was asked back in 2014, but I hope my answer will be relevant to current readers: comparing August and September, I would definately pick September is the time to visit Tuscany. The prices start going down, weather cools down a bit too, and it's time of the grape harvest in the region :). August might be too hot and crowded, plus lots of places close down (weather and price-based tips). As a traveler I love to meet locals, and the life is much more typical in autumn months when kids are back to school and families are not on vacations anymore.
Spring is also a good time to visit the region when flowers are blooming and nature is lush and green.
 
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