What is the best time of year to visit Chianti?
| Title: | What is the best time of year to visit Chianti? | |||||||
| Category: | Expectations & Planning for our Chianti Vacations | |||||||
| Author: | Sophie Townsey | Updated: | Jan 30, 2019 | Views: | 5,195 | |||
| Tags: | best time of the year in tuscany best time to visit chianti spring in tuscany spring in chianti autumn in chianti best time to visit italy | |||||||
Every time of year is amazing in its own way.
Spring
Late April through June is beautiful. You may get a little rain here and there, mixed with bright sun. The days are generally pleasant, but not hot. The evenings have a slight chill. Everything is green, and poppies are everywhere. Towns hold flower festivals as people shed the layers of clothing they were shouldering all winter. There is a calm and fresh beauty as Italy wakes up from winter.
Summer
The beauty of summer should never be ignored. For one thing, if you want to be Under the Tuscan Sun, this is the time! Sunny days, every day. Evenings are beautiful, allowing us to dine under the stars. It is sunflower season in July, and there are summer festivals all over in Central Italy. On just about any given night, there will be fireworks somewhere and music is in the air all over.
Summer Heat
People often avoid for fear of the heat. Rome and Florence can be very hot and crowded, but one of the nice things about Radda is that it is a summer mountain getaway for Italians. For centuries, the noble families from Florence and Siena have come here in the summer months to escape the heat of the city.
Italy in August
Others show concern that Italy closes in August. This used to be the case, but not anymore. August is a traditional month for Italians to vacation, but you won't notice it.
Also, consider that the summer reputation included the fact that it was not an air-conditioned country. This also has changed in the last decade or so. Air conditioning has become very standardized in Italy. All of the accommodations, vehicles, stores, etc. will have A/C nowadays.
Autumn
September and October will bring cooler weather and a little rain here and there mixed with sunny days, much like Spring. Best of all, it is harvest season! Grapes, Chestnuts, etc. Truffle hunting is at its peak. Wine is being made as the grapes are crushed in late September or Early October. November is Olive Harvest season, and there is nothing quite like it. We pick the olives and head to the mill to make the "Olio Nuovo" (New Oil)
Winter
Yes, it will be cold, and you will most likely see rain. Temps will drop down to around freezing in January, but there is a magic to all of this. Afternoons of Gelato give way to Italian sipping chocolate.. YUM!
As we get into December, Christmas season is wonderful. It is not commercialized like back home. It is pure. Towns all over do elaborate living manger performances that will blow your mind, and there is nothing quite like Christmas shopping in Rome and Florence! January brings us the Befana day on the 6th (Bigger than Santa Clause in Italy), followed by St. Antonio, where towns light gigantic bonfires to warm up in the piazzas. February and Mach bring Carnival (Mardis Gras) festivals, and Valentine's Day (St. Valentine lived 20 minutes from us).