Fall in Italy

Experiencing fall in Italy should be on any traveler's bucket list. Each of the regions on the Italian peninsula offers unique activities, food and wines to indulge in. With dipping temperatures and more accessible open spaces, visitors get a more personal tour of all the top places in Italy during the fall.

Why should I visit Italy in the fall?

Italy is a joy to visit all year-round. In the fall, however, the country has a special appeal thanks to fewer crowds, cheaper airfares and more affordable accommodation. Food menus change drastically, giving visitors a chance to taste rare, once in a season meals prepared especially for the fall. Freshly pressed olives and porcini mushrooms are in abundance, and there are truffles to pick, too.

The best things to do in Italy in the fall

From music festivals to foraging for delicious truffles, the fall provides a fantastic opportunity to experience Italy at its best. Here are the top fall activities. 

See historic boat races

Venice's Regata Storica is held on the first Sunday in September and involves boat races and extravagant water pageants. In this ancient festival, participants normally dress in traditional costumes and row 16th-century-style vessels along the canals. This is a wonderful way to take part in a parade of unforgettable color.

Enjoy the Venice International Film Festival

Organized on Lido Island in early September, this festival has been in existence since 1895. Visitors can get a front-row view of the new trends taking shape in the arts, while enjoying all fall has to offer here.

Take part in the Feast of San Gennaro

Napoli's most important religious festival, the Feast of San Gennaro, takes place on September 19th each year. Thousands of revelers fill the piazza fronting the cathedral where relics of the saint are kept, before parading through the principal streets honking and singing tunes.

Go hunting for truffles

Fall is the truffle season in most parts of central and northern Italy. Piedmont and Tuscany are especially good regions to find white truffles, and there are truffle fairs all over the regions, where visitors can enjoy a taste of these delicacies in local cuisine and buy some to take home a taste of Italy.

Enjoy music in Milan and Torino

A festival with more than 2,000 musicians from over 30 countries, Festival MITO SettembreMusica is held in Milan and Torino every fall. Visitors get a chance to enjoy jazz, classical, experimental, and even folk music. There are hundreds of options to choose from across the 95 venues this festival takes place in.

What's the weather like in Italy in the fall?

September temperatures are quite warm in central and northern Italy, but October through to November tends to be a little wet. Rains are heavier in mountainous regions, meaning visitors should always go out with a coat and an umbrella. In the Alpine regions, snow comes very early, causing a sudden dip in temperature as early as October. There are clear skies in most places, while night temperatures start to fall rapidly as November approaches. In the south, fall is drier and warmer. As always, it is best to wear layered clothing in the north and adopt shorts in the south.