When to go, month by month

Cold in the north, mild in Sicily. Cheap, empty museums, short days. Epiphany on the 6th is a national holiday.

Venice Carnival packs the lagoon for two weeks — book trains and beds months ahead or stay away.

Shoulder season proper. Tuscany greens up, prices stay low, occasional rain.

Easter is chaotic on the rails. Liberation Day on the 25th makes a long weekend that fills every train.

Warm, long days, gardens at their peak, and the crowds have not fully arrived. Book high-speed reservations early.

Verona's opera season opens. Republic Day on the 2nd is a national holiday with heavy travel.

35°C in Rome and Florence. Trains are air-conditioned; the queues outside are not.

Ferragosto on the 15th empties the cities and fills the coast. Many restaurants close for two weeks.

The other best month. Warm sea, harvest food, fewer families once schools return.

Truffles in Piedmont, wine everywhere, comfortable walking weather and low fares.

Rain in the north, Venice acqua alta season. Cheapest passes and empty galleries.

Christmas markets in the Alto Adige; the 8th and the week after the 23rd are the busiest travel days of the year.