Does Italy take August off?
Although August is the main Italian vacation month, it's also the month that holds one of the country's national holidays. Ferragosto, also known as Assumption Day, is on August 15th.
Low season or the off-peak season (unless, of course, you're in the mountains and near a winter sports resort) is roughly between mid-November to mid-March. The in-between parts of the year are the seasons we know as fall and spring: in other words, the shoulder seasons.
No other Italian holiday lasts as long as Ferragosto, which technically is celebrated on Aug. 15 but can last a week or two – or even the entire month of August – for some citizens.
Summer (June – August) is peak season in Italy. Peak season, particularly the months of July and August (and even extending into the first two weeks of September), is generally considered a very busy and expensive time to visit Italy's cities and major tourist areas like the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre.
You won't find tourist places shut (except maybe on their day of closing, often a Monday but you can check these out in advance). You may find some shops shut, even small supermarkets and bars, but it's not a desert, rest assured. The reason Italy 'shuts' in August is the torrid heat.
Many Romans are here too now. That said, many shops and restaurants, particularly the very traditional Roman ones, do shut down for some or all of August. However more and more shop owners are opting to stay open for some if not most of the month. The same is true for restaurants, even some really good ones.
Ferragosto is a public holiday celebrated on August 15th in all of Italy. It originates from Feriae Augusti, the festival of emperor Augustus, who made the 1st of August a day of rest after weeks of hard work on the agricultural sector.
The busiest time to visit Italy is during peak season during the summer months, between May and August, with July being extremely busy. Because this is the peak time, you'll likely pay significantly more for accommodation, especially along the coast.
High season is considered to be June and July. The cheapest month to fly to Italy is February.
The City becomes almost empty in August with most of the shops and restaurants are closed. Milan, usually described as Dante's inferno with suffocating humidity, may seem the last city in the world to be there.
Is Italy too hot in August?
Prepare for an oppressive heat when you visit Italy in August. This is the hottest month in the country and, if you do not plan properly, soaring temperatures might even ruin your itinerary. Temperatures vary throughout the country with averages of 18 to 30°C in the cooler north.
Florence in August
While there may be some closures, most museums and cultural sites are open.

Avoid visiting in August, when many locals take vacation and local businesses will be closed. Milan at Sunset. The best times to visit Milan are late spring and early fall. Best Time for Festivals and Events: Milan hosts many festivals and events, with some of the best taking place in the spring and fall months.
Italians pack up and go on holiday in July and August, sometimes for more than a month. In residential parts of Venice you'll see shuttered buildings, shops and restaurants.
Avoid visiting in August when the weather is stifling hot and many Romans leave for a month-long vacation. Winter brings cooler temperatures and rain, but snow is rare; this is the best time for avoiding crowds at the most popular sights. The best time to go to Rome is April, May, September, and October.
Closures Vatican Museums
The extraordinary closing days of the Vatican Museums are 1 January, 11 February, 19 March, 22 April, 1 May, 29 June, 14 and 15 August, 1 November, 25 and 26 December and every Sunday (except for the last of each month).
Ferragosto, nowadays, generally refers to both the public holiday and the longer two-week vacations most Italians takes either before or after the 15th. Many businesses close or have limited hours through the entire month of August as their staff take vacations.
Rome weather in August is perfect for sunbathing by the pool and with 13 hours of sunshine per day, you'll have plenty of time to work on your summer tan. The average temperature ranges from lows of 18°C and up to 30°C. The average sea temperature is 26°C, which is great for swimming or snorkelling near the coastline.
In the month of august, maximum temperature is 88°F and minimum temperature is 81°F (for an average temperature of 85°F).
If you can handle the heat, August is a great time to visit Italy. The beaches are alive with locals who are trying to beat the heat of the cities, making for less crowds. In fact, August is notorious for having less hustle and bustle and cheaper prices.
Is Italy quiet in August?
Even the smallest towns will be noticeably quieter than usual. This is because all sensible Italian residents have packed up and gone to the beach or the mountains for a month.
So where exactly do Italians go to spend their summer holidays in Italy? Sardinia, the Riviera Romagnola, Sicily, the Amalfi coast, Liguria, Tuscany and … Puglia! The following are the classical Italian summer holiday destinations: Sardinia, the Riviera Romagnola, Sicily, the Amalfi coast, Liguria and Tuscany.
For first time visitors, 2 weeks in Italy is the perfect amount of time to hit the country's most famous and classic spots, see which ones you love, and (if you're anything like us) fall head-over-heels in love with the country to the point that you'll leave planning your next trip back.
Are jeans appropriate to wear in Italy? While Europeans tend to dress up more than Americans, you still can wear jeans in Italy. However, avoid acid wash and extremely distressed denim and opt for medium-dark blues and blacks. Black skinny jeans always look chic in Europe!
3 weeks in Italy is perfect whether it's your first-time here or you're exploring less-known areas. The country has pretty okay public transportation, but the high-speed train really makes a difference. You can even rent a car and drive on your own, although it will take a little more time.
Lake Como weather in August
This time of year tends to be gloriously warm, with average temperature highs of 27°C and lows of 18°C.
July and August are by far the hottest (and driest) months of the year: the temperatures reach 30 degrees, so it's the best time to go to the beach or cruising the lake. Consider that in summertime the ferries work until late at night!
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Northeastern Italy.
Days | 8 |
---|---|
Place | Bolzano |
Inches | 3.4 |
Millimetres | 86 |
Because Rome is mercilessly hot and humid in August, and many Romans escape the city and head for the seaside. The only problem for those sticking around is that many restaurants also close during this period.
Naples Weather in August: Most Neapolitans take their annual break during August's scorching heat, a time when many of the city's restaurants and shops close for 2-4 weeks. That doesn't mean the streets will be deserted, however; in fact, you're likely to run into more tourists than locals.
Is Naples closed in August?
Many places close in August
The city is sizzling hot. Everyone is on holiday and many businesses and restaurants close. Mid-month pulls back the curtain on Italy's biggest holiday on the Feast of the Assumption.
Astronomically speaking, Italian summers start on June 21st and end on September 23rd. But, if we consider school summer holidays, the only period to go on vacation for most families, summer begins at the beginning of June and lasts till the first days of September (each school is different).
Don't discount July and August.
In much of Europe (especially Italy and France), cities are partially shut down in July and August, when local urbanites take their beach breaks. You'll hear that these are terrible times to travel, but it's really no big deal.
In Roman times, the celebrations included horse races. Even today, Siena's Palio dell'Assunta usually takes place on August 16th. The holiday now combines both its ancient Roman and Catholic roots with marking the semi-official peak of Italy's summer holiday season. Where's everybody gone?
In Italy, summer vacation for elementary, middle and high schools normally starts the second week of June and lasts until the second week of September included, for a total of about three months.
Avoid visiting in August when the weather is stifling hot and many Romans leave for a month-long vacation. Winter brings cooler temperatures and rain, but snow is rare; this is the best time for avoiding crowds at the most popular sights. The best time to go to Rome is April, May, September, and October.
But many Europeans leave work for the whole month of August to revel in the joys of summer.
Europe in July – August. July and August is an absolute peak time to travel in Europe. These are the warmest months and temperatures can soar into the 30s (90s °F) in many areas. If you want to visit beaches or go hiking in the mountains, this is the best time of the year to visit Europe.
Generally speaking, the high season for travel in Europe is from June until late August, with peak crowds around July. And although this is a great time of year to visit a lot of European destinations from a weather perspective, it can also mean the attractions become ridiculously overcrowded.
Assumption of Mary, also known as Assumption Day or Dormition of the Theotokos, is a major Christian holiday celebrating the assumption of Virgin Mary's body and soul to Heaven.
Why is 15 August a holiday?
Independence Day in India occurs on August 15 of every year. It celebrates the date in 1947 when the Indian Independence Act came into effect, which established India and Pakistan as separate countries, no longer under British imperialist rule. (In Pakistan, Independence Day is celebrated on August 14th.)
Italy gives its students the longest summer break with 13 weeks of vacation, followed by Portugal and Greece with 12 weeks.
So where exactly do Italians go to spend their summer holidays in Italy? Sardinia, the Riviera Romagnola, Sicily, the Amalfi coast, Liguria, Tuscany and … Puglia! The following are the classical Italian summer holiday destinations: Sardinia, the Riviera Romagnola, Sicily, the Amalfi coast, Liguria and Tuscany.
Italy's best travel months are May, June, September, and October. They're also the busiest and most expensive time to visit (with the north remaining just as busy throughout midsummer). Crowds aside, these months combine the convenience of peak season with pleasant weather.