Weather & Climate of italy

Italy is renowned for its generally favourable climatic conditions, due mainly to the warm waters of the Mediterranean sea. However, mountainous areas, particularly around the Alps in the north, can suffer severe, long winters, allowing a thriving skiing industry to have developed.

The country's varied climate is determined by three distinct geographical regions. In the north, cold Alpine winters are followed by warm, wet summers, except in the Po Valley, where arid summers contrast with freezing, damp winters.

Land close to the Apennines, the backbone of mountains running down the peninsula of Italy, can have snow during the winter months. Other areas that are protected by hills and mountains, such as Liguria in the north west, enjoy a mild climate all year round.

Indeed, most of the rest of Italy has a pleasant climate with long, hot summers and mild winters - go to the Amalfi coast in December and you'll be surprised to see lemons and oranges still on the trees, shrubs still in flower; Sicily, meanwhile, is becoming an increasingly popular winter sun destination.

Generally, the hottest month is July (where temperatures can reach 30°C/86°F); the coldest month is January; the wettest month is November, with an average rainfall of 129mm; while the driest month is July, with an average rainfall of 15mm.

Month wise –

The climate and weather in Italy varies greatly throughout the year due to many diverse factors that all seem to have great influence on the climate of the Italian peninsula.

You might say that Italy's climate is like fire and water with the hot winds arriving from the Sahara in the south and the cold winds in the winter rolling down from the Alps and northern Europe that seem to dominate the summer and winter seasons in Italy.

Italy's peninsula runs south deep into the Mediterranean Sea towards the coast of Africa and the remarkable Sahara desert and its powerful summer winds that can drop sand from the Sahara on Rome and at the same time create the humidity that helps bring on the high waters in Venice that lies at the foot of the Alps & Dolomite mountains. Even in the middle of winter, as in December 2010, the winds of the Sahara help create unseasonal high temperatures which brought devastating high water into the city of Venice.

The strong winds blowing down from Russia and Northern Europe can be as equally disturbing the heat of summer bringing heavy rainstorms that remind me of tropical rain storms, The Calendar year in Italy generally tends to follow this pattern, or at least has down so for the last few years.

January & February as usually the harsher months as far as the cold is concerned. Temperatures in Venice can drop as low as -10 C with the waters of the canals freezing and hard-blowing wind making it feel even colder. At the same time in Sicily you may find tourists sun-bathing and swimming in the sea.

March & April are months that seem to bring different weather on a yearly basis. One year wet, the next year a pleasant and long-lasting Spring prior to the heat of the summer that tends to arrive in most of Italy around the first week of May. Sometimes later, although Rome and further south in Italy summer has already arrived. 

May, June & September are usually heralded as the best times to visit Italy, especially May & June. In the South of Italy it's already time to start seeking shade from the heat, and the rest of Italy can enjoy temperatures as high as 40° C as high summer approaches. 

In the last few years, it has actually been July that has brought the warmest temperatures of the year, with August offering some relief from the heat of July. Heat is probably the biggest worry for older and younger travellers as it can take its toll on tourists travelling around the peninsula. In cities like Rome you can find shelter from the heat, but when the humidity arrives in cities like Venice only air-conditioning will suffice. 

The first few weeks of September are also a nice period to travel as summer heat begins to wane and Autumn arrives. October and November are water-shed months when the great forces from the south and north fight it out for supremacy which means either clear and crisp days or rainy days if the Sahara's winds bring warm air and humidity. 
And December with its short days, and long cold nights makes you just want to cuddle up around a nice log fire and abandon the world outside. A time for tourists who like museums and galleries, while the natural beauty of Italy takes its winter hibernation.

 

Currency

As on 23 July 2013, 1 Euro = INR 78.75
Italy has the euro (EUR, €) as its currency. Therewith, Italy belongs to the 23 European countries that use the common European money. These 23 countries are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain (official euro members which are all European Union member states) as well as Andorra, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino and Vatican which use it without having a say in eurozone affairs and without being European Union members. These countries together have a population of 327 million.

One euro is divided into 100 cents. While each official euro member (as well as Monaco, San Marino and Vatican) issues its own coins with a unique obverse, the reverse as well as all bills look the same throughout the eurozone. Nonetheless, every coin is legal tender in any of the eurozone countries.

Italy can be quite an expensive country. As everywhere, major cities and central locations have a higher cost of life than suburban and rural places. It is a general rule of thumb that Southern Italy is less expensive than Northern Italy, especially for food; this will, of course, vary by location.

Meals can be had from as cheap as 3€ (if you are happy with a sandwich, panini or falafel from a street vendor); restaurant bills can be anything from 10€ (a burger with fries\salad and a soft drink from a pub) to 20€ (a starter, main course and water from a regular restaurant).

Service is always included, either in the display price or a coperto line on the bill; tipping is thus not necessary, but neither is it frowned upon. Tipping taxi drivers is not necessary, but a hotel porter may expect a little something. And unless otherwise stated, prices are inclusive of IVA sales tax (same as VAT), which is 21% for most goods, and 10% in restaurants and hotels. On some products, such as books, IVA is 4%. In practice, you can forget about it since it is universally included in the display price. If you're a non-EU resident, you are entitled to a VAT refund on purchases of goods that will be exported out of the European Union. Shops offering this scheme have a Tax Free sticker outside. Be sure to ask for your tax-free voucher before leaving the store. These goods have to be unused when you pass the customs checkpoint upon leaving the EU.

If you plan to travel through countryside or rural regions you probably should not rely on your credit cards, as in many small towns they're accepted only by a small number of shops and restaurants.

Remember that in Italy (even during the winter months) it remains very common for shops, offices and banks to close for up to 3 hours during the afternoon (often between 12.30 and 15.30). Banks, especially, have short hours with most only being open to the public for about 4 hours in the morning and barely 1 hour in the afternoon.

 

Clothing

Dress code for churches:

Any visit to Europe involves going in and out of churches to look at art, but many are also regular churches being used by local people. Italy is still very conservative. You are entering a place of worship and are expected to dress and act accordingly. Do not speak loudly. If there is a religious ceremony going on, wait until it is finished to examine artefacts near the altar.

Some churches have signs indicating what type of clothing is acceptable; some have ushers at the doors turning people away who are not appropriately dressed.
Usually sleeveless tops and shorts are not permitted for either men or women in churches and other religious sites. A woman can carry a light shawl to cover her shoulders and upper arms when needed. Men are only allowed shorts that reach the knee (women must also wear skirts of that length), and show no cleavage.

General dress:
On average, Europeans tend to dress more elegantly than Americans. But things are a little more casual in Europe now than they were 10 years ago. Jeans are more popular, athletic shoes are more popular, but leather walking shoes are always nicer. You might want to dress up for dinner in a restaurant (nice shirt, cotton pants), although some restaurants still expect a jacket and tie. Be sure to ask them in advance. If you want to blend in more with the Italians, the key is to dress "stylishly" (as in "put together"), neatly and in what is most attractive for your body type. Neutral or muted colours are favoured by Italians; women also like to add brighter colours for the summer.

Shoes: Remember, you're travelling to the shoe-capital of the world! Flip flops and rubber shoes are strictly for the beach. Socks with sandals are a faux pas. Italians generally frown upon sneakers, especially white, loud ones. But the younger crowd is more likely to wear them. Women generally wear nice shoes with a small heel, or fashionable boots and sandals. Men tend to wear loafers over sneakers, and classic shoes.

Jewellery, Accessories: Ladies always wear makeup, have their hair done in the latest fashion and wear gold earrings and bracelets, rather than costume jewellery (mind the possibility of theft). Nail polish is usually applied for special occasions only.

Clothing, Women: Skirts and blouses, not showing too much skin. Long sleeveless dresses, slacks. Natural fabrics, cotton, linen, silk. Jeans. Colourful clothes in summer, black is also popular, especially in the evenings. Shorts are usually only worn by men (but not in the city), and children.

Clothing, Men: Natural fabrics, cotton, linen, silk. Fitted jeans, cargo pants for younger men. Linen shirts in white or off-white. Beige pants. Jacket in the evenings. Shorts should not be too tight or shorter than mid-thigh length, though those over 25 would not wear shorts in the city.

General: Avoid baseball caps, huge shirts with big logos, fanny packs, short shorts.

 

Shopping

Italy is a great place for all forms of shopping. Most cities, villages and towns, are crammed to the brim with many different forms of shops, from glitzy boutiques and huge shopping malls, to tiny art galleries, small food stores, antique dealers and general newsagents.

• Food is definitely one of the best souvenir you can get in Italy. There are thousands of different shapes of pasta (not only spaghetti or maccaroni). Then, every italian region has its typical food like cheese, wine, ham, salami, oil, winegare, etc. Don't forget to buy Nutella
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• Italian fashion is renowned worldwide. Many of the world's most famous international brands have their headquarters or were founded in Italy.
  
  

Milan is Italy's fashion and design capital. In the city one can find virtually every major brand in the world, not only Italian, but also French, English, American, Swedish and Spanish. Your main place for the creme de la creme shopping is the Via Montenapoleone, but the Via della Spiga, Via Manzoni, Via Sant' Andrea and the Corso Vittorio Emanuele are equally luxurious, if not slightly less prominent, high-class shopping streets. The Corso Buenos Aires is the place to go for mass-scale or outlet shopping. And, the beautiful Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the centre and Via Dante boast some designer boutiques, too. Virtually every street in central Milan does boast at least some clothing stores of some kind.

However, Rome and Florence, are too, serious fashion centres, and boast being the birthplace of some of the oldest fashion and jewelry houses in Italy. When in Rome, the chic and beautiful Via dei Condotti, leading to the Spanish Steps, will be your primary point of shopping reference, with boutiques but subsidary streets such as Via dei Babuino, Via Borgognona, Via Frattina, Via del Corso and the Piazza di Spagna. In Florence, Via de' Tornabuoni is the main high-fashion shopping street, and there you'll find loads of designer brands. However, in both cities, you'll be able to find a plethora of chic boutiques, designer or not, scattered around the centre.

• Jewellery and accessory shops can be found in abundance in Italy. There are loads of jewelry and accessory stores which hail from Italy. Vicenza and Valenza are considered the country's jewelry capitals, which are also famous for their silverware and goldware shops. All over Italy, notably Vicenza, Milan, Valenza, Rome, Naples, Florence and Venice, but also several other cities, you can find hundreds of different jewelry or silverware boutiques. Apart from the famous ones, there are some great quirky and funky jewelry stores scattered around the country.
  
  

• Design and furniture is something Italy is proudly and justifiably famous for. Excellent quality furniture stores can be found all over, but the real place to buy the best deals is Milan. Milan contains amongst the top design rooms and emporia in the world. For the newest design inventions, attend the Fiera di Milano in Rho, where the latest appliances are exhibited. Many Italian cities have great antique furniture stores. So, you can choose between cutting-edge, avant-garde furniture, or old world antiques to buy in this country, which are, by average, of good quality.
  
  

• Glassware is something which Venice makes uniquely but which is spread around the whole of the country. In Venice is famously the capital of Murano (not the island), or glassware made in different colours. Here, you can get stunning goblets, crystal chandeliers, candlesticks and decorations made in stunning, multi-coloured blown glass, which can be designed in modern, funky arrangements, or the classical old style.
  
  

• Books can be found in bookshops in every small, medium sized or big city. The main book and publishing companies/stores in Italy include Mondadori, Hoepli or Rizzoli. Most big bookstores are found in Milan, Turin and nearby Monza, which are the capitals of Italy's publishing trade (Turin was made World Book Capital in 2006), however cities such as Rome and more boast loads of book shops. 99% of the books sold are in italian.
  
  

• Art shops can be found all over in Italy, notably the most artistic cities of Florence, Rome and Venice. In Florence, the best place to go for buying art is the Oltrarno, where there are numerous ateliers selling replicas of famous paintings or similar things. Usually, depending in what city you're in, you get replicas of notable works of art found there, but also, you can find rare art shops, sculpture shops, or funky, modern/old stores in several cities.
  
  

How to buy
In a small or medium sized shop, it's standard to greet the staff as you enter, not when you approach the counter to pay. A friendly 'Buongiorno' or 'Buonasera' warms the atmosphere. When paying, the staff usually expect you to put coins down on the surface or dish provided, rather than placing money directly into their hands (old money-handling etiquette to avoid messy coin droppings), and they will do the same when giving you your change ('il resto'). This is normal practice and is not intended to be rude.

Haggling is very rare and only ever takes place when dealing with hawkers. They will generally ask for an initial price that is much higher than what they are willing to sell for, and going for the asking price is a sure way to get ripped off. Be advised that oftentimes hawkers sell counterfeit merchandise (in some cases, very believable counterfeits), and that hoping to buy a Gucci purse for 30€ off the street might not be in your best interest. In all other situations, haggling will get you nowhere.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Many times groups travelling to Italy from India do not realize that they approach a new culture, with a different way of doing, of talking, of moving around, of behaving in general.

We list here below few points that are very important to avoid communication gap when your group is travelling. Usually these are more required if the people does not live in big cities.

DRIVER

In Europe driving is a very respectful job. A driver earns much more than any simple office employee. Driver cannot be treated like a driver in India. Every job is respected. Driver cannot be asked for example to go and buy water, or to buy cigarette. Driver is not a tour leader and is not at disposal.
And it’s mandatory to give a TIP of EURO 1-2 per person per day, which is part of his/her salary.

WATER
All taps or fountains in Italy have drinking water, unless is specified. Usually the drinking water from the tap is better than the mineral water because undergo to weekly controls. In same places the taste may be not very good, but it’s always drinking water.

HOTEL
It’s very important in the hotel to keep the room clean. It’s not allowed to wash clothes in the room. Please check if the room is smoking if you wish to smoke. All the eatable or drinks in the minibar are chargeable. In many hotels there is a sensor that if you remove something from the minibar for more than 5 seconds, you will be charged for the same. Do not leave anything outside the room if you ask for room service food.
Please remember not to do any phone call from the hotel, because you will be charged 4-5 times more than the normal rate. During breakfast do not carry any food from the breakfast hall.

The washlets/bidè in the bathroom is used only for washing, and the commode for other uses.

GUIDES

Many times we get complain from the Guide that people push them or pat them on the shoulder. It’s common in India but very impolite in Italy, especially if the guide is a lady.

Moreover the guides have many commitments every day, therefore if you are not in time you will miss some of the sightseeing.

TIMINGS

Driver can not drive and wait for more than the time fixed for his/her job. Therefore be always punctual for the appointment, especially when the appointment is after some sightseeing and the coach has to wait on the street. If you are not on time and there is not parking area coach as to leave and come back again. And also late arrival means the sightseeing will be shorter and not delayed.

WEATHER
Summer is only from June to August, therefore all other months something warm should be carried along. It might rain during any season in Italy. Try to never get wet in the rain since it could be quite cold after. During May-June/Sept-Oct, which is spring and autumn, carry T-shirts but also some light jacket or sweater, cotton one.
PHONE CALLS

For 5-10 Euro you can get a SIM card, giving a copy of your passport. After you can get international calling card for 5-10 Euro which will give you a certain number of minute to call in India .

PICK-POCKETING

It’s enough to be a bit careful with your belonging, as you were in the Mumbai Train! So not to worry, but sometime, especially in Rome Hotels (in the lobby) or in the Vatican there are pick-pocket. Don’t keep your bag open or your luggage unattended. Just be a bit careful, always.

 

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