Walking and Cycling Holidays in Italy

The best time to visit Italy comes down to taste, are you looking for Beaches or Vineyards? Vibrant cities or rural mountains? An escape from the crowds? This will make your decision a lot easier, as this incredibly varied, and beautiful country has something to suit all travellers. It’s the type of destination you will visit time and time again and return with a completely different experience.  

Walking and Cycling in Italy

Generally, we recommend April through to October, as Italy has a mild climate year-round. If you are visiting Southern Italy, it is possible to walk or cycle as early as March and as late as November. If you want to avoid the busy summer crowds (and extremely hot weather) we recommend the shoulder seasons April to June and September to October. 

You can find our walking trips in Italy here and our cycling trips here. 

Italian beaches

Spring, Summer and Autumn are of course the best time. It's important to note that in Summer the beaches will be extremely busy since a lot of Italians have their second homes by the sea. If possible travel in October when the sea remains warm, and escape to one of the smaller villages where you can enjoy the beach to yourself and take those dreamy pictures. 

Tip: Visit San Fruttoso in Liguria, this beach is not far from the well-known town of Portofino, however, it is only reachable on foot or by boat. Snorkelers can catch a glimpse of the submerged Christ of the Abyss statue raising its arms to the sun. This can be included in our Portofino, Cinque Terre and Portovenere trip.

Wines of Italy

Tuscany and Piedmont are a wine-lovers dream during harvest season. September is generally the month of the grape harvest which makes late-September and early October a great time to visit. The days are warm, and the nights are cool, and most towns in the region will have a harvest festival. It’s not difficult to find a quaint wine bar nestled within the hilltop towns, where you can soak up the buzzing atmosphere.

Tip: Expo del Chianti Classico takes place in Greve in Chianti, during the first five days of September. It’s a great opportunity to taste the best Chianti Classico wine in the area, with the possibility to visit its wine cellars. Why not tie this into our Florence to Siena or Classic Chianti trips.