So, you will finally spend your so dreamed about summer in Italy! Being the knowledgeable people we are, we feel the duty of letting you in on facts that will help enjoy your cherished holidays while avoiding the cons (because, as with everything else in life, there are, and you may easily skip those by bearing with us and pay attention to these tips).
You need to keep something in mind: in summer Italy is hot. No overstatement here. By the beginning of July the thermometer can quickly bubble up over 104ºF (40ºC) and you will be panting and gasping before you know it while wrapped all around by a sticky layer of humid air that will make you feel like you are not traveling for leisure but as a shipped well. The heat thing is true for the whole peninsula, and humidity will range from bad to worse depending on how close to the sea you decide to dwell. And you weren’t planning to visit the country’s mountainside, which is an option that many nationals take.
Do not drop your dream just for the sake of very high temperatures. It is part of the experience and of the country’s charm, as snow, icebergs, and penguins are in Antarctica. If in your summer in Italy you state you were not sweating like Rocky Balboa climbing up the famous stairs, you definitely went somewhere else; but even so, coming to the Bel Paese is an experience you won’t regret. Ever.
So, listen to us, stick to these tips, and you won’t be hearing a voice ticking from within with the words “I told you”.
1️⃣ BUY REPELLENT
Some of the others coming along summer are mosquitoes. They tend to be huge, noisy, annoying, unwanted, and huge. And if you just noticed a repeated word, it’s because the occasion demanded we repeat ourselves. For the sake of quiet evenings of rest and to keep those flying bugs off, buy repellent!
2️⃣PLACES TO GO
Italy is a gorgeous place all the year round. However, we will be better off by avoiding certain cities, such as Roma (Rome), Milano (Milan), and Firenze (Florence) in summer. These cities are far more egregious in other seasons (particularly spring and autumn) and, very important, if your ultimate goal is your peace of mind, you won’t go to all the tourists’ hubs. Anyway, many Italians escape these big cities in summer.
If experiencing a proper summer in Italy is more like your plan, head south or for the islands – Sicilia (Sicily) or Sardegna (Sardinia).
3️⃣STAY HYDRATED (AND COOL)
It is not seldom that the issue contains its own solution: in summer you will find plenty of street parlors, kiosks, and locals where gelati (ice cream), granite, and anguria (slices of watermelon) are offered at prices you cannot refuse to pay. We need to add that Italian ice cream is fundamentally otherworldly, granita is great and watermelon is juicy and healthy. And of course… It is part of the Italy summer holidays experience.
4️⃣PLAN AHEAD
Holidays are about relaxing, leaving your preoccupations behind, embracing nature, and such… But in order to get there, you still need to be mindful beforehand. We wish things worked the way “One July morning I woke up with this uncanny desire to go to Italy, so cancel anything you had scheduled and let’s get to the airport in about 5 minutes; however, Italy is –for many reasons– a very requested holiday destination, so it is not that by just popping in the airport and asking for a couple of tickets to Rome, you will go away with it. Please, be careful enough to book flights and get your hotel reservation down sufficiently ahead: if you wait too long, prices won’t be like those of angurie.
You’d rather be on your toes with the airline booking webpage and try and catch a good bargain at the right time. Getting a fairly priced plane ticket very much resembles fishing: it takes patience, dedication, and time. Also, remember airlines’ taking some of the rates off by surprise is not infrequent.
If you’re heading south or for the islands, take into consideration to rent a car to move around. For the sake of peace of mind, better not relying much on public transportation, especially if you need to move from town to town.
5️⃣LEARN ITALIAN
Last but not least, this is a good piece of advice for you and for your summer in Italy, not just to mingle with the locals but because if you go too far deep into the country chances are you will find people who just speak Italian (and also who speak dialect rather than the national language but will get you better if you address to them in Italian).
Just remember we do offer Italian courses for travelers, so just don’t let this chance to slip by you!