Best time to visit Florence, Italy, and season to go

What’s the best time and season to visit Florence? This is certainly one of the questions I get most often from travelers. And in fact the time of year is a very important aspect to consider when planning a trip.

So I created this seasonal guide to the best time to visit Florence, evaluating the pros and cons of each month of the year. Will it be too hot? Or too crowded? Or too expensive? Here you will find all my tips on the subject. Hope you’ll find it useful!

• I’m local licensed tour guide in Florence, learn more about me and my job!

Average temperature in Florence, Italy

Here is a useful table that shows the average temperature in Florence, Italy, for each month of the year.

As you can see, January is the coldest month in Florence, and July and August are the hottest ones. Also keep in mind that fall and winter can be rainy, while summer is very dry with almost no rain. This is not necessarily a good thing, as hot and dry summers are flaming hot.

Florence in springtime

Spring is a fantastic time to discover Florence. The city gardens are in bloom, the weather is lovely and there aren’t too many tourists yet. But we must distinguish in at least three periods:

Early spring (March and early April)

Until Easter arrives it is still low season so prices are generally lower. The beginning of the high season depends on when Easter comes each year. If Easter comes late (like in mid-April) probably the prices will start to rise a bit before Easter.

You can generally expect quite a good weather in March and April: warm during sunny days and more chilly at night. However, it could still be cold and there may be a few days of bad weather, especially in March.

Easter and spring holidays

Mid-spring (April and early May) is one of the hottest times of the year, because in addition to Easter there are other national holidays in Italy (May 1st and April 25th) that make Florence very crowded and more expensive than in the previous weeks.

Late spring (May and early June)

The weather is perfect, not too hot yet (hopefully), and with long and sunny days. However, since it is already high season, both prices and the amount of tourists are higher.

This is the ideal time to visit the gardens of Florence!

Visiting Florence in summer

Summer is the hottest season, and Florence is definitely one of the muggiest cities of Italy.

Personally, I do not recommend summer, in my opinion it is the worst time to visit Florence, but I understand that sometimes you don’t have other choices. However, the city remains gorgeous, and there is the bonus of the large number of outdoor events such as concerts and historical parades.

• Read also: what to pack for Florence in summer

Florence in July and August

July and August are unbelievably hot months in Florence! Be prepared for temperatures as high as 38-40 ° C (100-104 ° F) and just forget about the rain. Summer is also the busiest time of the year: from June to September there are so many tourists, and booking everything in advance is absolutely necessary. Obviously this is also the most expensive time of the year, especially the months of July and August.

August 15th is a national holiday (Ferragosto) and practically every shop and business in Italy is closed that day. But the holiday of Ferragosto is also an opportunity for many Italians to go on vacation, so even during the week of August 15 and the following, many places (restaurants, stores, etc.) could be closed for holidays. However, most tourist businesses remain open and operational.

Fall in Florence: October and November have a good weather

Autumn is definitely a good time to visit Florence: summer crowds are now a distant memory and average prices are lower. The climate is still warm until the end of October, while from November it becomes colder and rainier.

Autumn is a great time to hike and explore the Tuscan countryside, with the warm colors of foliage. One of my favorite things to do in fall is truffle hunting in Tuscany.

In case of gloomy weather, here are some ideas about what to do on a rainy day in Florence.

October and November is a perfect time to enjoy the city!

Furthermore, autumn is the best time to visit the vineyards in the countryside, because you can watch and take part to the grape harvest (that usually takes place in late September and early October).

• Check my best tips for accommodation and hotels in Florence!

Visiting Florence in winter and Christmas time

This is the coldest season, especially the months of January and February, but the temperature drops below freezing for only a few days a year.

During the Christmas holidays ((which run from 8 December to 6 January) the city is filled with lights, events and Christmas markets, it’s such a beautiful time! But of course in those weeks Florence becomes more expensive and crowded.

After January 6 prices drop and the crowds disappear, at least until the beginning of spring. Therefore the months of January and February are an excellent solution for those who want to save money and experience the city in a more authentic way, without too many tourists.

So what’s the best time to visit Florence?

To answer this question clearly: considering the pros and cons, in my opinion the best times to travel to Florence are:

• Early spring (from mid-february to mid-march)
• Late fall (from early October to late November)

Unfortunately, we can’t always choose which season to travel, but Florence remains a wonderful destination every month of the year. The important thing is to be prepared for what awaits us during the trip in terms of weather, prices and seasonal trends.

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I hope this post was useful to you in organizing your trip to Florence!

If you need a local licensed tour guide for your trip to Florence, don’t hesitate to get in contact with me!

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• Florence travel planner. All the info you may need to organize your trip.
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• All my best tips for visiting Florence.
• How many days to spend in Florence?
• Top museums to visit in Florence