As we cross over into September, fall will soon be upon us — a fantastic time to explore what Italy has to offer (and being a shoulder season is just perfect to travel to the country).
As the summer crowds thin out and the temperatures dip, Italy takes on a magical new look in the drama of the changing colors. Here we list four destinations for an ultimate fall getaway, and what to expect while you’re visiting.
Piedmont
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Central and northern Italy is the place for truffles in the fall, and Piedmont is without a doubt where you’ll find the best of them. Most famous for the white truffles in the province of Langhe, near Alba, foodies from around the world take off into the forests among the oak trees, willows, and poplars, to find the White Diamonds. Truffle hunting season typically lasts from September to January, but it’s worth visiting for the International Alba White Truffle Fair (Fiera Internazionale Tartufo Bianco D’Alba), the multi-month-long fair held between October and December which is host to the World Truffle Market where attendees can taste and purchase truffles from the surrounding areas of Langhe, Roero, and Monteferrato. An event not to be missed.
Tuscany
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Following in the same vein, fall is the season for vendemmia, the grape harvest. And what better place to experience the beauty of the vine than in Tuscany. Take a road trip through September and October around the Chianti region and tour your favorite vineyard against the colorful backdrop of red, orange, and yellow, and you might be able to participate in a harvest as well if you’re lucky. Wine festivals are everywhere in the region so you are quite spoilt for choice, but the longest running one would be the Grape Festival (Festa Dell’Uva) in Impruneta since 1928 – a highlight is the parade where the town’s four neighborhoods battle it out to make the best float.
Sicily
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If you didn’t get your fill of the seaside during the summer, you can snatch the last few weeks of it in Sicily in the first month or so of the fall – while the weather gets balmy and cold in the north, Sicily’s weather becomes temperate and pleasant, and you can avoid the punishing heat of the summer while enjoying a swim in the sea or a hike through the countryside. Another benefit is that the usual hot spots of Syracuse, Palermo, Taormina, and Cefalù become less crowded as the summer tourists have left the island. Don’t forget the seasonal harvest of chestnuts, hazelnuts, and olives also happening at this time, so eat up.
Rome
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Certainly fall is the best time to visit any of the big cities in Italy, but Rome feels extra special. The way the cobblestones glisten, the smell of the pine trees in the air after the rain, the way the city lights up in the early nightfall – it’s magic. The usual crowds of tourists are nowhere to be seen, meaning tourist spots, museums and galleries are not swarmed with people, and it’s easier to navigate the city on foot (plus your holiday snaps will turn out much nicer too). If you’re lucky you might experience the ottobrata romana, a short spell of warm weather left over from the summer carrying over into October, together with your aperitivo al fresco.