Visiting Italy only in summer could be very simplistic. Italy is enjoyable in all seasons, including autumn. This is because it is a very versatile region that never ceases to surprise with all its activities. From a tourist point of view, autumn is a season that allows fans of monuments and museum sites to visit anything without making endless lines and this is because it is a low season, or a season in which there are not many tourists.
As a result, prices also fall, making it more accessible to those on a reduced budget. In addition, many typical foods also become available, since "seasonal": in autumn, for example, you can enjoy dishes made with pumpkin, mushrooms and other ingredients that in other times of the year can not be grown.
But what are those things that you absolutely must not miss if you are in Italy in Autumn? Here are five things that we think you can’t avoid:
Local Festivals
The local festivals in Italy are mainly held in the autumn months, this is because there is neither the excessive heat of summer nor the harsh winter cold. The Italian festivals (known as sagre) are very famous and are visited by millions of foreigners every year, and are events you can not miss. There are so many and so different from each other that it is impossible to give precise directions, it all depends on the place you decide to visit!
The favorite destinations are the little medieval villages in central Italy, or the small mountain towns in the south. Here is where the Italian tradition is more concentrated, giving rise to very characteristic and fun parties, where you can drink good wine and eat excellent wine at very low and affordable prices (often there are many free tastings). In these festivals is the atmosphere to make everything magical and different: often you can attend typical dances and representations of popular tradition.
The Foliage
Italy is literally surrounded by greenery, with many woods and natural places to spend time if you are a fan of trekking or long walks in contact with nature. For this reason, in autumn, it is an indescribable magic to watch the change of foliage. Whole expanses of orange and brown to cross, bright and incredible colors: everything you saw in summer suddenly changes and you will feel like you are in another place.
There is a specific place where you can even take a small train to observe this natural event. This is the railway Centovalli - Vigezzina. Known as "Foliage Train", is an unforgettable experience for lovers of autumn.
Going to the beach
No, it’s not a joke! Autumn is a low season for all Italian places, this means an incredible price reduction and above all the freedom to enjoy in peace empty beaches and miles.
When many tourists leave after the month of September, the locals return to flock to the coast: in Sicily and Sardinia is nothing new and indeed, is the practice.
Autumn is perfect for going to sea. There is no crowd, there is not too much heat, there is all the space you need and all the services at a price not inflated. It is obvious that it may not always go well and that for this reason it may rain, but with a little luck and the weather at hand you can immerse yourself in this magnificent experience.
Visiting the villages
Italy is composed mainly of small villages, medieval villages and small towns composed of a few thousand inhabitants. In some regions of Central Italy it is the norm. Each of these small places actually hides a casket of colors and particular characteristic signs. These are often old ruined cities that were later rehabilitated. Some of these rise within the former castle walls! Visiting Italy is not only to go to Naples, Florence, Venice... but it is also and above all to immerse yourself in these places where no other language is spoken than the local dialect and where every experience is made unforgettable by the spontaneity of the locals, always ready to help and welcome.
The Eurochocolate
Are you a chocolate fan? In Autumn, in Perugia, there is the Eurochocolate: the largest chocolate festival in Italy and one of the largest and most important in Europe.
This takes place mainly in October, for example in 2021 took place from 15 to 24 October and attracted thousands of different tourists and of course locals. Also this year It will take place in the same time period, and is a festival that is celebrated since 1994. In addition to numerous stands that offer free samples of chocolate there is also a whole part of entertainment: a wall of chocolate to climb, classic chocolate sculptures, whole buildings made of chocolate. Surely a unique experience and what makes Umbria one of the most interesting regions of Italy in Autumn.
