The Best Time to Travel in Tuscany

So when is the best time to travel to Tuscany? Well I’m of the opinion that Travelling in Tuscany is a year round activity and every season has its charm. Of course winter in Tuscany is cold, but it’s not that bad; expect day time temperatures of 5-10 centigrade (40-50 Fahrenheit).

The winter months are best for cultural tours of cities and museums because you won’t have to deal with the high season crowds. The main cities such as Florence Rome and Venice never close down, but being low season there's ample choice of accommodation at considerably cheaper prices. There's something of a myth about August, which claims that everything closes down for the holidays. While this is true for small towns and industry, all the major tourist attractions are more than open. This includes wine country and wineries.

One Of The Scenes From My Tours

If the the Tuscan scenery is high on your list of preferences, then visit from the end of April to the end of October. The foliage is rich and you'll get some great photos. The less busy periods for wine tasting are March, April & November. 

As the Tuscan countryside is quite a large area, travelling at any time of the year isn't too much of a problem. However in summer and autumn be prepared for crowds at the wineries. If you're travelling without a guide, I strongly suggest you book wine tastings in advance. Otherwise you may encounter difficulty being served or even get refused. 

Guided Tuscany Wine Tours

The best way to enjoy Tuscany is to hire the services of a guide (OK I'm biased). However not all tours are equal, and you may still find yourself in crowded tasting rooms. Unfortunately this much has to do with the price. Low cost companies offer convenient prices up front, but they recover money by taking commission on wine sales. There’s nothing illegal in this, but of course they take you where they’re offered the best deal. As you can imagine these wineries are very popular, and you'll likely find yourself with plenty of company.

I guarantee my Tuscany wine tours are different, and I suggest you take a look here to discover why. You'll  be kept well away from the crowds and enjoy personal attention in quiet surroundings. Not to mention leisurely off beaten track itineraries, and farm to table food. 

Last but not least, for those interested in olive oil, you may like to consider late October and early November. The countryside is still  pretty, and above all, it's olive harvest time. This is the only time of the year when you can see milling taking place. One of the most important periods of Tuscan lifestyle.

Copyright Sergio Ceccherini 2019