Best Time to Visit Tuscany: Weather by Month, Spring and Autumn Festivals and August Crowds

Late April through June and September are the easiest months for sightseeing and walking in Tuscany. Afternoons in Florence stay in the 70s and 80s °F, and the spring calendar fills with village festivals.

July and August bring highs of 90°F (32°C) in Florence, and in August most people head for the coasts. The wet months are October and November, when rain falls on about a third of the days or more.

At a glance

• Best window for sightseeing and walking: late April to June, and September
• Warmest months: July and August, with highs of 90°F (32°C) in Florence
• Crowded coasts: August, when Florence empties
• Festival months: events from April 25 to November 30 in the Valdambra

When is the best time to visit Tuscany?

For most travelers, the best months are May, June and September. May brings afternoons of 76°F (24°C) in Florence, June reaches 84°F (29°C), and September is back down to 81°F (27°C). Rain is lighter in June and September than in the spring and autumn peaks. April works too, with highs of 68°F (20°C), though it has more rainy days than any month from May to September.

For the beach, July and August are the hottest and driest months, with only about three or four rainy days each in Siena. They are also the months when the coasts fill up, since in August most people head to the sea. The Maremma Park overlooks the sea, and the coastal parks offer snorkeling in protected seabeds.

For sightseeing and walking, spring and early autumn are the sweet spot. The Val d’Orcia has routes of varying difficulty for trekking and bicycles, connecting villages, monuments and nature reserves. The Eroica route covers 125 miles (200 km) of gravel roads through the Chianti hills, the Val d’Orcia and the Crete Senesi. Walkers will find those distances more pleasant in May than in August.

Quiet is easiest in August in the cities, because Florence empties then. The Valdambra programme runs from April 25 to November 30, and the Olio Nuovo festival on November 29 closes the season in San Leolino.

• If you want the beach → July and August for heat
• For sightseeing or walking → late April to June, and September

Tuscany weather by month

*Long-term monthly averages.*

The year climbs from mild winters to a hot, dry July and August, then turns wet in October and November. Florence and Siena follow the same shape, with Siena a few degrees cooler.

Siena’s July high of 87°F (31°C) sits below Florence’s 90°F (32°C).

Winter is cool, with January lows of 36°F (2°C) in Florence, and December has 10 rainy days in Florence.

When is Tuscany cheapest and least crowded?

The crowds follow the calendar. In August most people head for the coasts and Florence empties.

Going off-peak means more room in the cities in August and more choice among the festivals of spring and autumn. Lodging comes in many forms, from agriturismi in Asciano to farmhouses with private pools in Casale Marittimo. Local tourist taxes add a small cost: in Greve in Chianti, an agriturismo charges 2.00 euros for the first 7 days, and a 5-star hotel 4.00 euros.

November is the hardest month, mostly for anyone planning long days outdoors. It has its rewards, though. The truffle market in Borgo San Lorenzo is on November 21 and 22, and the olive oil festival in San Leolino is on November 29.

Festivals and events in Tuscany through the year

Spring: April and May

The Valdambra Festival of the Regions takes place on May 16 and 17 with tastings and folk performances.

The Daffodil Festival is held in early May in Logarghena. In May in Lucignano, the village’s four districts compete with floats decorated with fresh flowers during the Maggiolata. Cantine Aperte opens wineries for tastings on the last weekend in May, and the Cherry Festival in Lari runs from late May to early June.

Autumn: October and November

In Florence, 50 Giorni di Cinema runs from October 6 to December 10, which gives rainy days an indoor plan.

The Market Exhibition of Mugello White and Black Truffle takes place November 21 and 22 in the historic centre of Borgo San Lorenzo. The Festival of Olio Nuovo in San Leolino on November 29 celebrates local extra virgin olive oil with tastings and a producers’ competition.