All information about the optimal travel time for Tuscany in Italy
The Italian region of Tuscany is a popular travel destination for Austrians. Various activities make the vacation there unforgettable. The cultural centers of Pisa and Florence invite you to go sightseeing, while the hilly landscapes in the interior are splendid with vineyards , the olive harvest , numerous hiking trails and various historical buildings. On the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea you can spend a fabulous beach holiday, take boat tours to the adjacent islands and enjoy the wonderful Mediterranean climate. Find out below what the climate is like in Tuscany. Using a climate table, I’ll show you what the average temperatures are for the year. On the basis of these data, I will explain to you for the various activities on vacation when is the best time to travel to Tuscany . Below you can get an overview of the weather in the different seasons. Have fun!
Climate in Tuscany
According to THENAILMYTHOLOGY, the climate in Tuscany is Mediterranean on the coast . The summers are mostly dry and hot, the winters mild and sometimes rainy. In the interior of Tuscany with the hilly landscapes and mountains, the Mediterranean climate subsides a little. Temperatures here are hotter in summer and cooler in winter than in the coastal regions. The average annual temperature in Tuscany is 20 degrees Celsius. In spring the sun shows up to 8 hours of sunshine per day. There is an occasional shower accompanied by a wind. From mid-April it will be really warm with temperatures between 18 and 19 degrees Celsius. In summer, temperatures reach 31 degrees during the day and also at night the values are in the double-digit range. Autumn is still warm in summer, but from mid-September there may be some showers in the interior and in the mountain regions. In the coastal regions it is still possible to swim in the sea until mid-October . The water temperature continues to measure up to 20 degrees Celsius. The wettest month in Tuscany is November with around 10 rainy days. In the months of December and January, temperatures drop particularly in the Mountain regions down to freezing point and snow falls . On the coast it is mild with an average of 10 degrees Celsius.
Climate table for Florence in Tuscany
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 10.1 | 12 | 15 | 18.8 | 23.4 | 27.3 | 31.1 | 30.6 | 26.6 | 21.1 | 14.9 | 10.4 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | 1.4 | 2.8 | 4.9 | 7.7 | 11.3 | 14.7 | 17.2 | 17 | 14.2 | 10 | 5.5 | 2.4 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 3 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Water temperature in ° C | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 14 |
| Rainy days per month | 9.4 | 8.4 | 8.6 | 9.1 | 8.6 | 6.3 | 3.5 | 5.9 | 5.7 | 7.4 | 10 | 8.8 |
The best time to travel to Tuscany
The best time to travel to Tuscany is summer time. Most activities can be pursued between spring and autumn. From mid-March it will be warmer in Tuscany. The mild temperatures are perfect for an active holiday . It’s not as hot as in summer, but also not too cold for your sightseeing tours. If you want to spend a beach vacation , the months June to September are best for it. For sightseeing tours in the cities of Pisa, Florence and Siena, I recommend the low season in late spring. During this time, the weather is not only more suitable for your tours, but there are also fewer tourists on site. So you don’t have to queue for a long time at the various sights. The olive harvest in Tuscany is between October and March. If you rent a holiday home in the region, you can take part. You can pick olives from the trees and watch how olive oil is extracted from them. Ski lovers will also be happy in Tuscany. Snow forms in the mountain regions in winter. You can practice winter sports here between December and January .
| Best travel time to Tuscany | |
| Beach vacation | June to September |
| Active vacation | spring and autumn |
| Boat tours | May to mid-September |
| Sightseeing Pisa & Florence | Mid-March to June |
| Best travel time to Tuscany | |
| Sightseeing Volterra | Mid-March to mid-June |
| Palazzo Pubblico in Siena | Mid-March to June |
| Olive harvest | October to March |
| Winter sports | December to January |
The weather in Tuscany during the year
The weather in Tuscany is constant. Clear structures emerge between the different seasons. Summer is hot and dry with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius, while winter is the coldest season. In spring, the sun shows up to 10 hours a day and it rains an average of 8 days per month. From mid-April it is noticeably warm with temperatures around 19 degrees Celsius. The temperatures will steadily get warmer until summer. In midsummer it gets hot, especially inland, with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. On the coast, the heat is more bearable as the sea breeze cools you down. The warmth on the coast lasts until mid-October. Although there will be more precipitation from mid-September, it is still possible to swim on the Tuscany coast . The water temperature is still 21 degrees Celsius in September and 19 degrees Celsius in October. November will be more rainy and autumnal. It rains an average of 10 days in the eleventh month. In December, with a mild 10 degrees Celsius, it is not wintry cold on the coast. Inland and especially in the mountains , however, it can get much colder (down to freezing point), so that there is snowfall in some places .
Tuscany in January, February and March
January is the coldest month in Tuscany. At around 10 degrees Celsius in the Tuscan capital, Florence, it is still quite mild. Temperatures down to freezing point can be reached in the mountain regions. In February the weather will be friendlier. The sun shows up to 5 hours a day and it only rains about 8 days a month. From March it will be warmer in Tuscany. An average of 15 degrees Celsius and 8 hours of sunshine bring spring to life.
Winter as the best travel time for:
Ski vacation (Jan.), Watch the olive harvest (Feb. & Mar.)
Tuscany in April, May and June
Spring in Tuscany shows itself from its most beautiful side. As early as April, temperatures are already around 19 degrees Celsius. In May it gets even warmer with around 24 degrees Celsius and July shines with a warm 27 degrees. This travel time is best suited for your sightseeing tours. Visit Pisa, Florence or Siena! Take your hiking tours through the Tuscan countryside and enjoy the wonderful spring weather!
Spring as the best travel time for:
City trips (sightseeing), active holidays
Tuscany in July, August and September
Summer in Tuscany is sunny and warm. The months of July, August and September are best for a beach holiday in Tuscany. Summer is too hot for sightseeing and hiking tours. Still, Tuscany’s attractions are overcrowded at this time of year. The reason is that it is the main travel season for Tuscany and travelers like to take with them everything the Italian region has to offer. I recommend you take a beach vacation in summer. If you want to do sightseeing tours, spring and autumn are better.
Summer as the best travel time for:
Beach vacation on the coast and on the islands
Tuscany in October, November and December
In October it is still very warm, especially on the Tuscan coast and inland. Due to the temperatures you can even swim in the sea until mid-October. Only the precipitation could spoil your fun. However, it only rains an average of 7 days in October. November has the most showers of the year with 10 rainy days. The temperatures drop to up to 15 degrees Celsius. In December it finally gets cooler, but still mild at around 10 degrees Celsius. The probability of rain decreases.
The beginning of autumn / winter as the best travel time for:
Active vacation, sightseeing, watching the olive harvest, winter sports (end of December)
Conclusion
Tuscany can be visited at any time of the year. The varied region in central Italy offers various possibilities on vacation. The best time to travel to Tuscany depends on what you want to do on your vacation. In general, it can be said that most activities are possible during summer time . Between spring and autumn everything is open to you. The sun is shining, the temperatures are warm and it hardly rains, if at all. I recommend spring for your city trips to Florence or Pisa. Tuscany is blooming, the warming sun is shining and the number of tourists remains manageable. The weather is warm at around 20 degrees Celsius, but not too hot, so you can go on great sightseeing tours and hikes. The summer with hot temperatures along the 30 degrees Celsius is particularly suitable for a beach holiday in Tuscany. On the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea and on the Tuscan islands you have numerous possibilities to spend a beach holiday. Thanks to the consistently warm weather, you have this option until October. Autumn does not appear until mid-October. It’s getting cooler, windier and rainier gradually. If you want to experience Tuscany in winter , you can even expect snow on the Tuscan mountains. The best travel time for this is then between December and January. I wish you a great time!