Best Time to Visit Italian Lakes

The Italian lakes are the most beautiful in all of Europe but when is the best time to visit or take a break at these lakes?

Well, the five major lakes are situated in Northern Italy – Maggiore, Lugano, Como, Iseo and Garda. The two most popular are Lake Garda and Lake Como, which is the largest of them all.

They all have a pleasant climate, humidity is normally low, though it can rain a lot throughout the year, but it does not normally last long. Also, evening temperatures can be chilly at certain times of the year so prepare for that if you're not going in the summer months.

SPRINGTIME :

A lovely time to visit the lakes as it is less crowded but still beautiful. Daytime temperatures of between 9ºC and 20°C with 8 – 12 hours of sunshine. It can rain at regular intervals but that also brings all the spring flowers to life.

These temperatures are also ideal for hiking or long walks as you explore the small towns and villages nearby.

SUMMERTIME :

This is as expected the most popular time for tourists so expect more crowds but it is an ideal time for swimming as the waters are warmer and sunbathing as the temperature can reach around 30°C although humidity stays low.

Evenings can still get cool but nothing like other times of the year. Rain is moderate and much less frequent.

There are a lot of festivals during summer including the annual festival of Lake Como plus music and art festivals at Orta and Maggiore. Don't forget also the Opera festival season which takes place in Lake Garda from June to August.

The busiest season is July to September so expect not only more tourists and holidaymakers but prices can be a lot higher for hotels and accommodation. The lakes do cover a large area so it's not that difficult to find quieter more peaceful areas if you wish.

AUTUMN (FALL) :

Autumn temperatures average between 10ºC and 23°C and rainfall is still low most of the time. The Autumn landcape can look spectacular with rich deep colours. Again this is a popular time for trekking, walking or cycling and visiting all the small towns along the way.

Also, it's a great time to visit if you are a wine lover the many vineyards will be ready to harvest and you have the wine festival of Bardolino on Lake Garda to enjoy.

WINTER :

While people do visit in the winter months It is a lot quieter but also less expensive, but remember many hotels and guest houses close at the end of October.

It can also get very cold with temperatures at times sometimes only reaching 5-8°C although snow is very rare on the lakes.

November is still a popular month to visit, the rainfall is still relatively low and since November is a quiet season for the district, you should be able to find very comfortable accommodations for lower prices than usual.

You can still enjoy the areas and go for lots of walks, enjoy the scenery and mix with the locals. By going off-season, you won’t spend nearly as much as usual on flights or hotels leaving you cash to spend at the fantastic lakes of Northern Italy.