What is the best time of year to visit Soriano?
| Title: | What is the best time of year to visit Soriano? | |||||||
| Category: | Expectations & Planning for Our Soriano Vacations | |||||||
| Author: | Sam Saltzman | Updated: | Jan 30, 2019 | Views: | 5,403 | |||
| Tags: | best time of year to visit soriano best time of year to visit central italy best time of the year to visit viterbo weather | |||||||
This is such a difficult question to answer. Every time of year is amazing in its own way.
Spring
Late April through June is beautiful. You may get a little rain here and there, mixed with bright sun. The days are generally pleasant, but not hot. The evenings have a slight chill. Everything is green, and poppies are everywhere. Towns hold flower festivals as people shed the layers of clothing they were shouldering all winter. There is a calm and fresh beauty as Italy wakes up from winter.
Summer
The beauty of summer should never be ignored. For one thing, if you want to be Under the Tuscan Sun, this is the time! Sunny days, every day. Evenings are beautiful, allowing us to dine under the stars. It is sunflower season in July, and there are summer festivals all over in Central Italy. On just about any given night, there will be fireworks somewhere and music is in the air all over.
Our town, in particular, often erects a huge stage in the piazza with regular entertainment during the evenings.
Summer Heat Concerns
People often avoid summer in Italy for fear of heat. Rome and Florence can be very hot and crowded, but one of the nice things about our location is that we are a summer getaway for Italians. For centuries, Romans have come here in the summer months to escape the heat of the city. Even Popes of the middle ages came to our location for the summer! Have a look at our castle, it used to be the Pope's summer retreat!
Concerns About Italy in August
Others show concern that Italy closes in August. This used to be the case, but not anymore. August is a traditional month for Italians to vacation, but you won't notice it.
Also, consider that the summer reputation included the fact that it was not an air-conditioned country. This also has changed in the last decade or so. Air conditioning has become very standardized in Italy. All of the accommodations, vehicles, stores, etc. will have A/C nowadays.
Autumn
September and October will bring cooler weather and a little rain here and there mixed with sunny days, much like Spring. Best of all, it is harvest season! Grapes, Hazelnuts, Chestnuts, etc. Wine is being made as the grapes are crushed in late September or Early October. Chestnut Festivals begin in October, and there is a more relaxed feeling overall as people get ready for winter.
Winter
Yes, it will be cold, and you will most likely see rain. Temps will drop down to around freezing in January, but there is a magic to all of this. For one thing, November is Olive Harvest season, and there is nothing quite like it. We pick the olives and head to the mill to make the "Olio Nuovo" (New Oil). Afternoons of Gelato give way to Italian sipping chocolate... YUM!
As we get into December, Christmas season is wonderful. It is not commercialized like back home. It is pure. Towns all over do elaborate living manger performances that will blow your mind, and there is nothing quite like Christmas shopping in Rome! January brings us the Befana day on the 6th (Bigger than Santa Clause in Italy), followed by St. Antonio, where towns light gigantic bonfires to warm up in the piazzas. February and Mach bring Carnival (Mardis Gras) festivals, and Valentine's Day (St. Valentine lived 20 minutes from us).