Visiting Italy in August: all you need to know to plan your trip

How to plan a trip to Italy in August. How busy is it, is it true everything closes down, what to pack? Find all the answers and more in this guide to August in Italy 

August is a peculiar month to visit Italy. 

The very heart of the summer, August is one of the hottest month of the year in Italy and the traditional time for locals to go on vacation to the beach or the mountains.

Schools and offices are closed, city life slows down and vacation mode is in full swing.

The heat and the fact that Italians go on holiday at this time have consequences for the international visitor.

If you visit big cities in Italy in August, for instance, you will find them at their quietest in terms of local life and will encounter some closures.

This is particularly true mid-August, when the festivity of Ferragosto happens.

On the other hand, coastal areas, mountain resorts and all tourism destinations will be in full swing.

I am Italian (from Rome) and know August in Italy well. In this guide, I’ll share all I believe you need to know about August in Italy and how to go about planning.

Safe travels!

Good to know! If you are looking for help picking the best season for your trip to Italy, you can find here >>> our guide to the best time to visit Italy (month by month)

Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase, we might make a small commission.

The weather in Italy in August? How hot it gets

August is the heart of the summer in Italy and a very hot month. 

No matter where in Italy you go (with the excetion of high mountain areas), in August you should expect temperature over 30C/86F , with localities seeing peaks well over 40C/104F.

In the last couple of years the top temperatures have crept up significantly, and peaks of 42C/108F and up are more common.

The feeling, especially in urban areas, is oppressive: often humidity is high and the sun is relentless. On top of this, air conditioning in Italy it not as strong as in the US, for instance, so the relief you get is different.

If visiting Italy in August, it is paramount to be ready for this intense heat and plan accordingly, choosing the right destinations and making provisions for the hottest hours of the day.

How busy is August in Italy

How busy August is in Italy depends on where but overall yes, August is a busy month here.

Montain resorts, coastal areas and country stays are at their busiest.

Cities tend to be quieter; however, it is still one of the big travel times for European and families operating around school holidays so it is safe to expect crowds in most places.

The best places to go in Italy in August

The best places in August in Italy are:

The mountains, in localities about 1000 mt altitude. Places such as the Dolomites are wonderful at this time as usually you get sunny weather but nice, mild temperatures that allow for sitting in the sun and hike.

You can read here >>> my favorite places on the Dolomites (also for kids)

The coast: being near water is one of the best ways to escape the heat. Sardinia and Puglia area ideal for a beach vacation at this time (busy, but amazing!) but all coastal areas will offer relief and a fun, summer vibe.

If you have kids, I recommend you read here >>> coastal towns Italy we love for kids

And how about Italy’s most famous places?

Cinque Terre in August

August is a very busy, very hot month in Cinque Terre. 

It is a great time for swimming in the beautiful Ligurian sea and sip refreshing aperitivo in the evenings but comes with two significant downsides: masses of visitors (locals and foreign) and high prices.

This is not a good month for hiking either: the sun is too strong and the risk of heatstroke high.

If you want to visit Cinque Terre in August, I suggest you keep a conservative schedule and make the most of local ferries to move around. 

My favorite way to see Cinque Terre in August is picking a home base in a town nearby, so you can have a more local experience. Places I love for families (but that work well for all) are Chiavari and Sestri Levante, which also allow to see stunning Portofino.

Lake Como in August

Lake Como is very busy in August, the busiest time of all, being the week around the 15th of August, ferragosto.

This is the time all Italians go on vacation too and Lake Como being so easy to reach from Milan and the whole of Lombardy gets the lion share of the visitors. 

August on Lake Como is a lovely time to go boating and embracing watersports but prices will be high and the crowds intense: book accommodation and tours very early. 

You can read here >>> our guide to Lake Como with kids

Venice in August 

I am afraid August is not a great time to visit Venice

Venice is August is hot and humid and the weather is made even more oppressive by the presence of mosquitoes, absolutely vicious here! 

To visit Venice in August, I recommend you find accommodation with strong A/C and stay more than a day, so you can make the most of the early mornings and evenings, delightful here.

This is also a good time to plan an escape for a day to one of the beaches near Venice.

Florence in August

Florence is VERY hot in August (see official data here). 

The city sits in a valley and the lack of any breeze makes the days oppressive and excessively hot for any sightseeing or active pursuit.

If coming at this time, it is paramount to have accommodation with air conditioning and keep handy addresses of swimming pools as you will want to spend large portions of the day there.

The best way to visit the sights is to visit early morning and evening and plan indoor activities such as cooking classes and art classes, so you can have air con on.

Despite the heat, August is really busy in Florence and accommodation and tours have very high prices to match the large demand.

The rest of Tuscany in August

The situation is slightly different in the rest of Tuscany. 

The Tuscan countryside is very hot in August but can be a good place to call home for a while, provided you can get hold of a villa with a pool and on a hilltop.

The best way to enjoy the slow pace of rural Tuscany is to get a car and use it to explore from a homebase. This way, you can spend the hottest times at your pool and see the cities when the sun is lower in the sky.

A place we love for instance is Tenuta Chiudendone, on a high hill, with A/C and with a pool.

The Tuscan Coast is also lovely as will give you access to the gorgeous Tuscan sea.

Busy and hot, this is the best part of Tuscany to get some relief from the heat and for a sea and sun vacation, although it is a slightly less convenient base for sightseeing. 

My favorite area for a beach vacation in Tuscany is the South. You can read here >>> all about Southern Tuscany.

Rome in August

I am from Rome and have mixed feelings about the city in August. In general, August is not a great time to be in Rome.

The city is hot, locals have mostly left and some restaurants and shops close. Not everything, you won’t go hungry, but it is definitely not a time to see Rome as a real, local city.

That said, Rome is emptier in August than at other times so sometimes, it is a good time for photos and a slow pace stay. If you can take the heat, it has quite a charm!

To get a proper picture of the place, I recommend you read here >>> my guide to Rome in August, also with recommended hotels and days of closures you may need to be aware of.

The Amalfi Coast in August

The Amalfi Coast is very crowded in August, the peak tourist season for this area. 

At this time, overseas visitors especially come here for their summer vacations, which means beaches, hotels, roads and tours are the their busiest .

If you have to visit the Amalfi Coast in August, your best bet is to find a place in a slightly lesser popular town with good access to the sea (avoid Amalfi, Positano etc. I personally like Minori), stay put and embrace local ferries for local excursions.

Avoid the car at all costs as the traffic on the main road gets bumper to bumper! If you need car transport, I recommend getting a local driver as opposed to driving yourself as they are used to negotiating those roads and now shortcuts / alternatives.

if you are visiting the Amalfi Coast with kids, I recommend you pick one of the towns with easy beach access such as Maiori or Minori.

I highly recommend you do not plan a trip to Pompeii at this time that while not far, gets so oppressively hot, it is just unbearable. 

What to pack for Italy in August

When packing for Italy in August, you want light, breathable summer clothes.

You can find our full packing list from Italy in August here. 

Make sure you include your Italy travel essentials:

• All your travel documents (passport, Visa, Insurance, etc)
• Broken in walking shoes / sandals (find my shoe recommendations here)
• Shorts / summer dresses 
• Swimming gear
• Clothing essentials (underwear, swimsuits, sunglasses, sun hat etc)
• Power bank – to make sure your phone doesn’t run out of battery with all the photo taking etc
• Travel adapter and converter if coming from a different electricity system
• Phone/Camera

If you are planning on visiting the Alps, you will need to also add an outer layer like a windbreaker and proper hiking gear as well as a cardigan or sweater.

August dates of notice

When traveling to Italy in August there is one date you need to be aware of : the 15th of August, ferragosto. 

The 15th of August is a national holiday in Italy and while technically the 15th is the only day off, in practice the whole week around this date or at least the days 14-16 August are off for most Italians.

This is the week for the Italian’s summer vacations and this means crowds are at their peaks in all vacation destinations, traffic on roads is high and price for tourism services at its highest.

Ferragosto may also impact on closed and sightseeing.

You can read here >> all you need to know about Italy’s ferragosto

Is everything closed in Italy in August? 

You may have heard that Italy shuts down in August and while there is some truth to it, no: Italy does not close in August!

August is very high tourism season in Italy and, in general the very opposite is true: this is a time when hotels and tour operators are at their busiest and ferry services, train and restaurants operate full steam ahead. But there are exceptions!

Around Ferragosto, the 15th of the month, Italians go on holiday and many businesses that do not operate with tourism and public offices, in particular, do close down or operate at minimal capacity. 

This means that if you need anything administrative done, August is a nightmare and you may find some smaller shops and restaurants closing on the 15th of August and, possibly, the week after, especially in big cities, which will be at their emptiest at this time.

Since ferragosto is a catholic holiday, religious sites are also impacted by the day. Since attractions in Italy do not operate on a common schedule, i recommend you check opening days/ times of each before you settling on your itinerary.

What to book in advance for August in Italy

August is the peak tourism season in Italy so you should book absolutely all accommodation and tours as soon as you know you are going, ideally months in advance.

This is my list of attractions and providers that offer good cancellation options: the best choice if you need to plan yet stay flexible.

I recommend you book everything as soon as your trip is confirmed. You can find here >>> my list of booking resources for Italy (official attractions website and ticket providers + my favorite tours)

I hope you enjoyed this overview of Italy in August and it helped you plan your Italy trip. Happy travel planning!