The Best Things About Autumn in Italy

It's October, and so I'm reminded of a conversation I had with a client this summer: he and his wife were planning a trip to Italy and were debating between October and next May. Anyone considering spring vs. autumn should take into account the sunset: it's about a three hour difference. But if they could live with an earlier sunset, I told them my vote was for October, partly because May is high season, but partly because of a few things I love about autumn in Italy:

• White truffles are in season, and are on many restaurant menus, though are not cheap. Eat them on pasta, with eggs, or in any number of creative ways you'll see. Yes, they're fancy, but there's no need for large quantities: a few shavings on a dish is enough.    

  

• It's the grape harvest, so go visit a vineyard or two in the countryside. Keep your eye out for tractors pulling large crates on wheels full to the brim with grapes that were just picked. The tractors move very slowly, so if you end up stuck behind one on a narrow road, just be patient, and think of the wine.
  

  

• The weather isn't predictable at any time of year but the intense summer heat is gone in most of Italy by October, making it pleasant to walk around outside and ideal for hiking, biking, or scuba diving, since the water is still warm from the summer. 

• Chestnut vendors are out with their carts in the street, filling the air with a distinctive smell. Go on a Sunday stroll and taste this typical Italian autumn & winter snack. I'd suggest this to anyone, but full disclosure: I can't eat roasted chestnuts. The first time I bought a paper cone full, I ate a rotten one and felt sick. For some reason the smell of them doesn't bother me, and I love seeing the vendors in the streets. Everyone else I know enjoys them. 
  

• Feel the fog descend. And you will: you'll breathe it, feel it on your skin in the morning or evening, and listen to Italians talk about barometric pressure and how it affects their health, their sleep, and their daily routines. Of course, fog isn't appreciated when you're hoping to see the Alps from the top of Milan's Duomo, or when you're on a bike in the countryside, but it does create a magical atmosphere. And don't worry if you wake up in the morning to a fog so thick you can't see across the street: it usually burns off once the sun is up.
  

• Make sure to taste Italian hot chocolate. It's nothing like milk mixed with cocoa and sugar; cioccolata calda is pretty much pure molten chocolate. 

 

• One of the best things about the autumn is that things are back to normal. People are back from vacation. Stores are open during regular business hours. Streets are buzzing with commuters and Italians going about their daily business. You can book concert tickets. There are so many markets, festivals, and sagre that I'm not even going to try to summarize them. It's real life, happening in front of you.

P.S. One thing you won't see in Italy in the autumn are the brilliantly colored leaves seen in the eastern part of the US and Canada, and here's why. 

Photo of truffles on eggs by Monica Arellano-Ongpin; Photo of chestnuts by stebox78; Photo of fog by jjjohn; Photo of hot chocolate by heliosphan

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Comments

[Peter @ italyMONDO!]

MMMmmmm..... All wonderful things! Why Fall is the best time of the year to be in Italy :-)

[Madeline]

I totally agree Peter! The last 2 weeks of October in particular...:o)