Best time to go cycling in Italy

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Best time to go cycling in Italy

Get up early so you can avoid cycling in the midday heat and prepare for every eventuality weatherwise, especially when ascending in the Alps or Apennines.

The best time to go on a cycling vacation in Italy is in spring and autumn, when more popular areas aren’t too crowded and it’s warm and dry without the risk of sudden storms. Cycling in May also gives you a chance to catch a stage of the Giro d'Italia so factor this in if you’re a fan of following the pink jersey. The further south you cycle – the Amalfi Coast, Puglia or Sicily, for example – the longer the season extends with Oct offering an abundance of colour as well as comfortable temps before the rain kicks in during Nov. For more tips, see our Italy travel guide.

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CYCLING IN ITALY, MONTH BY MONTH

In January and February the Dolomites are far too cold for cycling and pelotons in Piedmont are as rare as porcini truffles around Turin and Milan. Cycling in the south of Italy – along the Amalfi Coast or in Sicily, for example – is a better option although you’ll be hard pushed to find a small group tour operating at this time of year. March is still considered an ‘off peak’ cycling season in Italy – although clear days always bring out the local Lycra – and it’s not until the warmer months of April and May that you’ll find small groups pedalling in Puglia, Umbria and even as far north as Bolzano in the Dolomites. The best time to go cycling in Italy is from mid-April to early June, and mid-September to October. The hottest months of June, July and August are best tackled with an early start to avoid the searing heat of midday – especially around Sorrento, Sicily and Sardinia. Head north, or to the mountains, for fresher air. You will enjoy crisper, more colourful conditions at the end of September and into October as the Tuscan countryside fires the imagination with early morning mists spreading over agricultural landscapes. Fiery forest foliage, just as most Italians are starting to hunker down for winter, is a real treat for cyclists who don’t mind the cold and evenings spent indoors. November and December are wet and cold. You’re better off exploring the cities and towns on foot to coincide with Christmas festivities where you’ll find piazzas ringed with market stall traders and burning braziers to cook chestnuts.

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Piedmont Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

-2

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

-1

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RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL RECOMMENDS

Andrew Ross, from our supplier Exodus, shares his tips for the best to go on a cycling vacation in Italy:

"The cycling season in Italy lasts longer the further south you venture; our trips in Amalfi and Puglia run from March to October. Two of the best times are in May and September when the weather is generally perfect for cycling but it isn’t too crowded in the more popular destinations. The other bonus of May is that you are likely to run into a stage of the Giro at some point!"