Tuscany

Tuscany – What you should know

Tuscany is not a coastal climate, even though many expect it to be. Between Siena, the Chianti hills and the Val d'Orcia lies inland country, and it heats up far more in summer than the beaches of the Versilia: July and August typically reach 31–32°C. At least the nights cool to 18–19°C — unlike on the Mediterranean coast, where the heat lingers into the evening.

Summer is also the driest season: July averages only around 23 mm of rain across three days, with more than twelve hours of sunshine daily. For city trips to Florence, Siena or San Gimignano that is rather too much of a good thing — anyone with museums and old towns on the itinerary is better served by May or September, when highs sit at 23°C and 26°C respectively.

Autumn is the real surprise. The grape harvest begins in September, the landscape still holds its colour, and temperatures are ideal for walking. From October the weather turns decisively: November is the wettest month at around 106 mm, bringing rain on nine days. Anyone visiting Tuscany in late autumn should plan it as a cultural trip rather than a landscape one.