Best Time to Visit Umbria

The overall best time to visit Umbria is the best time for sightseeing, April through early June or September and October. This is when the weather is most pleasant, not too hot or too cold, with daytime high temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to upper 70s Fahrenheit. While this region won’t be nearly as busy as places like Tuscany, you’ll avoid summer’s bigger crowds, long lines, and the highest prices of the year. If you come in late September or October, you can enjoy colorful landscapes thanks to the brilliant fall foliage with changing leaves.

Just be aware that Assisi is the exception to the lack of crowds in Umbria in early October due to the Feast of St. Francis. If you want to enjoy the region practically all to yourself, come between November and March. Prepare for chilly wet weather by bringing clothing that can be layered, a waterproof coat, a warm hat, and gloves.

The best time for outdoor activities like hiking and biking while enjoying the beauty of nature is April through early November, with the exception of the hot summer months. Temperatures can still be quite brisk in early April, but in between rainy days there’s usually quite a bit of sunshine and it’s a lovely, lush time of year to enjoy the outdoors. In May, it will be warmer and the fields between the hilltop towns are ablaze with colorful wildflowers.

Evenings are warm enough for alfresco dining too and the bigger crowds of summer typically won’t arrive until late June, just before the sun scorches the fields. September is similar to May although it’s typically drier and an ideal time for walking and cycling excursions, particularly during the second half of the month. October is a bit more crisp with plentiful sunshine and blue skies while temperatures average in the mid-60s, perfect for those recreational activities.

There are festivals to enjoy throughout the year in Umbria, but most are hosted between May and October. In the town of Narni, the two week Corsa all’ Anello takes place starting in late April with the highlight a jousting tournament between knights that dates back to medieval times and includes musicians, lots of traditional foods, and costumes. One of the most famous music festivals in Umbria starts in late June/early July in Spoleto.

Festival dei Due Mondi features classical, jazz, and opera performances along with dance and theater events over three weeks. Also in late June, Bevagna hosts the Mercato delle Gaite which brings the 14 th and 15 th centuries to life, with live theater, re-creations, market stalls, and traditional demonstrations of glassmaking, candle making, silk spinning, and more. July’s Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia is one of the world’s best and the same city hosts the annual Eurochocolate Festival in October.

While the festivities for Christmas and New Year’s continue into January with the feast of the Epiphany on January 6 when children get gifts or sweets from La Befana, this is one of the quietest months in terms of tourism. Exploring the major sites will be much more enjoyable without the crowds. While it’s the coldest month of the year, Umbria enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate with the average daytime high close to 50 degrees.

If you do get chilly, you’ll find plenty of hearty, warming foods to enjoy. While snow is relatively rare in the lower elevations, you will find ski resorts in the Umbrian Apennines with slopes for beginners and experienced alike if you want to ski while visiting Umbria. Obviously, that means you’ll be encountering colder temperatures and will want to bring the appropriate clothing. Otherwise, the flatland areas typically call for a waterproof jacket and clothing that can be layered.

The days are getting longer and the temperatures are rising too. While the sun goes down at 6p.m. on March 1st , thanks to Daylight Savings Time you’ll get 96 more minutes of daylight by the end of the month with sunset at 7:36 p.m. Spring is just around the corner – it will still be snowy and cold in the mountains, but lower elevation areas typically reach 55 degrees in the afternoon.

March is characterized by a mix of foggy, misty days and sunny ones, with more bright blue skies seen during the second half of the month. It marks the end of the off-season, ideal for those who want to enjoy decent weather with few crowds and discounts on airfare and accommodation. In terms of packing, you’ll still want to bring clothing that can be layered and a rain jacket, but you might want to carry a pair of sunglasses too.

May is a wonderful month to visit Umbria, with landscapes bursting with colorful wildflowers while afternoons are typically around 70 degrees, still ideal for your outdoor activities and shopping lively markets that will be filled with fresh produce. The town of Narni will be hosting the Corsa all’ Anello festival during the early part of the month.

It will bring you back to medieval times, complete with a jousting tournament between knights, delicious traditional foods and costumes, and live music. You’ll want to pack as you would for April with a mix of clothing but the focus should be on attire for warmer weather like dresses, shorts, and t-shirts along with some long pants, long-sleeved tops, and a light jacket or sweater for mornings and late nights. While May isn’t as busy as the summer months, there will be a lot more tourists here now so you’ll want to book your accommodation well in advance.

July is one of the warmest and busiest months in Umbria with the average daytime high at 89 degrees and many days that are much hotter than that. If you visit now, you’ll want to avoid the most intense heat by spending time outdoors in the early mornings and late afternoons. In between you might enjoy time at your hotel pool (if you have one) or splashing around in one of the lakes. Indoor attractions with air conditioning are just one of the many other options.

There’s little if any rain to cool things off now, other than the occasional, short-lived thunderstorm. As many visitors will be heading to Umbria now, you’ll want to book your accommodation well in advance to ensure you secure an air-conditioned space for comfortable sleeping – and, as mentioned, a pool is likely to be used often. Bring your summer attire, including a couple of swimsuits.

Early September is still summer, with warm weather and plenty of tourists, but soon that will all change with the extreme heat fading away and lots of bright blue skies with pleasant temperatures around 77 degrees will soon be the norm. Evenings are cooling too with the mercury dropping to the mid-50s overnight. The second half of the month is ideal for trips that include lots of walking or cycling while avoiding thick summer crowds with most families back home as the kids return to school.

This is a romantic time of year, ideal for couples and music enthusiasts with Perugia hosting the Sagra Musicale Umbra, a classical music festival taking place over two weeks around the middle of September. Do keep in mind that you’ll still want to book your reservations well in advance if you plan to come now as it’s still a relatively busy month, just not as busy as July or August.

November marks the official start of the off-season, a good time to visit Umbria for a more budget-friendly trip with cheaper airfare and accommodation rates as well as fewer tourists, and lots of great food and wine experiences. Perugia hosts the San Martino dei Colli Wine and Chestnuts Festival, which comes complete with fireworks, for 10 days around the middle of the month. Truffle hunting is popular this month and you can expect a quieter setting wherever you go.

The weather can be chilly and wet – while daytime highs are typically in the upper 50s, this is one of the rainiest months of the year with about a 50/50 chance for a crisp, dry fall day. Over four inches of rainfall occurs on about half the days this month, so you’ll want to dress for sweater weather while adding a waterproof jacket. The days get even shorter, with sunset at 4:37 p.m. on November 30 th .