Best Time of Year to Visit Spain and Italy
Browse more guides: Italy travel | Europe destinations Best Time of Year to Visit Spain and Italy Last updated: April 2026 · 12 min read I've done Italy in May, August, and late October, and Spain in April, June, and September, and the conclusion never changes: mid-April through mid-June, plus September through mid-October, are the universal sweet spots for both countries. July and August get brutally hot in Andalusia, Sicily, and Rome, with crowds to match. Winter is wildly underrated for the cities and almost never recommended by big travel guides, which is exactly why it's worth knowing about. TL;DR: Best months: May, late September, early October. Worst: August for Andalusia, Sicily, and Rome (heat plus crowds plus 30-50% price hikes), and Christmas through New Year for Venice and Rome (wet, packed, expensive). Single biggest mistake first-time travelers make: booking Barcelona or Rome for August because school holidays line up. Don't. Move it two weeks earlier ...