Climate Italy
Italy has a Mediterranean climate due to its location on the Mediterranean Sea. However, due to its large north-south extension, there are very large regional differences. In the Italian Alps in the far north, one finds a high alpine climate with long and cold winters. Further south, in South Tyrol, on the lakes of Northern Italy and in the rest of the Alpine foothills, there is already a significantly milder climate with average summer temperatures of over 25 degrees and comparatively mild winter temperatures. In central Italy, the climate is predominantly Mediterranean. Summers are warm to hot, winters mild. Frost occurs only sporadically and hardly south of the 45th parallel. In southern Italy and on the Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily, the weather is warm almost all year round. Even in the winters, the daily temperatures rarely fall below 10 degrees. The monthly average temperatures lie also in the winter around 15 degrees. The summers usually run hot and dry. Temperatures around or above 40 degrees are not uncommon. Depending on the weather conditions, influences from North Africa can be felt especially on the southernmost Italian islands.
For a beach holiday at the numerous Mediterranean beaches or at the lakes of Northern Italy, the summer months June to August are best suited. If you don't prefer such warm temperatures, you should arrive in autumn. For winter sports enthusiasts, Italy offers numerous ski resorts in the Alps and Abruzzo. The ski season usually lasts from December to April.
