Hello! Thinking of going to Italy this August, to Florence, Milan and Cinque Terre. Any recommendations on accommodations? Don’t really mind airbnb. Also, I read online that August is a bad month to go to these places. Have anyone gone during August? Would love to hear from you! Thanks!

I’ve been to Italy in August. It is VERY hot, but otherwise, beautiful! I even managed a long bike tour around Florence just fine. If you’re okay with the temperature, no big deal. A lot of locals holiday this time of year.

It’s hot and a lot of business owners are on vacation. Major touristy places are not affected but beware if you are visiting smaller towns

Went to Florence last year in September..and that was still busy and hot. We used a company called windows on italy.com. They had plenty of rentals and were great to deal with.

August is vacation time. Everything is super expensive and many things may be closed. It's also extremely hot so most people vacation and go south to the beaches

We just got back from Cinque Terre. Stayed at an air bnb in Levanto. Was a great place. You could walk to the train and nice little village with restaurants. Not so touristy as the actual Cinque Terre towns.

Ca laudemia air bnb guys name was Lorenzo. Nice place

Colleen are you able to give some advice on the best places to see in cinque terre? Heading there in a few weeks for a full day (I know it's not enough time but it's all I have lol)

Jose best thing to do is just take the train to each little village and roam around. Have a meal and enjoy the scenery. We’re not hiking people but a lot of people hike between the towns. We stayed in Levanto which is the furthest away but was quieter and as I said less touristy. The trains are packed all the time. It is very easy to use them. You get a day pass and away you go. Not really a lot of activity right in the towns. They are very small. A lot a uphill walking too.

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We went in August, its only “bad” because its way to hot and the prices for everything is jacked up.

hot, expensive, you won’t see a single Italian because they are smart enough to be at the beach..

Just be prepared to sweat like crazy. It's super hot. Like, the way you walk will be determined by where the shade is on the street (I went last year in August). You will want to stay away from booking during mid-August because of Ferragosoto--it's an Italian holiday where people close up shop and make it to the coast for vacation. Some restaurants may be closed, especially the more south you go.

It was very hot, very busy and pricey. It looks like if you guy in the off season, even into September, you'll enjoy it a lot more.

Everyone goes on holiday in August, so you risk some sites and restaurants being closed. That said, Italians are very aware that it's holiday time for others as well.
Given a choice, I'd go in Sepetember, myself, but if August is when you can go, plan for a low key, relaxing time with lots of flexibility for closures (if the museum's closed, you'll have to relax on a patio with prosecco - darn!)

My advice: avoid Florence in August altogether. Go in the Fall or Spring, before June.

I’ve been to Florence twice in July and it was crazy hot!!! I can imagine August would be the same. If you still choose to go at that time and you do air bnb just make sure your airbnb has air conditioning. Ours did not and we instantly regretted not checking whether it had it before booking.

We went to Italy in October, and it was absolutely perfect-weather was fantastic and it was lower in tourists. I would avoid going to Italy in August altogether.

We went in August and it’s not bad, it’s just HOT. Bring an umbrella for shade and buy water s for yourselves from a convenience store.

Travel by train, fast and easy.

This too. And take the ferry between cities in Cinque Terre so you can see the coast from the water!

That’s how I took the most beautiful photos!

I was there last August. It’s was very hot you need sun hat all the time.but good thing it was not crowded. People were away for the holidays. Marinara hotel is really good food and service. Make sure take guided tours. Enjoy:)

This too. Italians have vacation in August, so it’s just tourists if they go to these places.

Thank you everyone! it seems a bit discouraging to go in August. I might make this happen in September or switching my travel plans to Japan in August. Thank you all for your inputs

September is awesome for all 3 Italian venues you mentioned.

Japan is very hot in August as well. It is very humid in most of cities so do some research before you book!

For Florence, if you are staying centrally, get up at sunrise, and explore walking around the sights, it's magnificent before all the tourists show up. 5:30-9:00 can be wonderful, and then grab a table and have some espresso.

Lived in Rome for 3 years- August can be brutal- find a place with air conditioning - if not for the cooling then to drown out the noise of the millions of tourists outside.
The small boutique type shops will be closed, touristy places will be open. I love Florence but I wouldn't go in August!

Stay outside (hotel) cinque terre. It is crowded like Disneyland in high season.

Italy too hot inAugust.

When we were at the cinque Terre we stayed in le spezia and took the train back and forth. Less than 10 minute train ride and also a beautiful city

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Just came back from there on June 3 and it was 30+ - so hot and already packed with tourists! Air conditioning in some hotels do not work even though hotel advertises A/C.

Hot hot hot. Too nasty for Cinque Tere same for Milan.

Italians take the month of August off for their holidays.

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I’ve been to Italy in both May and August (Rome, Florence, Venice, analog coast) and would definitely recommend avoiding August. Extremely hot and crowded with tourists. That being said, still beautiful and amazing food, but we enjoyed our trip in May way more.

Florence - Cheaper air bnbs just outside of the centre (east of Santa Croce) and An easy walk. Make sure your air bnb has a/c. July and most of August are excellent for discount shopping in Florence! Google the summer sales in the city and outlet malls close by. Worth it.

For Cinque Terre,
I recommend looking up the Heart of Cinque Terre. Stayed there with my friend and loved every minute of it

Aranda Christine

We stayed just outside Florence in the little town of Impruneta. It was gorgeous and our airbnb was fabulous. Short walk to the grocery store and there was a bus for getting into Florence if you don’t rent a vehicle. The town itself is walkable, the views are fabulous and it has some really great restaurants.

We just came back from florence and could not recommend Messori Suites enough. They treated us like royalty and their outdoor garden is stunning. The breakfast every day is plentiful, meats, cheeses, fruit (cherries, appricots, bananas), pastries, lattes - and they have sparkling wine and snacks ready for you when you get back. The room is exactly like the pictures, they even have buttons at the side of the bed to automatically open the two curtains (one light, one blackout) in the morning. I have literally never stayed in a nicer hotel (compared even to four seasons etc) and it is only $150/night. It is a 20-ish minute walk to the center of the city, and fairly close to david, but the walk has lots of cute shops on the way. It looks EXACTY like the photo's. https://www.booking.com/hotel/it/messori-suites.it.html...

Nicole