Summer 2026

The Italian summer is not one season, it is several: running from the first heat of late May to the stillness of late September when the crowds have gone and the country becomes, briefly, entirely itself. This is a guide to navigating it well: where to go when Puglia fills up, what August means in a country that takes Ferragosto seriously, why September in Tuscany rewards those who planned ahead.

Courmayeur: the Italian side of Mont Blanc

A guide to the Italian side of Mont Blanc, from the Skyway Monte Bianco and the town of the old guides to the quiet trails of Val Ferret and Val Veny

By The Editors

/ 4 Jul 2026

Jagged granite peak of Aiguille d'Entreves rising from the snow-covered Mont Blanc massif at dawn near Courmayeur.

Umbria Jazz 2026: the complete guide to Perugia's summer festival

The fifty-fourth edition of Umbria Jazz runs July 3 to 12 in Perugia, pairing ticketed Arena Santa Giuliana headliners with ten days of free music across the historic center.

By The Editors

/ 2 Jul 2026

Fontana Maggiore and Palazzo dei Priori in Piazza IV Novembre, Perugia, at blue hour during Umbria Jazz

The Palio di Siena: a year of devotion, ninety seconds of war

Twice each summer a Tuscan city covers Piazza del Campo in earth and runs a bareback horse race that decides nothing and means everything. Understanding the seventeen contrade is understanding Siena itself.

By The Editors

/ 26 Jun 2026

Crowds packed in Piazza del Campo below the Torre del Mangia for the Palio di Siena

Altitude and water: northern Italy in summer, from the Dolomites to the great lakes

A guide to the season the heat and the crowds never reach, from hut-to-hut walking in the Dolomites to the slow light of the Italian lakes.

By The Editors

/ 25 Jun 2026

Tre Cime di Lavaredo lit by alpenglow above a sea of cloud, the Dolomites in summer

The best Italian summer festivals and sagre of 2026

The season runs on two calendars: ticketed cultural festivals programmed years ahead, and the village sagre and patron-saint feasts a community holds for itself. A guide to choosing the right summer evening in Italy in 2026.

By The Editors

/ 18 Jun 2026

Thousands of string lights fanning over long tables of diners at a night-time Italian village sagra

The festa di San Giovanni on Lake Como: the night the island burns

Once a year the only island on Lake Como is set alight in red flares, a re-enactment of a real medieval night. What the fire commemorates, and how to watch the Lake Como fireworks festival from the water.

By The Editors

/ 16 Jun 2026

Fireworks of the festa di San Giovanni over the Isola Comacina and boats on Lake Como at night

Italy Blue Flag beaches 2026: the new entries, the certified regions and how to use the list

The annual Blue Flag certification has just added fourteen new Italian coastline destinations for 2026 including Lipari, Monte Argentario and Teulada. Here is what the list actually measures, where it concentrates, and which new entries are worth your attention.

By The Editors

/ 25 May 2026

Aerial view of Finale Ligure coast with medieval castle on limestone cliff above sandy beach and coastal road, Ligurian Riviera.

Italy in summer 2026: the authentic traveler's complete guide to the real Italian summer experience

Italy in summer 2026 offers far more than its most celebrated landmarks. From ancient coastal civilizations to secret mountain villages and living food traditions, this is the complete guide to experiencing an authentic Italian summer, and entirely on your own terms.

By The Editors

/ 10 May 2026

Narrow whitewashed alley between traditional trulli with conical limestone roofs in warm morning light, Alberobello, Puglia, southern Italy

Italy's coastal jewels: a definitive guide to the most beautiful beaches

From the world-famous turquoise bays of Sardinia to the dramatic, cliffside sands of the south, Italy’s coastline is a masterpiece of diversity. This essential guide provides a curated exploration of the most breathtaking shores.

By The Editors

/ 20 Mar 2026

Aerial drone view of a beautiful sandy beach in Italy with colorful umbrellas, turquoise water, and rocks, representing a perfect Italian coast vacation.

The complete guide to Italy's 25 National Parks

Italy's 25 National Parks protect over 1.6 million hectares of Alpine glaciers, ancient forests, volcanic islands, and Apennine wilderness — and most international travelers have never set foot in any of them. This is where the real Italy begins.

By The Editors

/ 15 Mar 2026

Male Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) on a rocky ridge in Gran Paradiso National Park, Valsavarenche valley, Valle d'Aosta, Italy