I am wanting to take the wife on a trip in January. Italy comes to mind, but my understanding is that it is mostly a spring-fall destination unless you are wanting a ski trip. We're more interested in a low key kind of trip this time around mostly focused on wine/food and seeing the countryside and avoiding the big cities. Would it be reasonable to think of Italy that time of year?

We went to Italy in late January and loved it. Very few crowds. NO wait at all in the Vatican. Locals not harried by over abundance of tourist. It did rain on us but not bad. You know with better travel clothing we prefer winter travel due to less crowds. Also I find packing is more efficient as you can wear the same attire more often.

Doing a Christmas trip around that time also. Dolomites will be cold but Capri looks nice still. Putting the itinerary together now. Flying in and out of Milan. Four weeks. Christmas Eve mass at the Vatican. That's all that's nailed down so far.

Interested in any tips.

You doing Air BnB?

There is no bad time to go to Italy...It goes pretty far south you know, in case you want more of a beach vacation. You've got everything from skiing in the north, to warmer weather in Sicily with great food, art and history all between...

If you want a private tour guide, these are the ladies I used. They help out with the Rick Steves tours and are excellent.

Giovanna Terzulli in Rome
gioterzulli@gmail.com

Alessandra Marchetti in Florence
alessandramarchettitours@gmail.com

I went to Rome in early febuary and the weather was awesome. A light jacket and as needed at night and morning. Venice was around 32F at night on same trip. No flooding in Venice at that time.

Best part is crowds are way less outside of summer and the warmer months

We went to Rome last thanksgiving and the crowds were nonexistent

A trip to Italy in January can provide a quieter, more intimate experience focused on wine, food, and the countryside, away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. Just be prepared for cooler temperatures and potentially shorter daylight hours, but the charm of Italy's countryside and culinary delights will still make it a memorable vacation.

I've been in January and loved it. Venice was amazing....felt like I had the whole place to myself. I visited some towns in Tuscany and Umbria and it was equally great. It can get cold but it wasn't a big deal. The only downside is if you are looking for that green, lush, colorful Tuscan countryside experience then you'll miss out.

travelnerd said:

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A trip to Italy in January can provide a quieter, more intimate experience focused on wine, food, and the countryside, away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. Just be prepared for cooler temperatures and potentially shorter daylight hours, but the charm of Italy's countryside and culinary delights will still make it a memorable vacation.

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Ok, Robot.

A few. Why?