Things to do in Italy

October in Italy is the most anticipated month for mushroom pickers, food enthusiasts, and nature lovers- the time when the entire peninsula comes alive with festivals, village fairs, and food events dedicated to mushrooms. From the Dolomites to the Apennine hills, from the Umbrian woods to the

Perched on a hill in the province of Belluno, the walled town of Feltre has one of Italy’s best-preserved Renaissance historic centres. It is surrounded by the Belluno Dolomites and open countryside. The town also hosts events such as its well-established Palio, or historical pageant, and has a food tradition that can hold its own with the best of them.

As soon as the temperatures drop and the woods turn red, orange, and gold, the perfect atmosphere is created for discovering the most beautiful nature trails. But what are the 6 best hikes to do in Italy this fall? From the Dolomites to the Calabrian Sila, you can explore Alpine ridges, lakeside trails, or mule tracks in the southern Apennines during the autumn months.

Each October, Barcolana transforms Trieste’s waterfront into one of Italy’s great sporting spectacles.

The Tremiti Islands sit in the Adriatic Sea, around 22 kilometres off the Gargano coast in Puglia.

Autumn is prime time for truffle season in Italy.

October in Italy brings heritage weekends inside normally closed palazzi, late harvest visits at family-run wineries, and chestnut and truffle sagre in hill towns.

Anyone visiting the lagoon city, especially between October and March, should expect some gray and wet days. But there are also plenty of things to do in Venice when it rains, and the city inevitably gains in charm. Without the crowds under the sun, museums can be visited at a leisurely pace, churches reveal details that normally escape our notice, and historic cafés become perfect refuges. Here, then, are the best places to take shelter.

At more than 4,500 metres above sea level, where thin air makes every breath harder and the night sky puts on an unequalled display, stands a building unlike any other in Europe. A wooden cabin, perched on Punta Gnifetti in the Monte Rosa massif, has held the continental record as Europe’s high

Between October and November, the Marche region is transformed: the woods explode with warm colors, the medieval villages become more interesting, and the festivals fill the squares with the scents of truffles and chestnuts. Discover what to see in the Marche region this fall, exploring the best spots for foliage, the most charming villages to visit in autumn, and the unmissable festivals.

Autumn food festivals in Italy are a proper window into regional cooking.

Each year, as summer gives way to the cooler air of inland Sardinia, one of the island’s most authentic cultural events gets underway. Autumn in Barbagia 2026 opens up the villages of central Sardinia between September and December, turning old courtyards, craft workshops and wine cellars into

As the muggy heat eases but the days remain bright, a warm outdoor soak feels particularly welcome. Italy has free thermal springs, natural pools and waterfalls where access is free all year round. September makes the experience even better, with fewer people than during peak season and temperatures that make it easy to stay in the water for a while. Here are four well-known spots, along with a few useful details for planning the day.

Anyone who has seen the first images from The Dog Stars, Ridley Scott’s latest film and felt they recognised something was right. The director chose Italy as the main setting for his post-apocalyptic film, creating scenery that feels both familiar and strange. With a budget of $110 million, a crew of more than 400 Italian professionals and 100 international staff, The Dog Stars is one of the largest productions filmed in Italy in recent years.

A mountain bivouac is a small shelter, usually unmanned, intended to provide a safe roof for hikers and mountaineers at high altitude. Unlike a staffed mountain hut, there is no host to welcome visitors and no hot menu. A bivouac is basic and spartan and, for many people, one of the most authentic experiences the mountains can provide. Here is what a bivouac is and what to expect.

Italy is one of the few countries where sunset can look completely different each evening, depending on where you are. A sunset in the Dolomites bears little resemblance to one in Positano, or to the late light over Sicily’s Scala dei Turchi. That remarkable variety of scenery makes Italy a sought-after place for anyone hoping to make the most of the day’s final light.

A supermarket in Venice is drawing attention for a detail that has nothing to do with pasta offers or the weekly shop. Despar Teatro Italia occupies a former Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau theatre, where original decorative details and a ceiling fresco remain in place above the shelves.The unusual

September brings milder temperatures and a calendar filled with major events covering literature, food, contemporary art and centuries-old traditions. There are plenty of options for anyone looking for things to do in Italy in September 2026. Venetian canals set the scene for poetry, the Langhe hills carry the scents of the grape harvest, Sicilian beaches fill with the aromas of spices, and Ligurian towns become spaces for new ideas.

Rome has an old riddle hidden in plain sight.

With more than 7,500 km of coastline, Italy has seafront promenades that are far more than simple walks beside the sea. For a sunset stroll or an evening wander, here is a selection of the most scenic seafront promenades in Italy, spanning the country from north to south, along with the features that set each one apart. Some, including Bari and Caorle, still tend to sit outside the usual tourist radar.

A castle rising from the rock, a heart-shaped lake, and restaurants perched above the sea: Abruzzo surprises you where you least expect it. In just a few hours, you can travel from the peaks of Gran Sasso to the coves of the Costa dei Trabocchi, passing through pristine medieval villages and parks that preserve rare biodiversity. These are perfect itineraries for those who want to avoid the usual destinations without sacrificing iconic landscapes.

Zungoli is a small comune in the province of Avellino, with fewer than 1,000 residents. It has earned a place among I Borghi più Belli d’Italia — Italy’s association of its most beautiful villages — and holds the Touring Club Italiano’s Orange Flag award. It only takes a few hours on foot to understand what there is to see in Zungoli: the village has a Norman castle, historic churches and an underground network carved into tuff stone.

Elba may seem familiar at first, until you come across corners that change the picture entirely: a green lagoon where swimming is forbidden, a black beach reached only by taking the walk slowly, and a fortress that never fell under siege. These are six unusual, lesser-visited places on Elba, giving a different perspective on Tuscany’s best-known island in the archipelago.

In a small village in Tuscany’s Valdarno Aretino, the sound of running water is part of daily life.

The last weekend of August is the perfect time for many to get away: the beaches are a bit emptier and prices are more reasonable. It's the perfect window to indulge in a two- or three-day getaway without the chaos of Ferragosto, but with all the light and warmth that only this period can offer.