Planning a trip but unsure when is the best time to visit Umbria?
That depends on what you’d most like to get out of your trip. Are you after Italian cultural immersion, romantic walks through fields of wildflowers, or balmy days sunning yourself by a pool? Or perhaps a bit of a combination?
Read on for a month-by-month guide to Umbria’s weather and major events, and to find out how busy Umbria is through the year.
Umbria in January
Italians, never an abstemious lot, do not jump into Dry January. Instead, the party continues with the feast of the Epiphany on the 6th of January. Children get sweets or gifts from La Befana (a witch who serves as Italy’s answer to Father Christmas).
This is one of the quietest months for tourism in Umbria. This can work in your favour as major sites are far less crowded than usual and there’s plenty of hearty food to enjoy.
Umbria weather in January
Umbrian weather is only mildly cold in winter (it has a Mediterranean climate), but January is the coldest month.
Expect an average daytime high of 9℃ (48℉) and a low of 0℃ (32℉) at night. There are on average 13 days of rainfall each January, and at least three hours of bright sunshine each day.
How busy is Umbria in January?
Winter in Umbria is low season for tourism. It’s a good time to visit for the crowd-averse.
What’s on in Umbria in January?
Epiphany is a national holiday. Like everywhere in Italy, on the first Sunday of the month there is free admission to state-owned museums and archaeological sites.
This is your best chance to have, for example, Perugia’s Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria or Assisi’s Basilica to yourself.
Umbria in February
Like January, weather in February is mildly cold but most often dry.
This is a great time of year for a culture and food-focused trip. Galleries are less crowded than in the peak tourist months of the summer, and restaurants will be filled with locals, creating a convivial but elegant atmosphere.
Umbria weather in February
February can be one of the coldest months of the year. Expect a typical daytime high of 10℃ (50℉) and a low of 2℃ (36℉) overnight.
How busy is Umbria in February?
This is low season for tourism in Umbria.
What’s on in Umbria in February?
In late February and early March, the Nero di Norcia, an exposition of the season’s black truffles, is held over three consecutive weekends. Here you can taste myriad products exploiting the magical fungus of this beautiful hamlet.
On the first Sunday of the month there is free admission to state-owned museums and archaeological sites.
Umbria in March
We love Italy’s green heart most in Spring and Autumn. Experience trees blossoming, new crops springing, and enjoy a midday meal outside.
Umbria weather in March
The weather in March is mild: expect an average daytime high of 13℃ (55℉) and a low of 3℃ (37℉) at night.
How busy is Umbria in March?
The end of winter is still low season for Umbria. With fewer crowds and mild temperatures, you can enjoy activities like Umbrian cookery classes or visit the region’s 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
What’s on in Umbria in March?
If Easter falls in March, it can be a busy time to visit Assisi as thousands of people descend on this medieval pink-stoned city which was the birthplace of St Francis.
Home to some of Umbria’s most important art, Assisi’s basilica contains Giotto’s frescoes. Most pilgrims are daytrippers, so Assisi empties out after dark and can be a great place for an evening meal.
Don’t forget that on the first Sunday of the month there is free admission to state-owned museums and archaeological sites.
Umbria in April
Those after a cultural visit to Umbria would be wise to come in April. While there are no show-stopping festivals, the combination of Easter, with its feasting and relatively low crowds, leave the region’s churches and population in a happy, festive mood.
Gorge on chocolates, cakes and roasted meats, and then work off the indulgence with plenty of walks or cycle rides in the countryside.
Umbria weather in April
Temperatures are still brisk in early April. But with six hours of sunshine each day, and just 13 days of rainfall, on average, it’s a lovely, green time of year to visit Umbria.
Expect a daytime high of 17℃ (62℉) with a low of 5℃ (41℉) overnight.
How busy is Umbria in April?
Easter weekend in Umbria will see some visitors, particularly to sites of religious pilgrimage, like Assisi. But the rest of April is still relatively low season for tourism.
If you are staying in your own villa in Umbria over the holiday weekend, we recommend booking major museums, restaurants, wine tasting and cookery classes in advance. Our award-winning concierge team can help with this.
What’s on in Umbria in April?
Celebrate Easter with chocolate eggs and a traditional Colomba di Pasqua — sweet bread similar to Panettone baked into the shape of a dove.
In its seventh year, the Only Wine Festival, in Perugia, celebrates young or small property winemakers in the region. Come here to taste unusual and inventive products.
On the first Sunday of the month there is free admission to state-owned museums and archaeological sites.
Umbria in May
May is an ideal time to visit Umbria, right before the peak season begins. With the fields between the hilltop towns ablaze with wildflowers, enjoy rural delights without the crowds. May 1, Labour Day, is a national holiday and brings a festive start to the month.
Without blazing heat or crowds, this is a great time of year to be active outside. Evenings are warm enough to enjoy a glass of wine below the pergola of your villa, and even eat outside. Our villas with heated pools are particularly enjoyable on sunny days.
Umbria weather in May
May is a warm and sunny month, with a typical daytime high of 21℃ (70℉).
Make use of longer days — eight hours of sunshine each day — to explore the outdoors. But bring layers, as temperatures drop as low as 9℃ (48℉) overnight.
How busy is Umbria in May?
May is a great month to visit Umbria before peak season really gets going.
What’s on in Umbria in May?
Don’t tell anyone, but this is in many ways the most sensible time of year to visit Umbria.
With no major festivals drawing tourists, this is the ideal time to cycle or walk, if you can dodge seasonal rain showers.
Make sure to stop by state-owned museums and archaeological sites on the first Sunday of the month — there is free admission.
Umbria in June
While Umbria is a great beauty at any time of year, the hill towns are at their most happily verdant in June, before the heat of the summer browns the fields.
Early in the month is the time to head to Mount Sibillini to walk among its legendary wild flowers, which will be in peak condition now. If you like the heat, this would be a good time for a walking trip, with the breezes in the hilltop towns making them sensible places to seek exercise.
Umbria weather in June
June is a great time to get outdoors before temperatures hit their summer peak. Expect daytime highs of 26℃ (79℉) and a lows of 13℃ (55℉) at night.
How busy is Umbria in June?
Summer in Umbria is high season. We recommend booking all activities in advance, including making restaurant reservations.
You may prefer to dedicate more time to relaxing by the private pool in your villa in Umbria.
What’s on in Umbria in June?
On June 2nd Italy celebrates the Festa della Repubblica. This marks the official abolition of the monarchy and the birth of the Italian republic, bringing a festive atmosphere to the whole country.
More particular to Umbria, in mid-June the ancient town of Foligno, 40km south-east of Perugia, hosts a medieval jousting tournament. The Giostra della Quintana sees ten districts of the town compete in a race around the stadium, riding as quickly as possible around the ancient track, attempting to spear a lance into a ring hanging from a statue of Mars (the “quintanone”). The challenge is held each June, and the rematch in September, but the greatest joy for visitors is the festive atmosphere surrounding the sporting event.
In the weeks leading up to the event, local bars are open till all hours, local culinary specialties come to the fore, and the night before the challenge features a grand parade of hundreds in baroque costumes.
Bevagna hosts its medieval crafts fair, the Mercato delle Gaite. Rub shoulders with locals in clothes styled on the Middle Ages, as they demonstrate how to make traditional paper, iron and silk.
Filled with medieval and Roman monuments, Spoleto is one of our favourites of Umbria’s hilltop towns. But it is at its most lively from late June until early July, when it hosts its eponymous festival, one of Italy’s most stunning spectacles. There is a particular magic to the starlit performances of opera, ballet and music on the imposing Piazza del Duomo. The party spills out into squares around the city, in a grand celebration of art, film and theatre.
Don’t miss out on the best deal for the first Sunday of the month. There is free admission to state-owned museums and archaeological sites.
Umbria in July
July in Umbria is one of the busiest and warmest months. Spend time lazing by your private pool, or perhaps taking a cooking class to exploit the best of the summer produce — all of which you can book through our concierge service.
Umbria weather in July
July is one of the hottest months of the year with a typical daytime high of 29℃ (89℉) and a low of 15℃ (68℉) overnight.
Avoid the most intense heat and explore the outdoors in the early mornings and late afternoons.
How busy is Umbria in July?
Summer in Umbria is high season — July and August are the busiest months of the year.
To ensure that you get what you want, book activities and restaurants in advance through our travel concierge.
What’s on in Umbria in July?
Each July, Perugia plays host to one of the largest jazz festivals in Europe. Umbria Jazz has welcomed performers from around the world since 1973.
Straddling the end of July and early August, Trasimeno Blues is an outdoor music festival held on the shore of Lake Trasimeno. Various events take place in romantic spots around the water, for example Castiglione del Lago’s medieval fortress.
Escape the heat and enjoy free admission to state-owned museums and archaeological sites on the first Sunday of the month.
Umbria in August
August is peak tourist season. You’ll find hot days, sultry nights, and many of the locals will be off on their own holidays from the middle of the month.
Umbria never sees the crowds that Tuscany does, but this is still a crowded time. Find peace and fewer people in the uplands around Norcia.
Umbria weather in August
August is the hottest month of the year with a daytime high of 29℃ (89℉) and overnight low of 15℃ (68℉).
How busy is Umbria in August?
Summer in Umbria is high season. Book all activities and restaurants in advance, or ask our dedicated travel concierges to do it for you.
What’s on in Umbria in August?
The national holiday on August 15 (Ferragosto and Assumption Day) leads to a festival atmosphere among the locals who remain.
But with peak heat, this is the time to be lazing by your villa’s private pool or enjoying free admission to all state-owned museums and archaeological sites on the first Sunday of the month.
Umbria in September
September is a great time to be active in Umbria. As in May, you’ll find warm, sunny days, but not the extreme heat of the summer.
This is the ideal time for cycling and walking trips, as September and October are drier than their springtime shoulder season counterparts.
Umbria weather in September
Summer may be over, but the weather in Umbria is still warm.
Pack an extra layer for outdoor dining in the evenings, but expect to enjoy sunny days. Days average 25℃ (77℉), dropping to 13℃ (55℉) overnight.
How busy is Umbria in September?
September in Umbria is shoulder season for tourism. With fewer crowds, you’ll have an easy time booking activities, and most restaurants which may have closed for an August rest, will reopen.
Ask our concierge team to advise on the best restaurants in the region, whatever your palate.
What’s on in Umbria in September?
Of particular interest to music aficionados is Perugia’s Sagra Musicale Umbra, a classical festival with particular strength in chamber music. Spread over two weeks in the middle of September, this is a romantic time of year to visit and schedule outings around concerts.
You can also stop by any state-owned museums and archaeological sites on the first Sunday of the month — admission is free.
Umbria in October
Summer has come to an end, and with it go the crowds, making this a great month to visit Umbria. This is the peak production time in Italy’s green heart: grapes and olives have been harvested; truffle season is fast approaching.
Rent a villa now and you’ll have many of the region’s best sites to yourself. The weather may put off many from swimming outside, but check out our villas with heated and indoor pools.
Umbria weather in October
Autumn in Umbria is characterized by sunshine and blue skies. Expect a daytime high of 19℃ (66℉) and a low of 9℃ (48℉) overnight, with five hours of sunshine each day.
How busy is Umbria in October?
Autumn in Umbria is the start of low season for tourism. With fewer crowds around, you may not need to book activities ahead and can easily find a table at sought-after restaurants.
What’s on in Umbria in October?
The one place in Umbria where you will find swarms of people in early October is Assisi. The Feast of St Francis, patron saint of Italy, is the country’s largest religious festival. Pilgrims from around the world meet in Assisi to participate in processions to the Basilica.
Gourmets should head to the north-eastern town of Gubbio, at the foot of the Apennines, to celebrate white truffles in late October and early November. Just as the tartufo bianco reaches its maturity, visitors can sample these treats at the Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Bianco. This is an excellent time of year to ask our concierge to organise truffle hunts with local experts.
Of course you’ll want to eat these — the most prized of the calendar’s truffles, simply grated over fresh pasta with local olive oil.
For a sweet treat, head to Perugia for Eurochocolate, Europe’s largest celebration of chocolate. Going beyond the city’s native blue-foil-wrapped Baci, thousands descend to admire giant chocolate statues as they sample artisanal delights.
If in need of some art, stop by any state-owned museums and archaeological sites on the first Sunday of the month — admission is free.
Umbria in November
With many tourist spots — hotels and some restaurants — closed between late November and February, this is the moment to visit the real Italy.
The mild climate remains reasonable enough to spend time outdoors, and some of the area’s best food festivals are right now.
Umbria weather in November
Expect a daytime high of 13℃ (55℉) and a low of 5℃ (41℉) overnight.
With the weather generally cool and damp, and the best of the harvest of olives, grapes and truffles upon us, November is the ideal month to enjoy wine tasting, or cooking class at your villa in Umbria.
How busy is Umbria in November?
Late autumn in Umbria is low season for tourism. Seasonal activities like truffle hunting are ideal right now.
It’s a great time to visit some of the region’s best restaurants, where new olive oil and the year’s most prized truffles will be showcased. Our concierge team can arrange it all.
What’s on in Umbria in November?
Across Umbria in November, farmers will be displaying the first of the olive oil. Visit the mills to try the best of the region.
Fabro, 40km south-west of Perugia, plays host to another white truffle festival in November. This Mostra Tartufo Fabro also showcases local cheeses, cured hams, olive oils and sweets.
But the region’s most important truffle celebration happens in the tiny village of Valtopina, 30km east of Perugia. Over the last two weekends of November, connoisseurs flock to this hilly area, where the clay soil is ideal for truffles.
Like everywhere in Italy, on the first Sunday of the month there is free admission to state-owned museums and archaeological sites.
Umbria in December
December in Umbria is a quiet month to visit. Days are short — expect around three hours of sunshine — and chillier than most of the year.
Christmas spirit and decorations create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Umbria weather in December
December is a cold month to visit Umbria. Expect a daytime high of 9℃ (48℉) and a low of 2℃ (36℉) overnight. It can get colder up in the hills near Norcia.
How busy is Umbria in December?
Winter in Umbria is low season for tourism.
Enjoy the lead-up to Christmas with visits to charming seasonal markets and escape the chilly weather with long meals in the company of locals in the village trattoria. Book ahead of time to secure your table around major holiday dates — or ask our concierge team to arrange it all for you.
What’s on in Umbria in December?
December 8th is a national holiday for the Immaculate Conception. Religious services and celebrations take place across Umbria. In Perugia you’ll find a Christmas market in Rocca Paolina, the underground 16th century fortress, but there are other charming markets to be found from Todi to Lake Trasimeno.
You can attend traditional Christmas Eve and morning mass in any of the medieval churches or cathedrals including the Duomo di Orvieto.
Like everywhere in Italy, on the first Sunday of the month there is free admission to state-owned museums and archaeological sites.
Panettone — the pillowy sweet bread with candied fruit — is readily available everywhere. Enjoy it with a glass of Vin Santo, or sweet wine.