You will hate going to Italy at that time (prob greece too, but i can only speak from experience) — unless you go VERY off the beaten path. Do NOT think of booking a trip to Rome, Florence, Venice at that time unless you enjoy being amidst throngs of hideous tour groups in sweltering weather

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In both would heavily recommend beach options for the less oppressive heat. In Italy would also look at mountain areas in the north. Would not go anywhere else in either country at that time of year because of heat.

I was going to say that Lake Como or another lake would be great in August!

The south would be too hot

Yes, and Lake Como and the other big lakes are in the north, hence the suggestion....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In both would heavily recommend beach options for the less oppressive heat. In Italy would also look at mountain areas in the north. Would not go anywhere else in either country at that time of year because of heat.

I was going to say that Lake Como or another lake would be great in August!

The south would be too hot

Rome in September was too hot for me. It's BOILING. If you go to Greece, avoid Athens and go straight to an island.

But as others have mentioned, this is precisely the time of year to AVOID both places. Strongly, STRONGLY consider going somewhere else in Europe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not go to either in late July/August. It will be too hot and crowded to be enjoyable.

This x 1000000000000000.

You will return hating either country otherwise. Seriously.

+1 I was there in July and it's just on a whole different level than what we're used to. It feels like the sun is two feet from your face. I was thinking "I've been to Disney World in August, how bad can it really be?" And it's bad. Way worse than Florida in August.

Anonymous wrote:Both will be hot and the museums were not air conditioned in Greece.

That's not accurate. Some are some aren't. But even when there IS air conditioning in any public establishment, it's just not cool enough in many cases, at least not to American standards.

If you go to a smaller town it will be like 90% shut down. The Europeans take Aug summer holidays 1000000% more seriously than Americans. I say this as an Asian it's most def not about opening to make money. It's about a vacation.

-DP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Italy shuts down for the month of August and all the locals decamp for the beach. A lot of things will be closed. Would not recommend.

What, specifically? I have heard this sort of thing said over and over- and have been to tourist oriented places in Italy, Spain and France in August and all are open and busy.

Yeah this mindset is from 30 years ago. Sure you’ll find some restaurants closed but this isn’t really a big deal anymore.

I live in Naples, Italy and had an Amazon delivery to a local pick-up point (a bar). The place shut down the day after my item was delivered and I had to wait 3 weeks until they re-opened to pick it up. Another time I bought an item at a store in early August and they refused to deliver it until September. So, it is definitely still a thing. Maybe in a highly touristic area you’ll be ok but in the rest of Italy, everything shuts down as they all go to the beach.

Wait your evidence is difficulty getting an Amazon delivery to a bar in Naples? What does that have to do with the most likely experiences for someone in Italy for say a 2 week vacation?

My point is that places that are normally open will be closed. Up to you if that will affect your travel plans. No need to be nasty, I am simply sharing my experience as someone who lives in the country you are asking about visiting.

Yes, as stated above, those types of places a tourist would go to, are unlikely to be closed, or at least all of them. Not being nasty, trying to be specific about a fallacy I have heard before but isn't substantively relevant in 2025 for a person visiting for a vacation. I have heard the same exact thing said about Paris, and have been there twice in August. Yes some restaurants and bakeries are closed, but maybe 15-20% at any one time throughout the month- and certainly not "the whole city". And yes its the time they do the long shutdowns for metro work, but its usually a couple of lines out of 15.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Italy shuts down for the month of August and all the locals decamp for the beach. A lot of things will be closed. Would not recommend.

What, specifically? I have heard this sort of thing said over and over- and have been to tourist oriented places in Italy, Spain and France in August and all are open and busy.

Yeah this mindset is from 30 years ago. Sure you’ll find some restaurants closed but this isn’t really a big deal anymore.

I live in Naples, Italy and had an Amazon delivery to a local pick-up point (a bar). The place shut down the day after my item was delivered and I had to wait 3 weeks until they re-opened to pick it up. Another time I bought an item at a store in early August and they refused to deliver it until September. So, it is definitely still a thing. Maybe in a highly touristic area you’ll be ok but in the rest of Italy, everything shuts down as they all go to the beach.

Wait your evidence is difficulty getting an Amazon delivery to a bar in Naples? What does that have to do with the most likely experiences for someone in Italy for say a 2 week vacation?

My point is that places that are normally open will be closed. Up to you if that will affect your travel plans. No need to be nasty, I am simply sharing my experience as someone who lives in the country you are asking about visiting.

Both will be hot and the museums were not air conditioned in Greece.

Neither -too hot

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Italy shuts down for the month of August and all the locals decamp for the beach. A lot of things will be closed. Would not recommend.

What, specifically? I have heard this sort of thing said over and over- and have been to tourist oriented places in Italy, Spain and France in August and all are open and busy.

Yeah this mindset is from 30 years ago. Sure you’ll find some restaurants closed but this isn’t really a big deal anymore.

I live in Naples, Italy and had an Amazon delivery to a local pick-up point (a bar). The place shut down the day after my item was delivered and I had to wait 3 weeks until they re-opened to pick it up. Another time I bought an item at a store in early August and they refused to deliver it until September. So, it is definitely still a thing. Maybe in a highly touristic area you’ll be ok but in the rest of Italy, everything shuts down as they all go to the beach.

Wait your evidence is difficulty getting an Amazon delivery to a bar in Naples? What does that have to do with the most likely experiences for someone in Italy for say a 2 week vacation?

go to Northern Europe instead

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Italy shuts down for the month of August and all the locals decamp for the beach. A lot of things will be closed. Would not recommend.

What, specifically? I have heard this sort of thing said over and over- and have been to tourist oriented places in Italy, Spain and France in August and all are open and busy.

Yeah this mindset is from 30 years ago. Sure you’ll find some restaurants closed but this isn’t really a big deal anymore.

I live in Naples, Italy and had an Amazon delivery to a local pick-up point (a bar). The place shut down the day after my item was delivered and I had to wait 3 weeks until they re-opened to pick it up. Another time I bought an item at a store in early August and they refused to deliver it until September. So, it is definitely still a thing. Maybe in a highly touristic area you’ll be ok but in the rest of Italy, everything shuts down as they all go to the beach.

We were there last summer during a heat wave in June. Florence was absolutely miserable. It was so hot and crowded. Give. The jubilee year I would stay away from Italy. What about Northern Europe or Scotland?