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.

Touristy areas will be open, but a lot of locals get out of town. I think it depends what you intend to do and see while you are there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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....

NP. Well, it's the north of southern Europe. Como isn't going to be temperate the way Norway would.

Yes it can still be hot, but cools down more at night, and you have a lake and mountains right there- go into/up either one for cooler temps. Hence the specific suggestions, and the general advice to stay away from any parts further south than that, unless they are right on the beach in the northern part of Italy, where the temps are a bit more moderate because of the sea effect. Basically- don't go to any of the cities or anywhere south or inland where there isn't water or tall mountains.

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 I honestly think it's a myth that everything is closed in August.

Anonymous wrote:

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....

NP. Well, it's the north of southern Europe. Como isn't going to be temperate the way Norway would.

We were in Italy in October and it was brutally hot.

Cities are hard in the summer. I would do Athens and an island. Athens will be incredibly hot, but you could stay outside of the city at a hotel with a pool and come in early in the morning or later in the day to see the sights. There are a lot of Greek islands that are not super super touristy. We were in Greece last summer and it was ~ 85 degrees every day. No worse than DC and on the water!