We love Italy year-round, but there is something extra special about the spring. The sun returns for good after the cooler winter months, the countryside comes alive with greenery and all of a sudden everyone is talking about what they are planning to do for the summer. It is no secret that Italy in spring is a wonderful time to visit, with destinations like Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast getting very busy this time of year. This is why we like to go somewhere a little different. If you want to go somewhere where you can make the most of the gorgeous spring weather but don’t want to be where everyone else is, below you’ll find our recommendations for the best spring Italian destinations.
The Sicilian Baroque Towns
First on our list of the best places to visit in Italy in spring is Sicily, but more specifically, the Baroque towns in the southeastern part of the island.
Sicily is somewhere that has our heart, and we make frequent trips here all the time. The busy cities of Palermo and Catania are a lot of fun, the ancient city of Taormina is all charm, and the quieter coastal areas around Marsala and Trapani are the perfect places to switch off.
For a springtime trip however, we usually spend most of our time in the Val di Noto area. This part of Sicily is mainly farmland and hills, with spectacular scenery all around you. In the spring it comes alive, with fields, olive groves and vineyards filled with new growth.
During the summer it gets very hot here, so spring visits are definitely a good idea. The sunny weather comes without the intense temperatures so you can walk around all day, plus the countryside is at its most green.
Among the countryside there are eight towns which together make up a UNESCO World Heritage site because of their exquisite architectural beauty. In 1693 a devastating earthquake destroyed huge parts of this area, but the towns rebuilt in the ornate Baroque style – with a Sicilian twist. The main Baroque towns are Noto, Ragusa, and Modica, which all have distinctive historic centers and their own character.
Noto, Ragusa and Modica
Noto is the place to go for shopping, with lots of lovely boutiques and stalls selling local, handmade items. There are also some excellent places where you can sit with a big bowl of granita and people-watch (one of our favorite Italian activities!) or relax with a spritz in the evening.
Modica is all about its famous chocolate, which was created when the Spanish first brought cocoa beans to Europe. It is much less sweet and grainier than modern chocolate, which takes a minute to get used to but is absolutely delicious. Modica is the ideal place to wander, as the narrow streets that wind up the hill provide stunning views of the town and the layers of buildings.
In Ragusa, the main attraction is the city itself. Divided by a deep ravine into two parts, Ragusa Ibla and Ragusa Superiore, the architecture of the city is fascinating. The Baroque style is especially ornate here, but there are also older remnants which have been weaved into the Baroque.
As well as exploring the Baroque towns, make sure to allow yourself some time to get to know the local area too. Some of our favorite memories have come from visiting a goat farm near Noto, seeing some of the centuries-old olive groves in the area and doing a cooking class in the hills outside Ragusa.
Matera
If you’re looking to travel to Italy in spring and want to go somewhere completely different, how about the city of Matera?
Located in the small region of Basilicata in southern Italy, Matera is best visited in the spring or fall. These periods are a shoulder season for the city, with lower visitor numbers and ideal weather – not too hot, but not too cold either as it can be surprisingly fresh in the winter.
Early spring is ideal for Matera, as it starts getting hot even in late May, and there isn’t a lot of shade when you’re walking around the city.
Why Visit Matera?
Matera is truly a unique place to experience. It is one of the oldest continually inhabited places in the world, with evidence of people living here starting from the Palaeolithic period. One key reason for this is the development of cave-dwellings, which were carved out of the soft limestone that is the foundation of the city.
These caves developed into a network of buildings, stairs and pathways that literally lie on top of each other. Many people in Matera were still living in these caves, which had no running water or electricity, until the 1950s and 60s when the Italian government moved all the residents out.
In the 1990s a huge project was started to regenerate the Sassi, the neighborhoods where these caves are located. Businesses were able to open, and the heritage and culture of the caves has been preserved too, allowing visitors to see what it was like to live here as well as exploring the neighborhoods.
In addition to seeing the Sassi, there are also fascinating rock churches you can visit, along with the more modern side of the city with a wide boulevard filled with bars, restaurants and shops. We always make a stop in one of the traditional bakeries for some of the Matera bread, which is absolutely delicious!
Day Trip vs Staying Overnight
While it is straightforward to visit Matera as a day trip from places in neighboring Puglia, we recommend staying at least a night or two in Matera, and in (or on the edge of) the Sassi areas.
The city feels very different in the evenings, with the soft lights giving the cave structures a special atmosphere. And when you wake up in the morning, it’s even more special. Listen to the birds chirping as they dart around the sky and breathe in the fresh air before starting your day. What could be better?
You can easily make a stay in Matera part of a wider itinerary with Puglia, as Bari is only about an hour’s drive away.
Langhe Wine Region
For our next ideal Italian spring destination, we’re moving to northern Italy; specifically the Langhe wine area in the Piemonte region.
This is where some of the best Italian wines come from, home to famous varieties like Barolo and Barbaresco as well as Dolcetto d’Alba, Barbera d’Alba and more. The Langhe is also where some of the most incredible truffles can be found, with the rare and expensive Alba white truffle named for one of the major towns in the area.
If you visit the Langhe in the fall, it is packed. People come from all over for the harvest season, and for the prime truffle season, so accommodation prices are high, getting bookings for restaurants or wine experiences is more difficult and the whole area feels busy.
This is why we love coming here in spring. For some reason, even though the vineyards and hazelnut trees are bright green and full of color from the flowers planted alongside, and the mild temperatures are ideal for exploring, it is quiet and peaceful. Even the main town of Alba feels relaxed.
What to Do in the Langhe
The main focus here is definitely the amazing wine and other local produce.
Visiting some of the excellent wineries is always top of our list here. The villages of Barolo and Barbaresco are surrounded by wineries, many of which offer tours and tastings, and Barolo has a small wine museum which is a fun thing to do. There are a lot of different options for wine tastings and vineyard visits, so if you’d like an expert to help you plan this and make sure you have a great experience, we can curate something special for you.
There are all sorts of local cheeses and meats to try to accompany your wine, and don’t forget to try some hazelnuts too. Italy’s best hazelnuts come from Piemonte, with a rich flavor and creamy texture that is super tasty.
The villages and towns themselves are also great places to visit. Neive is a beautiful medieval village, and Alba itself is filled with things to do and see. The historic cities of Turin and Asti are also within easy reach, either as a day trip from the Langhe or as part of a multi-stop northern Italy trip.
One important thing to consider is that spring is not the best season to come if you want to go truffle hunting. Legally, truffle hunts are not permitted in May (or September) to preserve the forest ecosystems, so if you want to include this in your trip, you need to come either in April or the late spring weeks at the start of June.
Parma
The last entry for our best spring Italian destinations is in more central Italy – the small city of Parma in Emilia-Romagna.
While nearby Bologna is accurately described as a food-lover’s paradise, there is something about Parma that we love. The atmosphere is different, more young and energetic, thanks to the huge university (which is one of the world’s oldest universities) and it has just as much to see and do.
In the springtime Parma really changes. From around mid April, the students are coming towards the end of term so they start relaxing more and enjoying the city. The chances of getting a rainy day plummet and all of a sudden the parks and green spaces look very inviting.
Compared to the summer when temperatures build and the students are away for their summer break, making Parma seem very quiet, spring is the perfect combination of good weather, fun ambience and lots of things to do.
How to Spend Your Time in Parma
The core of the city we see today is of ancient Roman origins, although there was a settlement here before the Romans. You can learn about the city’s history in the Archeological museum in Palazzo della Pilotta, which also holds a huge library and the wooden Renaissance Farnese theater. Parma’s cathedral and next door baptistery are both well worth visiting, and the city is home to many more stunning churches too.
Parma is the home of world-famous Italian products Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma, so you have to get to know these better while you’re here. Learning about how these iconic foods are made is a lot of fun, and of course, tasting plenty of them too! One of our favorite ways to do this is to spend a day visiting different producers and learning how the local products work so well together – including the balsamic vinegar that is made in nearby Modena.
Travel to Italy in Spring with Casa Mia
The best Italian spring destinations for us will always be those where we can get away from the high visitor numbers and experience something special. The places we have talked about are all wonderful options but we can suggest others too if you are looking for something specific. Contact us today to tell us about your ideal destination and how we can help create the perfect spring trip for you.
