271 When is the best time of year?

Hello, I've been looking at the forecasts for Bari/Brindisi this Spring - there seems to have been alot of rainy weather, and not particularly warm. Is it normal to have cold and rainy weather in the Winter and Spring? Will it become hot and dry soon? Are there many summer downpours? Which are the nicest months to visit? Any suggestions? :confused:

Category
General chat about Italy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/21/2005 - 02:30

Hi Kathy,

I've just spent 4 weeks in Puglia and got back here on Sunday evening. It was definately still winter when we got there on 22nd march. Bare trees, cold nights, and rainy days : the weather was very changeable, but towards the end it was definately beginning to warm up and we were getting less rain. The fruit trees were blossoming and spring had arrived.

Also spent a couple of weeks there last november when it was lovely with just a little bit of rain at the end. Mostly we had nice warm days with average daytime temperature of about 23-25 degrees, and most of the trees were still in leaf so it was like late autumn. Evenings were cool and we had to light the fire to keep the house warm

I first went out there last July when the weather was blisteringly hot.

Puglia has seasons in the same way the UK does, the difference is that the summer is longer and hotter, with the spring and autumn being very pleasant. Winter seems to be from about mid November to late March/early April.

Having said all that though, I've heard that this winter was particularly long and hard so read between the lines a bit...........

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/21/2005 - 04:13

This winter has been very bad in Italy, the worst for 50 years and the weather is still poor with lots of rain, I saw picutres of snow on Italian television over the weekend. The temperature is beginning to rise though and has reached 20 C in most places this week so things are looking up. It is very unusual weather.
To get to your main point my favourite time of year in Tuscany is May, the weather is warm but not too hot and everything is in flower, including the wild flowers. Driving around there are masses of red poppy's everywhere, it's a beautiful time of year.

Susi

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/22/2005 - 10:17

Thanks for all the comments! Today I see the 10 day forecast on weather.co.uk only has one showery day for Bari and all the rest is sunny!! :) I think maybe we will book to go to Puglia in mid-May, hopefully it will have dried up and the poppies will be out and it won't be too hot.