So what kind of clothes do we need?

we like to think we pick the very best seasons
for our Tours, but as we all know, it's really
up to Mother Nature!

  With your trip to Tuscany coming up in just about 3 months, a lot of you are starting to think about clothes and packing...  And of course the big questions are always "What's the weather gonna be like while we're there?  What does everybody wear? And do we need anything dressy?

So here's the lowdown on the weather;  long time historical averages for  mid-September in Tuscany are average high temps of around 82 - 84 degrees F in the mid afternoons...  and average low temps (overnight) of  about 59 - 61 degrees F...   But keep in mind, while these temps can give us a good guideline,  these are the average highs and lows of the day, and as we all know, historical averages can vary dramatically from actual temps we'll experience on any given day... (Think about it; one day with a high of 69 and another day with a high of 95, gives you an average of 82...)  but after 24 years of running these Tours in Tuscany, we can tell you, these averages are pretty much right on!

So with afternoon highs (typically) running around 83 degrees in mid September, you certainly want to bring at least some lightweight summer clothing... And of course, your swimming suits!   But keep in mind, the temps listed above are the highs and lows of the day...  And the week you're at the Villa is actually going to be getting close to the beginning of Fall...

a bunch of our Tour Guests enjoying the Terrace 
at The Villa - this is typical of the style of clothes
we often see our guests in...

September has become a prime time for vacationing in Tuscany, as many folks try to avoid the high summer heats and those oh so famous European heat waves that often occur in July and August...  This is why we don't have Tours here in July and early August!  And with all that being said, keep in mind,  it will be September and just like at home in the US, those temps could just as easily be well above, or well below average...  

September is a transitional season... we'll be touring all day, and you'll likely be outside a lot more then you normally are at home... We suggest you bring at least one lightweight summer sweater and perhaps a light windbreaker or rain jacket for a cooler day or our evenings out on the Terrace...  Another thing to keep in mind is that in early September, sunset in Italy happens around 7:45 pm! And with that, we tend to spend a lot of time outside at the Villa in the late afternoons and into the evenings. In fact, the picture above is a late afternoon/early evening shot of some of the folks from one of our Tour groups in early September, and you'll notice most everyone in shorts... 

a couple of our guests sneaking a snack
in the Vineyards at one of the Wine Estates 

So, do we bring shorts,  pants,  jeans,  sport jackets, sun dresses, sports jackets?  Should I bring high heels? What should we bring?
We always suggest to our guests to dress in whatever you're most comfortable in... There is no dress code! Our Tours, the places we go, and the overall itinerary is very casual... There is no need to "dress-up" unless you want to...  I tend to wear a lot of light-weight khakis/jeans/sneakers and polo shirts during the week. But if we hit a hot spell, you can bet I'll be wearing shorts & T-shirts! Terese wears a lot of casual sun dresses, shorts & capris.

 If it's important to you to "fit-in" or look Italian, know that the average Italian dresses up just a little more then the average American...  and of course you'll notice this more so in the bigger cities like Florence, Milan and Rome...  In Italy people are raised with the concept of Bella Figura; (putting your best face on) and in a country with a struggling economy like Italy, Bella Figura is about presenting yourself well in all aspects & creating a positive impression...  And that includes how they dress... While it can be a little difficult for Americans to understand; they have far fewer clothes, so they tend to buy the best they can afford, and wear those items more often... 

But you're on vacation and you should dress in whatever you enjoy and whatever makes you comfortable... One thing we can assure you of is that you won't catch us personally, in sport jackets, dress slacks or dress shoes! It's often warm, we tend to be active and we dress casually to be comfortable...

The Duomo in Siena - This place is amazing... Your 
Adventures to Tuscany Tour includes the Admission Tix
& Tour...  our Tour guide Stella will be taking us thru...

If you enjoy touring the big Duomos, know that most of the bigger famous cathedrals in Italy have dress codes that prohibit "short shorts" or bare shoulders... The rule has always been "knees and shoulders need to be covered".   This isn't enforced as much in the smaller churches as they don't have the man power to police it, but in the bigger Cathedrals, they'll certainly stop you if you're wearing short-shorts, a tank top, or a sleeveless tube top!  The big Cathedrals in Florence, Rome, Milan & Siena are major tourist attractions and most still adhere to the knees & shoulders rule for both men and women... Sometimes they'll have paper robes they'll ask you to wear if you're not dressed properly, but if they're out of them, they'll just refuse your entry... Lots of tourists carry large lightweight scarfs to wrap around their shoulders or waists in summer...

While it used to be rare to see Italian men in shorts, we're starting to see more of that these days... our guys should feel comfortable wearing shorts, jeans or khakis... Whatever you're most comfortable in.  Many women vacationing in Italy wear casual pants, capris, shorts or casual sun dresses...  And over the years, some of the gals have worn a casual summer dress for our Alfresco Luncheons at the Wine Estates... And lastly, at the Villa, the atmosphere is very casual...  It's just us... t-shirts, swimming suits and bare feet are totally acceptable... 

With our Tour Guide Stella in San Gimignano 

And then there's "footwear..."   We always say, wear whatever you're comfortable in!  But remember we will be doing a fair amount of walking during the daytime... especially during our Tours of Siena and San Gimignano... and of course, a lot of the streets you'll be walking on will be cobblestones!  So  we suggest comfortable walking shoes for touring! As we do this a lot ~ we'll be wearing sneakers!

While September is one of the least rainy times of the year in Tuscany, we have experienced a rainy day a couple of times over the last 24 years...  so  Terese & I each also always have a tiny travel umbrella tucked away in our daypacks as well as a super lightweight rain jacket... (we suggest you do too)  You don't want the rare possibility of a rain shower to spoil your vacation fun!  A tiny compact travel umbrella can be found at Amazon or Walmart for as little as $5...  Other things we suggest; sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a water bottle, individually wrapped hand wipes, etc... We'll be posting a full checklist of suggestions as we get closer to your departure! 

PS: when you're packing, don't forget to bring something white for Festival del Bianco!  Trust us, You'll have FUN!!!

We've seen the rain... Best to bring an umbrella!