So what kind of clothes should I pack?

  With your trip to Tuscany coming up in less than two 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   early to 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 to Tuscany, we can tell you, these averages are pretty much right on!

So with afternoon highs (typically) running around 83 degrees in early 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...

Early 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 early 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 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, neckties?  Should I bring high heels? What should we bring?
We always tell 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... We repeat: 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, polo shirts & T-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, skirts, capris, jeans & leggings.

 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 on vacation...  and of course more so in the bigger cities like Florence, Milan and Rome... But you're on vacation and you should dress in 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! 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 women who prefer to wear shorter shorts and skimpier tops  when it's hot, carry large lightweight scarfs in their daypacks to wrap around their shoulders or waists to be able to enter the Duomos...

While it's more rare to see Italian men in shorts, our guys should feel comfortable wearing shorts, jeans or khakis... Many women vacationing in Italy wear casual pants, leggings, capris, shorts or casual sun dresses...  And over the years, some of the gals have worn 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...  sometimes miles, and often up & down hills within villages... 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! You'll see Terese & I wearing sneakers / sport sandals most days...

While early 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 and hat... (we suggest you do too)  You don't want the rare possibility of a rainy day to spoil your vacation fun!  An inexpensive travel umbrella can be found at Amazon or Walmart for as little as $5...

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

Originally recorded back in 1966... Almost 60 years ago! At the time, it was the most expensive single ever recorded as Brain Wilson scheduled 4 different recording sessions in different cities and locations so he could hire bunches of different session musicians... Ultimately it all paid off as Good Vibrations became an instant hit and is considered by the industry to be one the hundred greatest songs of all time!