Weather and Shopping in Italy

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robee

robee

love my furry ones!
O.G.
May 26, 2009
11,388
46
#1
need some advice from regarding the weather and shopping in italy.

Question 1:

How's the weather like for Sep and Nov? E.g. still very hot in Sep and getting cold in Nov?

Question 2:

I know the craftmen goes on summer holiday in Aug. Will the stores be well stocked in Sep? Or Nov is a better timing? If nearer to X'mas, will things be snap up fast?


I am planning to go for a nice sightseeing tour plus shopping in Italy. :nuts:
 
#2
robee said:
need some advice from regarding the weather and shopping in italy.

Question 1:

How's the weather like for Sep and Nov? E.g. still very hot in Sep and getting cold in Nov?

Question 2:

I know the craftmen goes on summer holiday in Aug. Will the stores be well stocked in Sep? Or Nov is a better timing? If nearer to X'mas, will things be snap up fast?


I am planning to go for a nice sightseeing tour plus shopping in Italy. :nuts:
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I think by Sep, the stores' inventory will be back to normal (can't really say well-stocked, since I think things move extremely fast, but of course depends on the store)
 
#3
pyrexia said:
I think by Sep, the stores' inventory will be back to normal (can't really say well-stocked, since I think things move extremely fast, but of course depends on the store)
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sounds encouraging :graucho:

as we plan to move around the country, i doubt i will buy anything big.... a big orange box is too eye catching.....:shrugs:
 
#4
Can't comment about the inventory level but I understand it's a hit or miss for big orange boxes (esp Birkin).

But the weather in Sept/Oct is pleasant. Low 20s. Love the food (pasta, pizza etc), gelato and coffee!!
 
#5
ms piggy

the idea of indulging in pizza, pasta, coffee etc sounds like the best part of the trip :happydance:

I guess as long as I am able to do some shopping that is good enough. I don't think DH will let me buy another big item soon :huh:
 
#6
ms piggy said:
Can't comment about the inventory level but I understand it's a hit or miss for big orange boxes (esp Birkin).

But the weather in Sept/Oct is pleasant. Low 20s. Love the food (pasta, pizza etc), gelato and coffee!!
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:yes:

it can be rather cold up North if you are going around Christmas though. I used to live in Rome and even in December you could sit outside (at midningt) with just a thin jacket and maybe an H GM shawl:p
 
#7
lovely64 said:
:yes:

it can be rather cold up North if you are going around Christmas though. I used to live in Rome and even in December you could sit outside (at midningt) with just a thin jacket and maybe an H GM shawl:p
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I was in Ldn/Paris in Jan, and I was really freezing to my brain. A gal from the tropics just can't survive the europe winter :hrmm:

I remember a trip to New Zealand, spring time, and it is like 10tish degree... I was in my fur jacket. A couple from Iceland in sleeveless tee and shorts. I asked them "aren't you cold?" They said this weather is perfect! Guess our tolerance very different :nogood:

I like the idea of wrapping myself with a H shawl, and a good excuse to buy is not to buy any there... haha just like I told hubby I need a nice mulberry gloves to keep my fingers toasty :greengrin:
 
#10
Q1) it depends which part of italy you plan to visit.
i think the temperature could vary between cities like roma and milano.
it is usually colder and drier in milano compare to roma.
Christmas time in milano is freezing cold, i always bundle up whenever i'm there.

Q2) this only applies if Milano is one of the cities you will be visiting.

end of september is fashion week or early october, i don't quite remember.
so if you are in Milan during fashion week, the chance will be quite slim to get a birkin.
not sure about other cities during fashion week.
ps, i love Cova Cafe in Milano.
pps: the painting of Last Supper. when i went to see it, reservation was neccessary (that was about 10 years ago when it was available for public, not sure if you still need reservation now).
if you are visiting Milano and would like to see that, you might want to make the reservation early if it is still available.
this is from what i remember from visiting Milano, I used to go there alot but not anymore.

side note: there's also an italian thing that i don't remember too well.
some shops still close for an hour whereas some shops are more flexible these days and not close during that hour. i don't know if Hermes practices that (i never went to Hermes during that nap time before). i think it is better to check the Hermes shops that you will be visiting to see if the shop will closed for an hour so you don't go visit those shops during that time.
 
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#11
I can comment on the weather, my sister and I were in Rome and Florence in mid November last year. The temperatures were about 50 to 60 (sorry, I only speak American temperatures!) in Rome and as Bluewin said, it was damp, I always had a wool beret in my pocket and wore it often. It was probably not more than 50 in Florence but drier. My sister and I wore lightweight wool coats and the Italians were bundled up like they were in the North Pole, but we're from the Midwest so we have a different definition of "cold."

Never made it north of Florence - so I need to go again. I can recommend great gelateria in Rome - PM me if you're interested, and have a good time!
 
#12
hi bluewin and shelbygirl

seems like Sep is a good time to visit Italy, with nice cool weather and great food:) I am from the tropics, i guess i will be a bundle of furly if the weather drops sub-10......

I heard about reserving the tickets for last supper. it's always sold out mths before. I better start planning.

:)
 
#13
robee said:
I heard about reserving the tickets for last supper. it's always sold out mths before. I better start planning.
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If you're visiting this Sept, you can forget about getting tickets online because they are indeed sold out months ahead. However, there is a rather little dirty trick they play: there is one Milan tour company (sort of a GLC in Singapore-speak) that does a few-hour city tour combined with the Last Supper, allowing you to see it even though you cannot get your own tickets.
 
#14
I can recommend the H stores both in Milan and in Rome. Milan has a bit bigger store, though the SA's have always been more helpful to me in Rome. You'll find for sure a lot of leather accessories and scarves from both stores, plus if you're lucky you might catch a Birkin or a Kelly bag too. I found my black chamonix 32cm HAC Birkin off the shelf in Rome a year back.
 
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