5 Best Places to Visit in Italy in July (2025)

1. Trieste

Trieste is my home in Italy and truly, I love it year-round. It's a fantastic city to live in but doesn't offer too many attractions and things to tick off.

That said, the summer months make it a more enjoyable vacation experience. Everything is open and lively and all the best things to do are possible. There's regular outdoor concerts and events and it seems like every single person who lives here spends their days outside.

A cool thing about visiting Trieste in the summer is that you get to experience 3 of my favorite things about living here:

• Osmize (plural of Osmiza): If you've read any of the other articles here or on our Substack about Trieste, you know I love an osmiza. These are farm-to-table "restaurants" that operate when they want, most often during the summer. Here you can enjoy sliced meats, cheese, homemade bread, and some other snacks alongside their local wines. There are 100s of osmize in the hills around Trieste (and nowhere else!) and I highly recommend you try a few. Use this website to see which are open today.
• Delfino Verde: Another thing I love about Trieste is their public ferry. All year you can take the Delfino Verde (name of the ferry) to Muggia but in the summer you can also make your way up along the coast to popular beaches. I highly recommend you take the ferry ride to Barcola, Miramare Castle, or Sistiana. You can buy your tickets on board and enjoy the coastline from the water (the best views of Trieste if you ask me).
• Go Swimming: This one seems obvious but the summer is the best time to go swimming in Trieste. By August the sea is pretty warm but in June and July it's usually still refreshing. Go for a swim at Barcola or any of the beaches along the coast. Just don't expect any sandy beaches - the coast here is rocky or pebbly.

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Where to Stay in Trieste

There are a lot of hotels here to choose from but to make your time in Trieste the best possible, I recommend being picky about location. These 3 hotel options below are located in the 3 best areas of Trieste to stay so you can pick one based on what you're hoping to see and do while here:

• Budget Option: Trieste Center Rooms & Apartments: These apartments are spacious and perfectly located right next to Viale XX Settembre, one of the best walking streets in the city.
• Mid-Range Option: Urbanauts Studios: These trendy studio apartments are located right in Cavana, the coolest and most walkable area in Trieste. This hotel isn't right on the main street but if you're a light sleeper, you might hear noise from the bars until late.
• Luxury Option: Savoia Excelsior Palace: Stay right on the Adriatic Sea and right to Piazza Unità d'Italia and the canal, two of Trieste's must-sees. This is the fanciest hotel in Trieste if you're seeking a taste of luxury.

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2. Lake Garda

I've visited Lake Garda in winter, spring, and now summer. While it's always a picture-perfect place to visit, you can take full advantage of the lake only in the summer months.

To be clear, I don't really recommend the southern end of Lake Garda. Places like Sirmione and Peschiera del Garda get all the hype but they are nowhere near as great as the towns on the northern half of the lake.

I understand that if you're pressed for time and just want to take a day trip to Lake Garda you'll likely need to stick with the southern towns that are easily accessible from Verona and Brescia but know that these towns will be crowded and don't offer nearly the same views as the effort up north does.

Instead, I recommend you visit places like Malcesine, Limone sul Garda, Riva del Garda, and Torbole. Each of these towns is connected by ferry so you can pick the one that makes the most sense for your trip to stay in and take day trips from there. I've stayed in both Malcesine and Riva and loved them both.

In the north you'll get to enjoy impressive views from both the water and land, a handful of great hikes and bike rides, beaches, and charming towns. Sure, it'll still be busy but not nearly what the south looks like this time of year.

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Where to Stay on Lake Garda

Since I recommend you stay on the northern end of the lake, all the suggestions below are in either Malcesine or farther north. To avoid parking on the coast, I'm also only recommending places that you can get into town, to the ferries, or to the beach by foot.

• Budget Stay: Hotel Villa Rina: This is where I stayed on my summer vacation to Riva sul Garda. The single room was ideal for a solo traveler. The location was great, as was the breakfast!
• Mid-Tier Stay: City CENTRAL Apartment: Malcesine is one of the prettiest places I've ever visited and by booking this apartment, you'll be right in the heart of it. Just be sure to walk south along the coast to get the full view of the town.
• Luxury Stay: Jacky's Apartments: Want more space? Choose between their 2-bedroom apartments, both with great lake views and enough space for 4 adults + 1 child.

If you decide to visit Sirmione in southern Lake Garda instead, I highly recommend Hotel Casa Scaligeri. We stayed here last April and had a fantastic stay.

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3. The Beaches of Calabria

Calabria is the southernmost region of mainland Italy, aka the toe of Italy's boot. Most visiting Italy skip Calabria and go straight from Naples to the Amalfi Coast to Sicily, overlooking a lot of really stunning beaches perfect for your summer getaway.

If you're craving Italian beaches, this region offers some of the best. Many are even sandy beaches which really isn't always the case in Italy. The most well-known is likely Tropea but that's far from your only choice. I'd suggest renting a car and driving down (or up) the coastline in order to explore small towns you've likely never heard of before.

From the tip of the boot, you can take a ferry or even a train (the train goes on a boat!) to Sicily or, from Tropea, you can venture over to the Aeolian Islands. Southern Italy holds a lot of gems, just be prepared for high season and high temperatures.

I haven't yet had the chance to visit Calabria but a road trip throughout the region is high on my list so, if you beat me to it, please let me know how it is!

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Where to Stay in Calabria

Similar to what I did above for Lake Garda, instead of choosing one specific town for you to stay in, I'm going to give a few options along the coast:

• Budget Stay: Hotel La Campagnola: Starting off in Capo Vaticano, a small town just south of Tropea, the beaches aren't too far and you can choose from a variety of room types.
• Mid-Tier Stay: I TRAMONTI: The name of this hotel translates to "the sunset" so you can rest assured that you'll get an incredible sunset view from here in Palmi.
• Luxury Stay: La balza di Scilla: This small guesthouse is just a few steps away from the beach in Scilla. You'll enjoy a great location, incredible views, and hopefully a sea breeze day and night.

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4. Sesto

Sesto, also called Sexten, is a really nice town in the Dolomites. It's close to the Austrian border and, like most of South Tyrol, clings tightly to its Austrian roots. The architecture of the homes and the typical cuisine will make you feel as though you've actually crossed the border.

Sesto is surrounded by some of the most iconic spots in the Dolomites. Think Tre Cime and Lago di Braies, for example. Here's the thing though, I'm not suggesting you only go to Sesto for those iconic destinations and call it a day.

There's so much more to the area that most overlook. I went on a long hike in Sesto that eventually wound me around to Tre Cime and had the trail to myself for the majority of the way. While most simply hike to the viewpoint and back, there are endless hiking trails you can pick and choose from to make your own adventure and still see the famous landmarks if you'd like.

The mountains tend to be a lot cooler even in July and August, making them my favorite respite from the hot summer days that are still to come. If you go up into the peaks, know that the temperature can drop drastically and that you might face adverse weather like rain or hail, sometimes out of nowhere.

To be able to enjoy Sesto and the surrounding area, I recommend you rent a car. This will give you freedom to explore. If you decide not to, know that there are bus routes connecting Sesto but no trains.

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Where to Stay in Sesto

Looking for the best hotels in Sexten? I've got you covered:

• Budget Stay: Hotel Schoenblick: Enjoy free breakfast to give you plenty of energy to hit the slopes or the trails and rooms with great mountain views so you never have to lose sight of the Dolomites during your trip.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Alpenwellnesshotel St. Veit: This is where we stayed in Sexten and it was truly incredible. We don't always choose a luxury hotel but decided to splurge, mainly due to the reviews about the included meals. The food, the location, the staff, and the room was really something special. While this is an expensive place to stay, given the price point of the area, it would still be comparatively mid-range.
• Luxury Stay: Hotel Alpenblick: This luxury hotel offers regular rooms and a penthouse apartment, ideal for a family vacation or a group of friends that prefer a shared space.'

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5. Tarvisio

Tarvisio is another gem in Northern Italy, this one located in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (the same region as Trieste). Tarvisio is a mountain town with one of the most picturesque peaks I've seen.

Perched on top of the mountain, Lussari, is a small village that really doesn't look real. Although I'm biased and do think it looks best in winter when it converts into a snow globe, the summer is still worth it.

You can take the gondola or hop on a number of hiking trails to see for yourself.

Another reason I'm recommending Tarvisio for your summer trip is for the nearby lake, Lago di Fusine. Fusine is right on the border with both Austria and Slovenia and is a stunning place to swim for the day. For the record, I haven't yet visited Fusine but enough local friends have recommended it that I feel confident it'd be worth a dip.

Although stunning, Tarvisio and the entire FVG region is still not very well-known by foreigners and Italians alike. Don't expect it to be quiet but it'll be nowhere near as crowded as say the Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre.

Where to Stay in Tarvisio

To enjoy hiking to the peak of Lussari and to give yourself a day to relax at Lake Fusine, I recommend booking at least one night here. From there, you can easily explore more of the region, deeper into the Dolomites, or cross the border to either Slovenia or Austria.

Consider booking a stay at:

• Budget Option: Maggioni Silvia: Get a great deal on this large 3-bedroom pet-friendly house rental in Tarvisio.
• Mid-Tier Option: Hotel Rosengarten: Enjoy being surrounded by nature at this small hotel. Choose between a variety of rooms, based on the size and amenities you need for a great stay.
• Luxury Option: Golfchalet 3 Confini: Enjoy golf in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter. This 4-bedroom house is surrounded by nature and is pet-friendly.

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Weather in July in Italy

Did I mention it's hot? For the record, I grew up in the state of Georgia in the southeast of the US, a region known for 100% humidity in the summer and temperatures that regularly surpass 100F or 40C.

I played soccer, went to the beach, and spent most days outdoors rain or shine. Later I moved to a small sea-level town in Ecuador, the Amazon jungle, Panama, and spent years in southern Vietnam. I'm no stranger to hot weather.

And I'm still saying Italy is hot.

I don't want you to underestimate the real feel of the seemingly OK temperatures.

Come prepared with breathable clothing, take full advantage of the free water fountains everywhere, and find shade whenever possible. And be prepared that not as places offer air conditioning by default. All hotels I recommended above do but if you pick your own, be sure to look for that amenity!

Trust me, you're still in for some fun but it would be naive of you to skip the weather reports and continue to plan your itinerary based on the bucket list you created thanks to social media.

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Where Will You Visit in Italy in July?

From Italian lakes to beaches, Italy in July is ideal for those that enjoy a good swim. For the rest, the mountains of Northern Italy await in all of their green splendor to help you cool down when the cities become too much.

Although Italy in July is hot, you'll be rewarded with a vibey atmosphere, where everyone rushes outdoors to enjoy an aperitivo (or two) and their meals al fresco.

Expect crowds and plenty of sunshine but what else can you ask for when visiting Italy in peak tourist season?