Whilst those travelling with children may be restricted to visiting Italy in July and August, for those unrestrained by school holidays, June can be a wonderful time to visit. You’ll be ahead of the crowds that you can expect to see in peak season plus the weather is warming up nicely with plenty of sunshine to enjoy. The countryside is still lush and green in June, wildflowers are in full bloom and Italy is awash in a spectacle of colour.
What is more, there are plenty of festivals and events to be enjoyed too. June kicks off with one of Italy’s biggest annual festivals – the Festa della Repubblica (Republic Day). Held annually on 2 June, this is a national holiday marking the day that Italy voted to ditch the monarchy and become a republic. This is a day of celebration in Italy. You’ll find that most people enjoy the luxury of a day off work and there are a number of parades and ceremonies marking the event. The biggest of these is in Rome. Here, there is a large military parade along the Via dei Fiori Imperiali, a wreath is laid at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Frecce Tricolori military jets perform a fly past releasing streams of red, white and green smoke behind them to match the colours of the Italian flag.
However, towns and cities, big and small across Italy will have their own way of marking the event. So, wherever you are, there is bound to be a celebration nearby that you can be a part of.
Also in Rome (and typically in June) is the Pentecost Sunday rose drop at the Pantheon. This takes place on the 7th Sunday after Easter Sunday (hence not always in June) when petals are dropped through the open oculus at the top of the ancient Pantheon building. It’s another great spectacle to witness.
And finally, with the abundance of flowers in bloom, June is also a great time to witness the Infiorata. These flower festivals take place in a number of towns around Italy. Our favourite of these is in Spello which usually takes place on the 9th Sunday after Easter (this usually falls between late May and mid June) on the night of the Corpus Domini feast.
In 2022, Spello’s Infiorata is being held on 18 and 19 June. People will work tirelessly for the 24 hours prior to the event, including through the night, creating incredible artworks on the streets of Spello using flowers alone.
In other words, with so much going on, whatâs not to like about Italy in June?!! Hereâs our guide to the best places to visit in Italy in June.
Holiday in the Italian Lakes
Spring time (April to June) is the perfect time to visit the Italian Lakes and enjoy a stay in an Italian Lakes villa. You may see higher temperatures in the Summer months across July and August but June is the perfect time to explore and admire the many fabulous gardens that line the shores of the Italian Lakes, or the incredible gardens of the Borromean Islands that sit just off Stresa on Lake Maggiore. The gardens really are at their best during this period. Whilst the rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias tend to bloom in early Spring, June is when you’ll see Isola Bella’s rose terrace in full flower, filled with shades of pink and red. Another place on Lake Maggiore to see a stunning selection of roses is at the Medieval garden at the Rocca di Angera. This is home to one of the oldest collections of rose plants in Italy, with the roses once used by monks to prepare medicines and perfumes.
If visiting Lake Como in June, then, if you’re lucky, you will also be able to catch some of the many concerts that take place as part of the Festival of Bellagio and Lake Como. This annual event takes place on Lake Como between June and September and includes many music performances by orchestras, quartets and musicians in Bellagio and other impressive lakeside settings.
And of course, for those that prefer a slower pace of life and who simply want to relax on the lakeside beaches, temperatures are warming up nicely without being too sweltering. Typically, you’ll find temperatures in the low to mid twenties in June making it the perfect weather to laze by the water, or sit by the swimming pool at your Italian Lakes villa, reading a book and topping up the tan. It’s also the perfect temperature to explore the beautiful lakeside villages of Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore or Lake Como too.
View our Italian Lakes villa rentals for your Italian Lakes holiday.
Holiday in Puglia
June is also the perfect time to visit Puglia and enjoy a stay in a Puglia villa rental. In the ‘heel’ of Italy’s boot, in the very south of the country, Puglia is renowned for its soaring temperatures in the peak Summer months of July and August. Whilst June may be the third warmest month of the year, youâll find temperatures much more pleasant than in the following couple of months, hovering around the mid twenties. June is also the month when you’ll see the lowest rainfall. On average, it will only rain on 4 days in June and average rainfall across the entire month is just 14 mm, half that in July and August. In other words, it’s the perfect time to sit by that Puglia villa rental pool, lie on the beach and simply relax! Incidentally, for those that like the pleasures of a beach holiday in Puglia, the good news is that sea temperatures are also warming up nicely too in June, averaging 23 degrees centigrade.
And there is plenty going on in the region to keep you entertained in June too including a number of annual festivals in Puglia. These include La Scamiciata in Fasano. Whilst these festivities span a few weeks, the highlight is the historical re-enactment of an event that took place on 2 June 1678 when the local Fasano residents fought and defeated the Turks in an epic battle. These days, locals will dress up in period costumes and play out the battle on the streets of the town. Also in June is La Notte di San Giovanni (also called the Night of the Witches – La Notte delle Streghe) when the residents of Ostuni go all out to celebrate! Throughout the evening, there will be plenty of street entertainers from dancers to jugglers and fire eaters, culminating in a huge fireworks display at midnight and a music concert after this. Other music events in Puglia in June include the Locus Jazz Festival which kicks off in the middle of the month around Bari and Locorotondo. And there are plenty more festivals to get involved in around the region too.
View our Puglia villa rentals for your Puglia holiday.
Holiday in Tuscany
We’re not sure that there is a bad time to visit Tuscany and enjoy a stay in a Tuscany villa! However, June is certainly a great time to visit Italy’s most famous region, allowing you to enjoy plenty of sightseeing without having to contend with the oppressive heat you’ll find in the cities in July and August.
June is also a particularly festive month in Tuscany. The capital of Tuscany – Florence – has a plethora of events and celebrations in June, the most famous of which – the Calcio Storico – takes place on the 24th of the month marking the Festival of San Giovanni (St John the Baptist), Florence’s patron saint. A historical parade will make its way to the Piazza Santa Croce from 4 pm, followed by the final match at 5 pm. Safe to say, this is a sporting spectacle like no other. Four teams representing the four districts of Florence and each dressed in a different colour (red, white, blue and green) compete in the Piazza Santa Croce. The game they play dates back to the 16th century and can be best described as a mix of football, rugby and wrestling. Each side has 27 players and they can pass the ball using both their hands and feet. The celebrations end with a spectacular fireworks display.
And Pisa also hosts some extremely important events in June, all of which draw the crowds in. These include the Luminara on 16 June, the Regatta on 17 June and the Battle of the Bridge on the last Saturday of the month. The Luminara is certainly the prettiest of these. On the evening of the 16th, all the lights in Pisa are extinguished and the city is instead lit up with candles. The following day, the celebrations move to the water and to the Arno River that flows through the city. Four boats representing the four different quarters of the city compete in a race over a 1.5 km stretch of the river. The montatore (climber) within the 10 man crew is tasked with capturing the flag which will give victory to his team. The final event of the month involves a historical parade culminating in a tug of war competition between the Tramontana north of the Arno and the Mezzogiorno to the south. All events celebrate San Ranieri, Pisa’s patron saint.
But festivities are not confined to the big cities. There will be sagras (food festivals) all over Tuscany in June as well as a number of a number of Medieval processions.
View our Tuscany villa rentals for your next Tuscany holiday.
Holiday in Umbria
We’ve already mentioned one of our favourite events in Italy which typically takes place in June â the Infiorata in Spello â when the streets of the town are literally covered with a vibrant tapestry of flowers for just 24 hours. To see this spectacle alone is, in our opinion, reason enough to visit Umbria in June! But there are plenty of other good reasons too. Like Tuscany, Umbria plays host to numerous festivals in June. Another of our favourites is the historical parade in Orvieto, celebrating Corpus Domini, when over 500 participants will dress in Medieval costumes to parade to the central Piazza del Duomo. Also well worth attending is Spoleto‘s famous Festival dei Due Mondi (Festival of the Two Worlds), showcasing American and European culture within the same event.
But, for us, the biggest reason to enjoy a holiday in an Umbria villa rental in June is to make the most of its stunning countryside. Umbria is often referred to as the âgreen heart of Italyâ and no months epitomise this more than May and June. In June, Italy’s green fields will still be blanketed with an incredible mass of colourful wildflowers. Head to see the Fiorita (the flowering) in Castelluccio di Norcia to witness the rural landscape at its most spectacular.
Plus, once again, the weather in Umbria in June is also lovely and warm and sunny. In fact, it’s the fourth warmest month of the year. The average temperature is 21 degrees centigrade but will often peak a few degrees higher than this and rainfall is incredibly low. Expect to feel a few drops of rain on just 4 days out of the 30 days in June! In short, visit Umbria in June and you will certainly be able to make the most of the pool at your Umbria villa rental!
View our Umbria villa rentals for your next holiday in Umbria.
Holiday in Sicily
Sicily is the final Italian destination on our list. We think that June is also the perfect time to visit Sicily and enjoy a stay in a Sicily villa rental.
Just as with Puglia on the Italian mainland, you’ll find temperatures to be pleasantly warm on the island of Sicily in June without being stiflingly hot as they can be in July and August. And, again, whilst Noto’s famous Infiorata tends to be held in the previous month of May, as in Umbria youâll still find rural Sicily blooming with wild flowers in June. There are a number of festivals to enjoy in Sicily in June too, among them the Greek Theatre Festival of Syracuse when actors will perform ancient Greek plays in the original Greek theatre. And for a more modern take on acting, the Teatro Antico in Taormina plays host to the Taormina Film Festival. For those who prefer food to drama, the Aeolian Island of Salina has a fantastic slow food festival – the Festa del Cappero in Fiore – on the first Sunday in June celebrating everything there is about the humble caper.
Sicily is an island with so much to see and do, and the pleasant June temperatures also mean that, as well as participating in all its events, you can also enjoy days on its beautiful beaches whilst being able to comfortably hike, cycle and explore Sicilyâs fascinating sights without sweltering in the heat.
View our Sicily villa rentals for your next holiday in Sicily.