Italy in October 2025: Festivals, Food, Weather, and Travel Guide

October is one of the most rewarding months to experience Italy. The summer crowds have thinned, the weather balances warm afternoons with crisp evenings, and the country comes alive with harvest celebrations, art events, and cultural festivals. Whether your focus is food, history, or simply enjoying the atmosphere, October offers a diverse calendar across regions.

Food and Wine Festivals

Autumn in Italy is defined by the harvest. Across towns and villages, local sagre celebrate seasonal products, giving travellers the chance to taste regional cuisine at its source.

• Truffles: The Alba White Truffle Fair in Piedmont runs from early October through December, with a Truffle World Market, cooking demos, and wine masterclasses. Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna also host truffle weekends.
• Chocolate: Perugia’s Eurochocolate (18–27 October) fills the historic centre with stalls, sculptures, and tastings; Cosenza in Calabria hosts a smaller festival later in the month.
• Chestnuts & Mushrooms: Tuscany, Calabria, and Sicily celebrate roasted chestnuts, castagnaccio, and porcini-focused menus and fairs.
• Other harvests: Sicily highlights pistachios, prickly pears, and honey. Puglia celebrates grapes and olives; Certaldo hosts Boccaccesca Food & Wine.

Cultural and Sporting Events

• Art: Milan’s Palazzo Reale stages Leonora Carrington and Man Ray retrospectives; MUDEC hosts an Escher exhibition. Rome Art Week (20–26 Oct) opens galleries and studios. Sicily’s Le vie dei tesori unlocks hidden heritage.
• Film & Comics: Romics (2–5 Oct) and the Rome Film Festival (15–26 Oct). Lucca Comics and Games closes the month at European scale.
• History & Sport: Melfi’s Medieval Days and Falconry Feast (25–27 Oct). Trieste’s Barcolana Regatta (13 Oct). Longines Global Champions Tour in Rome (10–12 Oct).

Religious Observances

Feast of St. Francis on 4 October centres on Assisi. In the Jubilee Year 2025, special papal audiences are scheduled on 4 and 25 October in St. Peter’s Square.

Weather and Packing

• North: 7–16 °C, wetter, with possible fog.
• Centre: 13–21 °C, many clear afternoons. Rome enjoys the Ottobrata Romana.
• South & Islands: 15–24 °C, good for coastal walks and hikes.

Pack layers, a light jacket, comfortable shoes, and rain protection in the north.

Planning Tips

• Book major attractions and festival accommodations in advance.
• Check for scheduled transport strikes (scioperi).
• Reserve popular restaurants a week ahead in large cities.

October blends the pleasures of the harvest with a lively cultural calendar and comfortable travel conditions. From truffle markets in Piedmont to art exhibitions in Milan, sailing in Trieste, and religious celebrations in Assisi, the month offers varied experiences in your Italy tours.