When do the leaves change in Italy?

Italy's beech and chestnut forests turn gold through the Apennines' Casentino Forest while larches in the Dolomites blaze amber each October, with Tuscany's chestnut woods and vineyard hillsides adding a warmer southern show.

Autumn foliage at Val di Funes
📍 Val di Funes, Italy· Photo: Eric Kilby / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
2026 Forecast57 weather anchors

Peak: October 25–November 15

Color builds from October 21 · mostly bare by November 24

Color starts: October 21Peak: November 4Bare: November 24AugustDecember

This window comes from 57 weather points across Italy, checked against 3 published peak dates from moonhoneytravel.com and visititaly.eu. Italy is running 2 days earlier than its own average this year. Peak dates spread about 21 days inside Italy, so the high ground turns well before the valleys. How the forecast works

Known for

  • Casentino Forest National Park
  • Dolomites larch forests
  • Tuscan chestnut woods and vineyards

Things to do in fall in Italy

1 iconic stop, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.

Val di Funes

Viewpoint

Peak September 25 2026 forecast

The onion-domed Church of St.

Frequently asked

When do leaves peak in Italy in 2026?
Peak color is predicted for October 25–November 15 (best estimate November 4). Color starts around October 21 and trees are mostly bare by November 24.
How reliable is the Italy forecast?
The forecast blends recent-year weather normals with photoperiod and elevation; it tightens as the season approaches. Against published peak dates the model lands within a few days for most regions, but it can be a week or more out. Mountains and coastlines are the hardest. Higher elevations turn roughly one day earlier per 300 m.
When is Italy's autumn season?
Italy is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 34 days end to end, centered on November 4, and the last 11 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.

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