Rome best: Excellent
The Eternal City, hot in summer; the beach at Ostia is close.
The Eternal City has shrugged off sacks and fascists, urban planning disasters and traffic snarls and is as impressive to the…
Vitamin D in Italy: best months for sun and a travel guide
The best months for vitamin D in Italy are May to October. In June, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 9.2 usable sun hours a day. For a beach stay it is too cool from November to April.
Italy month by month
Italy is rated at its median coastal place, for skin type III at age 30. Click a month for the details.
| Month | Rating | Sun window | Peak UV | Full dose, age 30 | Full dose, age 65 | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Too cold | 1.3 h | 2.4 | – | – | 14°C | 12/30 |
| February | Too cold | 3.9 h | 3.6 | 15 min | 28 min | 16°C | 7/30 |
| March | Too cold | 5.5 h | 4.9 | 11 min | 20 min | 17°C | 10/30 |
| April | Too cold | 7.3 h | 6.3 | 8 min | 16 min | 21°C | 6/30 |
| May | Excellent | 8.5 h | 7.0 | 8 min | 14 min | 24°C | 9/30 |
| June | Excellent | 9.2 h | 7.7 | 7 min | 13 min | 27°C | 4/30 |
| July | Excellent | 9.4 h | 7.9 | 7 min | 13 min | 32°C | 2/30 |
| August | Excellent | 8.6 h | 7.4 | 7 min | 14 min | 32°C | 3/30 |
| September | Good | 6.8 h | 5.6 | 10 min | 18 min | 27°C | 11/30 |
| October | Good | 4.8 h | 4.4 | 12 min | 23 min | 24°C | 8/30 |
| November | Too cold | 2.7 h | 3.0 | 18 min | 33 min | 18°C | 9/30 |
| December | Too cold | 0.6 h | 2.4 | – | – | 15°C | 15/30 |
Sun window is the number of hours a day with UV Index 2.5 or higher. Full dose is the minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm out of 30.
Travel guide: why go to Italy
Why go
Italy gives sun together with some of the world's best food, art and old towns. Beaches range from the cliffs of Amalfi to the sandy Adriatic and the clear water of Sardinia and Sicily.
Best for
Couples, families, food and culture lovers, and sailors.
What to expect
Very hot summers in the south and crowded beaches in August, when Italians take their holiday. Beach clubs rent sunbeds, and many beaches charge. Spring and early autumn are comfortable.
Places in Italy
Each place has its own climate, so its best months can differ from the country as a whole.
Venice best: Excellent
Canals and palaces, with the Lido beach nearby.
One of the most beautiful cities in Italy, known for its history, art, and of course its world-famous canals
Rimini best: Excellent
Long sandy Adriatic beach with a huge choice of family hotels and nightlife.
Amalfi best: Excellent
Cliffside town and the heart of the famous coast.
Positano best: Excellent
Pastel houses piled up a cliff with small pebble beaches.
Capri best: Excellent
Rocky island with boat trips, villas and sea-view terraces.
The famed island in the Bay of Naples, which was a favored resort of the Roman emperors
Sorrento best: Excellent
Lemon-scented base for Capri, Pompeii and the Amalfi coast.
Naples best: Excellent
Loud, delicious home of pizza, near Pompeii and Vesuvius.
One of the oldest cities of the Western world, the birthplace of pizza, with a historic city centre that is a UNESCO World…
Cinque Terre best: Excellent
Five colourful villages linked by coastal paths.
Five tiny, scenic, towns strung along the steep vineyard-laced coast of Liguria
Portofino best: Excellent
Tiny elegant harbour on the Italian Riviera.
Palermo best: Excellent
Sicilian capital of markets, street food and Arab-Norman churches.
Taormina best: Excellent
Hilltop town with a Greek theatre above Mount Etna.
A charming hillside town on the east coast of Sicily
Syracuse best: Excellent
Ancient Greek city with a lovely island old town.
Cefalù best: Excellent
Sicilian beach town under a rocky headland.
Costa Smeralda best: Excellent
Sardinia's glamorous north with emerald coves.
Cagliari best: Excellent
Sardinian capital with a city beach and flamingo lagoons.
Alghero best: Excellent
Catalan-flavoured walled town in north-west Sardinia.
Polignano a Mare best: Excellent
Cliff-top village above a small cove in Puglia.
Lecce best: Excellent
Baroque city in Puglia, near the sandy Salento coast.
Elba best: Excellent
Tuscan island with beaches and mountain walks.
Some short descriptions come from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Questions about vitamin D in Italy
When is the best time to visit Italy for vitamin D?
The best months for vitamin D in Italy are May to October. In June, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 9.2 usable sun hours a day.
Can you get vitamin D from the sun in Italy in December?
Not really. In December the sun in Italy is too low or too weak to make useful vitamin D, and afternoons are cool. Plan your sun for other months.
How long do I need in the sun in Italy?
In June, the best month, about 7 minutes at midday with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III at age 30; about 13 minutes at age 65. Darker skin needs longer and fair skin burns sooner, so keep sessions short. This is an estimate for planning, not medical advice.
Which months should I avoid in Italy?
For a beach stay, avoid the months when it is too cool from November to April.
What is the best place in Italy for vitamin D?
In June the strongest sun of the places we rate is around Syracuse. Each place has its own rating, so open the place list to compare them.
Plan by month
- Jan Too cold
- Feb Too cold
- Mar Too cold
- Apr Too cold
- May Excellent
- Jun Excellent
- Jul Excellent
- Aug Excellent
- Sep Good
- Oct Good
- Nov Too cold
- Dec Too cold