A Walk in Nizza

Exploring history, food, and culture between the Belbo river and the vineyard hills of Monferrato

Italy in the Fall: practical advice

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In the first part of this post, we’ve seen a few good reasons to visit the Italian countryside in the fall. And as some have pointed out in the comments, a long permanence in the countryside – in any season – might not be the ideal choice for everybody.
And of course it’s all right: some of us are urban animals, and love to visit strange new cities, and do a lot of street photography, or go shopping, or hit the night spots.
Some of us are not.
The Italian countryside in the fall is ideal for long walks, for enjoying the contact with Nature, and for hearty dinners in dimly-lit local taverns.

stevepb / Pixabay

stevepb / Pixabay

So, let’s check some practical issues.

Travel light

… and of course each one’s concept of light is relative, but this being the countryside, you will have little opportunity to show-off your latest jacket or gown. Aim at practical, simple clothes.
Considering you’ll be probably moving about using public transport, a single handy travel bag is much better than two or three rigid suitcases. Also, consider that trolleys might not be your friends on cobbled village streets.
We can’t all be backpackers, but limiting our luggage will be easy on our shoulders, on our wallet, and on our mind.

Pack some smart clothes

Which might seem to contradict the previous suggestion, but actually does not.
We are not talking about packing your smoking or your evening gown. But keep in mind that in the province – and most of the Italian countryside is provincial territory – people tend to notice and appreciate as a sign of respect if you dress up a little.
On a countryside weekend you might be lucky and attend some local event (the village chorale, the district amateur theater company, or an exhibit by some local artist), and showing up in something better than your hiking get-up would be much appreciated. A simple button-down shirt or a fine blouse with a pair of clean jeans is usually more than enough. But keep it in mind.

Pack an extra sweater, some extra socks and an umbrella

umbrellaThe weather is getting cooler, the days are getting shorter. An extra layer might be useful in case of a sudden change in the weather.
And a pair of dry socks after along walk in the rain are one of life’s small blessings.
As for the umbrella – we are perfectly aware that there’s a lot of rain-proof garments that are a lot more practical than wielding an umbrella1, but walk along a country road, in the rain, under the canopy of an umbrella, is an  experience that should be tried at least once. And of course, while it is always a good idea to keep our camera in the bag when it’s raining, an umbrella offers a safe, dry platform for our impromptu photographs of the countryside under the rain.

Carry or wear something bright

If you are planning on a walk along a country road, wearing something bright and reflective might be a good idea. In the fall the sun goes down earlier, and cloudy sky and rainy days don’t make for good visibility. A driver on a narrow country road might need some extra help to see you.

Check out the dates for the hunting season

The hunting season in Italy opens on different days in different regions.
If you are planning a hike in the woods, you don’t want some weekend hunter mistaking you for a deer or a pheasant.
Once again, wearing bright clothes might help – but check the dates and if you are planning a walk among the fields, ask around if there’s a hunting party in the same area: usually checking with the people in the local café should be enough.

caccia_fagiano_cacciatori

And this, off the top of our head, is a short list of practical things you might want to keep in mind while planning your fall weekend in our countryside.
Did we forget anything?
It’s likely – so please tell us what we forgot, in the comments.
Cheers!

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  1. Dave, that’s writing this piece, usually just wears a waterproof hat during autumn showers. 

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