Visit Italy in the autumn and discover a slower pace of life as the crowds thin out and the hillsides shift to copper, burnished reds and golds. It’s the harvest season: olives being gently handpicked or raked off the trees, chestnuts roasting in mountain villages, grapes gathered and brought to the presses, as vendemmia celebrations approach. Time for hunting truffles and harvesting saffron. Local communities join together to celebrate the shift in season. The light is softer, and the days are fresher.
It’s the perfect time to get a little lost, to slow down, and embrace simplicity. Explore new places, and soak up the vita lenta (slow living) vibes. Here we’ve hand-picked 10 cosy retreats for the cooler days, share some useful Italian phrases for autumnal travellers, and a collection of wonderful, evocative Italian reads. Benvenuti!
1. Vigilius Mountain Resort — South Tyrol / Dolomites
Accessible only by cable car, Vigilius is a car‑free haven perched at 1,500 m above Merano in the South Tyrol. The wooden, minimalist architecture seems to dissolve into larch forest midst an alpine setting. In Autumn, the Dolomites glow rust and gold, with the mountains that gorgeous enrosadira rose-gold glow in the evenings – perfect for slow hikes, forest bathing, and evenings in a thermal spa. Silence here is greatest luxury.
To read the full list of 10 Slow Stays – visit The Green Travel Guide Newsletter on Substack here.
Italian Phrases and Cultural Tips for a Slow Travel Stay
Autumn in Italy is a quieter, more contemplative season – one of harvests, misty mornings, and long lunches. It’s the time to slow down, enjoy the present moment, and speak like a local.
Essential Phrases for Autumn Travel in Italy
It’s harvest time! È tempo di vendemmia! “Vendemmia” is the grape harvest, celebrated with local festivals and tastings.
Let’s go for a walk in the countryside. Facciamo una passeggiata in campagna. A beloved weekend ritual – especially in Tuscany and Umbria.
I’d like a table by the fireplace, if possible. Vorrei un tavolo vicino al camino, se possibile. Many trattorie light their fireplaces as soon as the evenings turn cool.
What a beautiful sunset! Che tramonto meraviglioso! Italians love commenting on natural beauty – you’ll always get a smile.
The colours are incredible. I colori sono incredibili. Autumnal landscapes are a point of pride – especially the vineyards.
I’m travelling slowly. Sto viaggiando con calma. Literally “I’m travelling calmly” – expresses the idea of slow travel perfectly.
Cultural Notes for Autumn Travellers in Italy
The Season of Sagre
Every region celebrates its local produce – chestnuts (castagne), truffles (tartufi), mushrooms (funghi), and new wine (vino). Ask locals about nearby sagre (village food festivals) – they’re the heart of autumn travel.
Menu Shifts
Summer’s tomatoes and basil give way to pumpkin, porcini, and hearty pastas. Try tagliatelle ai funghi porcini or risotto alla zucca (pumpkin/squash risotto).
Language Tip: The Art of Small Talk
Italians love to comment on the weather – especially in autumn. Try:
Fa fresco stamattina, vero? (“It’s cool this morning, isn’t it?”)
L’autunno qui è bellissimo. (“Autumn here is beautiful.”)
Travel Rhythm
Trains and towns are calmer, locals are friendlier, and prices are lower – autumn is Italy’s best-kept secret for viaggiare con calma – slow travel.
“Piano piano, si arriva lontano.”
Slowly, slowly, and you’ll go far.
A perfect motto for slow travellers in Italy!
Recommended Reading
To accompany a slow Italy trip, here’s a curated reading list of all things Italy, mixing literature, memoir, and travel writing:
Fiction:
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante – Naples and southern Italy through friendship.
The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa – Sicilian tradition and change.
Italian Folktales, Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino — imaginative explorations of Italy’s towns and landscapes.
Family Lexicon by Natalia Ginsburg — slow reflections on Italian society and family life.
The Eight Mountains (Le otto montagne) by Paolo Cognetti – A poetic reflection on the Italian Alps, friendship, father-son relationships, and the slow rhythm of mountain life.
I’m Not Scared (Io non ho paura) by Niccolò Ammaniti – Southern Italy countryside, coming-of-age, and social reflection.
The Letter Carrier (La Portalettere) by Francesca Giannone — story inspired by Italy’s first female postwoman in the 1930s.
Tomorrow, Tomorrow (Domani, Domani) by Francesca Giannone – loss, resilience and complexities of familial bonds in post-war Italy.
The Florios of Sicily (I leoni di Sicilia) by Stefania Auci — chronicling the rise of the Florio family in 19th-century Sicily.
Memoir:
Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes – renovating a villa, tasting life at a gentle pace.
Italian Neighbours by Tim Parks – humour and insight in a small Italian town.
Essays, Culture & Observational Writing:
The Stones of Florence by Mary McCarthy – art and culture through Florence.
Italian Ways by Tim Parks – essays on Italy’s rhythms, seasons, and towns.
Venice by Cees Nooteboom – impressions of Venice over the years.
A Literary Tour of Italy by Tim Parks – exploring the literature of Italy.
Laura McVeigh is a Northern Irish novelist and travel writer. Her work is widely translated and her latest novel Lenny is set between the desert in Libya and the bayou in Louisiana. She has authored books for Lonely Planet, DK Travel, bylines in the Irish Times, Irish Independent, featured by the BBC, Newsweek, New Internationalist & many more. Former CEO for a global writers’ organisation, working with writers from 145 countries. She is founder of Travel-Writing.Com and Green Travel Guides. Laura writes on storytelling, travel writing and mindful travel on Substack.