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Italy/Greece/Israel in October. What to wear?


racnwdow
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I have only done Caribbean cruises.  Unsure how to dress/pack for the Mediterranean in October (18-Nov 1).   Will the weather be conducive to laying out on the ship?  Will I need a jacket for the ship?  I can look at average temps and it seems pretty good (60-70) during the day.  But wanted input from anyone  who has been on Mediterranean cruises in October/Fall. TIA

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On 9/11/2019 at 9:36 AM, racnwdow said:

I have only done Caribbean cruises.  Unsure how to dress/pack for the Mediterranean in October (18-Nov 1).   Will the weather be conducive to laying out on the ship?  Will I need a jacket for the ship?  I can look at average temps and it seems pretty good (60-70) during the day.  But wanted input from anyone  who has been on Mediterranean cruises in October/Fall. TIA

 

Most important will be a rain jacket.... you will have a good mix of sunshine and rainy cold days.

The good news is there are few crowds at that time of year.

 

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We've been to the area 3 times in the past and I wore capris and t-shirts or blouses nearly every day.  Lots of folks enjoyed laying in the sun on the back deck, or around the pool, as the temperatures were quite nice.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

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The Med covers a large area, so the weather is likely to vary. If you will be in Venice, for example, you may find it cooler and rainy. However in Israel and also in the more southerly Greek islands it is much more likely to be warm, yes even warm enough to sit out on the deck onboard.


The best packing strategy for shoulder season trips like these are layers. Bring a lightweight waterproof rain jacket large enough to layer a sweater or fleece underneath. With those layers and a tee shirt you should be able to mix and match layers as needed for warmer or cooler temps.

 

I probably wouldn't wear shorts ashore, but capris or lightweight pants should be fine. Europeans tend to dress for the season rather than for the weather so you are likely to see jeans and sweaters with boots in Italy and possibly Greece (except on the more resort-y islands).

 

I'm a veteran of 9 Med cruises in October/November; it's just about my favorite time of year to cruise there due to the fact that there are fewer tourists. 

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9 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

The Med covers a large area, so the weather is likely to vary. If you will be in Venice, for example, you may find it cooler and rainy. However in Israel and also in the more southerly Greek islands it is much more likely to be warm, yes even warm enough to sit out on the deck onboard.


The best packing strategy for shoulder season trips like these are layers. Bring a lightweight waterproof rain jacket large enough to layer a sweater or fleece underneath. With those layers and a tee shirt you should be able to mix and match layers as needed for warmer or cooler temps.

 

I probably wouldn't wear shorts ashore, but capris or lightweight pants should be fine. Europeans tend to dress for the season rather than for the weather so you are likely to see jeans and sweaters with boots in Italy and possibly Greece (except on the more resort-y islands).

 

I'm a veteran of 9 Med cruises in October/November; it's just about my favorite time of year to cruise there due to the fact that there are fewer tourists. 

 

Thank you for the great answer. I’m not the OP, but I just logged on to see if I could find an answer to this very question. We’ll be going from Barcelona to Venice from 10/30-11/8 and I now feel more confident in what to pack. 

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I don't know when or where you'll be in Israel, but it will probably be cooling off a bit (it's gone from the 90s to the low 80s just this week, and October is usually when 'winter' settles in here -- it goes from the 80s to the 50s almost overnight...) but probably won't be too rainy. If you're considering coming to Jerusalem, you might consider covering shoulders and knees and bringing a scarf for sight-seeing. Otherwise, you'll probably be fine at tourist sights.

 

I would definitely bring a jacket or warm wrap for the ship in the evenings, the wind over the ocean will likely be chilly, but lovely.

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Hi, I've cruised/traveled to that region a couple of times in October, & I wold say you'll probably experience a good mix of warm to cool weather...  Greece for us was warm but windy... I believe I was wearing linen shorts &  long sleeved linen tees there,with a big sunhat.   DH wore shorts as well, however we also hit ports in Turkey where we had super hot weather one day, & cold rain on another...  there were definitely days that were swimsuit weather on board the ship.  I'd say light layers are the key, & definitely be prepared to protect yourself form both hot sun & rain :)

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Be prepared to layer your clothing and just know that just like in many parts of the world weather varies.

 

cruisemom42 knows the Med very well and is correct.  Italy itself varies quite a bit in temperature.

 

It could be warm, even hot in spots or cooler and things can change by the day.

 

We have been to the Med often in October and that is our experience.

 

As to changes we had a back to back in Vienna totaling three days in October one year.

 

Day one.  Cold.  Felt like Alaska in the early part of the season.  Needed to wear a jacket.  Some rain.  Next day began cool but warmed as the day progressed.  Day three hot.  Wore shorts.  In short the weather varied quite a bit in three days.

 

And bring an umbrella and ideally a rain jacket with hood.

 

Keith

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just to add weather in Europe is pretty unsettled at the moment, picking up the tail ends of hurricanes/tropical storms ex Caribbean on the easterly Atlantic flow and looks showery so the tip about a compact umbrella and raincoat are spot on. We have been to both Cyprus and Turkey in the Fall and as stated it weather for layers, days start cool and gain heat as days progresses reverting to cooler in the evenings. And definetle agree its the best time when all the madness of summer crowds have gone. Have a great trip. 

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  • 1 month later...

 I've traveled in Europe 2 - 3 times at this time of year.  It does tend to rain, and I found it gets pretty warm in the afternoons.  

 

Be sure to account for your own body temperatures.  For instance, I tend to run hot, and if I'm in port, walking or riding in a heated bus or vehicle, I just about die from heat overload in October/November if I'm in layers with shoes and socks. Unless the weather report calls for lots of rain, I usually wear walking sandals, because if my feet overheat, then my whole body is uncomfortable.  I wear knit tops and a light jacket, long pants, and walking sandals, and I'm very comfy.

 

My problem is that raincoats and windbreakers don't allow for air flow, so if I wear one when it's raining, and it gets clear and sunny later, it's like I'm in a sauna!  I tend to go with a collapsible umbrella unless the weather calls for heavy rain.

 

Example:  we were in Venice in October for 2 days.  It was cold and drizzly the whole time, between 55 - 65 .  I wore a lined raincoat, long pants, a knit top, and walking shoes/socks, and I was quite comfy.  

 

You will be moving around, or sitting in heated places/vehicles.

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I got very lucky with my recent cruise to Venice. I was there 2 weeks ago and we had sun almost every day! It rained

just a bit but that was at night.   Temps were pleasant too. During the day I wore jeans and either long sleeves or

3/4 sleeve tops. I did carry a cardigan with me but didn't always use it.

 

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27 minutes ago, pcur said:

 

You will be moving around, or sitting in heated places/vehicles.

 

I will add to that: I find many places in Europe to be quite overheated in the colder months. I remember feeling like I was going to pass out from the heat in the Louvre when I visited in late December. And several hotels in Rome have been removed from my list due to overheating and windows that can't be left open to dissipate that heat...

 

Luckily many museums (and some popular churches) offer a coat or bag check, so if it's really cold I'll wear a heavy coat but something lighter underneath. It gets trickier when coat checks aren't available. Sometimes I take off my jacket or sweater and drape it over my cross-body bag. I think I've seen some companies that sell a clip you can use that helps ensure the jacket doesn't fall off.

 

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Definitely wear a small lightweight backpack. I promise you will thank me when in the afternoon the umbrella, windbreaker, hat and gloves peel off! Or pulled out when the weather changed. All of this including your water bottle plus a souvenir or two can be stuffed in the backpack then checked at wherever. 

Ann J.

 

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15 hours ago, rtdiva said:

Definitely wear a small lightweight backpack. I promise you will thank me when in the afternoon the umbrella, windbreaker, hat and gloves peel off! Or pulled out when the weather changed. All of this including your water bottle plus a souvenir or two can be stuffed in the backpack then checked at wherever. 

Ann J.

 

 

Excellent idea!  I purchased a lightweight (no structure) backpack last summer for my Hadrian's Wall walking trip -- it could come in very useful for this as well. 

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The original poster is on her way!

The best advice for packing I’ve read on C.C is ; pack one week warm, one week cold. Plus my personal five must haves : a non structured backpack, a rectangular wrap/scarf, lightweight windbreaker, a hat, sunglasses. Needless to say comfortable shoes!

 

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On 9/12/2019 at 10:47 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 Europeans tend to dress for the season rather than for the weather so you are likely to see jeans and sweaters with boots in Italy and possibly Greece (except on the more resort-y islands).

 

LOL, so true.  We were in Italy this year for 11 days in mid-October.  We spent our time in Milan and Tuscany.  For the most part the weather was sunny and 65-70 but everywhere we went we saw locals bundled up in sweaters, boots, puffy coats and winter scarves, while we walked around in short sleeves enjoying the perfect temperatures.  We kept joking that when the calendar turns from Sept to Oct they must switch to their winter wardrobe regardless of the actual temperatures.  I don't know how they weren't roasting to death!

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