La Bella Vita is our regular look at the real culture of Italy – from language to cuisine, manners to art. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox: go to newsletter preferences in ‘My Account’ or follow the instructions in the newsletter box below.

It might not feel much like it at the moment, with unusually warm temperatures for this time of year across Italy and other parts of Europe, but it is technically autumn now – and that means we have plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks.

A packed calendar of food festivals and cultural events, perfect sightseeing weather, few crowds, and pretty autumnal landscapes are all on the cards, and these are just some of the reasons why we think the period between October and November might just be the very best time of year to visit, or travel within, Italy.

In case you need any more excuses to book a trip, here’s why we think you really should:

Six reasons autumn is the best time to visit Italy

An essential part of any autumn weekend in Italy is of course a visit to a local sagra: these traditional, food-centred festivals held in villages all over the country usually showcase one particular local delicacy, which can be anything from wine to porcini mushrooms, truffles, roasted chestnuts, and chocolate.

You’ll find every small town or village in your region is likely to have its own sagra, and they’re often worth travelling further afield for, too.

By their nature, these events are for locals and aren’t usually geared towards tourists (though we are warned that some of the more commercial events aren’t entirely ‘authentic’), which is a bonus as it means you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the culture and practice speaking Italian as you sample all the local produce.

To help you make the most of the coming weekends, here’s a roundup of some of the very best sagre happening up and down the country throughout the next month. If you have a favourite local event we’d love to hear about it in the comments section below this article:

Sagra: The best Italian food festivals to visit in October

And in Italy as elsewhere, one of the best ways to strike up a casual conversation is by commenting on the weather.

From complaining about the cold (when it eventually arrives) to talking in more detail about seasonal changes, and understanding the particularly Italian habits and sometimes surprising beliefs associated with this time of year, here’s a look at some of the essential Italian words and phrases you’ll need to be able to use and understand.

The essential vocabulary you’ll need for autumn in Italy

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Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you’d like to see us write more about? Please email me at [email protected].