Are you wondering what to wear in Florence in October? October is definitely categorised as Fall in Florence in October and any local will tell you that layers are the key to your Florence Packing list for fall. In this guide we tell you everything to pack for Florence in October for men, women, to cope with the changing weather, dress codes to look like a local and more
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Weather in Florence in October
Florence in October is classified as Fall or Autumn as the Europeans say. As such the warmer weather is firmly behind you and you can expect traditional European Fall weather. This means changeable weather with a chance of rain but how cold is Florence really in October?
How cold is Florence in October?
The good news is that although the summer temperatures are behind you, the weather still isn’t what I would classfy as cold cold. On top of that the temperature drop, also sees a reduction in crowds making October a great time to visit Firenze.
Generally speakign the average temperatures in Florence in October are lows of 52°F/11°C and average highs of 72°F/22°C.
For this reason we recommend packing layers but not transitioning into a weather wardrobe just yet.
Note: if your visit covers two months be sure to check out our other Florence packing list guides:
- What to wear to Florence in September
- What to wear in Florence in November
- What to wear in Tuscany in September
- What to wear in Tuscany in October
- What to wear in Tuscany in November
Is it rainy in Florence in October?
One of the only downsides to visiting Florence in October is that it is much rainier. In fact there is a 45% chance of a cloudy day In October and rain expected to fall on c.10 days.
For this reason I do like to have a compact travel umbrella and a pair of waterproof shoes with me for visiting Florence in October.
Note: if you are traveling to other cities or regions of Italy during your Fall vacation be sure to check out our other monthly guides:
- What to wear in Italy in October
- What to wear in Rome in October
- What to wear to Milan in October
- What to wear to Venice In October
- What to wear in Pisa
- What to wear to Pompeii
- What to wear in Naples
- What to wear to the Amalfi Coast
- What to wear in Puglia
- What to wear in Cinque Terre
- What to wear in Lake Como
- What to wear in Positano
- What to wear to Sardinia
- What to wear to Sicily
- what to wear to Capri
How do local people dress in Florence in October?
If you want to be more in keeping with the locals you will need to know how the locals Tuscans and Florentines dress.
Locals in Florence tend to have put their summer wardrobes away in October. Instead you will find them wearing lots of light layers in early October and some warmer jackets and even coats towards the end of the month.
It is also worth noting that no matter what month you visit Florence that the locals are a fashionable bunch, especially when dressing for the office or going out for dinner. Smart casual tends to be the most commonly seen attire in Florence restaurants but for more information on what to wear to dinner in Italy check out this post.
Dress Codes in Florence
The main considerations for October in Florence are dressing in layers as well as having correct outfits for churches and smart casual dinners. This translates into your packing list in the following ways:
Restaurant Dress Code
Not many restaurants in Florence have strict or enforced dress codes. However you will find that locals do tend to dress in a smart casual fashion for dinner. This means smart trousers and blouses with a cardigan or sweater or a dress and tights for ladies. While mean this tends to be smarter trousers or chinos usually though not always paired with a shirt.
Church Dress Code
All Italian churches have dress codes including the Florence Duomo which are strictly enforced.
If you are visiting the Duomo on your visit to Florence you will need to make your outfit on that day covers your knees and shoulders and is modest. If it does not meet these criteria you will be turned away.
What to wear in Florence in October
So now you know what to expect from the weather, what should you wear in Florence in October?
What to wear in Florence in October for women
So what does a Florence Packing List in Fall for women look like? In our opinion you should have the below on your Florence Packing List for October:
Waterproof jackets
As the rain increases in October it is worth adding a waterproof jacket to your packing list. However we recommend getting a compact one so you can store it away when you don’t need it.
Shop smart lightweight rain jackets here.
Midi skirts and dresses
Short skirts and dresses are on my what not to wear in Italy list. That is because they are not appropriate in churches.
Therefore I tend to pick maxi or midi length items for Florence in October. My personal preference is a midi as I think they pair with boots and tights better but this is personal preference.
Click here to shop dresses for Florence
Trousers
Trousers are a great pick for Florence in October. As the weather has cooled in October jeans are a great pick.
Layers
This is particularly important if you are visiting towards the end of October. We recommend packing several cardigans or sweaters of different weights for evenings and cooler days as the weather turns more autumnal.
I usually like to have a dressier top layer too to pair with dresses for going out for dinner.
Blouses
Loose blouses are perfect for Florence in October as they work brilliantly for smarter dinners and for churches. I tend to select either long sleeve or 3/4 quarter length sleeves for October as the weather cools.
T Shirts
Although summer has ended t shirts should still be on your packing list for Florence. The only change though is that we now recommend having a mix of short and long sleeve t shirts.
To help you not look like a tourist I would recommend sticking to plain t shirts instead of those that have a graphic or text or are in loud colors.
Pashmina
A pashmina should be on any Italy packing list no matter the month you are visiting.
Pashminas can act as a scarf or extra layer on cooler nights and can help make your outfit more modest for visits to churches in Italy such as the Duomo in Florence.
Swimwear and beach cover (optional)
Only required if you plan to do a day trip to the coast or are staying at a hotel with a heated pool. Otherwise you can leave these at home.
PJs or Nightie
Sunglasses
The sun is bright even in October so you definitely need sunglasses. Shop Sunglasses for Italy here.
Underwear and Socks
Goes without saying.
What to Wear in Florence in October Packing List for Men
The general pieces you need to pack for Florence in October for men has some similar themes to the women’s packing list. As such we recommend packing:
For this reason we recommend packing the below for one week in Florence:
- Trousers – We recommend packing a smarter pair of trousers like chinos for evenings but as the temperatures have cooled jeans are also appropriate. We recommend picking jeans that are smarter and darker in color to be more in keeping with local style.
- Short Sleeve T Shirts – a staple for any Florence packing list. Again we recommend wearing plain colors in more muted tones to be more in keeping with local Italian style.
- Shirts – long sleeves are better for October.
- Blazer – A jacket is a great pick for dining in Italian restaurants. We find October too cool for linen jackets so instead pick a slightly heavier weight blazer
- Layers – For October you will want some light layers such as sweaters or cardigans with you as the weather starts to cool.
- Waterproof jacket
- Sunglasses
- Sneakers
- Smarter Pair of Shoes for dinner
- Pjs
- Underwear
- Swimwear (optional depending on your itinerary and accommodation).
Best Shoes for Florence in October
Sneakers
In my opinion, sneakers are the best shoe for a Florence city break. Florence is a city best explored on foot so comfy shoes are a must.
The reason we love sneakers for Florence is that they can cope well with cobble stone streets, and uneven walkways of which there are plenty of in Florence.
Tey are also comfortable shoes for touring the many museums of Florence such as the Uffizi Gallery and going to see Michaelangelo’s David.
My favorite brand of sneakers for walking are Hoka and AllBirds, however you also can’t go wrong with a plain white sneaker style wise for Italyas they go with everything. One of my favorite pairs of white sneakers currently is the Adidas Cloud Foam shoes.
Ankle Boots
As the weather is changeable in Florence in October we recommend having a leather boot with some waterproofing as well as a sneaker.
I personally don’t like to wear sneakers to dinner, and hate overpacking so I find two pairs of shoes is perfect for Florence in October and is the reason I select an ankle boot.
Click here to shop ankle boots.
What to Pack for Florence in October (Non Clothing)
So now you know the clothes and outfits for Florence in October, what should you pack for Milan in October that isn’t clothes?
Whenever we travel to Florence we will normally also have the following with us:
- Backpack – for storing items on your day trips.
- Crossbody Bag – anti theft type if you are planning to visit cities and tourist attractions which tend to attract pickpockets.
- Compact Travel umbrella.
- Sun Screen – an essential in all of Italy at this time of year.
- Aloe Vera / Aftersun – no one wants to get burnt however it is better to have this with you just in case.
- Lipbalm with SPF – as I mentioned the sun is strong so on top of sunscreen we recommend packing lip balm with sun protection. Our favorite brand at the minute is sun bum.
- Insect Repellant
- Reusable Water Bottle – This will save you money and is better for the environment so be sure to pack one with you.
- Camera
- Charging Equipment
- Power pack / Battery Pack
- Travel Adapaters for electronics – Italy uses standard European outputs and plugs.
- Chub Rub – if you are worried about sweating and chaffing chub rub can be a life saver on hot days.
FAQs about our Florence October Packing list
Do you need a jacket in October in Florence?
A jacket is an important component of any Tuscan packing list for October. I usually will bring a waterproof one as the rain increases in this month.
However a blazer or smarter jacket is also a great pick for evenings.
Can you wear jeans in Florence in October?
As the weather has cooled, jeans have become my go to trouser for Florence in Fall.
Should I pack swimwear for Florence in October?
Whether of not you need swimwear for October depends on:
- if you plan on visiting a beach
- if your hotel has access to a heated pool
- if you plan to travel to other beach regions of Italy
- if you plan to go on a Med cruise as part of your FLorence trip
If you answer yes to the above then you may want to pack some swimwear (particularly early in the month). However others, like me, will find it too cold so you can leave the swimwear at home.
Can you wear shorts in Florence in October?
Shorts are perhaps the least versatile option for visiting Florence in October, which is why we left them off our packing list. That is because you won’t be able to wear these in some places such as churches.
However if you are doing more walking and aren’t planning on visiting many churches then you can easily swap out some trousers in favour of shorts.
Have you been to Florence in October? What did you wear? We would love to hear in the comments.