Weather in April for Med cruise

[Cassicruiser]

We're thinking of a Med cruise in April/May 2017, and wondering if the weather will already be warm towards the end of April, or is it better to wait until around mid May? We have found a cruise with an itinerary we really like on 23 April but am worried it's a tiny bit too early in the season? We're lucky not to have to go at peak time in July/August, but still want to have sunshine and warm weather. This would be for Italy, France and Greece mainly. Thanks for any advice.

[CruiserBruce]

A quick Google search for "weather, Rome, April" or any of your other ports will get the historical data. You ask if it will be " warm" by then, but we don't know what you consider "warm".

 

Just for comparison, I am currently just outside of Paris, France, where the high today was in the low 70s. I call that OK, but not warm. DW calls that perfect. In the last month, I have been in St. Louis, Mo. where it was in the low 90s, and in San Antonio, Texas, where it hit 100. I call those pretty warm, and hot. DW calls them miserable.

[Essiesmom]

Weather will be fine for touring, as long as you are not planning on going to the beach. but then, one doesn't go to the Med. to go to beaches. EM

[John Bull]

A quick Google search for "weather, Rome, April" or any of your other ports will get the historical data. You ask if it will be " warm" by then, but we don't know what you consider "warm".

 

Just for comparison, I am currently just outside of Paris, France, where the high today was in the low 70s. I call that OK, but not warm. DW calls that perfect. In the last month, I have been in St. Louis, Mo. where it was in the low 90s, and in San Antonio, Texas, where it hit 100. I call those pretty warm, and hot. DW calls them miserable.

 

You've got it all wrong, Bruce - and your DW has got it right. :p

I rate low seventies (22 to 23 degrees in European money) as ideal for sight-seeing.

 

I'd be happy in the Med in late April - by June things are starting to get sticky and July / August too hot for anything other than a shady terrace and a cold beer.

 

JB :)

[aquilegia]

I think it would be very pleasant in April. It can get really hot in Italy and Greece in May.

[Cassicruiser]

Thanks all - I did do a google search, but with the weather so changeable all over the world at the moment, I wanted to hear people's personal experience.

 

I would consider warm and ideal for touring as between 22 and 26 celcius (I'm an Aussie so not sure of fahrenheit - google says thats about 71 -78 :)). Anything above 27 or 28 and humid would be too hot for me unless I was on a beach holiday, which this won't be. Although I don't mind the temperature so much as just hoping for sunshine and no rain.

 

We could postpone till mid May, if there is a significant change in the weather for the better, but mid - end April works well with the particular cruise we have our eye on.

[cruisemom42]

I'm not sure that April is any more or less rainy than May. It may be a few degrees cooler, but probably not unpleasantly cool -- I'd guess within the range you listed as good.

 

Of course, there is never any guarantees on weather, but the April Med cruise I took a few years ago had some of the best weather and smoothest seas of any of the (way too many) Med cruises I've taken. :D

[Cassicruiser]

I'm not sure that April is any more or less rainy than May. It may be a few degrees cooler, but probably not unpleasantly cool -- I'd guess within the range you listed as good.

 

Of course, there is never any guarantees on weather, but the April Med cruise I took a few years ago had some of the best weather and smoothest seas of any of the (way too many) Med cruises I've taken. :D

 

Thanks Cruisemom - surely there is no such thing as way too many Med cruises? :D

[lisiamc]

You never know what the weather will bring. Our first long trip around Italy was in April, and it rained almost every day for two weeks. We saw Pisa in the rain, Siena in the rain, Urbino in the rain... you get the idea! Bring a waterproof jacket and a small umbrella and hope for the best.

[Cassicruiser]

You never know what the weather will bring. Our first long trip around Italy was in April, and it rained almost every day for two weeks. We saw Pisa in the rain, Siena in the rain, Urbino in the rain... you get the idea! Bring a waterproof jacket and a small umbrella and hope for the best.

 

Ouch that's not good. What horrible bad luck. I hope your subsequent trips made up for it!

I have found another cruise that is almost as good an itinerary, just missing one port I wanted, that leaves mid May. I wonder if it's worth the trade off to go 3 weeks later and have a slightly better chance of warmer weather....

[John Bull]

Ouch that's not good. What horrible bad luck. I hope your subsequent trips made up for it!

I have found another cruise that is almost as good an itinerary, just missing one port I wanted, that leaves mid May. I wonder if it's worth the trade off to go 3 weeks later and have a slightly better chance of warmer weather....

 

I don't see the three weeks as making much difference.

Lisiamc was unlucky with the weather, plain & simple.

 

Hellfire, I've dined outdoors in England - in January!!!! :p

That was incredibly unusual.

 

It's all about luck with the "weather" over a short period, rather than the usual "climate".

 

JB :)

[rosepetals]

We're thinking of a Med cruise in April/May 2017, and wondering if the weather will already be warm towards the end of April, or is it better to wait until around mid May? We have found a cruise with an itinerary we really like on 23 April but am worried it's a tiny bit too early in the season? We're lucky not to have to go at peak time in July/August, but still want to have sunshine and warm weather. This would be for Italy, France and Greece mainly. Thanks for any advice.

We just did a cruise Mid-May thru Spain, France, Italy. We had 5 days of sporadic rain and then it all turned sunny and warm. You never know so just be prepared.

[lisiamc]

I don't see the three weeks as making much difference.

Lisiamc was unlucky with the weather, plain & simple.

 

Hellfire, I've dined outdoors in England - in January!!!! :p

That was incredibly unusual.

 

It's all about luck with the "weather" over a short period, rather than the usual "climate".

 

JB :)

 

Yes, that was a particularly rainy Spring. It didn't put us off Italy. It's still charming, even in the rain. Other years are better, or at least different. A few summers ago, we didn't have any rain for nearly 90 days. This summer it seems to rain a day or two every week or so, but in between, the temperature is perfect, not as fierce as last year's heat wave.

Edited August 9, 2016 by lisiamc

[navybankerteacher]

The end of April through mid-May is close to ideal for the Mediterranean - second only to October. There is some chance of rain - but it isn't what is called a "rainy season"; the temps are likely to be ideal for the ports you will be hitting - probably in low to mid 70's -- you probably are not interested in beaches. By the end of May it can start getting uncomfortably warm.

[Aidy2009]

Weather will be fine for touring, as long as you are not planning on going to the beach. but then, one doesn't go to the Med. to go to beaches. EM

 

Hmmm, a lot do, especially in summer holidays. In fact Navigator do a Mediterranean Beaches cruise - I've just come off it!!

 

Mallorca, Corsica, Sardinia, Malaga etc. all have great beaches within travelling distance of ports :)

[cruisemom42]

Hmmm, a lot do, especially in summer holidays. In fact Navigator do a Mediterranean Beaches cruise - I've just come off it!!

 

Mallorca, Corsica, Sardinia, Malaga etc. all have great beaches within travelling distance of ports :)

 

I suspect the other poster was looking at it from the US point of view. We have such good beaches here; often people from the US who go to the Med expecting the same kinds of beaches are disappointed. The bigger majority go to sightsee.

[John Bull]

I suspect the other poster was looking at it from the US point of view. We have such good beaches here; often people from the US who go to the Med expecting the same kinds of beaches are disappointed. The bigger majority go to sightsee.

 

Yep.

Did wonder why anyone would cross to our side of the Pond just for beaches - then noticed that Aldy's from Blighty.

 

Aldy - you missed some very good weather at home.

Ain't that always the way :p :D

 

JB :)

[Cassicruiser]

Lol - We definitely aren't going to the Med for the beaches - we're from Australia and can drive an hour to beautiful beaches! Or fly for an hour for even better ones. No, for the Med we have the joy of a 24 hour long haul! Which is why I want to make sure I'm picking the best option for weather in the timeframe that we can go, although I know it's the luck of the draw, I still want to have better odds. We're going for the culture, scenery, food, atmosphere etc, and hope we'll be lucky enough to enjoy it all in beautiful sunshine... so here's hoping!

[Aidy2009]

Ah got it!! :o

 

Yep coming from the UK summer holidays are more about beaches / relaxation!!

 

John Bull - yep - always get told there's been a heatwave back home when we go away!! Still I know they've been working in that heat whilst I've been on a sunbed with beer in hand :D