Early December 1 December
56°F
Typical afternoon high
30% historical wet-day frequency
Italy · Beach
Liguria & the Cinque Terre
in December.
Is December a good time?
Cool days.
Similar overnight stays to November.
December averages 55°F afternoons and 61°F seas, with about 8 rain days.
- Afternoons
- 55°F
- Sea
- 61°F
- Visitor demand
- 17%of August peak
Historical Liguria regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Cinque Terre, Genoa and Portofino; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
4.8/10 · scores & prioritiesWhat matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#10 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather2.8/10Poor
CrowdsLow seasonvs its own year; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, typical for Europe this month
CostModeratefor Europe; Italy-wide price level
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your December
What to expect.
What should I pack?
Afternoons around 55°F (13°C): a sweater and a light jacket; nights around 42°F (6°C): a warm coat. Bring rain gear: about 8 days with at least 1 mm of rain. About 9 hours of daylight.
Can I swim in December?
The sea averages 61°F. Our swimming guide: cold: short dips, or a wetsuit. Your comfort will vary. This is open water near the coast, not a beach-specific reading.
Monthly coastal averages from NOAA, 2011–2025. Sea temperature is separate from the weather and Overall scores.
A typical day: temperatures & daylightAfternoons, nights, sea temperature & daylight Show detailsHide details
About 9 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 07:54 and sets about 16:47 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 42°F (6°C); afternoons reach about 55°F (13°C). Expect rain on about 8 days in a typical December.
Typical afternoon
55°F (13°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Decembers
Night low
42°F (6°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
61°F (16°C)
cold; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
8h 53m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late December?
Early and late December have similar afternoon averages. The afternoon high averages 56°F on the 1st, versus 55°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency falls from 30% to 27% between those dates.
Mid December 15 December
55°F
Typical afternoon high
29% historical wet-day frequency
Late December 31 December
55°F
Typical afternoon high
27% historical wet-day frequency
Historical daily averages from 2011–2025, smoothed over two weeks. A seasonal pattern, not a forecast. This does not establish which week has the lowest prices or fewest visitors.
Public holidays · 2026: 8 Dec Immaculate Conception; 25 Dec Christmas Day; 26 Dec St. Stephen's Day.
Daily calendar & holiday datesDecember 2026 · historical weather & dated holidays Show calendarHide calendar
December 2026 calendar
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2026.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 156° | 255° | 355° | 455° | 555° | 654° | |
| 754° | 854° | 954° | 1055° | 1155° | 1255° | 1354° |
| 1454° | 1555° | 1655° | 1755° | 1855° | 1955° | 2055° |
| 2155° | 2255° | 2355° | 2455° | 2555° | 2655° | 2755° |
| 2855° | 2955° | 3055° | 3155° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons hold at about 55°F (13°C) all month. The chance of a wet day runs 26–30%. Local schools are out 5–31 December 2026.
Schools here are off 5–31 December 2026 (bridge day (immacolata) and Christmas holidays). Public holidays: 8 Dec Immaculate Conception; 25 Dec Christmas Day; 26 Dec St. Stephen's Day. Elsewhere in December 2026, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: France 39%, Germany 29%, Spain 32%, Netherlands 42%. (School holidays: official calendar, compiled by Bigfoot Wanders; other countries from OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Crowds and cost
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Low season. December averages 17% of August's overnight stays per day. Similar overnight stays to November.
Overnight stays across Liguria do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, typical for Europe this month.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
A little below usual. The regional index has no room-rate baseline in euros.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
Italy as a whole
Above EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 107 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
The hotel-season index is regional (ISTAT, NIC consumer price index for accommodation services (ECOICOP 112), by region); the country price level is national. Neither is a room quote.
Year-to-year variation
How much does December vary?
Across the recorded years
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 52°F (11°C) and 58°F (14°C); in 12 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 55°F (13°C). Rain days ranged from 3 to 19; half the years had 6–10.
Rain days in each December
Rain days
8
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 12 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
9 of 31
cloud cover under 30%
Years with a 95°F+ day
0 of 15
no December in the last 15 years had a day at or above 95°F (35°C)
Good weather days
3 of 31
rated very good or better
See every recorded DecemberHistorical monthly averages, year by year Show detailsHide details
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 56°F | 7 |
| 2012 | 52°F | 8 |
| 2013 | 55°F | 9 |
| 2014 | 55°F | 10 |
| 2015 | 58°F | 5 |
| 2016 | 56°F | 3 |
| 2017 | 52°F | 9 |
| 2018 | 56°F | 5 |
| 2019 | 56°F | 10 |
| 2020 | 52°F | 19 |
| 2021 | 55°F | 6 |
| 2022 | 54°F | 14 |
| 2023 | 56°F | 8 |
| 2024 | 55°F | 6 |
| 2025 | 56°F | 10 |
Checked against official climate averages for Genova Sestri. How we check
Compare dates
November, December
or January?
| Typical conditions | Nov | Dec | Jan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 60°F | 55°F | 53°F |
| Sea | 65°F | 61°F | 58°F |
| Rain days | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Overnight demand | 16% | 17% | 17% |
November: Warmer afternoons, warmer sea and more rain days than December. November guide →
January: Cooler afternoons and cooler sea than December. January guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues. Sea temperatures are monthly coastal averages.
Compare any of the 12 monthsChoose another month and compare it with December Show comparisonHide comparison
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. December stays as your reference.
March to October have a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than December, but more overnight stays.
Your comparison
December or November?
Overnight stays are 16% of the busiest month.
Historical regional hotel-price season: a little below usual. There is no room-rate baseline in euros.
Read the November guide →| Typical conditions | December | November |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 55°F | 60°F |
| Nights | 42°F | 48°F |
| Sea | 61°F | 65°F |
| Rain days | 8 | 10 |
| Visitor season | Low season | Low season |
| Overall / 10 | 4.8 | 5.7 |
| Month rank | #10 | #9 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.1 | #12 | 53°F | 40°F | 58°F | 8 | 2.1 | Low season |
| February | 4.5 | #11 | 55°F | 41°F | 57°F | 8 | 2.5 | Low season |
| March | 6.2 | #8 | 60°F | 45°F | 57°F | 7 | 4.2 | Low season |
| April | 6.7 | #7 | 66°F | 50°F | 60°F | 6 | 6.0 | Moderate season |
| May | 6.9 | #6 | 71°F | 56°F | 64°F | 8 | 7.2 | Moderate season |
| June | 7.4 | #1 | 80°F | 64°F | 72°F | 5 | 9.1 | Busy season |
| July | 7.3 | #2 | 84°F | 68°F | 77°F | 4 | 9.9 | Peak season |
| August | 6.9 | #5 | 85°F | 68°F | 78°F | 5 | 9.7 | Peak season |
| September | 7.2 | #3 | 78°F | 63°F | 75°F | 6 | 9.0 | Busy season |
| October | 7.0 | #4 | 69°F | 56°F | 70°F | 10 | 6.6 | Moderate season |
| November | 5.7 | #9 | 60°F | 48°F | 65°F | 10 | 3.7 | Low season |
| December | 4.8 | #10 | 55°F | 42°F | 61°F | 8 | 2.8 | Low season |
Near here
Nearby places in December
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
PiedmontItaly · about 70 miles
Balanced Overall 7.1 · Good weather, 48°F (9°C) · Moderate season · Cost moderate
Milan, Lake Como & LombardyItaly · about 110 miles
Balanced Overall 6.8 · Good weather, 49°F (9°C) · Moderate season · Cost moderate
French Riviera & ProvenceFrance · about 130 miles
Balanced Overall 5.8 · Fair weather, 56°F (13°C) · Low season · Cost moderate
Venice & the VenetoItaly · about 180 miles
Balanced Overall 4.0 · Poor weather, 50°F (10°C) · Low season · Cost moderate
Lyon & the French AlpsRhône-Alpes · France · about 180 miles
Balanced Overall 5.7 · Fair weather, 48°F (9°C) · Moderate season · Cost pricey
Elsewhere in Europe
Better December weather than Liguria & the Cinque Terre
Liguria & the Cinque Terre's weather ranks 37 of 77 beach regions this month. These beach regions outside Italy have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Liguria & the Cinque Terre.
French Riviera & ProvenceFrance · about 130 miles
Fair weather (3.8): about as warm, 2 fewer rain days
Valencia & the Costa BlancaSpain · about 580 miles
Good weather (6.4): 8°F warmer afternoons, 7 fewer rain days, busier for its season (moderate season), cheaper
Maltaabout 650 miles
Good weather (6.7): 10°F warmer afternoons, busier for its season (moderate season), cheaper
MurciaSpain · about 680 miles
Good weather (6.6): 9°F warmer afternoons, 6 fewer rain days, busier for its season (moderate season), cheaper
AndalusiaSpain · about 840 miles
Good weather (6.0): 8°F warmer afternoons, 4 fewer rain days, busier for its season (moderate season)
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's low season, 17% of the busiest month and 64% below its average month. That means about 16,000 overnight visitors on a typical December night across the region, 69% of them from Italy itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 7,700 more: 48 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Beach, 0–100) | 49 |
| How our weather was checked | Official climate averages for Genova Sestri from the national weather service, every month: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.7°C), night lows within 2°F (1.0°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 11 |
| Busiest month here | August · 63 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 1.0% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 67th percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 69% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 48 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 1.5% |
| Regional hotel-price season | A little below usual (−9% vs this region's average month). Historical index from ISTAT, NIC consumer price index for accommodation services (ECOICOP 112), by region; no euro room-rate baseline. |
| Population used | 1.5 million |
| Statistical region | ITC3 · Liguria |
Crowds: Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation, by month and NUTS 2 region, 2024–2025 average. Overnight visitors per night is the month's nights divided by its days; the per-1,000 figure is Eurostat's, against each year's population. Platform rentals: Eurostat nights booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor, 2024–2025 average, shown separately because some properties are in both counts. Weather: Holiday Climate Index computed from ERA5 reanalysis with daily highs, night lows and rain days corrected from open national weather-service station records, 2011–2025, population-weighted to the region; day-by-day figures are the same data averaged by date. Heat and rain odds are counted across those years. Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar equations, local time. Prices: Eurostat price level index and HICP, national; the first figure is regional (ISTAT, NIC consumer price index for accommodation services (ECOICOP 112), by region). Full method · this region's data.