Booking a holiday in September can often be tempting, with cheaper prices and fewer crowds, but be careful as the weather isn’t always quite as it seems
September is often advertised as the perfect time for a getaway. The heat has eased up, the prices have dropped, and you can often pick up a package deal for a bit of a bargain. Many of the destinations are still geared up for your trip there, but without the masses of families from the school holidays, the thinned-out crowds can be a dream.
One place that sums this up perfectly is the island of Capri, just off the Italian coast near Naples. With stunning views of the Mediterranean, rugged cliffs, and plenty of lemon trees, it’s the perfect place to extend your summer for a few weeks.
However, for many recent visitors to the country this September, nature crashed the party. Across Italy, violent storms and unexpected downpours have left even the sun-soaked southern islands drenched, leaving visitors battling with flooded roads, power cuts, landslides, and ferry cancellations.
Tourists hoping to dodge the worst of high-season chaos have now been caught off guard by weather that is showing no mercy.
Capri, one of Italy’s most beloved jewels, has had its share of trouble. Storms of rain have hit, sometimes dumping more than 100 millimetres in an hour, turning streets into rivers.
But before they hit the island earlier this week, when one group of tourists booked that dreamy dinner terrace overlooking the sea, it seemed safe enough until the sky decided to open up.
Just as the antipasti arrived, rain hammered down, lightning flashed, and the storm forced diners inside, leaving their pizza on the soggier side.
Posting to TikTok, the dramatic scenes were all caught by one traveller, Karim TZ, who posted a video, “They told me, go to Capri at the end of summer, it’s wonderful,” followed by videos of violent rain and floods.
In one clip, a person sat outside a restaurant, and the water can be seen barrelling down a nearby path and running straight through the outdoor seats of a restaurant. Leaving everyone submerged up to at least their ankles.
Other locals seemed completely unfazed despite the deluge, happily sipping on an Aperol Spritz as the water floods behind them.
In another clip, the ferry back to Naples can be seen bouncing up and down on the waves as the rain continues to bellow down.
If there’s one lesson from this summer in Capri, it’s that when you try to beat peak prices by travelling late, you might just be trading one risk for another.
One commenter on the video even warned: “People remember you can enjoy Italy till the 10th of September. After that, this happens.”
The rain in September doesn’t seem to be a one-off experience either, as another person posted: “Hahahah I had the same tragedy last year in the same place.”
But for anyone still looking to see the stunning suits of Capri and the Amalfi coast, make sure you check the forecast, and don’t be scared to bring a brolly.