Is Costa Rica or Italy better to visit?

It depends on your dates. Costa Rica peaks in January, February, March, April, December; Italy peaks in May, June, July, September, October. Match the country to when you can travel.

Which is cheaper, Costa Rica or Italy?

Both vary by season. Outside the peak windows above, flights and stays drop significantly in either country.

Can you combine Costa Rica and Italy in one trip?

Yes — when their peak seasons overlap, pairing them in a 10–14 day trip works well.

All destinations

Side-by-side comparison

Costa Rica vs Italy: Best Time to Visit

Trying to choose between Costa Rica and Italy? The right answer almost always comes down to when you can travel. Here's the month-by-month breakdown.

🇨🇷

Costa Rica

North America

Dry season is high season.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Peak: January, February, March, April, December

🇮🇹

Italy

Europe

Shoulder seasons are the sweet spot.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Peak: May, June, July, September, October

best

good

shoulder

off-season

Month-by-month: which is better?

Month	Costa Rica	Italy	Winner
January	best	off-season	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
February	best	off-season	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
March	best	shoulder	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
April	best	shoulder	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
May	good	best	Italy 🇮🇹
June	shoulder	best	Italy 🇮🇹
July	shoulder	best	Italy 🇮🇹
August	shoulder	shoulder	tie
September	shoulder	best	Italy 🇮🇹
October	good	best	Italy 🇮🇹
November	good	shoulder	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
December	best	off-season	Costa Rica 🇨🇷

Pick Costa Rica 🇨🇷 if you're going in…

January, February, March, April, November, December

Green season has half the prices and a quarter the crowds — most days have only afternoon rain.

Pick Italy 🇮🇹 if you're going in…

May, June, July, September, October

Many small towns and restaurants close in Aug when Italians take their holidays.

Months where both are equally good: August.