Not yet. The EU expects ETIAS to start in the last quarter of 2026 with a grace period; it will cost €20 and last three years. Check travel-europe.europa.eu before flying.

Country

ItalyItalia

Q: What is the tourist tax?

Cities charge €1–10 per person per night depending on hotel category, paid at the hotel. Rome is about €10 at 5★; Florence up to €8; caps of 5–10 nights apply — check.

First trip: Rome 3–4 nights, Florence 3 and Venice 2, linked by high-speed train; the trips that fail add the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre and the Lakes to the same ten days.

Not field-verified

Source checked: A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
Field checked: Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
Plan calculated: Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.

Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Open Rome Plan a trip Compare in Europe

More: share, save offline, report a correction

2 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days

Every region, city and park in Italy (Atlas) →

Key facts

Best months: Mar–Jun, Sep–Oct by month →
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Euro (EUR, €)
Language: Italian
Plugs: C · F · L · 230 V
Time zone: CET, UTC+1

Month by monthIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 4Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Italy and Malta ↗The region's headline sights run on timed tickets that sell out: book the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Uffizi, the Last Supper and Malta's Hypogeum before you fix train and hotel dates.
Italy and Malta ↗Budget for per-night city taxes in Italy (up to about €10 a person in Rome), Malta's per-night environmental contribution, and Venice's day-visitor fee on peak days; none are included in most online room prices.

Understand in one strip

Capital: Rome (about 2.8 million in the city, 4.2 million in the metro area)
Language: Italian; German in South Tyrol, French in the Aosta Valley; English good in tourist trades, thin in the south and countryside
Currency: Euro (EUR, €)
Plugs: Types C, F and L, 230 V 50 Hz
Driving: Right-hand side; motorway tolls (autostrada); ZTL camera zones in every old town
Tipping: Not expected; coperto (cover) is on the bill; round up or leave €1–2 a person for good service
Emergency: 112 · 113 police · 115 fire · 118 ambulance · 1530 coast guard
Time zone: CET, UTC+1; UTC+2 from late March to late October

Italy's high-speed spine (Frecciarossa and Italo) runs Naples–Rome–Florence–Bologna–Milan, with Venice and Turin on branches, so the classic cities are one to three hours apart centre to centre. Off the spine (Tuscan hill towns, the Dolomites, Puglia, Sicily) you need regional trains, buses or a car. The traps are the August Ferragosto shutdown, heat in July and August, timed-entry sights that sell out, and train or transport strikes (scioperi) that are announced in advance. Sleep three nights per base and do day-trips by regional train.

Where's good this month

Each region's weather and verdict, holidays, crowds

SeptemberGoCrowds high· Prices high

Warm sea, grape harvest, cities reopen; Venice Film Festival early in the month; one of the best months overall.

Where's good: Alps and Dolomites, Po Valley and the north, Central Italy, South and islands

Alps and DolomitesBolzano, Cortina, Aosta, the Lakes' mountainsGood
Goodbest: dry, mild
Skiing mid-December to early April; hut hikes and lifts late June to mid-September. Afternoon thunderstorms in July–August.
Po Valley and the northMilan, Venice, Verona, Bologna, TurinGood
Goodbest: dry, mild
Foggy, damp winters; sticky summers with mosquitoes near the lagoon. Venice acqua alta floods most often October–December (the MOSE barriers now stop the worst).
Central ItalyFlorence, Tuscany, Umbria, RomeGood
Goodbest: dry, mild
Rome and Florence reach 35–40 °C (95–104 °F) in July–August; November is the wettest month. Spring and autumn are the long sweet spots.Rome and Florence reach 95–104 °F (35–40 °C) in July–August; November is the wettest month. Spring and autumn are the long sweet spots.
South and islandsNaples, Amalfi, Puglia, Sicily, SardiniaGood
Goodbest: dry, mild
Mild winters and hot, dry summers; sea swimming June to early October. Many coastal hotels and ferries shut November–March.

Holidays and festivals in September

Patron saints (Rome 29 Jun, Florence and Turin 24 Jun, Naples 19 Sep, Milan 7 Dec) · Local saints' days — City holidays with processions; offices shut in that city only.

Pick a route

Nights per stop, as the guide plans them

7 days10 days14 days

Rome and Florence

Rome, 4 nightsArrival + day plans
Vatican (morning), 0 nightsArrival + day plans
Florence, 3 nightsBasic guide

Siena or Pisa and Lucca as a day from Florence.

The classic three

Rome, 4 nightsArrival + day plans
Florence, 3 nightsBasic guide
Venice, 3 nightsBasic guide

All by high-speed train; book the Vatican, Colosseum, Uffizi and Accademia before you go.

North to south

Venice, 3 nightsBasic guide
Florence, 3 nightsBasic guide
Rome, 4 nightsArrival + day plans
Sorrento or Amalfi, 4 nightsNo guide yet

Pompeii from Sorrento; fly home from Naples. Swap Amalfi for the Lakes in shoulder season.

Customize this route Explore cities

Top destinations in Italy, ranked

For a first or second trip

Ranked for a first or second trip. Nights are the minimum that does the place justice.

Rome
Arrival + day plans
Ancient Rome, baroque squares, food and the Vatican next door.
3–4 nights in Rome · Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Florence
Basic guide
Renaissance art and architecture in a walkable centre; Tuscany day-trips.
3 nights in Florence · Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Venice
Basic guide
The lagoon city, best in early mornings and evenings.
2 nights in Venice · Best Mar–May, Sep–Nov
Vatican City
Arrival + day plans
Sistine Chapel, the Museums and St Peter's in one morning.
0 (sleep in Rome) nights in Vatican City · Best Weekday mornings, not Wednesday
Naples, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast
No guide yet
Pizza, ruins and the cliff coast.
3–4 nights in Naples, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast · Best May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Milan and Lake Como
No guide yet
The Last Supper, the Duomo and lake ferries.
2–3 nights in Milan and Lake Como · Best Apr–Jun, Sep
Cinque Terre
No guide yet
Five sea villages on a coastal railway and trail.
2 nights in Cinque Terre · Best May–Jun, Sep
Tuscan countryside (Siena, Chianti, Val d'Orcia)
No guide yet
Hill towns, vineyards and cypress roads by car.
3–4 nights in Tuscan countryside (Siena, Chianti, Val d'Orcia) · Best May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Dolomites
No guide yet
The most dramatic mountains in Italy; huts and lifts.
3–5 nights in Dolomites · Best Late Jun–Sep, Jan–Mar
Sicily
No guide yet
Greek temples, Palermo's markets, Etna and baroque towns.
7 nights in Sicily · Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Puglia
No guide yet
Trulli, whitewashed towns and baroque Lecce.
4–5 nights in Puglia · Best May–Jun, Sep
San Marino
Arrival + day plans
Ridge-top republic with three towers, as a Rimini day-trip.
0 (day trip) nights in San Marino · Best Apr–Oct

Show all 12 destinationsShow fewer

Decide the trip

What the country is like, who it suits and how long to give it

Open Decide the tripClose Decide the trip7 partsUnderstand in one strip · At a glance · Understand · First vs second trip · Good for · Time math · Fit my nights

Understand in one stripCapital · Language · Currency · Plugs · Driving · Tipping · Emergency · Time zone8 parts

Capital: Rome (about 2.8 million in the city, 4.2 million in the metro area)
Language: Italian; German in South Tyrol, French in the Aosta Valley; English good in tourist trades, thin in the south and countryside
Currency: Euro (EUR, €)
Plugs: Types C, F and L, 230 V 50 Hz
Driving: Right-hand side; motorway tolls (autostrada); ZTL camera zones in every old town
Tipping: Not expected; coperto (cover) is on the bill; round up or leave €1–2 a person for good service
Emergency: 112 · 113 police · 115 fire · 118 ambulance · 1530 coast guard
Time zone: CET, UTC+1; UTC+2 from late March to late October

Italy: open now, and what is next

8 regions planned

On this page

1 of 9 regions open, with where to sleep and for how long
1 trip line with arrival paths and day plans
120 basic city guides
How to split 4, 7, 10, 14 days
Money: cash, cards and ATMs
Safety notes and the rules that apply on every page below

Coming as the guide grows

Tuscany — Florence base; Pisa, Lucca and Siena by train or bus; hill towns by car · 3–4 nights
Venice and the Veneto — Venice for two nights; Verona and Padua on the same rail line · 2–3 nights
Naples and the Amalfi Coast — Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri; ferries and buses along the coast · 3–4 nights
Milan and the Lakes — Milan for the Last Supper and the Duomo; Como, Maggiore and Garda by regional train · 2–4 nights
Liguria and the Cinque Terre — Genoa, the Cinque Terre villages and Portofino on the coastal railway · 2–3 nights

Meanwhile

At a glance

1–5, with the reason

Each bar is 1 to 5. Green means the score makes the trip easier, amber is middling, red is harder; the words next to each score say what that end of the scale means, so colour is never the only signal.

Cost4/5 · expensive

Venice, Rome and the coasts are expensive; bar breakfasts, pizza and regional trains keep it in check.

Cash necessity2/5 · cards everywhere

Cards almost everywhere since mandatory card acceptance; cash still handy for bars, markets and the south.

English on the ground3/5 · middling

Good in tourist trades in the big cities; limited in the south, rural areas and with older people.

Connectivity5/5 · fast everywhere

Fast 4G/5G, EU roaming, Wi-Fi in hotels and on high-speed trains.

Transport ease4/5 · effortless

Fast high-speed spine; strikes, slow regional lines in the south and car-only countryside cost points.

Safety4/5 · very safe

Violent crime against visitors is rare; pickpockets and scams in tourist hubs are the risk.

Heat / climate risk4/5 · severe

July–August heatwaves reach 40 °C (104 °F) in Rome, Florence and the south; wildfires in Sicily and Sardinia.July–August heatwaves reach 104 °F (40 °C) in Rome, Florence and the south; wildfires in Sicily and Sardinia.

Understand

People, belief, history that matters on the ground

A republic of about 59 million people, unified only in 1861, which is why regional identity — Tuscan, Neapolitan, Venetian, Sicilian — still runs deeper than national. Italy holds more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country, grew from Rome, the Papacy and the city-states of the Renaissance, and is a founding member of the EU with a large industrial north and a poorer, slower south.

People: About 59 million and shrinking, one of the oldest populations in the world; large emigrant diasporas in the Americas and Australia.
Belief: Mostly Catholic by tradition, with falling church attendance; the Vatican sits inside Rome.
Government: Parliamentary republic; governments change often, but the right-wing coalition led by Giorgia Meloni has held office since October 2022.
Economy: Manufacturing (machinery, cars, fashion, food), tourism and a large family-business sector; the north–south income gap is wide.
Regions: 20 regions, five with special autonomy (Sicily, Sardinia, South Tyrol/Trentino, Aosta Valley, Friuli Venezia Giulia).

History that still shows on the ground · 10 dates

When	What happened	Where you meet it today
8th–6th century BCE	Greek colonies in the south and Sicily; Etruscans in Tuscany	Temples at Paestum and Agrigento; Etruscan tombs at Tarquinia and Cerveteri.
27 BCE – 476 CE	The Roman Empire	The Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, Pompeii and Herculaneum, roads and aqueducts.
4th–11th century	Christian Rome, Byzantine Ravenna, Lombards and Normans	Ravenna's mosaics and the Arab-Norman churches of Palermo.
12th–15th century	City-states and maritime republics: Venice, Genoa, Florence, Siena	Venice's palaces, Siena's Campo and Florence's cathedral dome.
1400–1600	The Renaissance	The Uffizi, the Sistine Chapel, St Peter's and Michelangelo's David.
1600–1800	Baroque Rome and Spanish, Austrian and French rule	Bernini's fountains, Lecce and Noto's baroque, the Royal Palace of Caserta.
1861–1870	Unification (Risorgimento) under Garibaldi and the House of Savoy; Rome becomes capital	Streets named Via Garibaldi and XX Settembre everywhere; the Vittoriano in Rome.
1922–1945	Mussolini's Fascist regime and the Second World War	EUR district in Rome, war cemeteries at Anzio and Monte Cassino.
1946–1957	Republic by referendum; founding member of the European communities	2 June Republic Day; the Treaty of Rome (1957).
2002–2026	Euro, debt crises, the first COVID lockdown in Europe (2020), the Jubilee of 2025 and Pope Leo XIV elected in May 2025	Rome's restored squares and new metro stations; heavy tourism management in Venice and Florence.

Show all 10 rowsShow fewer

Read or watch before you go

The Force of Destiny — Christopher Duggan: a readable history of Italy since 1796.
My Brilliant Friend — Elena Ferrante: post-war Naples in four novels.
Italian Neighbours — Tim Parks: daily life in a Veneto village through an outsider's eyes.

First trip vs second trip

Which regions, and what to leave

Trip	Go to	Why	Leave for later
First trip (7–10 nights)	Rome + Florence + Venice on the high-speed line	Three beds, two trains, no car.	The Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre on the same ten days.
First trip, 14 nights	Venice → Florence (Tuscany day-trips) → Rome → Naples and Amalfi	One line north to south; fly home from Naples or Rome.	Doubling back to Milan.
Second trip	Tuscany and Umbria by car, the Lakes and the Dolomites, or Puglia	Slow, rural Italy that a first trip rushes past.	Rome again for more than a stopover night.
Islands	Sicily 8–10 nights with a car, or Sardinia's coast	Greek temples, Etna and baroque towns; or the clearest sea in Italy.	August without booked car and ferry.
Mountains	Dolomites hut-to-hut in summer, or skiing from Cortina or Val Gardena	Italy's best hiking; lifts carry you most of the way up.	May and November, when lifts close.

Good for…

Where each kind of traveller does best

Verdict is how well Italy works for that traveller, not how nice it is.

First-timers

good fit

Rome, Florence and Venice by fast train, no car needed.

Rome — the densest sightseeing city in Europe.
Florence — compact and walkable.
Venice for two nights — sleep on the island to see it quiet.

Food trips

good fit

Bologna — pasta, mortadella and Parmigiano country.
Naples — the home of pizza and street food.
Sicily — sweets, street food and fish markets.

Tight budgets

works

Venice and Florence are expensive; the south, regional trains and pizza rescue the budget.

Puglia and Sicily — lower prices and generous food.
Bar breakfasts and aperitivo buffets — cheap meals the Italian way.
Free first Sundays — state museums free once a month.

Families with kids

good fit

Children are welcome everywhere; heat and queues are the challenge.

Colosseum and Pompeii — gladiators and a buried town.
Lake Garda — beaches, boats and Gardaland.
Dolomites in summer — easy lifts and hut lunches.

Couples

good fit

Venice — evening walks after the crowds leave.
Amalfi Coast — sea views and long dinners.
Tuscan agriturismo — wine and countryside.

Solo travellers

good fit

Rome — walking tours, hostels and bar culture.
Bologna — student city, cheap and social.
Dolomite huts — shared tables with other hikers.

Older travellers

good fit

Great culture and trains; cobbles, stairs and summer heat are the work.

Lake Como — ferries do the sightseeing.
High-speed trains — comfortable and centre to centre.
Spring or autumn travel — avoids the heat.

Luxury

good fit

Lake Como villas — grand hotels on the water.
Amalfi and Capri — cliffside hotels and boats.
Venice palazzo hotels — canal views.

Wheelchair users

hard work

Cobbles, steps and hill towns make it tough; big museums and trains are better.

Sala Blu rail assistance — free help on Trenitalia, booked ahead.
Vatican Museums and Colosseum lifts — accessible routes exist.
Venice step-free map — the city publishes accessible routes.

Time math

How to split a stay, by total days in the country

4 days in total: Rome 4 (Vatican one morning, ancient Rome one day)
7 days in total: Rome 3 + Florence 3 + one Venice day, or Venice 1 night
10 days in total: Rome 4 + Florence 3 + Venice 3 (high-speed train between all three)
14 days in total: Rome 4 + Naples or Amalfi 3 + Florence 4 + Venice 3; or swap Naples for the Lakes from Milan

Which regions fit my nights?

Tick the regions you are weighing up. The nights are the ranges this guide gives for each region.

Regions you want to see

Rome and LazioRome base; the Vatican, and Ostia Antica or Tivoli as day-trips3–4 nights
TuscanyFlorence base; Pisa, Lucca and Siena by train or bus; hill towns by carPage still planned3–4 nights
Venice and the VenetoVenice for two nights; Verona and Padua on the same rail linePage still planned2–3 nights
Naples and the Amalfi CoastNaples, Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri; ferries and buses along the coastPage still planned3–4 nights
Milan and the LakesMilan for the Last Supper and the Duomo; Como, Maggiore and Garda by regional trainPage still planned2–4 nights
Liguria and the Cinque TerreGenoa, the Cinque Terre villages and Portofino on the coastal railwayPage still planned2–3 nights
The Dolomites and South TyrolHut hikes and lifts in summer, skiing in winter; Bolzano or Cortina basesPage still planned3–5 nights
PugliaTrulli, whitewashed towns and baroque Lecce; car country from Bari or BrindisiPage still planned4–6 nights
SicilyPalermo, Taormina, Etna, Syracuse and the Greek temples; fly in, hire a carPage still planned5–8 nights

Nights you have

Tick the regions you are considering.

Cities

Regions, cities and the places between them

Open CitiesClose Cities5 partsRegions · Cities · Other destinations · See · Do

Regions

9 regions · 1 open

Rome and Laziopublished

Rome base; the Vatican, and Ostia Antica or Tivoli as day-trips

3–4 nights in this region

Rome

Tuscanyplanned

Florence base; Pisa, Lucca and Siena by train or bus; hill towns by car

3–4 nights in this region

Venice and the Venetoplanned

Venice for two nights; Verona and Padua on the same rail line

2–3 nights in this region

Naples and the Amalfi Coastplanned

Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri; ferries and buses along the coast

3–4 nights in this region

Milan and the Lakesplanned

Milan for the Last Supper and the Duomo; Como, Maggiore and Garda by regional train

2–4 nights in this region

Liguria and the Cinque Terreplanned

Genoa, the Cinque Terre villages and Portofino on the coastal railway

2–3 nights in this region

The Dolomites and South Tyrolplanned

Hut hikes and lifts in summer, skiing in winter; Bolzano or Cortina bases

3–5 nights in this region

Pugliaplanned

Trulli, whitewashed towns and baroque Lecce; car country from Bari or Brindisi

4–6 nights in this region

Sicilyplanned

Palermo, Taormina, Etna, Syracuse and the Greek temples; fly in, hire a car

5–8 nights in this region

Show all 9 regionsShow fewer

Cities

The ones to know; each says what Voykit has for it

RomeArrival + day plans

Roma

Capital: ancient Rome, the Vatican, baroque squares and trattorie; base for Ostia and Tivoli.

FlorenceBasic guide

Firenze

Renaissance core: the Duomo, Uffizi and David; base for Pisa, Lucca, Siena and Chianti.

VeniceBasic guide

Venezia

Canal city on a lagoon; sleep on the island to see it before and after the day crowds.

MilanBasic guide

Milano

Business and fashion capital: the Duomo, the Last Supper and the gateway to the Lakes.

NaplesBasic guide

Napoli

Pizza, street life and the best archaeology museum; base for Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius.

BolognaBasic guide

Bologna

Food capital with arcaded streets; rail hub between Florence, Venice and Milan.

VeronaBasic guide

Verona

Roman arena with summer opera; an easy stop between Milan and Venice.

PalermoBasic guide

Palermo

Arab-Norman churches, street food and markets; Sicily's gateway.

TurinBasic guide

Torino

Baroque arcades, the Egyptian Museum and Piedmont's food and wine.

GenoaBasic guide

Genova

Old port and palaces; gateway to the Cinque Terre and Portofino.

Show all 10 citiesShow fewer

Other destinations

Parks, bays, heritage sites, islands

Place	What	Getting there	Why go / verdict
Vatican City	City-state	Walk or metro from central Rome	The Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's; one early morning with a timed ticket.
Pompeii and Herculaneum	Roman ruins	Circumvesuviana from Naples or Sorrento, 35 min	Two towns buried by Vesuvius in 79 CE; Pompeii is vast, Herculaneum better preserved.
Amalfi Coast	Cliff coast	Ferry or bus from Sorrento or Salerno	Positano, Amalfi and Ravello; the Path of the Gods walk. Go by boat in summer.
Cinque Terre	Coastal villages	Regional train from La Spezia or Genoa	Five villages linked by a coastal train and footpaths; paid Cinque Terre Card for the trails.
Siena and San Gimignano	Medieval towns	Bus from Florence, 1 h 15	The Campo and cathedral; towers of San Gimignano; stay a night to see them quiet.
Pisa and Lucca	Towns	Regional train from Florence, 1 h	The Leaning Tower and Lucca's walkable walls in one day.
Lake Como	Lake	Train from Milan to Varenna or Como, 1 h	Villas, gardens and ferries between Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio.
Dolomites	Mountains	Train to Bolzano, then bus or car	Seceda, Tre Cime and Alpe di Siusi; hut hikes in summer, skiing in winter.
Matera	Cave town	Bus or train from Bari, 1 h 30	The Sassi cave districts; sleep in a cave hotel.
Alberobello and the Valle d'Itria	Trulli towns	Train or car from Bari	Cone-roofed trulli, white towns such as Ostuni and Locorotondo.
Taormina and Etna	Hill town and volcano	Train or bus from Catania	Greek theatre above the sea; guided Etna summit walks.
Assisi and Umbria	Pilgrim and hill towns	Train from Rome or Florence, 2 h	St Francis's basilica, Perugia, Orvieto and Spello.
Ravenna →	Mosaics	Train from Bologna, 1 h	The finest Byzantine mosaics in Europe, in eight UNESCO monuments.
San Marino	Micro-state	Bus from Rimini, about 50 min	Three towers on Monte Titano; a half-day from the Adriatic coast.
Capri →	Island	Ferry from Naples or Sorrento, 25–50 min	Cliffs, the Blue Grotto and Anacapri; go early or stay a night.

Show all 15 placesShow fewer

See

By theme, not by list

Ancient Rome

Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine · Rome
Pantheon · Rome
Pompeii and Herculaneum · near Naples
Ostia Antica · 30 min from Rome
Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este · Tivoli

Book Colosseum slots on the official site the day they open (about 30 days ahead); the Pantheon charges €5 and uses timed entry at busy times.

Renaissance art

Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums · Vatican City
Uffizi Gallery · Florence
Accademia (Michelangelo's David) · Florence
Last Supper · Milan
Borghese Gallery · Rome

The Last Supper and the Borghese sell out weeks ahead; book first, plan the rest around the slots.

Churches and cathedrals

St Peter's Basilica · Vatican City
Florence Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome · Florence
St Mark's Basilica · Venice
Milan Duomo rooftops · Milan
Basilica of St Francis · Assisi

Dome climbs need timed tickets in Florence; St Mark's has short visits and bans large bags.

Cities on water and in the hills

Grand Canal and Rialto · Venice
Piazza del Campo · Siena
Sassi di Matera · Basilicata
San Marino's three towers · San Marino

Venice and San Gimignano empty out after 17:00; sleep there to see them at their best.Venice and San Gimignano empty out after 5:00 PM; sleep there to see them at their best.

Do

Where, when, what it costs

Activity	Where	Best months	Cost (2026 estimate)	Verdict
Wine tasting	Chianti, Montalcino, Langhe (Barolo), Valpolicella, Etna	All year; harvest Sep–Oct	€20–50 (≈ US$25–60) per tasting; day tours €100–200 (≈ US$120–250)	Book estates ahead; many small producers welcome you by appointment.
Hiking	Dolomites, Cinque Terre, Amalfi's Path of the Gods, Etna	Jun–Sep in the mountains; spring and autumn on the coast	Free; huts €60–90 (≈ US$70–110) half board; Cinque Terre Card from about €7.50 (≈ US$9) — check	Book Dolomite huts in July–August; coastal paths close after storms.
Skiing	Dolomiti Superski (Val Gardena, Cortina), Cervinia, Livigno	Dec–Apr	Lift passes €60–80 (≈ US$70–95) a day	Cheaper and sunnier than Switzerland; Cortina gained new lifts for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Cooking classes	Florence, Bologna, Rome, Amalfi, Puglia	All year	€70–150 (≈ US$85–180)	Pasta-making and market classes; Bologna's are the most serious.
Beaches and boats	Sardinia, Puglia, Sicily, Amalfi, Capri	Jun–Sep	Sunbed and umbrella €20–60 (≈ US$25–70) a day at lidos; boat hire €150 (≈ US$180)+	Free beaches (spiaggia libera) fill early; Sardinia has the clearest water.
Cycling	Tuscany's white roads, Lake Garda, Puglia, Dolomite passes	Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct	€25–50 (≈ US$30–60) a day; e-bikes more	Hills are real; e-bikes make Chianti enjoyable.
Opera and festivals	Verona Arena, La Scala Milan, Palio di Siena, Venice Film Festival	Arena Jun–Sep; Palio 2 Jul and 16 Aug	Arena seats €30–250 (≈ US$35–300)	Stone steps at the Arena get hot; bring a cushion.
Volcano walks	Etna, Stromboli, Vesuvius	Apr–Oct	Guided Etna summit €80–120 (≈ US$95–140); Vesuvius crater path about €13 (≈ US$16) — check	Access changes with activity; book licensed guides.

Connect the cities

Ready-made routes, the route builder and the legs between cities

Open Connect the citiesClose Connect the cities4 partsItineraries · Route builder · Routes · Between cities

Itineraries by length

Nights per stop (the number after each place); fly the long legs

Build along the high-speed spine and fly open-jaw. Nights per stop; add a buffer day before long-haul flights when a strike is announced.

7 days

Rome and Florence

Rome → Frecciarossa to Florence → fly home from Florence or Pisa, or train back

Siena or Pisa and Lucca as a day from Florence.

10 days

The classic three

Rome → Florence → Venice → fly home from VCE

All by high-speed train; book the Vatican, Colosseum, Uffizi and Accademia before you go.

14 days

North to south

Venice → Florence → Rome → Naples and the Amalfi Coast

Venice3n
Florence3n
Rome4n
Sorrento or Amalfi4n

Pompeii from Sorrento; fly home from Naples. Swap Amalfi for the Lakes in shoulder season.

21 days

The long boot

Milan → Lake Como → Venice → Bologna → Florence → Rome → Naples → Sicily

Lake Como (Varenna)2n
Venice3n
Bologna2n
Florence3n
Rome4n
Naples2n
Sicily (Palermo, Taormina)5n

Fly Naples – Palermo or take the night ferry; hire a car in Sicily. San Marino fits as a day from Bologna via Rimini.

Build a route

Days and interests in, cities, nights, transfers and cost out

Days in Italy

Interests (optional)

Based on: The classic three (10 days, itineraries by length)

Rome4 nights
Train · High-speed train from Termini about 1 h 30 · about 2 h All options →
Florence3 nights
See the options All options →
Venice3 nights

All by high-speed train; book the Vatican, Colosseum, Uffizi and Accademia before you go.

Open the trip planner

What this route costs

StyleTravelers

Rome4 nights · city prices€1,800≈ US$2,000
Florence3 nights€1,300≈ US$1,500
Venice3 nights€1,300≈ US$1,500

Total, 2 travelers

€4,500≈ US$5,000

Per person per day: €250≈ US$250

2026 estimate (check): rooms for two, food, local transport and sights; international flights, visas and insurance excluded. Tweak it in the budget calculator.

Routes that work

Nights per city

Rome only, 4 nights

RomeLand FCO or CIA; Vatican one morning, ancient Rome one day, Ostia Antica or Tivoli as a day-trip

One bed for the whole stay; Leonardo Express or FL1 from Fiumicino, and the metro or walking inside the centre.

Book Frecciarossa or Italo trains ahead: seats are reserved and cheap fares disappear; Italo and Trenitalia are separate companies, so a ticket on one is not valid on the other.
Regional trains need no reservation and have fixed fares; they are right for day-trips such as Florence to Pisa or Venice to Padua.
Venice's Santa Lucia station is on the island; Venezia Mestre is on the mainland. Check which one your hotel needs.
Hire a car only for the countryside (Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia, Sicily, the Dolomites), and return it before a big city.
Strikes (scioperi) on trains, local transport and airports are announced ahead, usually with guaranteed service windows: check the operator and the transport ministry's strike calendar before travel days.
Book timed tickets for the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Uffizi, the Accademia and the Last Supper in Milan before you fix your day plans.
Interrail and Eurail passes are valid on Trenitalia, but high-speed trains need a paid reservation; Italo does not accept the passes.
Fly open-jaw: into Venice or Milan and home from Rome (or the reverse) saves a 3–4 h backtrack on the last day.

Getting between cities

Door to door, fastest first · 2026 estimate, check fares

Between	Fastest	Other ways
Rome to Florence	Train · about 2 hHigh-speed train from Termini about 1 h 30	Bus / van · about 3 h 15 min · €10–30 (≈ US$12–35)	All options →
Rome to Palermo	Flight · about 1 h€30–150 (≈ US$35–180)Domestic flight	Train · about 12 h · €40–200 (≈ US$50–250) couchette or sleeper	All options →
Florence to Pisa	Train · about 1 h€3–20 (≈ US$4–25) fixed fareRegionale (regional train)	—	All options →
Venice to Padua	Train · about 30 min€3–20 (≈ US$4–25) fixed fareRegionale (regional train)	—	All options →
Naples to Pompeii	Train · about 35 min€3–20 (≈ US$4–25) fixed fareRegionale (regional train)	—	All options →
Milan to Catania	Flight · about 1 h€30–150 (≈ US$35–180)Domestic flight	—	All options →
Milan to Rome	Car / taxi · about 6 h€35–90 (≈ US$45–110) a day plus tolls (~€45 Milan–Rome) and fuelHire car	—	All options →
Naples to Capri	Ferry / boat · about 50 min€20–30 (≈ US$25–35) short hops; €60–200 (≈ US$70–250) overnightFerries and hydrofoils	—	All options →
Sorrento to Amalfi	Ferry / boat · about 1 h€20–30 (≈ US$25–35) short hops; €60–200 (≈ US$70–250) overnightFerries and hydrofoils	—	All options →

Show all 9 city pairsShow fewer

How each mode works here Any two places: A-to-B Is a rail pass worth it?

This month

Weather and crowds by month

Open This monthClose This month2 partsYear at a glance · Climate

Year at a glance

Not yet checked

Every month in one list: how it rates, how busy and pricey it is, and which holidays land in it.

Busiest or big holidays: Mar–Sep, Dec

Jan
CautionCrowds: lowPrices: low
- New Year's Day (medium impact)
- Epiphany (Befana) (low impact)
Feb
CautionCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
Mar
GoodCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
- Easter and Easter Monday (Pasquetta) (high impact)
Apr
GoodCrowds: highPrices: high
- Easter and Easter Monday (Pasquetta) (high impact)
- Liberation Day (and St Mark's in Venice) (medium impact)
May
GoodCrowds: highPrices: high
- Labour Day (medium impact)
Jun
GoodCrowds: highPrices: high
- Republic Day (medium impact)
- Patron saints (Rome 29 Jun, Florence and Turin 24 Jun, Naples 19 Sep, Milan 7 Dec) (low impact)
Jul
CautionCrowds: highPrices: high
Aug
CautionCrowds: highPrices: high
- Ferragosto (Assumption) (high impact)
Sep
GoodCrowds: highPrices: high
- Patron saints (Rome 29 Jun, Florence and Turin 24 Jun, Naples 19 Sep, Milan 7 Dec) (low impact)
Oct
GoodCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
- St Francis of Assisi (national holiday from 2026 — check) (medium impact)
Nov
CautionCrowds: lowPrices: low
- All Saints' Day (Ognissanti) (low impact)
Dec
CautionCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
- Christmas and St Stephen's Day (high impact)
- Immaculate Conception (medium impact)
- Patron saints (Rome 29 Jun, Florence and Turin 24 Jun, Naples 19 Sep, Milan 7 Dec) (low impact)

Climate by region and month

When each region works

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Alps and DolomitesBolzano, Cortina, Aosta, the Lakes' mountains	cool	cool	cool	ok	ok	best	best	best	best	ok	cool	cool
Po Valley and the northMilan, Venice, Verona, Bologna, Turin	cool	cool	ok	best	best	ok	hot	hot	best	best	wet	cool
Central ItalyFlorence, Tuscany, Umbria, Rome	cool	cool	ok	best	best	ok	hot	hot	best	best	wet	cool
South and islandsNaples, Amalfi, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia	ok	ok	ok	best	best	best	hot	hot	best	best	ok	ok

best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, greyhot: short walking windowswet: daily rain

Alps and Dolomites: Skiing mid-December to early April; hut hikes and lifts late June to mid-September. Afternoon thunderstorms in July–August.
Po Valley and the north: Foggy, damp winters; sticky summers with mosquitoes near the lagoon. Venice acqua alta floods most often October–December (the MOSE barriers now stop the worst).
Central Italy: Rome and Florence reach 35–40 °C (95–104 °F) in July–August; November is the wettest month. Spring and autumn are the long sweet spots.Rome and Florence reach 95–104 °F (35–40 °C) in July–August; November is the wettest month. Spring and autumn are the long sweet spots.
South and islands: Mild winters and hot, dry summers; sea swimming June to early October. Many coastal hotels and ferries shut November–March.

April–June and September–October suit almost the whole country; August is hot, crowded on the coasts and half-closed in the cities.

Cost

What a day costs, and how to pay

Open CostClose Cost4 partsMoney at a glance · Daily budget · Costs · Money & passes

Money at a glance

Cash or card, ATMs, a day's spend, tipping

Currency and cash

Euro (EUR, €)

Card-friendly; small cash for markets

Cash or card

Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.

ATMs

At ATMs and card terminals choose to be charged in euros; avoid standalone Euronet-type ATMs in tourist streets.

On landing: Withdraw €50–100 (≈ US$60–120) at a bank ATM (Bancomat) inside a branch.

A day, per person

Budget€75–150 (≈ US$90–180)
Mid-range€165–315 (≈ US$200–400)
Comfort€410–990 (≈ US$500–1,200)

Per person per day, bed included

What that covers ↓

Tipping

Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 (≈ under US$1) of change on the counter if you like.
Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 (≈ US$2–3) a person or round up for good service.
Taxi: Round up to the next euro.
Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 (≈ US$2–3) per bag or per night.

Also

Restaurants often add a cover charge (coperto) per person; it is listed on the menu and is not a scam.

Money & passes Card, cash or ATM: the cheapest way to pay Tipping calculator

Budget per day, per person

2026 estimate · converted to your currency · totals include a bed

Per person per day, sharing a room at mid and comfort. Long-distance trains, flights and car hire are not included; city tourist tax is. 2026 estimate; Venice, Florence, Amalfi and Como cost 30–50% more, the south less.

Tier	Bed	Food	Transport	Sights	Extras	Total, bed included
BudgetDorm or simple B&B, bar breakfast, pizza or pasta lunch, picnic dinner, local transport	€30–60 (≈ US$35–70)	€25–40 (≈ US$30–50)	€5–12 (≈ US$6–14)	€10–25 (≈ US$12–30)	€5–15 (≈ US$6–18)	€75–150 (≈ US$90–180)
Mid-range3★ hotel, trattoria meals, two sights, taxis now and then	€70–130 (≈ US$85–160)	€50–85 (≈ US$60–100)	€10–25 (≈ US$12–30)	€25–45 (≈ US$30–55)	€10–30 (≈ US$12–35)	€165–315 (≈ US$200–400)
Comfort4–5★ hotel, restaurant dinners with wine, private guides and transfers	€180–450 (≈ US$250–550)	€110–220 (≈ US$130–300)	€40–120 (≈ US$50–140)	€50–120 (≈ US$60–140)	€30–80 (≈ US$35–95)	€410–990 (≈ US$500–1,200)

Costs per day

Per person, 2026 estimate

Budget

€70–100 (≈ US$85–120)

Hostel dorm or simple B&B, bar breakfasts, pizza or pasta lunches, regional trains.

Per person per day · Includes a bed

Mid-range

€150–250 (≈ US$180–300)

3★ hotel (double shared), trattoria dinners, two paid sights, high-speed trains booked early.

Per person per day · Includes a bed

Comfort

€350–600 (≈ US$450–700)

4–5★ hotel, restaurant dinners with wine, first class or a car with driver, guided visits.

Per person per day · Includes a bed

Typical price	Amount
Espresso at the bar	€1.20–1.60 (≈ US$2) (table service two or three times more)
Pizza margherita in a pizzeria	€6–12 (≈ US$7–14)
Colosseum, Forum and Palatine ticket	€18 (≈ US$25); Full Experience €24 (≈ US$30) — check
Vatican Museums (online)	€25 (≈ US$30) including €5 (≈ US$6) booking fee — check
Trevi Fountain basin access	€2 (≈ US$3) since February 2026 (the piazza view is free)
Venice day-tripper fee (peak days only)	€5 (≈ US$6) booked 4+ days ahead, €10 (≈ US$12) later (2026) — check
Rome tourist tax, 3★ / 5★ hotel	About €6 (≈ US$7) / €10 (≈ US$12) per person per night — check
Glass of house wine	€4–8 (≈ US$5–10)

2026 estimate. Venice, Rome, Florence, the Amalfi Coast and Lake Como cost the most; the south and the countryside much less. August and Easter lift prices.

Budget calculator

DaysTravellersStyleInternal flights

Beds1 room × 10 nights€1,400(≈ US$1,700)
Food and drink2 × 10 days€1,400(≈ US$1,700)
Local transport2 × 10 days€600(≈ US$700)
Sights and tours2 × 10 days€800(≈ US$950)
Frecciarossa or Italo one way, booked 4–8 weeks ahead2 × 1€90(≈ US$110)

Trip total, 2 travellers

€4,500(≈ US$5,000)

Per person per day: €250(≈ US$250)

2026 estimate. Beds priced per room for two; international flights, insurance and visas excluded. City tourist tax (€3–10 per person per night) is on the bed line; the Vatican Museums and Colosseum sit on the sights line.

Money & passes

Cash necessity: 2/5 (5 means cash for most things)

Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
Restaurants often add a cover charge (coperto) per person; it is listed on the menu and is not a scam.
Standing at the bar costs less than sitting at a table in many cafés.
Tipping is optional; round up for good service.
City tourist tax (imposta di soggiorno) is paid per person per night, usually in cash or by card at the hotel, on top of prepaid online bookings.
At ATMs and card terminals choose to be charged in euros; avoid standalone Euronet-type ATMs in tourist streets.

Roma Pass (48 h about €32 / 72 h about €52 — 2026 estimate, check)

Public transport plus one or two free museum entries and discounts; good only if you use the metro and buses a lot and visit city-run museums.

Firenze Card (about €85 for 72 h — check)

Covers the Uffizi, Accademia and most state and city museums with fewer queues; pays off at three or more big museums in three days.

Venezia Unica passes (ACTV water bus 1/2/3/7 days, about €25–65 — check)

A 24-hour water-bus ticket costs about the price of three singles; buy a multi-day pass if you ride the vaporetto more than twice a day.

Trenitalia CartaFRECCIA and Italo Più

Free loyalty schemes with points and occasional discount codes; sign up before buying several high-speed tickets.

Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · Visas and entry · Money and cards

Getting in

Before you go, entry rules and the first day

Open Getting inClose Getting in5 partsBefore you go · Arrive · Entry · Documents · First 24 hours

Before you go

Dated steps for your passport

What to sort, and by when, before a trip to Italy. Pick your passport and flight date; everything else follows.

My passportI fly on

Add your flight date to turn “weeks before” into dates.

No arrival card
No arrival card. EES takes fingerprints and a face photo at your first Schengen entry (free, no pre-registration). Hotels register every guest's passport with the police, so carry it at check-in; if you stay outside registered accommodation, file a declaration of presence (dichiarazione di presenza) with the police within 8 days.
No visa needed: 90 in any 180 (whole Schengen area)
Visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day window across all 29 Schengen countries combined. Border police can ask visa-exempt visitors for a return or onward ticket, accommodation details and proof of funds; long-haul airlines sometimes ask at check-in.
Entry rules Visti per l'Italia (Italian Foreign Ministry) ↗

Passport valid long enough
90 days before
Non-EU passports must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid at least 3 months beyond the day you plan to leave the Schengen area.
Passport check
Travel insurance
30 days before
Required for Schengen visa holders (€30,000 cover); strongly advised for everyone else.
Insurance check
Vaccines and medicines
30 days before
Some vaccines need weeks or two doses; carry prescriptions in their boxes.
Health Medicine rules
Driving permit (only if you drive)(optional)
30 days before
Non-EU licences should be carried with an International Driving Permit; police can fine without one.
Driving abroad
eSIM or roaming
2 weeks before
Travel eSIMs work on unlocked phones; San Marino and the Vatican are covered by Italian networks, but check whether your roaming plan treats San Marino as outside the EU.
eSIM finder
Cards and cash
2 weeks before
Card-friendly; small cash for markets (cash need 2/5). At ATMs and card terminals choose to be charged in euros; avoid standalone Euronet-type ATMs in tourist streets.
Money & ATMs
Pack a plug adapter (type C or F or L)
7 days before
Sockets here: type C, F, L. US plugs need an adapter. Mains is 230 V against 120 V at home: phone and laptop chargers cope (check the label says 100–240 V); hair dryers and straighteners usually do not.
Packing list

Lead times are Voykit's safe margins, not official deadlines (check the official portal). The full countdown with calendar reminders: Before-you-go countdown · Passport check.

Arrive

FCO

Rome Fiumicino

Main hub; Leonardo Express train to Roma Termini

MXP

Milan Malpensa

Malpensa Express train to Milan; gateway to the Lakes

VCE

Venice Marco Polo

Bus or water bus to Venice

NAP

Naples

Gateway to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast

CIA

Rome Ciampino

Low-cost hub; shuttle bus to Roma Termini

BGY

Milan Bergamo

Ryanair base; bus to Milano Centrale about 1 h

FLR

Florence Peretola

Small airport; tram T2 to Santa Maria Novella in 20 min. Pisa (PSA) is the low-cost alternative.

CTA

Catania

Sicily's busiest airport; Etna ash can close it

Entry: visas and borders

2026 rules — confirm on the official portal

Italy applies the common Schengen rules, and San Marino and the Vatican are reached through it. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens need an ID card; visa-exempt visitors get 90 days in any 180 across the whole Schengen area; everyone else needs a Schengen visa. In 2026 the change is EES biometric registration at the first Schengen border, with ETIAS expected to follow.

My passport

Visa-free90 in any 180 (whole Schengen area)

Visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day window across all 29 Schengen countries combined.

Cost: Free; ETIAS (€20) has not started
Form to fill: Nothing to apply for before arrival: ETIAS has not started. EES biometrics at the first Schengen border.
Arrival card: No arrival card. EES takes fingerprints and a face photo at your first Schengen entry (free, no pre-registration). Hotels register every guest's passport with the police, so carry it at check-in; if you stay outside registered accommodation, file a declaration of presence (dichiarazione di presenza) with the police within 8 days.
Passport: Non-EU passports must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid at least 3 months beyond the day you plan to leave the Schengen area.
Onward ticket: Border police can ask visa-exempt visitors for a return or onward ticket, accommodation details and proof of funds; long-haul airlines sometimes ask at check-in.

Days in San Marino and the Vatican count as Schengen days; so do days in France or Switzerland on the same trip.

Visti per l'Italia (Italian Foreign Ministry) ↗

Who	Rule	Stay	Watch
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens	Free movement with an ID card or passport	Unlimited as a visitor	Stays over three months need registration with the town hall (anagrafe).
Visa-exempt passports (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil and about 60 others)	No visa; EES registration at first entry; ETIAS not yet running	90 days in any 180 across Schengen	Overstays are now recorded automatically by EES and can bring fines and entry bans.
Visa-required passports (India, China, South Africa, Türkiye, most of Africa and Asia)	Schengen short-stay (C) visa from the Italian consulate or its visa centre	Up to 90 in 180, as printed on the visa	Summer appointment slots book out weeks ahead; apply as early as six months before travel.
Anyone arriving from Malta, Greece, Croatia or other Schengen ports	No passport control, but carry ID	Counts in the same 90/180	Ferries from Albania, Tunisia and Montenegro are external borders with full checks and EES.

By land and river

Crossing	To / from	Mode	Visa there	Trap
Ventimiglia – Menton	France	Regional train or bus on the Riviera coast	Schengen internal; French police ID checks on trains	Carry the passport even for a market day; checks happen at Menton-Garavan.
Milan – Zurich / Basel (Gotthard, Simplon)	Switzerland	EuroCity train, 3 h 20 to Zurich	Schengen internal; Swiss customs can check bags	Switzerland is outside the EU customs union: duty-free limits apply.
Brenner Pass (Verona/Bolzano – Innsbruck)	Austria	EuroCity or ÖBB Railjet; Nightjet sleepers	Schengen internal with frequent spot checks	Engineering works on the Brenner line bring bus replacements — check the season.
Trieste – Ljubljana	Slovenia	Bus or regional train via Villa Opicina	Schengen internal	Few direct trains; buses are simpler.
Rimini – San Marino	San Marino	Bus, about 50 min	No checks	Last bus back is early evening outside summer — check.
Rome – Vatican City	Vatican City	Walk in from Via della Conciliazione	No checks; security screening at the basilica and museums	Dress code applies at the door.
Sicily (Pozzallo, Catania) – Malta	Malta	Fast ferry about 1 h 45 from Pozzallo	Schengen internal	Cancelled in rough seas, especially in winter.
Bari / Ancona / Brindisi – Albania, Greece, Croatia	Albania, Greece, Croatia	Overnight or day ferries	Greece and Croatia are Schengen internal; Albania is an external border with EES	Book cabins in July–August; check-in closes 2 h before departure.

EES has been fully in force since 10 April 2026. Passports are no longer stamped; the system counts your days, so keep your own tally with the EU's short-stay calculator.
ETIAS is not running and the EU has not set a start date; it has promised several months' notice, then a transition period. When it opens, apply only on travel-europe.europa.eu: €20, valid 3 years or until your passport expires.
San Marino and the Vatican have no border posts: nights there count inside the same 90/180 days and need no extra paperwork.
Non-EU minors travelling alone or with one parent should carry a consent letter; Italian airlines and police can ask for it.

Documents checklist

Tick as you go; saved in this browser

0/6 ready

Passport or EU/EEA ID cardbefore bookingIssued within 10 years and valid 3 months beyond your planned exit from Schengen for non-EU visitors.
Schengen visa (if required)15 days to 6 months before travelFrom the Italian consulate or its visa centre; check your requirement on vistoperitalia.esteri.it. Official site ↗
ETIAS (visa-exempt visitors, once live)before flying — check start date€20, valid 3 years or until the passport expires; only on the EU site. Official site ↗
Venice access fee QR code (day-trippers on fee days)before arrival on a fee dayPay or register an exemption on the city's official site; overnight guests register free through their hotel. Official site ↗
Travel insurance or EHIC/GHICbefore flyingRequired for Schengen visa holders (€30,000 cover); strongly advised for everyone else.
Driving licence and IDPif you hire a carNon-EU licences should be carried with an International Driving Permit; police can fine without one.

First 24 hours

Tick these before you leave the airport

Most first-day trouble in Italy is theft on the airport train or bus, a ZTL fine, or a closed museum.

Airport transfer: Leonardo Express or FL1 train from Fiumicino, Malpensa Express in Milan, water bus or bus from Venice airport; or a white licensed taxi at the fixed fare.
Fixed fares and no touts.
Avoid: Drivers approaching you inside the terminal.
Tickets: Use contactless on Rome and Milan metros and buses; buy vaporetto passes in the AVM Venezia app.
Tap-in works on most city transport now.
Avoid: Riding without a validated ticket — inspectors fine on the spot.
Cash: Withdraw €50–100 (≈ US$60–120) at a bank ATM (Bancomat) inside a branch.
Bars and small places like cash for small sums.
Avoid: 'Your home currency' on the screen.
Data: Activate an eSIM or confirm EU roaming.
Train, museum and taxi apps need it.
Bookings: Check Vatican, Colosseum, Uffizi and Last Supper slots and Monday closures; on a Venice fee day, have the QR code ready.
Timed slots sell out; fee checks are at the main arrival points.
Car: If you drive, find the ZTL boundaries of every town before arriving and ask your hotel to register your plate if inside.
Camera fines arrive months later with admin fees.
Strikes: Check the scioperi calendar for your travel days.
Strikes are announced; guaranteed services run at set hours.

Getting around

Modes, times and the clock

Open Getting aroundClose Getting around2 partsGet around · Local time

Get around

Door-to-door, 2026 estimate

Mode	Milan → Rome	Cost	Use it when	What breaks
Frecciarossa (Trenitalia high-speed)	Milan–Rome 2 h 55–3 h 30; Rome–Florence 1 h 35; Rome–Naples 1 h 10	€20–110 (≈ US$25–130) one way	Default between the big cities; centre to centre with seats reserved.	Cheap Economy and Super Economy fares cannot be changed; the station in Rome can be Termini or Tiburtina.
Italo (private high-speed)	Same times as Frecciarossa on the main axis	€15–100 (≈ US$18–120)	Often cheaper; compare both before booking.	Separate company: no Trenitalia tickets or rail passes accepted.
Regionale (regional train)	Florence–Pisa 1 h; Venice–Padua 30 min; Naples–Pompeii 35 min (Circumvesuviana)	€3–20 (≈ US$4–25) fixed fare	Day-trips, the Cinque Terre line and the lakes; no reservation.	Validate paper tickets before boarding or pay a fine; the Circumvesuviana is crowded and pickpocket-prone.
Intercity Notte and Nightjet (night trains)	Rome–Palermo about 12 h; Milan–Lecce; Rome/Venice–Vienna and Munich	€40–200 (≈ US$50–250) couchette or sleeper	Saves a hotel night on the long north–south or Alpine runs; the Sicily train still crosses the strait on a ferry.	Book as soon as sales open; some sleepers pause during works.
Domestic flight	1 h 10 Rome–Palermo; 1 h 40 Milan–Catania	€30–150 (≈ US$35–180)	For Sicily, Sardinia and Puglia from the north.	ITA, Ryanair and easyJet fly from different airports (Bergamo is 'Milan' for Ryanair).
Hire car	About 6 h Milan–Rome by autostrada	€35–90 (≈ US$45–110) a day plus tolls (~€45 Milan–Rome) and fuel	Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia and the Dolomites only.	ZTL camera fines in every old town; the Amalfi Coast road is narrow and jammed in summer.
Coach (FlixBus, Itabus, SITA, regional buses)	Rome–Florence 3 h 15	€10–30 (≈ US$12–35)	Cheapest when trains are sold out; the only link to many hill towns.	Stops at outer bus stations such as Rome Tiburtina.
Ferries and hydrofoils	Naples–Capri 50 min; Sorrento–Amalfi 1 h; Genoa–Palermo overnight	€20–30 (≈ US$25–35) short hops; €60–200 (≈ US$70–250) overnight	The Amalfi Coast, Capri, the Aeolian Islands and Sardinia.	Services cut back outside April–October and cancel in rough seas.

Local time

What time it is there now, compared with the clock on your device.

Rome
…
Checking your clock…Europe/Rome

Practical

Money rules, safety, holidays, health, phones and phrases

Open PracticalClose Practical15 partsNext 90 days · Holidays · Safety & health · Safety · Safety by region · Health · Scams · Emergency card · Practical · Connect · Talk · Survival phrases · Cope · Learn & work · Who travels

Holidays in the next 90 days

What closes, sells out or costs more

On now
Patron saints (Rome 29 Jun, Florence and Turin 24 Jun, Naples 19 Sep, Milan 7 Dec)Minor
September · exact day moves, check
City holidays with processions; offices shut in that city only.
Oct 4
in 4 days
St Francis of Assisi (national holiday from 2026 — check)Some impact
Oct 4
New national holiday; Assisi fills with pilgrims; offices close.
Nov 1
in 32 days
All Saints' Day (Ognissanti)Minor
Nov 1
Offices closed; most sights open.
Dec 8
in 69 days
Immaculate ConceptionSome impact
Dec 8
Start of the Christmas season and the ski season; long weekend when it falls near one.
Dec 25
in 86 days
Christmas and St Stephen's DayBig impact
Dec 25–Dec 26
Most shops, museums and many restaurants shut on the 25th; papal Christmas Mass in Rome.

The full holiday list Holidays on your dates Festivals by month

Holidays and festivals

Operational effect, not a calendar

When	What	Impact	What it does to a trip
4 Oct	St Francis of Assisi (national holiday from 2026 — check)	medium	New national holiday; Assisi fills with pilgrims; offices close.
1 Nov	All Saints' Day (Ognissanti)	low	Offices closed; most sights open.
8 Dec	Immaculate Conception	medium	Start of the Christmas season and the ski season; long weekend when it falls near one.
25–26 Dec	Christmas and St Stephen's Day	high	Most shops, museums and many restaurants shut on the 25th; papal Christmas Mass in Rome.
1 Jan	New Year's Day	medium	Quiet day; many museums closed.
6 Jan	Epiphany (Befana)	low	End of the Christmas holidays; Befana fair in Rome's Piazza Navona.
28–29 Mar 2027 (moves yearly)	Easter and Easter Monday (Pasquetta)	high	Rome and the Vatican packed; Holy Week processions in Sicily and the south; Monday picnic day with trains full.
25 Apr	Liberation Day (and St Mark's in Venice)	medium	Long-weekend 'bridges' (ponti) fill trains and coasts.
1 May	Labour Day	medium	Free concert in Rome; many shops closed, most big sights open.
2 Jun	Republic Day	medium	Military parade in Rome closes the Via dei Fori Imperiali.
15 Aug	Ferragosto (Assumption)	high	Peak of the Italian holiday; cities empty of locals, coasts full.
Local saints' days	Patron saints (Rome 29 Jun, Florence and Turin 24 Jun, Naples 19 Sep, Milan 7 Dec)	low	City holidays with processions; offices shut in that city only.

Show all 12 datesShow fewer

Safety and health at a glance

Advice, risky areas, water, shots, numbers, scams

Emergency numbers

Where to take care

4/5 for a careful visitor · Violent crime against visitors is rare; pickpockets and scams in tourist hubs are the risk.

medium Rome and Lazio · Pickpockets on bus 64, metro line A and at Termini, the Colosseum and Trevi; scooter bag-snatching.
medium Naples and Campania · Bag snatching and phone theft around Napoli Centrale and on the Circumvesuviana; Campi Flegrei tremors near Pozzuoli.
medium Milan · Pickpockets at the Duomo and on the metro; theft around Milano Centrale at night.
medium Alps and Dolomites · Rockfall, thunderstorms and fast weather changes; glacier collapses in hot summers — follow closures.

Tap water

Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Tap water by country

Health

Main risks: Heatwaves, Mosquitoes, Sea and mountains, Volcanic areas.

Top scams

1. Friendship bracelet and 'free' rose · Keep hands in pockets and keep walking; anything tied or handed to you is followed by a demand for money.
2. Pigeon-feed and photo 'helpers' · Refuse the corn in your hand; gladiators at the Colosseum charge €10–20 for a photo — agree a price first or decline.
3. Fake 'skip-the-line' Vatican and Colosseum tickets · Buy only on the official Vatican Museums and Parco archeologico del Colosseo sites or from a known agency.

Safety Stay healthy Emergency card Scam spotter Health check

Safety

Pickpockets work Rome's buses and metro, Termini station, the Trevi Fountain, and crowded trains; keep bags zipped and in front.
Unofficial taxis and 'helpers' at stations: use the official taxi rank or an app.
Summer heat is strong in the cities and the south: sightsee early and late, and use the public water fountains to refill.
Volcano and earthquake zones (Vesuvius, Etna, Campi Flegrei) are monitored; follow official closures.
Emergency: 112 (the EU number) works everywhere.

Italy is the core of the Italy and Malta subregion: the Vatican and San Marino sit inside it, and Malta is a short flight or ferry from Sicily.

Safety by region

Risk to a careful visitor, not a crime index

Italy is safe for visitors; the risks are petty theft in the big cities, scams at sights, summer heat and fires, and natural hazards in the mountains and volcanic areas.

Region	Risk	What to watch
Rome and Lazio	medium	Pickpockets on bus 64, metro line A and at Termini, the Colosseum and Trevi; scooter bag-snatching.
Naples and Campania	medium	Bag snatching and phone theft around Napoli Centrale and on the Circumvesuviana; Campi Flegrei tremors near Pozzuoli.
Milan	medium	Pickpockets at the Duomo and on the metro; theft around Milano Centrale at night.
Venice and Florence	low	Crowd pickpocketing on vaporetti and at the Ponte Vecchio; overpriced restaurants rather than crime.
Sicily and Sardinia	low	Wildfires and heat in summer; car break-ins at beach car parks; Etna eruptions close the airport.
Alps and Dolomites	medium	Rockfall, thunderstorms and fast weather changes; glacier collapses in hot summers — follow closures.
Puglia, Tuscany, Umbria	low	Narrow country roads and ZTL fines; little crime.

Stay healthy

Risk	Where / when	Do this
Tap water	Everywhere unless signed 'acqua non potabile'	Safe; refill at public fountains (Rome's nasoni); restaurants sell bottled water by default.
Heatwaves	Rome, Florence, the south and islands, July–August	Sightsee before 11:00 and after 17:00; churches and museums are cool; the health ministry issues heat bulletins.Sightsee before 11:00 AM and after 5:00 PM; churches and museums are cool; the health ministry issues heat bulletins.
Mosquitoes	Venice lagoon, Po Valley, coasts in summer	Repellent at dusk; occasional West Nile cases in the north — see a doctor for fever.
Sea and mountains	Beaches, Dolomites	Swim where there is a lifeguard; mountain weather turns fast — carry layers and rain gear.
Volcanic areas	Etna, Stromboli, Vulcano, Campi Flegrei	Summit zones open and close with activity; go with licensed guides and follow civil protection notices.
Medical costs	Everywhere	EU/EEA visitors bring the EHIC, UK visitors the GHIC; others need travel insurance. Pharmacies (green cross) advise on minor issues; guardia medica turistica runs in resorts in summer.

Scams and overcharges

Trap	Where	Defence
Friendship bracelet and 'free' rose	Spanish Steps, Colosseum, Duomo in Milan, Piazza San Marco	Keep hands in pockets and keep walking; anything tied or handed to you is followed by a demand for money.
Pigeon-feed and photo 'helpers'	Milan Duomo, Piazza San Marco	Refuse the corn in your hand; gladiators at the Colosseum charge €10–20 for a photo — agree a price first or decline.
Fake 'skip-the-line' Vatican and Colosseum tickets	Queues outside the Vatican and the Colosseum	Buy only on the official Vatican Museums and Parco archeologico del Colosseo sites or from a known agency.
Unlicensed taxis and inflated fares	Fiumicino, Termini, Naples station	White licensed taxis at the rank; Rome airport fixed fare is €55–60 to inside the Aurelian walls from Fiumicino — check; or an app.
Restaurant bills without prices	Near Piazza San Marco, Trevi, Pantheon	Only order from a priced menu; fish priced per 100 g adds up; check the bill before paying.
Train ticket 'help' at machines	Termini, Milano Centrale, Napoli Centrale	Buy on the Trenitalia or Italo app; people who 'help' then demand a tip or steal cards.
Fake EES or ETIAS 'registration' sites	Search ads and email	EES is free and done at the border; ETIAS only on travel-europe.europa.eu when it opens.
Petition clipboards	Rome and Florence tourist streets	A distraction for pickpockets; say no and move on.

Emergency card

Numbers, disasters, who to call

Italy emergency numbers — screenshot this card

112

European emergency number

113

Police (Polizia di Stato)

112

Carabinieri

115

Fire

118

Ambulance

1530

Coast guard (sea rescue)

803 116

Road assistance (ACI)

Natural and on-the-ground hazards

Hazard	When / where	Do this
Heatwave	Jun–Aug	Follow ministry heat bulletins; rest in the afternoon, refill at fountains, check on older companions.
Wildfire	Jun–Sep, Sicily, Sardinia, Puglia, the south	Call 115 or 1515 for fires; leave when told; never light fires outdoors.
Earthquake	Any time; central Apennines, Campania, Sicily	Drop, cover and hold on; follow Civil Protection (Protezione Civile) messages.
Volcanic activity	Etna, Stromboli and the Campi Flegrei tremors	Follow exclusion zones; Etna ash can close Catania airport — keep a buffer day.
Floods and acqua alta	Oct–Dec; Venice and Liguria	Check tide forecasts; the MOSE barriers protect Venice from the highest tides, but low areas still flood.
Strikes	Any month, announced in advance	Check the strike calendar (scioperi) and your operator; guaranteed services run at set hours.

Alerts and apps

IT-alert (cell-broadcast emergency alerts; no app needed).
Where ARE U (112 app with location for calls in many regions).
Your embassy's registration service.

Police, embassies, paperwork

Report theft to the Carabinieri or Polizia (denuncia); insurers require it.
Night pharmacies (farmacia di turno) are listed on every pharmacy door.
Lost passport: police report, then your embassy in Rome or a consulate in Milan, Florence or Naples.

Insurer and 24-hour linePolicy numberWhere I'm staying

Kept only in this browser; nothing is sent anywhere.

Emergency card · Italy

My passport: — · find my embassy
Insurance: —
Staying at: —

Hospitals with emergency care

Pronto soccorso (emergency room) at a public hospital · Central Rome (for example Policlinico Umberto I near Termini; check the nearest), Rome
Pharmacies (farmacie) · Citywide, green cross sign, Rome

Emergency numbers, every country

Practical

Plugs, water, tips, hours

CtypeFtypeLtype

230 V · 50 Hz

Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).

Tap water: Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
Toilets: Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
Weekly closing days: Many state museums close on Monday; the Vatican Museums close on most Sundays. Small shops close for lunch (13:00–16:00) in the south and in villages, and on Sunday; many restaurants close one day a week and for weeks in August.Many state museums close on Monday; the Vatican Museums close on most Sundays. Small shops close for lunch (1:00 PM–4:00 PM) in the south and in villages, and on Sunday; many restaurants close one day a week and for weeks in August.

Tipping by situation

Situation	What locals do
Bar	Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.
Restaurant	Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.
Taxi	Round up to the next euro.
Hotel porter or housekeeping	€1–2 per bag or per night.
Tour guide	€5–10 per person for a half day.

Opening hours

What	Typical hours	Watch
Shops	Mon–Sat 09:30–13:00 and 16:00–19:30; chains and city centres open all dayMon–Sat 9:30 AM–1:00 PM and 4:00 PM–7:30 PM; chains and city centres open all day	Monday morning closures for some shops; Sunday opening in tourist centres only.
Restaurants	Lunch 12:30–14:30, dinner 19:30–22:30 (later in the south)Lunch 12:30 PM–2:30 PM, dinner 7:30 PM–10:30 PM (later in the south)	Kitchens close in between; pizzerias often open only in the evening.
Museums	08:30/09:00–19:00; many closed Monday8:30 AM/9:00 AM–7:00 PM; many closed Monday	Free state museums on the first Sunday of the month bring big queues.
Churches	About 07:00–12:00 and 15:00–19:00About 7:00 AM–12:00 PM and 3:00 PM–7:00 PM	Closed to visitors during Mass; some famous churches charge entry.
Banks and post	Mon–Fri 08:30–13:30 and about 14:30–16:00Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–1:30 PM and about 2:30 PM–4:00 PM	Queues at post offices; use tabacchi for stamps.

Connect

TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
EU and EEA SIMs roam at home prices under EU rules; UK SIMs depend on your operator's roaming deal.
Travel eSIMs work on unlocked phones; San Marino and the Vatican are covered by Italian networks, but check whether your roaming plan treats San Marino as outside the EU.
Free Wi-Fi on Frecciarossa and Italo trains, in hotels and in many city squares.

Trenitalia and Italo (trains)Google MapsLocal transport apps for Rome, Milan or Venice (tickets and times)A banking or card app with travel notificationsitTaxi, FreeNow or Uber (licensed taxis; Uber is limited in Italy)Moovit or Tabnet for local tickets; Trenitalia's regional tickets work in the app

Post: Poste Italiane offices in every town; stamps also at tabacchi. The Vatican has its own post office and stamps.
Wi-Fi: Free in hotels, many bars and on Frecciarossa and Italo trains; some city Wi-Fi needs an SMS login.
Blocked services: None of note; all major apps and sites work.
Messaging: WhatsApp is universal, including for restaurant and hotel bookings.
Numbers: Country code +39; landlines keep the leading 0 (06 for Rome); mobiles start with 3.

Talk

Italian is the language of daily life. English works in hotels, museums and restaurants in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan, and thins fast in the south and the countryside. A greeting and a few words (buongiorno, grazie, per favore) go a long way, and gestures and tone carry a lot of meaning.

Use 'Lei' (formal you) with strangers and staff; 'tu' is for friends and young people.
German is the majority language in South Tyrol (Alto Adige) and signs are bilingual; French is co-official in the Aosta Valley.
Dialects (Neapolitan, Sicilian, Venetian) are strong at home and in markets; everyone also speaks standard Italian.

Survival phrases

8 phrases · tap one to show it full screen

Translate a sign or menu Diet and allergy card

Cope

Embassies, laundry, lockers, media, lost things

Embassies: All embassies are in Rome; the US, UK and others keep consulates in Milan, Florence and Naples.
Laundry: Self-service lavanderie in cities, about €5–8 a wash; hotels charge per piece.
Pharmacies: Green cross signs; pharmacists advise and sell many medicines without prescription; rotating night pharmacies.
Clinics: Public hospital emergency rooms (pronto soccorso) treat everyone; waits are long for minor cases; private English-speaking clinics in Rome and Milan.
Media: English news: ANSA English, Wanted in Rome, The Local Italy.
Luggage: Left-luggage (deposito bagagli) at Termini, Santa Lucia, Firenze SMN and Milano Centrale; apps cover the rest.
Smoking: Banned indoors and on transport; Milan also bans it outdoors near other people.

Learn and work

Study, teaching, working holidays

Italian courses: Language schools in Florence, Rome, Bologna, Siena and Perugia (Università per Stranieri) run courses from one week.
Study visa: Courses over 90 days need a national study visa (type D) from an Italian consulate.
Short classes: Cooking, wine, art and ceramics classes need no formalities within a visitor stay.

Working legally

Route	Who	The rule	Watch
Working holiday visa	18–30 (some to 35) from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Argentina and others	One-year visa with work rights, applied for before arrival.	Quotas and ages vary — check the consulate.
Digital nomad visa	Highly skilled remote workers with income above about €28,000 a year	National visa introduced in 2024 for up to one year, renewable.	Paperwork is heavy; check the latest income threshold and tax rules.
Employment	Anyone with an Italian employer	Work permit (nulla osta) under the annual quota (decreto flussi) or EU Blue Card.	Slow processing; start months ahead.
Seasonal and volunteering	EU citizens freely; others only with a permit	Harvest and tourism jobs need work rights.	Farm 'volunteering' on a tourist stay can breach the visitor rules.

Travellers with specific needs

Short and factual

Traveller	On the ground	Do this
Solo women	Common and generally low-risk; catcalling and persistent attention happen, more in the south.	Firm 'no' and walk on; take taxis at night from stations; sleep in central areas.
LGBTQ+	Civil unions since 2016, not marriage; Rome, Milan and Bologna have visible scenes; rural areas more conservative.	Public affection is fine in cities; Pride events run June–July.
Families	Children welcome everywhere, including late dinners; state museums are free for under-18s.	Trenitalia family discounts; under-4s ride free without a seat.
Wheelchair users	Cobbles, steps and hill towns are hard; Venice has step-free water-bus routes but many bridges have steps.	Book Sala Blu rail assistance 24 h ahead; ask museums for accessible routes (the Colosseum and Vatican have lifts).
Older travellers	Stairs, cobbles and heat are the strain; many hotels in old buildings lack lifts.	Ask for a lift and a low floor; Trenitalia over-60 fares; taxis for station transfers.

Culture and food

Rules, manners, what to eat, where to sleep and what to buy

Open Culture and foodClose Culture and food6 partsRules · Respect & laws · Eat · Drink · Sleep · Buy

Country rules

Inherited by every page below

Italy is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
Historic centres are ZTL limited-traffic zones: cameras fine any unauthorised car that enters, often months later through the hire company. Park outside and walk in.
Regional train tickets bought on paper must be validated in the machine on the platform before boarding; digital tickets carry a time and need no stamping.
Venice charges day-visitors an access fee on selected peak days; check the city's official site if you are not sleeping there.

Etiquette

Churches, including St Peter's, require covered shoulders and knees; carry a scarf.
Do not sit or eat on monument steps or swim in fountains: many cities fine it.
Cappuccino is a morning drink; lunch is roughly 12:30–14:30 and dinner from 19:30 or later.Cappuccino is a morning drink; lunch is roughly 12:30 PM–2:30 PM and dinner from 7:30 PM or later.
Greet with buongiorno or buonasera when you enter a shop.

Aug 15 (Ferragosto) and the weeks around it: Many city shops and family restaurants close; beaches and trains are full.
Easter and Holy Week: Rome and the Vatican are packed; book rooms and Vatican tickets early.
Venice Carnival (Feb, before Lent): Rooms in Venice sell out and the city is crowded.
Sundays and Mondays: Many shops close on Sunday; many state museums close on Monday.

Respect and laws that surprise

What gets visitors fined, refused or arrested

Topic	The rule	What happens
Monuments and fountains	Rome, Florence and Venice ban sitting on monument steps, eating on church steps and wading in fountains.	Fines of €250–500 and a ban from the area (Daspo urbano).
Venice rules	No swimming in canals, no picnics on bridges and steps, no bare chests in the streets; tour groups capped at 25.	Fines from €100 to €500.
Religious sites	Shoulders and knees covered, hats off, silence during services.	Refused entry at St Peter's, St Mark's and most cathedrals.
Driving and ZTL	Drink-drive limit 0.5 g/L (zero for new drivers); ZTL zones fine unauthorised cars by camera.	Fines of €80–330 per camera pass, plus hire-company admin fees; licence loss for drink-driving.
Drugs	Possession for personal use is an administrative offence; dealing is a crime; 'cannabis light' shop rules have been tightened — check.	Fines, licence or passport suspension; prosecution for supply.
Smoking	Banned indoors and on public transport; Milan bans smoking in all public outdoor spaces unless 10 m from others since 2025.	Fines up to €240.
Counterfeit goods	Buying fake designer goods from street sellers is an offence for the buyer as well.	Fines that can reach thousands of euros.
Drones	Registration with ENAC and the D-Flight portal; no flying over cities, crowds or monuments.	Confiscation and fines.
Beaches	Many beaches are private lidos with paid sunbeds; the free strip (spiaggia libera) is smaller; removing sand or shells from Sardinia is illegal.	Fines up to €3,000 for sand in Sardinia.

Show all 9 rulesShow fewer

Everyday manners

Situation	Do	Avoid
Greeting	Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars	Walking in and pointing without a greeting
Cheek kisses	Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead	Kissing strangers or in business settings
Dress	Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches	Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
Queues	At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino)	Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
Restaurants	Wait to be seated and ask for the bill	Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
Conversation	Food, football and family are safe openers	Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
Dinner at a home	Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals)	Refusing seconds too firmly

Eat

Regional food, diets, allergy card

Italian food is regional first: butter, rice and polenta in the north, olive oil, tomatoes and dried pasta in the south, and a local pasta shape in almost every town. A full meal runs antipasto, primo (pasta or risotto), secondo (meat or fish) and dolce, but ordering a primo alone is normal. Coffee is espresso after meals; lunch is the big value, and pizza is an evening food in Naples-style pizzerias.

Region	Style	Order this
Rome and Lazio	Four classic pastas, offal and artichokes; Jewish-Roman cooking in the Ghetto	Carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carciofi alla giudia, supplì
Tuscany	Plain, bread-based and meat-heavy; beans and olive oil	Bistecca alla fiorentina, ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, pici
Emilia-Romagna	Egg pasta, cured pork and cheese — the richest kitchen	Tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini in brodo, mortadella, Parmigiano
Venice and the north-east	Lagoon fish, polenta, risotto; bar snacks (cicchetti)	Sarde in saor, risotto al nero, spritz and cicchetti
Naples and Campania	Pizza, tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, fried street food	Pizza margherita, sfogliatella, frittatina, spaghetti alle vongole
Sicily and the south	Arab-influenced sweets, fish, citrus and pistachio	Arancini, pasta alla Norma, cannoli, granita with brioche

Dish finder

Region

Diet

16 of 16 dishes

CarbonaraRome
spaghetti alla carbonara
Pasta with egg yolk, pecorino, black pepper and crisp guanciale (pork cheek); no cream.
Lunch, dinner · Usually has egg, milk, pork
Cacio e pepeRome
tonnarelli cacio e pepe
Thick pasta with pecorino and black pepper, emulsified into a sauce.
Lunch, dinner · Usually has milk, egg · vegetarian version common
Pizza margheritaNaples
pizza margherita
Soft wood-fired base with tomato, mozzarella and basil; Neapolitan pizza is eaten with a knife and fork.
Evening · Usually has milk · vegetarian version common
Tagliatelle al ragùBologna
tagliatelle al ragù
Egg ribbons with a slow meat sauce of beef and pork; 'spaghetti bolognese' is not a local dish.
Lunch, dinner · Usually has beef, pork, egg, milk
Bistecca alla fiorentinaFlorence
bistecca alla fiorentina
Thick T-bone grilled rare, priced by weight (often per kg), for two or more.
Dinner · Usually has beef
RibollitaTuscany
ribollita
Thick bread and bean soup with black cabbage.
Winter lunch · No meat or fish in the usual version · vegetarian version exists — ask
Risotto alla milaneseMilan
risotto alla milanese
Saffron risotto made with beef stock and butter, often with ossobuco.
Lunch, dinner · Usually has milk, beef · vegetarian version exists — ask
Sarde in saorVenice
sarde in saor
Fried sardines marinated with sweet-sour onions, raisins and pine nuts.
Cicchetti, antipasto · Usually has fish/seafood
AranciniSicily
arancini / arancine
Fried rice balls filled with ragù or ham and cheese; Rome's version is supplì.
Snack · Usually has beef, milk, egg · vegetarian version exists — ask
Pasta alla NormaCatania
pasta alla Norma
Pasta with fried aubergine, tomato and salted ricotta.
Lunch, dinner · Usually has milk · vegetarian version common
Spaghetti alle vongoleNaples, coasts
spaghetti alle vongole
Clams, garlic, olive oil, parsley and white wine.
Lunch, dinner · Usually has fish/seafood
Carciofi alla giudiaRome (Jewish Ghetto)
carciofi alla giudia
Whole artichokes deep-fried until crisp; spring season.
Antipasto · No meat or fish in the usual version · vegetarian version common
Tortellini in brodoBologna, Modena
tortellini in brodo
Small pork-filled pasta in capon or beef broth; a winter and Christmas dish.
Lunch · Usually has pork, chicken, beef, egg, milk
GelatoNationwide
gelato
Dense ice cream; muted colours and covered metal tubs are signs of a good gelateria.
Afternoon, evening · Usually has milk, egg · vegetarian version common
CannoliSicily
cannoli siciliani
Crisp fried shells filled with sweet sheep's ricotta, filled to order in good shops.
Dessert · Usually has milk · vegetarian version common
TiramisùVeneto
tiramisù
Coffee-soaked biscuits layered with mascarpone and egg cream.
Dessert · Usually has egg, milk · vegetarian version common

Tags describe the usual recipe, not every kitchen. Stocks and sauces hide animal products: ask, or show the allergy card below.

Table manners

Do not ask for Parmesan on seafood pasta, or ketchup on anything; the kitchen seasons the dish.
Pasta is a course, not a side; one primo each is plenty at lunch.
Cappuccino and milky coffee are for the morning; order 'un caffè' (espresso) after meals.
Ask for the bill ('il conto, per favore'); lingering is normal and staff will not bring it unprompted.
Bread comes with the coperto; olive oil and balsamic for dipping is not an Italian custom.

Allergy / diet card — show it, do not say it

Sono allergico/a a ___. Questo piatto contiene ___?

“I am allergic to ___. Does this dish contain ___?”

Peanuts: arachidi
Tree nuts: frutta a guscio (noci, nocciole, mandorle, pistacchi, pinoli)
Shellfish: crostacei e frutti di mare
Fish: pesce
Egg: uova
Milk: latte e latticini
Wheat / gluten: frumento / glutine
Meat: carne

Diets: the reality

Diet	On the ground	Do this
Vegetarian	Easy: many pastas, pizzas, vegetable antipasti and risotti are meat-free; stocks and lard hide in some soups and beans.	Say 'sono vegetariano/a, niente carne né pesce'; ask about brodo (stock) and guanciale.
Vegan	Harder: cheese, egg pasta and butter are everywhere, but pizza marinara, many southern pastas and grilled vegetables work.	Ask for 'senza formaggio' and dried (not egg) pasta; HappyCow lists vegan places in big cities.
Halal	Available in Rome, Milan and Turin neighbourhoods with North African, Turkish and South Asian communities.	Kebab and Middle Eastern restaurants are the reliable option; pork is common in Italian cooking.
Kosher	Rome's Ghetto has kosher restaurants and bakeries; Milan and Venice also have some.	Check current certification with the local Jewish community.
Gluten-free	Italy is among the best countries for coeliacs: gluten-free pasta and pizza are widely offered, and the AIC association certifies restaurants.	Say 'sono celiaco/a'; look for the AIC logo; pharmacies sell gluten-free products.
Nut and shellfish allergy	Restaurants must list the 14 EU allergens; pistachio (Sicily) and pine nuts (pesto) are common.	Show the card below and ask 'Ci sono allergeni?'

Drink

Laws, what to order, what it costs

Legal age: 18 to buy or be served alcohol.
Drink-driving: 0.5 g/L (zero for drivers in their first three years and professional drivers); penalties were raised in the 2024 highway code reform.
Public drinking: Legal in principle, but many cities ban drinking from glass or takeaway alcohol in the evening in nightlife areas.
Late sales: Some city centres ban takeaway alcohol sales after 21:00–22:00 — check local ordinances.Some city centres ban takeaway alcohol sales after 9:00 PM–10:00 PM — check local ordinances.

Drink	What it is	Typical price
Espressoun caffè	The default coffee; drunk standing at the bar in a minute.	€1.20–1.60 (≈ US$2)
Cappuccinoun cappuccino	Morning only, with a cornetto (croissant).	€1.50–2.50 (≈ US$2–3)
Spritzspritz (Aperol, Campari or Select)	Prosecco, bitter and soda; the Venetian aperitivo, now everywhere.	€4–10 (≈ US$5–12)
House winevino della casa	Sold by the quarter or half litre in trattorie; usually decent.	€8–15 (≈ US$10–18) a half litre
Proseccoprosecco	Sparkling white from the Veneto hills; cheap by the glass in Venice bars.	€3–8 (≈ US$4–10)
Negroninegroni	Gin, Campari and vermouth, born in Florence.	€8–14 (≈ US$10–17)
Limoncellolimoncello	Lemon liqueur from the Amalfi Coast, served cold after dinner.	€3–6 (≈ US$4–7)
Grappa and amarograppa, amaro	Grape brandy and bitter herbal digestifs after a big meal.	€3–8 (≈ US$4–10)
Granitagranita	Sicilian shaved ice with lemon, almond or coffee, eaten with brioche for breakfast in summer.	€2.50–4 (≈ US$3–5)
Beerbirra (Peroni, Moretti, craft)	Lager standard; craft beer bars in every big city.	€4–7 (≈ US$5–9)

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Aperitivo (18:00–20:30) often comes with free snacks or a buffet with your drink in Milan, Turin and Bologna.Aperitivo (6:00 PM–8:30 PM) often comes with free snacks or a buffet with your drink in Milan, Turin and Bologna.
Prices differ by where you stand: bar counter (banco), table (tavolo) or terrace — ask before sitting in St Mark's Square.
Toast with 'salute' or 'cin cin'.

Sleep

Types, registration, booking

Type	Price (2026 estimate)	Use it for	Watch
Hostel dorm	€30–60 (≈ US$35–70) a bed (Venice and Florence more)	Solo budget travel	Rome's hostels cluster near Termini; pick a busy street at night.
B&B or affittacamere (guest rooms)	€70–130 (≈ US$85–160) a double	Most city stays	Often no reception: agree an arrival time; check the lift and air conditioning.
3★ city hotel	€120–220 (≈ US$140–300) a double (Venice, Florence and Rome €160–300 (≈ US$190–350))	First trips	Rooms in old buildings are small; street noise in summer with windows open.
Agriturismo (farm stay)	€90–200 (≈ US$110–250) a double with breakfast	Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia, Sicily	A car is essential; many serve dinner from their farm.
Masseria or trullo	€120–400 (≈ US$140–500) a night	Puglia	Country roads; book dinner.
Mountain hut (rifugio)	€60–90 (≈ US$70–110) half board	Dolomite and Alpine treks	Book July–August months ahead; cash sometimes needed.
Holiday rental	€80–250 (≈ US$95–300) a night	Families and longer stays	Every legal listing must show a national CIN code; Florence and Venice have restricted new rentals in the old centre.

Registration and the law

City tourist tax (imposta di soggiorno) is paid per person per night at check-in: about €3–10 in Rome, €2–8 in Florence and €1–5 in Venice by star rating, usually capped at 5–10 nights; children are exempt up to 10–14 depending on the city — check.
Hotels must register every guest's passport with the police; self check-in key boxes were restricted in 2024–25, so expect an identity check.
Overnight guests anywhere in the municipality of Venice are exempt from the day-tripper fee but should get their exemption QR code through the hotel.

Booking reality

Book Rome for Easter and major papal events, Venice for Carnival and the Biennale opening, Florence for May–June weekends, and the coast for July–August.
Milan hotels double in price during Fashion Weeks and the Salone del Mobile design fair (April).
Coastal and island hotels close from November to March; check dates before planning a winter coast trip.

Buy

Tax-free, bargaining, customs

Prices are fixed and include 22% VAT (IVA). Sales (saldi) start in early January and early July. Markets sell food and everyday goods; bargaining is for flea markets, not shops.

Tax-free and refunds

Non-EU residents can reclaim VAT on purchases over €70 in one shop on one receipt — check; ask for the tax-free form.
Validate at customs at the last EU airport before check-in with the goods, receipts and passport; refund companies keep a fee.

Prices and bargaining

Flea and antique markets (Porta Portese in Rome, Arezzo's antiques fair) expect polite haggling.
Leather stalls at Florence's San Lorenzo market negotiate; shops do not.

What to bring home

Item	Where	Watch
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar	Producers, delis (alimentari), Modena	Look for DOP labels; liquids in checked bags.
Parmigiano Reggiano and cured meats	Bologna, Parma, markets	Vacuum-packed; many countries ban pork products — check home rules.
Leather goods	Florence (Santa Croce workshops)	Check the 'made in Italy' claim and stitching; stall goods are often imported.
Murano glass and Burano lace	Venice lagoon	Look for the Vetro Artistico Murano trademark; much cheap glass is imported.
Ceramics	Deruta, Amalfi Coast (Vietri), Sicily (Caltagirone)	Shops ship heavy pieces.
Wine and limoncello	Estates, enoteche, the Amalfi Coast	Wrap bottles; customs limits apply outside the EU.

Customs allowances on arrival

What	Limit or rule
Cash	Declare €10,000 (≈ US$12,000) or more entering or leaving the EU
Tobacco (from outside the EU, 17+)	200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g tobacco
Alcohol (from outside the EU, 17+)	1 L spirits over 22% or 2 L under 22%, plus 4 L wine and 16 L beer
Other goods	€430 (≈ US$500) by air or sea, €300 (≈ US$350) by land (under-15s €150 (≈ US$180))
Meat and dairy	Banned from outside the EU (small exceptions for Switzerland, San Marino and a few others)

Deep dive

Questions, where next, photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive4 partsGo next · FAQ · Deep dive · Sources

Go next

Rome

Arrive FCO or CIA, or high-speed train to Termini

The base for every first trip; day plans, neighbourhoods and arrival guides.

Vatican City

Walk or metro line A to Ottaviano

One early morning inside a Rome stay.

San Marino

Train to Rimini, then bus 50 min

Half a day from the Adriatic coast.

Malta

Fly 1 h 30 from Rome, or fast ferry from Pozzallo in Sicily

Add an island week after Sicily.

France

Riviera trains via Ventimiglia; TGV via Turin (check)

Liguria runs straight into the Côte d'Azur and Monaco.

Switzerland

EuroCity Milan – Zurich 3 h 20

The Bernina and Gotthard lines from the Lakes.

Austria

Brenner line from Verona or Bolzano; Nightjet from Rome and Venice

Innsbruck and Vienna by day train or sleeper.

Slovenia

Bus Trieste – Ljubljana, 1 h 30

A short hop from the north-east.

Croatia

Ferry Ancona – Split overnight

Summer sailings; book cabins early.

Greece

Ferry Bari or Brindisi – Patras or Igoumenitsa

Overnight with a cabin, or fly.

Albania

Ferry Bari – Durrës overnight

Leaves Schengen: full border checks and EES.

Italy and Malta

Subregion

Borders, climate by zone and how the micro-states and Malta fit.

Show all 12 placesShow fewer

Italy travel FAQ

Short answers; details in the sections above

Answers are 2026 desk estimates; entry rules and fees marked (check) change often.

Do I need a visa for Italy?

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens need only an ID card. US, UK, Canadian, Australian, Japanese and about 60 other passports visit visa-free for 90 days in any 180 across Schengen. Others need a Schengen visa from an Italian consulate.

What is EES and do I need to register?

The EU Entry/Exit System records non-EU visitors' fingerprints and a photo at the first Schengen border. It is free and done on arrival; sites charging for it are scams.

Do I need ETIAS?

Not yet. The EU expects ETIAS to start in the last quarter of 2026 with a grace period; it will cost €20 (≈ US$25) and last three years. Check travel-europe.europa.eu before flying.

Do I have to pay to enter Venice?

Only as a day visitor aged 14+ on fee days between 08:30 and 16:00. In 2026 that meant 60 days from April to July, €5 (≈ US$6) booked four or more days ahead or €10 (≈ US$12) later. Overnight guests are exempt but register through their hotel. Check cda.ve.it for the next calendar.Only as a day visitor aged 14+ on fee days between 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM. In 2026 that meant 60 days from April to July, €5 (≈ US$6) booked four or more days ahead or €10 (≈ US$12) later. Overnight guests are exempt but register through their hotel. Check cda.ve.it for the next calendar.

What is the tourist tax?

Cities charge €1–10 (≈ US$2–12) per person per night depending on hotel category, paid at the hotel. Rome is about €10 (≈ US$12) at 5★; Florence up to €8 (≈ US$10); caps of 5–10 nights apply — check.

What is a ZTL?

A limited-traffic zone in a historic centre. Cameras fine unauthorised cars, usually months later via the hire firm. Park outside and walk in.

How many days do I need?

Three to four for Rome; ten for Rome, Florence and Venice; fourteen to add Naples and the Amalfi Coast or the Lakes.

Train or car?

Train between cities on the high-speed spine; a car only for Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia, Sicily and the Dolomites.

When is the best time to visit?

April–June and September–October. July–August are hot and crowded; November is wet but cheap.

Is the coperto a scam?

No. It is a per-person cover charge listed on the menu, usually €1.50–4 (≈ US$2–5). Tipping on top is optional.

Is Italy safe?

Yes. Pickpockets in Rome, Naples, Milan and Venice and restaurant overcharging near sights are the realistic risks.

Does the Trevi Fountain cost money now?

Getting down to the basin costs €2 (≈ US$3) since February 2026; viewing from the piazza is free.

Can I drink the tap water?

Yes, unless signed 'non potabile'; Rome's street fountains are drinking water.

How do I visit the Vatican and San Marino?

The Vatican is one morning inside a Rome stay; San Marino is a bus ride from Rimini. Neither has border checks.

Sources compared: Wikivoyage — Italy · Wikitravel — Italy. Section coverage was checked against community guides (CC BY-SA) as secondary sources; the text on this page is Voykit's own, with facts cross-checked against the official sources above.

Deep dive

6 min read · 6 chapters

Italy is one of the oldest destinations in travel writing and one of the youngest nation-states in Western Europe. This deep dive explains why a country unified only in 1861 still feels like twenty regions, how Rome, the Church and the Renaissance city-states left the sights you queue for, and what shapes daily life, food and politics in 2026.

1From Rome to the city-states1 min

Before Rome dominated the peninsula, it was shared by Etruscans in Tuscany and northern Lazio, Greek colonies in the south and Sicily, and dozens of Italic peoples in the hills. Rome grew from a cluster of villages on the Tiber into a republic that absorbed its neighbours by conquest and alliance, then into an empire that ran from Britain to Mesopotamia. The Forum, the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the roads radiating from the capital are the physical record of that system.

When the western empire dissolved in the 5th century, Italy fragmented for fourteen hundred years. Byzantines held Ravenna and the south, Lombards the north and centre, Arabs Sicily, then Normans the south. The bishop of Rome turned his spiritual authority into a territorial state across central Italy. That split between north, centre and south — and between different foreign rulers — is still visible in dialects, architecture and wealth.

From the 11th century trading towns governed themselves. Venice and Genoa built sea empires; Florence, Siena, Milan and Bologna fought each other and grew rich on banking, wool and cloth. Their rivalry funded cathedrals, town halls and towers, and the families that ran them — the Medici above all — paid for the art that defines the Renaissance.

Traditional founding of Rome: 753 BCE
End of the western empire: 476 CE
Venetian Republic: c. 697–1797
Medici rule in Florence: 1434–1737, with interruptions

See itColosseum →Pantheon →Colosseum and the Forum district →Ravenna's mosaics

2One country, late1 min

By 1815 Italy was divided among Austria, the Papal States, the Bourbon kingdom of the Two Sicilies and small duchies. The Risorgimento — conspirators like Mazzini, the diplomacy of Cavour and the volunteers of Garibaldi — joined them under the House of Savoy between 1859 and 1870. Rome fell last, taken from the Pope in 1870, which left the Church hostile to the new state until the Lateran Treaty of 1929.

The new kingdom was poor, largely illiterate and spoke many languages; standard Italian was a written Tuscan that few used at home. Millions emigrated to the Americas. After the First World War, Mussolini's Fascists took power in 1922, allied with Hitler and led Italy into defeat. A 1946 referendum abolished the monarchy and the 1948 constitution founded the current republic.

Post-war Italy became one of Europe's industrial powers in two decades — the 'economic miracle' of Fiat, Olivetti and Vespa — while the south lagged. Politics has been unstable in form but steady in substance: nearly 70 governments since 1946. Since 2022 a right-wing coalition led by Giorgia Meloni has governed, one of the longest-lasting administrations of the republic.

Kingdom of Italy proclaimed: 17 March 1861
Rome becomes capital: 1871
Republic by referendum: 2 June 1946
Governments since 1946: About 70

See itVittoriano (Altare della Patria), RomeRome →

3The Church next door1 min

Rome has been the centre of Catholicism for almost two thousand years, and the Papacy's presence shaped the city more than any emperor after Constantine. Baroque Rome — Bernini's fountains, the domes and piazzas — was built largely by popes and their families as propaganda for the Counter-Reformation.

Italy is still majority Catholic by baptism, but Sunday attendance is low and falling. Faith lives on in the calendar: patron saints' days close cities, Holy Week processions in Sicily and the south draw thousands, and small towns stage festivals built around statues carried through the streets. Churches remain working buildings, which is why dress codes and silence are enforced.

Since 1929 the Vatican has been a separate state inside Rome. Church and state relations are governed by a concordat revised in 1984; Catholicism is no longer the state religion, but religious teaching in schools and the 'eight per thousand' tax option keep ties close.

Lateran Treaty: 11 February 1929
State religion: None since 1984
Pope in 2026: Leo XIV, elected May 2025

See itSt Peter's Basilica →Vatican Museums →Vatican and Borgo →

4Twenty regions on a plate1 min

There is no single Italian cuisine: each region, and often each town, has its own pasta shapes, breads and rules. The north cooks with butter, rice and polenta; the south with olive oil, tomatoes and dried pasta. Emilia-Romagna, the belt of Parma, Modena and Bologna, is the richest kitchen, home to Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar and fresh egg pasta.

The meal structure — antipasto, primo, secondo, dolce — matters less than the rules around it: cappuccino only in the morning, no cheese on seafood, pasta as a course rather than a side. The protected-origin system (DOP and IGP) guards hundreds of products and is taken seriously by producers and customers alike.

Food is also politics. Slow Food began in Piedmont in 1986 as a protest against a McDonald's by the Spanish Steps; Neapolitan pizza-making is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list; and debates over whether carbonara may contain cream are national news. For visitors the practical lesson is simple: eat what the region cooks, at the time locals eat it.

DOP and IGP food products: More than 300
Slow Food founded: 1986, Bra (Piedmont)
Neapolitan pizza on UNESCO list: 2017

See itDa Baffetto, Rome →Bologna's Quadrilatero market

5The museum without walls1 min

Italy holds more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country, and much of its art is still where it was made: frescoes on chapel walls, altarpieces in the churches that commissioned them. The Renaissance began in early 15th-century Florence with Brunelleschi's dome and Masaccio's perspective, and moved to Rome under papal patronage with Michelangelo and Raphael.

Venice developed its own colour-driven painting with Bellini, Titian and Tintoretto; Rome became the centre of the Baroque with Caravaggio, Bernini and Borromini. In the 20th century Italy produced Futurism, the modern design of Milan and the post-war cinema of Rossellini, Fellini and Antonioni.

Looking after all this is a huge burden. State museums rely on ticket income and timed entry to manage crowds; the Uffizi, the Colosseum and the Vatican now sell out weeks ahead. City authorities in Venice, Florence and Rome have turned to entry fees, rental limits and behaviour rules to control visitor pressure.

UNESCO World Heritage sites: About 60, the most of any country — check
Florence cathedral dome completed: 1436
Sistine ceiling: Painted 1508–1512

See itPantheon and Navona →Trevi and the Spanish Steps →Trevi Fountain →

6Italy in 20261 min

Italy is Europe's third-largest economy and one of its most indebted, with a population that is shrinking and ageing faster than almost anywhere else. Young graduates leave for northern Europe; the south loses people to the north; and rural villages sell houses for one euro to attract new residents.

Tourism is both a pillar and a problem. Record arrivals after the pandemic, the 2025 Jubilee and the 2026 Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics brought money and crowds. Venice now charges day visitors on peak days, Rome charges for close access to the Trevi Fountain, Florence restricts new short-term rentals in the centre, and cities have raised tourist taxes.

Other pressures show up on a trip: summer heatwaves and wildfires, drought in the south, volcanic unrest at the Campi Flegrei near Naples, and frequent transport strikes. None make Italy hard to travel, but they reward planning — book timed sights early, keep a buffer day, and travel in spring or autumn.

Population: About 59 million, declining
Winter Olympics: Milan–Cortina, February 2026
Trevi Fountain basin fee: €2 since February 2026
Venice access fee days in 2026: 60, April–July — check next calendar

See itRome in three days →Monti, Rome →

Read, watch, wordsReading · Watching · Glossary · Sources4 parts

Reading

The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796 — Christopher DugganThe clearest one-volume account of modern Italy.
The Pursuit of Italy — David GilmourWhy the regions matter more than the nation.
My Brilliant Friend — Elena FerranteNaples from the 1950s onward, through two friends.
The Leopard — Giuseppe Tomasi di LampedusaSicily's aristocracy during unification.
Brunelleschi's Dome — Ross KingHow Florence built the impossible cupola.

Watching

Roman Holiday — William Wyler, 1953Rome on a Vespa.
La Dolce Vita — Federico Fellini, 1960Rome's post-war glamour and the Trevi Fountain.
The Great Beauty — Paolo Sorrentino, 2013Modern Rome at night.
Cinema Paradiso — Giuseppe Tornatore, 1988A Sicilian village and its cinema.

Glossary

Term	Local	Meaning
ZTL	zona a traffico limitato	Limited-traffic zone enforced by cameras in historic centres.
Coperto	coperto	Per-person cover charge on restaurant bills.
Sciopero	sciopero	Strike; transport strikes are announced in advance.
Ferragosto	Ferragosto	15 August holiday at the heart of the Italian summer break.
Imposta di soggiorno	imposta di soggiorno	City tourist tax paid per person per night.
Agriturismo	agriturismo	Farm stay, often with meals from the farm.
Passeggiata	passeggiata	The early-evening stroll through town.

Read for this deep dive

Background reading only: the text above is written by Voykit, not copied from these pages.

Sources

officialVisti per l'Italia (Italian Foreign Ministry visa portal)
officialEU — Entry/Exit System and ETIAS
officialItalia.it (official tourism site)
officialVenice Access Fee (City of Venice)
officialTrenitalia
officialMinistry of Infrastructure and Transport — strike calendar
officialProtezione Civile (Civil Protection)
officialParco archeologico del Colosseo
officialUK travel advice — Italy
secondaryWikivoyage — Italy

Open Rome Up to Italy and Malta

Holidays and festivals in September

Read or watch before you go

Also with a guide 111

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Budget calculator

By land and river

Natural and on-the-ground hazards

Alerts and apps

Police, embassies, paperwork

Tipping by situation

Opening hours

Working legally

Etiquette

Everyday manners

Dish finder

Table manners

Diets: the reality

Registration and the law

Booking reality

Tax-free and refunds

Prices and bargaining

What to bring home

Customs allowances on arrival

Reading

Watching

Glossary

Read for this deep dive