Italy travel guide

Getting there

Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa are the main international airports, with many others including Venice, Naples, Bologna and Catania. Italy is in the Schengen area with rail and road links to France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, and ferries to Greece, Croatia and beyond.

Best time to visit: Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct – warm weather and fewer crowds.

Tougher months: No bad time - but July-August is very hot and crowded in cities, and many coastal businesses close in winter.

Weather by month in Rome

• 12°J●
• 13°F●
• 16°M●
• 19°A●
• 24°M●
• 28°J
• 31°J
• 31°A
• 27°S●
• 22°O●●
• 16°N●●
• 13°D●●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Europe/Rome. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 93 of 198 other passports can enter Italy without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 105 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of the Schengen Area (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-09-10). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Italy travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Italy are based around Rome, Florence or Venice. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$60–90 for a backpacker and US$150–260 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Italy page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: C, F, L. Voltage: 230 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +39.

Mobile data: read the eSIM for Europe before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Rome (Lazio · ancient capital): The Eternal City, layered with ancient ruins, Baroque fountains and lively piazzas.
• Florence (Tuscany · Renaissance art): The cradle of the Renaissance, packed with masterpieces, churches and artisan workshops.
• Venice (Veneto · canals): A unique city built on water, with palaces, bridges and lagoon islands like Burano.
• Amalfi Coast (Campania · coastline): Dramatic cliffs, lemon groves and colourful villages above the Tyrrhenian Sea.
• Cinque Terre (Liguria · coastal villages): Five villages linked by trails and trains, set among terraced vineyards.
• Dolomites (Alps · mountains): UNESCO-listed peaks perfect for hiking in summer and skiing in winter.
• Sicily (Island · history & food): Greek temples, Baroque towns, Mount Etna and some of Italy's best street food.
• Puglia (South · countryside & coast): Trulli houses in Alberobello, whitewashed towns and long sandy beaches.

Things to do

• Step into ancient Rome. Walk through the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill where an empire was ruled.
• Admire Renaissance Florence. See Michelangelo's David and the Uffizi masterpieces, then climb Brunelleschi's dome.
• Get lost in Venice. Wander canals and backstreets away from St Mark's Square and ride a vaporetto down the Grand Canal.
• Explore Pompeii. Walk streets, houses and frescoes preserved by the eruption of Vesuvius.
• Drive the Amalfi Coast. Follow a cliff-hugging road between pastel villages like Positano and Ravello.
• Hike the Cinque Terre. Walk coastal paths linking five colourful fishing villages perched above the sea.
• Taste wine in Tuscany. Sip Chianti and Brunello among cypress-lined hills and medieval hill towns.
• Hike the Dolomites. Trek among jagged pale peaks and alpine meadows in Italy's northern mountains.

Source: full Italy guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Pizza Napoletana – soft, wood-fired pizza from Naples
• Carbonara – pasta with egg, cheese, pepper and cured pork
• Gelato – dense, creamy Italian ice cream
• Risotto alla milanese – saffron rice from Milan

Source: RoamSun Italy guide

Talk

Twenty basic Italian phrases with a simple sound guide. Say them slowly; a smile does the rest.

Basic phrases: pronunciation is approximate and the list has not yet been reviewed by a native speaker. Capital letters mark the stressed syllable where that applies. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Money and safety

Currency: Euro (EUR). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Not required – a small 'coperto' cover charge is common; round up for good service.

Emergency numbers: 112 general · 113 police · 118 ambulance · 115 fire.

• Italy uses the euro; cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for small cafés, markets and rural areas.
• Restaurants may add a coperto (cover charge) per person, which is normal and listed on the menu.
• Italy is safe, but pickpockets target crowded tourist sites, train stations and public transport in big cities.
• Be wary of street scams such as friendship bracelets or petitions, and keep bags zipped.

Source: RoamSun Italy facts