Italy Travel Guide

This travel guide is filled with tips on how to plan your unforgettable holidays in Italy. This country is famous for being the cradle of Renaissance, a massive collection of art and monuments, trendy fashion, luxury sports cars and motorbikes as well as the most beautiful coastline, lakes and mountains. Italians can truly be proud of their cuisine with pasta and pizza being popular all over the word and the hundreds of hand gestures used in every day life.

What to Visit in Italy

• 

• 

Italy is the country in Southern Europe, located on the boot-shaped Italian Peninsula (Apennine Peninsula). Italian borders stretch from the southern Alps down north to the banks of the Mediterranean Sea. Italy covers an area of 301,340 square km with the population reaching over 60,4 million and the capital in Rome. It also has two independent mini – states (San Marino and Vatican City) and those are outside the European Union but still in Schengen area.

Other Things to See in Italy

When in Italy, you should plan a visit in the major Italian cites. The countries within the country are San Marino and Vatican. The second one is the capital of the Roman Catholic Church and that’s where you find the St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums. The eternal city of Rome is full of the Christian churches, piazzas (squares), fountains and the most famous Colosseum the with Roman Forum.

Venice is where the romantic Grand Canal gondola ride is a must. On the other hand, Romeo and Juliet made Verona famous. The city of Pisa can’t be done without a selfie near the Leaning Tower and Naples is meant for stuffing with pizza, where it originates from. Generally, the food lovers can indulge in the splendour of Italian cuisine all over the country, but should keep in mind the Bolognese sauce was invented in Bologna.

For the most sophisticated shopping experience, you have to visit Milan and for the Renaissance art, Florence is the best destination. If you want to admire the Roman ruins, you must go to Pompeii and Herculaneum, the cities once covered and destroyed by the hot lava.

Those, who wish to try the fresh wine produce, should visit the region of Tuscany. If you love relaxing in the woods, try heading north to Lake Como or Garda. The best hiking trails are based in the Italian Alps, Dolomites, the Mount Etna or the slopes of the charming village of Cinque Terre.

The sun seekers certainly find the beach paradise on the Amalfi Coast or the beautiful islands such as Capri, Sardinia or Sicily. The interesting architecture can be found in Alberobello (whitewashed stone huts) and romantic strolls in the city of Sorrento.

Don’t leave Italy without seeing:

• Vatican – St. Peter’s Basilica
• Rome – over 900 churches
• Colosseum, Roman Forum
• Venice – Grand Canal gondola ride
• Verona – Romeo and Juliet
• Pisa – Leaning Tower
• Naples – pizza origin
• Bologna – Bolognese sauce
• Milan – trendy shopping
• Florence – Renaissance art
• Pompeii – Roman ruins
• Tuscany – best wineries
• Lake Como and Garda
• Italian Alps – Mont Blanc
• Mount Etna and Palermo in Sicily
• Cinque Terre – charming village
• Amalfi Coast – romantic gateway
• Capri or Sardinia – island beaches
• Alberobello – whitewashed huts
• Sorrento – romantic strolls

Hiking in Italy

The highest peak in Italy is the Mont Blanc (4,810 m) which is also the highest mountain in Europe and in the Alps. It’s located in the Aosta Valley, in the northern parts of Italy and shared with France and Switzerland. There are many mountains in Italy and the major ones include:

• Alps (North of Italy, Aosta Valley)
• Apennines (North, Central, South)
• Dolomites (eastern part of the Alps)

Hiking Trails in Italy

Best hiking trails in Italy include the Sentiero Azzurro (the blue path) from Monterosso to Corniglia (in Cinque Terre, Liguria), Tre Cime di Lavaredo in Dolomites, Alta Via 1 in Dolomites, Il Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods) on Amalfi Coast, Selvaggio Blu in Sardinia, Valtellina in Lombardy, Stromboli on Aeolian Islands in Sicily, Monte Bianco and Monte Rosa in Aosta Valley, Green Way around the Italian Lakes (Como and Garda), Mount Etna Hike in Sicily (Germoplasma Trail), Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii, Renaissance Ring in Florence, Chianti Trail in Tuscany, Val d’Orcia through Crete Senesi in Tuscany, Corno Grande in Abruzzo (Apennines) and the highest peak of Corno Grande in Apennines.

Beaches in Italy

Italy has the beautiful coastline of 7,782 km with over 450 islands. It’s surrounded by waters of the Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Mediterranean, Ionian and Adriatic Sea. Obviously, the most popular islands in Italy are Sicily, Sardinia and Capri. Other islands also worth visiting include Ischia, Elba, Procida, Aeolian Islands, Ustica, Pantelleria, Aegadi and Pelagie Islands.

Where to Stay in Italy

If you want to spend your holidays in Italy, it’s good to know there are 60 provinces and roughly 450 islands to choose from. Generally, the country is divided into 5 main regions: the Northwest, Northeast, Central, Southern Italy.

	Regions	Main Cities
Northwest	Aosta Valley (The Alps, Mont Blanc), Liguria, Lombardy, Piedmont	Milan, Turin, Lake Como, Lake Grande
Northeast	Emilia – Romanga, Friuli – Venezia Giulia, Trentino – South Tyrol, Veneto	Venice, Verona, Bologna, South Tyrol
Central	Lazio, Marche, Tuscany, Umbria	Rome, Florence, Pisa
Southern	Abruzzo, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise	Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Positano, Capri,
Islands	Sardinia, Sicily, Capri	Cagliari, Palermo

Most recommended hotels in Italy:

• Le Reve Charmant in Aosta
• B&B Al Nabuisson in Aosta
• Atlante Star Hotel in Rome

What to Eat in Italy

Everyone loves Italian food! It’s one of the most delicious cuisines in the world with lots of fresh ingrediencies in use. The best thing about Italian food is that it doesn’t take ages to cook and you can use whatever you’ve got left in your kitchen. The traditional dishes to try in Italy:

• Caprese Salad – tomatoes, mozzarella with pesto sauce
• Pazenella – bread salad with tomatoes and other veggies
• Bruschetta – grilled bread with garlic, tomatoes and and basil
• Focaccia Bread – dough baked with onions, olives, tomatoes, basil, parmesan
• Carbonara – pasta with egg, hard cheese, cured pork and black pepper
• Margherita Pizza – classic tomatoes, basil and mozzarella on the dough
• Mushroom Risotto – creamy rice and mushroom dish
• Pasta Con Pomodoro – pasta in a tomato sauce with basil
• Lasagne – pasta layered with minced lamb, Bolognese, veggies, béchamel sauce and parmesan
• Tiramisu – sponge fingers with coffee, mascarpone and cocoa
• Pistachio Panna Cotta – desert made of gelatine, cream and milk
• Gelato – creamy ice cream made of fresh fruit

Read more: Traditional Italian Food

How to Get Around Italy

It’s really easy to travel around Italy. The public transport is reliable with trains and buses being well equipped and comfortable. The car hire is one option you can take advantage of when travelling the long distance. For the shorter trips, you’d be better off renting the scooters or booking a taxi.

Italy Travel Guide – Cost and Budget

If you’re backpacking Italy, your daily budget should be between £50 and £80. That’s assuming you stay in the shared dorm room, eat Italian street food like pizza, fried olives or cannoli (or dine in the gastronomia – self service), use the public transport and visit the main tourist attractions.

If you travel Italy on the mid – range budget, you should spend between £100 and £110. That allows you to stay in a nice hotel room, dine in the local restaurant, book taxis and take guided tours.

If you want luxury holidays in Italy, be ready to spend between £180 to £250 a day. This budget will make it possible to stay in a few star hotel, dine in posh restaurants, hire the car and book private tours.

	Accommodation	Food	Transport	Attractions	Avg Daily Cost
Backpacker	£20-£40	£15-£20	£10	£10	£50-£80
Mid-Range	£45-£60	£30	£15	£15	£100-£110
Luxury	£70-£120	£40	£30	£40-£60	£180-£250

Italy Travel Guide – Best Time to Visit

The truth is, Italy is perfect to visit any time of the year, but ideally it’s best to go in summer between June and August. Those months have plenty of sunshine, no rain and pleasant temperatures.

Generally, the best time for the cheap sightseeing is spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). Those months bring the average temperatures of 13°C to 24°C.

TIP: Spring events in Italy: Venice’s Carnival. Autumn events in Italy: Grape harvest season in Val d’Orcia in the region of Tuscany.

If you want a beach holidays in Italy, you should travel in summer (June to August). That’s when the temperatures reach up to 32°C along the coastline. The most popular islands are Sardinia and Sicily but visiting Positano on the Amalfi coast with the neighbouring Capri island is also highly recommended.

TIP: Italy’s Independence Day: the 2nd of June.

If you want a ski holidays in Italy, you should travel to Aosta Valley in winter (November to March). Those months bring a lot of snow and freezing temperatures between -4°C and 5°C which is perfect for skiing, snowboarding or visiting the Mont Blanc (the highest mountain in Europe).

TIP: Christmas in Italy in December.

Italy Travel Guide – Average Monthly Temperatures

Italy is the hottest during summer from June to August. Those months bring the average temperatures between 24°C and 28°C with July being the hottest. Italy is the coldest in winter from December to February. Those months have the average temperatures between 9°C to 10°C and bring a lot of snowfall to the north of Italy, especially around the Alps. The coldest month in Italy is January (9°C) but the average monthly temperatures in the south, central and the north of the country vary throughout the year.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp (°C)	9	10	13	16	20	24	28	27	24	19	14	10
Low Temp (°C)	2	3	5	7	11	15	18	17	15	11	7	4

Italy Travel Guide – Average Monthly Precipitation

The most of rain and snow is seen in Italy in winter between December and February. November is the month when it rains the most in the Southern and Central parts of Italy with average 115 mm and 10 days of showers a month. December is the month when it snows the most in the Northern Italy with average 120 mm and 11 days of snowfall a month. If you travel to Italy in winter, you will enjoy skiing in the Alps and seeing the snowy Mont Blanc which is the highest mountain in Europe.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rain/Snowfall (mm)	96	78	70	51	66	45	33	22	80	110	115	120
Rain/Snowfall (days)	9	8	9	11	9	6	4	1	8	10	10	11

Italy Travel Guide – Practical Information

This part of my travel guide is full of tips on what to expect during your holidays in Italy. For more information on language and local time, religion, electricity plug, internet, currency, visa, safety and health matters in Italy, just follow my suggestions below.

Population and Language – Around 60,6 million people live in Italy. The official language is Italian with the capital in Rome. Most Italians speak good English.

Religion – 74% Catholic Church, 23% Irreligious, 3% Others.

Local Time – There is 1 time zone in Italy, UTC+1 hour.

Electricity – Italy runs on 230V voltage. There is 50Hz and the plug type C, F and L. Getting an adapter is recommended.

Internet – The internet in Italy is available pretty much all over the country. There is a free Wi-Fi in hotels and restaurants and many hotspots around Italian cities (Rome, Milan, Bologna, Venice and Florence). It’s recommended to buy a cheap sim card and mobile internet on arrival. Best prepaid sim cards in Italy are: Tim, Vodafone, Wind and 3 (Tre).

Money and Currency in Italy

Money – In Italy the ATMs are widely available. Withdrawing your money from the bank AMTs around big cities will charge you a standard fee. Visa, MasterCard, Eurocard, Cirrus Debit and Credit Cards are accepted pretty much everywhere. Cash may come in handy when paying small street vendors.

Currency – The official currency in Italy is Euro (€) (EUR).

Visa Requirements for Italy

Visa – EU citizens don’t need a visa to travel to Italy thanks to the Schengen Zone Area that allows you free travel with no passport or border control. The UK left the EU on 31st of January 2020 meaning the UK citizens can spend up to 90 days within the Schengen Area (during any 180 day period). Valid ID document is required. Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders and Americans don’t need a visa to Italy if their trips are less than 90 days. Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months before your travels.

Safety in Italy

Safety Travelling in Italy is pretty safe. The country is politically stable with very little crime. Petty theft might be a problem in places where tourists are congested.

Emergency Numbers – In Italy an emergency number to dial is 112. The numbers for the particular emergency services in Italy are: Police – 113, Fire – 115, Medical Services – 118.

Health and Travel Vaccinations in Italy

Health – Travelling to Italy requires doesn’t require any additional vaccinations. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that everyone is covered for the diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, hepatitis A, hepatitis B regardless of their destination.