Why Italy, Why Now
Italy is one of those countries that actually lives up to the hype. Rome has 2,000 years of history stacked on top of itself. Florence is basically an open-air museum with better coffee. Venice shouldn't physically work but somehow does. And that's before you get to the food, which is so good it's almost offensive that other countries even try.
But here's what most guides skip: Italy is also surprisingly easy to do on a budget if you know the tricks. Train travel between cities is cheap and fast. Eating where locals eat cuts your food bill in half. And some of the best experiences, walking Trastevere at dusk, watching sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo, swimming off Cinque Terre's rocks, cost absolutely nothing. This guide covers all of it. City guides, road trips, costs, transport, and the stuff that actually matters when you're trying to plan a trip that doesn't blow your savings.
Best Time To Visit
If you're planning to visit popular spots like Rome, Venice, or Milan, avoid July and especially August, when the heat and crowds both peak. April to late June, and September or October, is the sweet spot for weather and lighter crowds. For a full month by month look, read our complete guide.
Spring (Apr to Jun)
Our pickComfortable temperatures, fewer crowds than summer, and gardens across the country in full bloom. Ideal for city breaks and walking tours.
Summer (Jul to Aug)
Peak seasonDaily averages around 23-24°C, but it climbs higher inland and further south. August is when most Italians take their own holidays, so resorts get especially busy.
Autumn (Sep to Oct)
Our other pickThe second sweet spot alongside spring. Warm enough for the south, cooler and calmer everywhere else, and the summer crowds have mostly gone home.
Winter (Nov to Mar)
Christmas marketsQuieter and cheaper, with Christmas markets running November into December. Northern cities like Milan and Venice get properly cold, so pack accordingly.
See Italy in 60 Seconds
One minute of ruins, coastlines, and way too much pasta. Then read on for the full story.
Italy is a country where world-famous landmarks, incredible food, breathtaking coastlines, and centuries of history come together at every turn. In just 60 seconds, we’ll explore the ancient streets of Rome, the canals of Venice, the rolling hills of Tuscany, the dramatic Amalfi Coast, the lakes of the north, and the timeless beauty of cities like Florence and Milan. Whether you’re travelling for the history, the scenery, the cuisine, or simply to embrace la dolce vita, Italy is a destination that never stops inspiring.
Book The Essentials
The exact booking sites we use ourselves. Nothing here we wouldn't personally recommend.
What To Expect
The practical stuff, minus the waffle.
Capital
Rome. Two thousand years of history stacked on top of itself, and the obvious place to start any Italy trip.
Language
Italian is the official language. "Hello" is "Ciao" and "thank you" is "Grazie". English is common in tourist areas, less so outside them.
Currency
The Euro (€). £1 GBP is roughly €1.18. Check XE for the latest rates.
Cards & ATMs
Use your card whenever you can for the best exchange rate. ATMs are everywhere in Italy's major cities and towns, but always keep some cash on hand, if only for a gelato.
Plugs
Types C, F, and L, 230V, 50Hz. Type L (three pins in a line) is uniquely Italian, so a universal adapter is the safest bet.
Safety
Ranks 38th out of 163 countries on the Global Peace Index, a good score. The main thing to watch for is pickpockets in busy tourist spots.
Getting Around
Trains are the best way to travel between cities, sit back and watch the scenery. In Rome, use the Metro, grab a bicycle, or just walk.
Never Ever
You don't have to tip in Italy. Service is usually already included as a service charge on the restaurant bill.
Live Weather in Rome
Straight from the source, updated as you read this.
31°C
- Temperature
Italy Travel Guides
City breaks, coastal road trips, ancient ruins, and way too much pasta. Here's everything you need.
Rome Travel Guide: Things to Do, Where to Eat, Places to Stay
The Colosseum, the Forum, and the best gelato in the city. Everything for a first trip to Rome.
Read the guideA First-Timer's Guide to Venice: Unlocking the Floating City!
Canals, backstreets, and how to see Venice properly instead of just the postcard bits.
Read the guideIs Naples Worth Visiting? Honest Thoughts From a First-Time Trip
Chaotic, loud, and genuinely brilliant. An honest take on whether Naples deserves your time.
Read the guideRome Walking Tour + Map: Ruins, Piazzas & Gelato
A mapped walking route through the ruins and piazzas, with gelato stops built in where they matter.
Get the routeThe Ultimate North-to-South Italy Road Trip Route + Map
Alps to Sicily, mapped out stop by stop, for anyone who wants to see the whole country by road.
Get the routeHow to Visit the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel
Tickets, timings, and how to actually enjoy the Sistine Chapel without being shoulder to shoulder with a tour group.
Plan your visitPompeii vs Herculaneum: Which Ancient Site Should You Visit?
Both preserved by the same eruption, but very different visits. Here's which one fits your trip.
Compare the sitesThe Best Time to Visit Italy: A Month-by-Month Guide
Weather, crowds, and prices broken down by month, from ski season in the Alps to beach season in the south.
Pick your month9 Mistakes to Avoid Before Visiting Rome, Italy
The rookie errors that catch out most first-time visitors, sorted before you land.
Get the tipsLatest Italy Articles
Every Italy guide we publish lands here automatically.
City Guides
Itineraries + Maps
Best Places to Visit & Things to Do
Best Time to Visit
Travel Tips
Everything Else
How Much Does Italy Cost?
Italy has a reputation for being expensive. It can be. But it doesn't have to be. Here's a realistic breakdown.
Backpacker
- Hostel dorms from €20 a night
- Pizza al taglio, market groceries, street food
- Public transport and walking
- Free churches, piazzas, parks, and viewpoints
Mid-Range
- Private rooms, budget hotels, or Airbnbs
- Trattorias, wine bars, aperitivo hour
- Mix of trains and occasional taxi
- Museum entries, guided tours, boat trips
Upscale
- Boutique hotels, luxury villas, historic palazzi
- Fine dining, Michelin restaurants, rooftop bars
- Private tours, first-class rail, car hire
- Cooking classes in Tuscany, gondola rides in Venice
Detailed Cost Breakdown
Real prices in euros, pounds, and dollars. Pick a category.
Budget
Mid to Luxury
City Travel
Long Distance
Eat Cheap
Eating Out
Budget Fun
Big Experiences
Tips for Saving Money in Italy
Ten ways to keep an Italy trip affordable.
Italy's public water fountains, especially Rome's nasoni, are everywhere and the water's great. Skip the €3 bottles.
Coffee, pastries, even wine cost less if you stand at the counter. The moment you sit down, prices go up, it's literally a different price list in most places.
Florence, Venice, Siena, Rome's centro storico, these are small areas. You don't need transport for most of what you want to see.
Most state-run museums are free on the first Sunday of every month. The Colosseum, Uffizi, Borghese Gallery, all included. Plan around it.
High-speed rail prices double or triple closer to the date. Book 4 to 6 weeks out and you'll pay a fraction of walk-up fares.
If a restaurant has photos of food on the menu and someone waving you in from outside, keep walking. The best trattorias are one street back, no English menu, full of Italians at 8:30pm.
A 15-minute bus ride from the centre can halve your accommodation costs. Rome's Trastevere and Testaccio, Florence's Oltrarno, Venice's Mestre, all cheaper, all good.
Between 6pm and 8pm, most bars offer a drink plus a free buffet of snacks, bruschetta, pasta, and more. Basically a free dinner with an €8-12 drink.
The Roma Pass, Firenze Card, and Venice city passes can save money if you're hitting 3+ paid attractions. Do the maths first though, sometimes individual tickets are cheaper.
Data roaming adds up. An Airalo eSIM gives you local data from around €5 for your trip, way cheaper than airport SIM cards or hotel WiFi upsells.
Getting Around Italy
Italy's surprisingly well connected. Trains are the backbone, but there's a right way and a wrong way to get between places. Here's the short version.
Domestic Flights
Only worth it for long distances, like Milan to Sicily. For everything else, the train's faster door-to-door.
- Quick for north-south routes
- Budget airlines from €25 if booked early
- Airport time kills the advantage on shorter routes
Car Rental
The move for Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, and anywhere rural. Do not rent a car for city-only trips, Italian city driving is chaos.
- Total freedom for countryside and coast
- From €40/day (£35 / $46)
- ZTL zones in city centres will get you fined
Ferries & Boats
Connects the mainland to Sardinia, Sicily, Capri, and the Aeolian Islands. Venice's vaporetto water buses are transport and a sightseeing tour in one.
- Only way to reach some islands
- Venice vaporetto pass: great value
- Can be pricey for cars, Sardinia especially
High-Speed Rail
The best way to move between major cities. Rome to Florence in 90 minutes, Rome to Milan in under 3 hours. City-centre to city-centre.
- Fast, frequent, city-centre stations
- Cheap if booked 4-6 weeks early
- Walk-up prices are brutal
Intercity Bus
Cheap and reliable within regions. Also connects smaller towns that trains skip, especially in Tuscany, Puglia, and Sicily.
- Cheapest option at €1.50 per ride
- Reaches towns trains don't
- Slower, less comfortable for long distances
Walking & Cycling
Honestly the best way to see Italian cities. Florence is tiny on foot, Rome's centro storico is walkable, and Venice has no choice, there are no cars.
- Free (walking) or €10-20/day (bike rental)
- You find the best stuff on foot
- Hills in some cities are no joke (looking at you, Positano)
Which Is Right For You?
Walk everywhere, metro for the far bits.
High-speed train, book early.
Rent a car. No question.
Ferry plus local bus or scooter.
Quick Tips
Trenitalia and Italo prices double within 2 weeks of travel. 4-6 weeks out is the sweet spot.
Most Italian city centres have restricted traffic zones. Drive in without a permit and the fine finds you months later.
Bus and regional train tickets must be validated before boarding. Inspectors fine you even with a valid ticket if it isn't stamped.
Frecciarossa high-speed trains run every 30-60 minutes on major routes. If you miss one, the next is never far behind.
Related Resources
Because good trips still hit bumps. Here's the backup plan.
Travel Problems
Missed flights, lost luggage, dodgy hotels. It happens. Here's how to handle all of it without losing your mind.
Read the GuidesTheft & Scams
Pickpockets, tourist traps, and cons you won't see coming. We break down the most common ones and how to dodge them.
Protect YourselfTravel Insurance
Don't skip this one, especially travelling solo. We compare the best policies and explain what you actually need.
Find the Right PolicyItaly Travel FAQs
The questions we get asked most, answered honestly.
Do I need a visa to visit Italy?
Is Italy safe for tourists?
When is the best time to visit Italy?
How long do I need in Italy?
Is Italy expensive?
What's the best way to get around Italy?
Do I need travel insurance for Italy?
Can I drink the tap water in Italy?
Do I need to tip in Italy?
What power adapter do I need for Italy?
Travel Hubs Worth A Look
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