3 month trip to italy

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How to plan an Italy trip

Want to know how to plan an Italy trip? You’ve come to the right place. Italy trip planning is one of our favorite things to do. So much so that we set up this website.

We wrote this article to take you step by step through planning your trip. From deciding when to go and how much it will cost to what to take and how to use your mobile phone, it’s all here to remove the overwhelm and make your trip planning easier. Even if you choose to hire a travel agent to assist with your bookings, it is a good idea to walk through these steps as it will help the agent build the best trip for you.

You can see an overview of the steps you need to follow in the article contents below. Follow our guide and you’ll be on your way to planning your own trip or choosing the right tour for you and your travel companions.

Article contents

Step 1 – Decide when you want to go and your budget

When to go to italy.

There is no bad time to visit Italy but there may be one that suits you better. Depending on your interests and the places you want to see you need to be aware of seasonal differences that you need to know about:

• Summer – June to August: peak tourist season, weather is hot and prices higher. Many Italians are on vacation and the coastal areas are very busy especially in mid August
• Fall / Autumn – September to November: September remains hot and busy in most of the major tourist centers. By October the weather is cooling and ferry services on the coast and lakes stop running. At this time grape harvest is in full swing. November is generally quite wet but there is lots of sunshine between the showers.
• Winter – December to February: As the weather cools so do the crowds. Attractions are much less busy and the lead up to Christmas is magical with lights and decorations in shop windows. In January and February restaurants in many coastal areas are closed. February’s Carnevale in Venice is generally one of the most expensive times to visit the city
• Spring – March to May: In March and April wildflowers bloom and the countryside is awash with color. Easter is a popular holiday for Europeans to visit Italian cities especially Rome, Florence and Venice.

NOTE: peak season in the most visited destinations is May – October.

Our favorite time to visit Italy in the shoulder months. In April and May and October and November the weather is generally sunny and mild, the crowds are manageable and you can find great value deals on your flight and accommodation.

Although we are past the worst of the pandemic and travel restrictions, things can change quickly – you can check our article Can you travel to Italy plus current situation.  We update this regularly with the latest travel news.  

READ: Our full article on the best time to visit Italy

How much will it cost?

This will depend on your expectations, interests and travel style. You can travel very cheaply in Italy if you visit lesser-known regional areas and avoid the big cities. Even in the big cities it is possible to find free attractions and budget accommodation if you know where to look.

If you want to see the main sights and enjoy experiences such as cooking classes, private boat cruises and wine tours then the sky is really the limit when it comes to cost.

Most travelers fall somewhere in the middle however and a reasonable daily budget per person for food, transport and activities is around €100 on top of flights and accommodation.

READ: Our full article on Budgeting for your trip to Italy.

Expert Assistance

Need some help planning your trip?

Book in for a trip consultation with our expert Italy travel planners ready to help you build your dream vacation in Italy whether that be a classic first timer trip or an off the beaten path adventure

Step 2 – Do some preliminary research and preparation

Where to research your trip to italy.

From online news and magazines, blogs, Instagram, Facebook groups (check out Italy Travel Planning ) and even podcasts like ours – there are thousands of resources online. I am sure you’ve already seen quite a few of them already. Sometimes endless options can be overwhelming so we recommend collecting ideas in an online folder or scrapbook and organizing them into destinations that you really want to see.

You’ll probably want to “do it all” but really have a think about your interests and what will best suit you and your travel style. Once you have some ideas, it’s best to consult a structured resource to check your assumptions and thoughts.

Traditional guidebooks definitely have their place for planning a trip to Italy. Well researched and structured, they’ll give you in depth information on destinations and sights to see as well as practical tips to help you plan. Even after 30+ trips to Italy we still consult guidebooks for new destinations we want to visit. You can find our favorite Italy guidebooks here .

Italy travel planners

We noticed that even guidebooks can provide too much information in the planning process so we created one page travel planners for the top places to visit in Italy. Our planners tell you the top sights, best viewpoints, must have experiences and our favorite places to eat (including best gelato stops) in each place.

You can print them off or keep them on your phone and there’s a link to an online map so you can map out your days. We have guides for Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Cinque Terre, Amalfi Coast and Sorrento. Our goal is always to simplify the trip planning process and we know you will find them useful.

DISCOVER: Our Digital travel guides and planners .

Group tour itineraries

Tour companies – like ours ! – put a lot of effort into designing tours that cover the main sights and even lesser known regions. They know the times it takes to get around and how long you can stay in each place to get a taste or feel for the destination.

We often check itineraries of places we would like to visit as an input into our own planning.  Here are some recommended tour companies and itineraries to investigate.

Private tours

If you want maximum flexibility and comfort, consider a private driving tour . From the moment you land, to when you depart, you’ll have a personal driver with local knowledge making sure your trip is exactly what you imagined.

Passports and visas

At this stage of your planning it is a good idea to check the validity of your passport and if you require a visa. Citizens of the United States, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and New Zealand may enter Italy and stay up to 90 days without a visa within an 180 day period. You must have 6 months validity on your passport when you enter Italy. Go and check this now as it can take several months for new passports to be processed.

All other nationalities should check this Italian government site that will walk you through whether a visa is required for your visit.

Citizens of the European Union can travel with photo identification.

Please note – this information is subject to change and it is always best to check with your local foreign office for the latest advice on travel to Italy.

• United States –  click here
• Australia –  click here
• United Kingdom –  click here
• Canada –  click here

READ: Can you travel to Italy plus current situation .

Step 3 – Confirm your itinerary

Itinerary planning is where many people get stuck. We understand. There are so many amazing places to see in Italy that deciding where to go and how much time to spend there can be hard. As a general rule, we like to spend a minimum of three nights in each place to minimize time spent traveling and also enjoy each place as much as possible. So if you have a 10 day trip then 3 main stops would be a good baseline to start with.

Where to go

From your research, you probably have an idea of where you want to go. You may want to visit the popular cities and regions on your first trip however each city and region in Italy offers something special.

Most popular cities

Most popular regions.

On our site, you can also browse Italy’s lesser-known cities and regions on the destinations page or visit our article on hidden gems in Italy for inspiration.

Itinerary suggestions

As a general rule, for a 3-5 day trip we suggest choosing one destination – a city or region. If you have a week to 10 days then you can plan 1-3 places in either the north OR south of Italy. In a two week trip you could cover 3-4 places and see both north and south.

Try not to squeeze too much in. It’s easy to underestimate transit times and getting in and out of airports and train stations. Plus you want to have plenty of time to enjoy yourself and soak up every last moment.

Suggested itineraries

If it is your first trip to Italy, like many first-time visitors you may choose to start your journey in Rome and visit Florence and Venice. This 10 day Italy itinerary covers that route. It includes detailed instructions on how to make the most of your time in Italy.

Want our FREE Italy trip planning checklist? >> Click here .

Alternative 10 day itinerary suggestions

Most people travel to Italy for 10 to 14 days so we built some itinerary suggestions to cater for that time frame that cover both northern and southern Italy.

Group Tours

Packaged group tours of Italy are a popular way to travel and avoid the stress of planning your own trip. They are also a great option if you would like some company along the way. Here is a quick summary of popular tour companies:

• Untold Italy small group tours – we run exclusive small group tours for food and wine-loving travelers wanting to get off the beaten path to see hidden Italy beyond the major cities and tourist areas. We lead groups of 14 people on journeys of discovery to experience the regions of Sicily, Puglia, Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria, Bologna and surrounds, Capri and the Cilento coasts > learn more
• Trafalgar – popular and well respected brand appealing to the 50+ age group. Travel is by coach and the focus is on culture and history. Expect group sizes of 40-45 passengers and 4 star hotels. Trafalgar also include interesting local experiences such as wine tastings and unique stays in their itineraries. Check out their popular Best of Italy tour
• Intrepid Travel – small group tours with an average of 10 travelers with plenty of free time built in for exploring. Their popular Italy Real Food Adventure is an 8 day itinerary that showcases their travel style well
• Peregrine – Intrepid’s premium brand offers some interesting hiking tours of the Italian Lakes and Amalfi Coast
• Tourradar – is a market place for group packaged tours where you can browse hundreds of package tours by different operators, and by date. You then filter by your interests and age group and read detailed reviews. You can browse fully organized tours to independent self-drive or train itineraries

READ: Our full article on the Best package tours for Italy .

When should you start booking your trip?

Italy is one of the most visited destinations in the world, so in our opinion, it is never too early to start the booking process. Book accommodation as soon as possible, and at least 6-12 months in advance especially for peak times in July and August.  We prefer to pay the higher rate for flexible bookings on both Booking.com and Plum Guide .

Day tour and attractions also sell out months in advance at peak times. In 2020 our preferred booking site GetYourGuide refunded all tours canceled due to the pandemic and stand by their policy of allowing cancelations with a full refund up to 24 hours before your activity starts.

Flight bookings will depend on where you are flying from. For long haul flights the best deals are generally found 6-12 months in advance while deals pop up regularly for travel within Europe.

Rail bookings can be made up to 4 months in advance on high speed intercity and standard intercity trains.

Step 4 – Book your flights, inbound travel & insurance

Flights to italy.

It is easy to fly direct (or with a single stop) into Italy from most places in the world. Rome Fiumicino [Leonardo da Vinci](FCO) international airport is the main hub for air traffic but you can also easily fly into Milan Malpensa (MXP) or Venice Marco Polo (VCE) airports from major hubs around the world.

There are many other airports throughout the country that can be accessed within Italy and Europe. Pisa is useful for trips to Tuscany and the Cinque Terre and you will need to fly into both Sicily and Sardinia.

To source the best flight deals to Italy we use a combination of Skyscanner ,  CheapoAir  and  Google flights .

• Skyscanner  – portal where you can view cheapest days and routes to fly and set alerts for price drops
• CheapoAir – uncovers the best deals on first and business class flights around the world
• Google flights  – great for checking schedules and airline routes

Secure the best deals by setting up alerts on Skyscanner for the month you wish to travel and wait for price drops. It’s good to have a price that you wish to pay in mind but be prepared to be flexible on dates and stopovers. It is often cheaper to fly into Milan rather than Rome and that city is a useful entry point for northern Italy itineraries.

TIP: always use an incognito browser window to search for flight deals. Prices are amended up for users known to be searching for specific dates and times.

Inbound rail from within Europe

Major Italian cities – Milan, Rome, Florence and Venice – have fantastic fast speed train links from other capitals and major cities in Europe. The website  Seat 61  is a great resource for planning train travel within Europe.

Bus travel to Italy

If you’re on a tight budget and traveling within Europe, then you might want to consider coming to Italy by bus. Low cost operator  Flixbus covers 3,000 destinations in 39 countries.

You can compare schedules and prices using Omio – a useful site for booking a combination of train, bus and air travel within Europe.

Organize travel insurance

Once you have booked your flights or tour, we recommend organizing travel insurance straight away. The main reason you should purchase insurance is to cover health costs and emergency repatriation to your home country should you fall ill. Since 2020 you need to check whether there is cover provided for issues relating to covid19 however general health cover is recommended regardless.

Cover for cancelation, delays and loss of belongings is a bonus and again they may not apply under pandemic conditions. You need to read all the terms and conditions of your cover including any exclusions before you commit to buy.

Policy costs vary by your country of residence, what is covered, age, existing conditions and the insurer. You can visit Worldnomads for a quick quote. We use this company for our family travels and find the cost, coverage and claims process to be good to excellent.

Another option if you are in the United States is Safety Wing’s Nomad Insurance . Unfortunately neither option provides policies for those aged over 69. In this case you can try Travel Insurance Master – a service that allows you to compare quotes and insurance policies.

Step 5 – Book accommodation and transport

Accommodation.

Choosing where to stay at each stop is an important part of itinerary planning. Italy has many different options for tourists and you can expect the usual range of hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation as well as apartments and villas.

If you plan to spend any time in the country, consider staying at an agriturismo or farm stay. This is accommodation offered by Italian farmers who earn additional income by providing rooms and meals. Very popular in Italy and Europe, prices ranges from budget to luxurious. You can find agriturismi (plural) with swimming pools, hammams, restaurants and wine cellars. We always try to build them into our itinerary. 

LISTEN: Find out about farm stays in Italy in this podcast episode .

How much will accommodation cost?

Here is a rough guide to average prices for a double room. This will vary with prices higher in popular areas at peak times

Upscale / Luxury – €210+ [USD $240+] per night Midrange / Boutique – €120-260 [USD $135-295] per night Budget / B&B – €70-130 [USD $80-150] per night Ultra budget / Hostel or shared room in AirBnB – €30-45 [USD $30-40] per night

Best accommodation sites

Our favorite sites for booking lodging are Booking.com and Plum Guide – between them, you’ll find a huge range of options from hotels and resorts to bed and breakfast, apartments and farm stay accommodation.

Plum Guide is particularly useful for longer stays in apartments and villas and if you’re traveling as a family and need some extra space. Use the code “Untold5” for a 5% discount here .

Other sites we use and recommend

• BookingsForYou – beautiful villas and apartments in Tuscany, Italian Lakes and Puglia – 5% for readers when you mention our site or code – UntoldItaly – when booking
• VRBO – has some great options for long stay villas and apartments, particularly on the Amalfi Coast
• Agriturismo.it – great for finding smaller farm stays but the booking engine is terrible. You can usually find the same properties on Booking.com
• Airbnb – we have used Airbnb on many occasions in Italy but are now finding better value and booking conditions on Booking.com and VRBO

LISTEN: To more accommodation options and what to look for in this podcast episode .

Further reading:

• Where to stay in Rome – a district by district guide to the best areas to stay
• Best places to stay in Florence – neighborhoods and areas best suited to your trip
• Where to stay in Venice – a neighborhood and area guide
• Where to stay in Milan – best areas, places and hotels

READ: Our Italy accommodation guide .

Transport while in Italy

As a general rule, if you are traveling between cities and major towns then the best way to travel around Italy is by train. If you want to explore the countryside and small villages you will need to rent a car.

When you are mapping out distances to travel between destinations use Google maps or Rome2Rio .

Train travel in Italy

Trains in Italy are modern and efficient. Fast speed services link the major cities and regional trains connect smaller towns and villages. Two major train networks operate throughout Italy – Italo and Trenitalia .

You should book in advance for high speed intercity services where seats are allocated. If you purchase non-flexible tickets you can make significant savings with advance bookings. They are not required on regional services.

READ: Our Complete guide to train travel in Italy .

Recommended train booking sites – Omio and The Trainline

You can book directly with the Italian operators or an easier way is with:

Omio – compare train times and prices across both Trenitalia and Italo schedules and keep your ticket details on their handy app. Click here to search for rail tickets on Omio

The Trainline is a similar service to Omio offering schedules, pricing and booking for train companies in Italy and Europe. They also have a useful app and great instructions in English. Click here to search for rail tickets on The Trainline

High speed train intercity travel times on popular routes

Rome to Florence – 1 hour 30 minutes Rome to Naples – 1 hour 15 minutes Rome to Milan – 3 hours Rome to Venice – 4 hours Florence to Venice – 2 hours Florence to Milan – 2 hours

Car rental in Italy

One of the best ways to see the smaller towns and countryside in Italy is to rent a car and take to the open road. Driving in Italy is quite straightforward. You just need to do some forward planning and use your common sense. Here are some tips to

• You are required to carry an International Drivers Permit – these can be arranged in your home country at minimal cost
• Standard transmission on cars is manual or stick shift. If you want to rent an automatic car expect to pay extra, if you can find one available
• Rent the smallest car you can to fit you and your luggage – roads are often narrow and you don’t want to get stuck!
• Heavy fines apply if you enter ZTL zones or historic districts where driving is not allowed

We use both Car Rental by booking.com  and AutoEurope to find the best car rental deals in Italy including one way options. They both search international and local providers so you get a wide variety of choice and there is 24/7 support if you need it. AutoEurope is usually your best option if you want a one way rental.

Click here to search for car rentals in Italy with Car Rental by booking.com .

READ: Our guide to Renting a car in Italy .

Internal flights

If you want to visit the islands of Sicily or Sardinia, or travel very long distances, flying makes the most sense.

Check on Skyscanner  or  Google flights  for routes and prices. Remember to set alerts for those routes you want to fly and book early for flights in the summer months.

READ: Our guide to all transportation in Italy .

Step 6 – Book Attractions, tours and activities

Major attractions.

The major cities of Italy – Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan – are some of the busiest cities for tourists in the world. And most visitors want to spend time at their famous attractions

We strongly advise you to prebook advance skip-the-line tickets for the following attractions – the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Uffizi Gallery and Doge’s Palace. Otherwise, you could spend precious vacation hours standing in lines to enter these sites. Note – in winter months booking in advance is not as necessary.

We have given you the official booking sites and an alternative for approved ticket partners should you have trouble using the official site – unfortunately, that happens a lot! The direct sites are usually cheaper but the partner sites are generally more user friendly. Always check the terms and conditions of your purchase, particularly in relation to changes and refunds. GetYourGuide has a very easy cancelation policy which in many cases allows cancelation with refunds up to 24 hours prior to departure.

• Colosseum – official ticket site OR buy Colosseum tickets on Get Your Guide
• Vatican Museums – official ticket site OR buy Vatican Museum tickets on Get Your Guide
• Omnia pass – Colosseum + Vatican + one other museum + hop on, hop off bus – click here for details
• Uffizi Gallery – official ticket site OR buy Uffizi tickets on Get Your Guide
• ‘David’ statue [Accademia Gallery] – official ticket site OR buy Accademia tickets on Get Your Guide
• Duomo roof climb – official ticket site OR buy Dome climb tickets on Get Your Guide
• Doge’s Palace  – official ticket site OR buy Doge’s palace tickets on Get Your Guide
• San Marco basilica  – official skip the line tickets OR buy a tour of San Marco including tickets on Get Your Guide
• ‘Last Supper’ painting – official ticket site OR buy Last Supper tickets on Get Your Guide
• Duomo rooftop  – official ticket site OR buy Duomo tickets on Get Your Guide

READ: Our full review of Get Your Guide .

If you want to learn about the sites you are visiting then we recommend a group day tour. We prefer small group or private tours where you learn about the culture and history of the places you are visiting. It’s so much more fun than reading plaques and you are also able to ask questions.

So make sure to build in a couple of tours when you are planning a trip to Italy.

Our favorite small group tour companies are Take Walks (formerly Walks of Italy) and Liv Tours  and we prefer With Locals for private tours. Both offer very well designed and engaging tours of the major sights in Italy as well as interesting food and cultural tours.

• Take Walks have a longstanding reputation for excellent service, groups under 20 people and guaranteed departures. So if you are the only person booked on a tour it will still go ahead. We recently enjoyed our Colosseum at night tour and day trip to Tuscany with them
• Liv Tours – family run Italian company offering true small group tours of 6 people or less. All of their tours use expert guides who will help you fall in love with Italian history, culture, and food. Tours include a popular golf cart tour of Rome’s highlights and their fascinating Women’s history tours
• With Locals offer great value private tours. You choose from a series of set itineraries and guides in cities across Italy. There are tours focused on history, food, culture and other themes or they can be customized them for your group. We tried their 10 Tastes of Naples recently and it was lots of fun. They also have great options for families
• Eating Europe – food tour specialists who will ensure you discover the best local dishes

Save 5% on Liv Tours with code – ‘untold italy’ >> click here to browse tours

• Rome: A 3 Day Itinerary
• The best tours in Rome
• Unmissable day trips from Florence
• Day trip from Rome to Pompeii
• Best tours of the Vatican
• Tickets and tours for the Colosseum
• Rome’s best food tours

Activities and experiences

Seeing the sights of Italy is always a treat but you’ll also love immersing yourself in Italian culture. These days you can choose from a wide range of experiences and activities. From food and wine tours, to football matches, concerts and exploring the countryside by vintage car, there are memorable experiences to suit you.

Recommended experiences

• Cooking class with Nonna Nerina near Rome – Grandma Nerina teaches you how to make fresh pasta and welcomes you into her home. If you can’t wait until you get to Italy to do this she also does online classes
•   Capri boat trip –  small group on a private boat means a slower pace and more time to see the island. You can read what to expect on this day trip here

Our favorite companies for searching for interesting and unique things to do in Italy are:

• Cookly – cooking class and food and wine experiences like truffle hunting from small operators across Italy
• Get Your Guide – has the biggest listing of tours and experiences

Step 7 – Get ready for departure

Organize your money and credit card.

The local currency in Italy is the € Euro.

You do not need to carry too much cash when you are there. Credit and debit cards VISA and Mastercard are widely accepted while American Express and Diners Club are not as popular. You may want to consider a foreign currency card like the Wise Mastercard where you can convert Euros easily and cheaply from your US dollar, Australian dollar or Canadian dollar accounts (plus many other currencies)

Be aware of foreign currency charges and ATM withdrawal fees applied to your account when you are abroad. You may want to review the cards you are taking with you prior to your trip. We recommend that you take two – one as a back up for emergencies. And inform your bank before you go. Sometimes they can be overzealous and place a block on your card if they see unusual activity.

Book airport transfers

Planning your arrival in Italy is recommended. Most of the airports are a fair way out from the city center – and in the case of Venice, in the middle of a lagoon!

Compare different transfer services on Suntransfers – a company that specializes in transfer options from major airports. They have options to suit all budgets and prices for coach, mini bus, private car and limo services.

Rome – transfers from Fiumicino airport

Taxis are fine to take in Rome. There is a set rate into the center of €48 and the ride takes around 45 minutes. Or, if you would prefer to be met at the airport you can pre-book a transfer. A transfer is the best option if you are traveling with more than 2 people and have several items of luggage. We recommend:

• Welcome Pickups – available 24/7, a private car transfer means you are met at the arrivals hall and will take between 30 minutes and one hour door-to-door.
• Suntransfers – offers a wide range of vehicles for groups of all sizes. Transfers can be canceled up to 48 hours in advance with no penalty.

Another popular way to transfer into Rome is to take the Leonardo Express train . This non-stop service between Fiumicino and Rome Termini (the main station) takes 32 minutes. Trains depart every half hour from 6:08 to 23:23, and the cost is €14. You can purchase tickets at the station on the day. Unless you are staying close to Termini you will then need to get a taxi to your accommodation.

The cheapest transfer option – this bus goes direct from the airport to Termini – €6-7 one way.

READ: Our full article on Rome airport transfers .

Venice transfers

The water bus company Alilaguna runs shuttles every 15 -30 minutes in peak season to and from the airport and the islands on the lagoon. This bus stops at San Marco and Rialto as well as some other secondary stops. The fare is €8 one way €15 return and the journey takes 1½ hours – you can book online here

A private boat transfer or shared transfer in a water taxi is the fastest (and most glamorous) way to transfer to your accommodation in Venice. Journey times and prices depend on the number of people in your party and exclusivity. A direct private transfer to the airport takes around 45 minutes.

• Private transfer – around €200 for 6 people – book here
• Shared water taxi transfer – around €32 per person – book here

You can also take a taxi (cost €25) or express airport bus to Piazzale Roma (cost €8) and then take a vaporetto (water bus) or walk your hotel/accommodation. A one way trip on the ferry costs €7 per person and is valid for 60 minutes.

READ: Our full article on Venice airport transfers .

Florence transfers from Florence airport

Florence airport is very close to the city center and a 15 minute taxi ride away. There is also an airport bus that takes around 20 minutes.   A 20 minute tram ride takes you to the main Santa Maria Novella train station and costs €1.50.

Florence transfers from Pisa airport

Many people fly to Pisa to reach Florence as it is a larger airport. If you arrive during the day take the PisaMover train to Pisa Centrale train station – journey time 5 minutes. Then take a train to Florence. Starts at 6.00 am and the last train departs at midnight and it costs €5.00.

On our last visit we arranged a transfer with Suntransfers as we arrived too late for the last train. There is also a coach transfer option.

Amalfi Coast or Sorrento transfers from Naples airport or train station

We recommend organizing a private transfer for this journey. The train, ferry and bus via Sorrento can take 4 hours while a car service is around 1.5 hours. You can compare different services on Suntransfers – a site specializing in ground transportation.

You may find sites or groups where specific drivers are recommended. We do not recommend booking a driver this way for safety reasons – how do you know that the person recommending the driver is reputable, let alone the driver? And also for practical reasons – small operators may not have capacity or availability.

Plan how to access the internet

Consider how you will access the internet on your trip. You may be happy to disconnect and use paper or offline maps however many of us need internet access.

Italy has high speed internet and there are many options to stay connected depending on your needs. If you use minimal data and are happy to use offline maps and guides then you should be able to get by using wifi at your hotel or accommodation. Do not expect wifi to be available in restaurants and cafes because in Italy restaurants are for eating.

If you plan to use wifi make sure to turn off international data roaming before your trip to avoid unpleasant bill surprises.

Paid internet options

• Use your provider’s roaming plan – usually very expensive and slow speeds if coming from outside Europe
• Local SIM – purchase a tourist SIM before your depart or when you arrive that has enough data for map navigation and research. Italian provider TIM comes highly recommended and there are outlets at the airports and train stations
• Portable wifi device – connect multiple devices to high speed internet for reasonable prices. We use and recommend Solis Wifi (Get 10% off with our code – UNTOLDM )

READ: Our full guide to Cellphones and getting online in Italy (SIMs, wifi and more) .

Packing for your Italy trip

The key to packing for Italy is to pack the minimum that you need. Many people like to take carry-on luggage only for their trips. This is a great way to travel as you will find it much easier managing trains, cobblestones and stairs that are a feature of travel in Italy.

But, most of us find that a challenge, so try to stick to a medium bag per person plus one carry on item. Large suitcases are not a good idea. You will also thank yourself if you consider your footwear carefully. Three comfortable pairs will see you through most trips.

Note – We have a complete packing guide coming soon.

LISTEN: to packing strategies in this podcast episode .

Must have items for your trip

• Luggage – get the size right with our guide to the best luggage for Italy
• Untold Italy travel planners – one page checklists of the must see sights, restaurants and gelato bars in Italy’s most popular places
• Collapsible water bottle – stay hydrated and fill up at free water fountains all over Italy
• Camera – for your vacation snaps. We recommend lightweight mirrorless models like these ones
• Packing cubes – these make packing, organizing your luggage and unpacking so easy. We love them!
• Power cube – don’t bring lots of bulky converters. This one has 3 USB ports
• Battery pack – keep all your devices charged
• Plug adapter – you will need one!
• Face masks – for your safety and you may be required to wear one indoors
• Hand sanitizer wipes – to keep germs at bay

READ: Our Complete packing guide for Italy .

Get started and plan your Italy trip now!

We hope you now have more confidence to start planning your trip to Italy. This will no doubt be a trip that you’ll remember and cherish for years to come. And, like many of us, you may find it sparks a passion to return to bella Italia again and again.

Latest Italy Travel Podcasts and Articles

Can you travel to italy – latest travel information [april 2024], visiting italy in may – reasons to go and what to expect, episode #216: 10 reasons we love italy’s umbria region, visiting italy in april – reasons to go and what to expect, episode #215: discover regional italy without a car, episode #210: travel smart to italy – your guide to new regulations and important dates, how to use your cellphone in italy, venice tourist tax – latest information on the new access pass for venice, planning a trip to italy.

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The ultimate italy packing list – how to pack for italy in 2024.

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Ciao a tutti! That’s hello everyone in Italian. Welcome to our Italy packing list guide.

I’m sure you are excited to be heading to Italy and you should be! Italy is such a vibrant country full of history, culture, and, of course, delicious food. 

There are a few things to know about packing for Italy. In this article, we share our top packing tips and our ultimate Italy packing list so you are organized for your trip in 2024.

You will learn what you need to pack for your trip and perhaps more importantly, what you can leave behind.

Note – this is mainly a packing list for women, but applies to men too. I have also given some tips for packing if you are traveling with kids.

So here they are – our packing tips for Italy.

If you need some help finalizing your travel plans, check out our trip planning guide , read our best tips for visiting Italy or join our helpful and free Italy Travel Planning group on Facebook.

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Top tips for packing for Italy

Italy packing list essentials, items for your transit or flight to italy, what to wear in italy, italy clothes packing list, toiletries and make up, technology items, items for kids, what not to bring to italy.

You need to think about four major things to consider when packing for your trip to Italy

• the time of year you are visiting and the weather
• how much walking you will do
• how much luggage you want to take
• your style (this needs attention in Italy!)

The weather in Italy

Italy has four distinct seasons and temperatures vary by region. In the south and Sicily, the temperatures are very hot in summer and they experience much milder winters.

As you would expect, in the north and alpine regions it is very cold in winter. You can even see snow in Venice!

Check the weather forecast a week before your trip to see what is in store. Here is a guide to the average conditions – do check the forecast for the different regions you are visiting. 

Summer [June/July/August]  – Italian summers are warm to very hot and humidity is high. Expect temperatures between 77°F and 86°F (25°C and 30°C)

Fall/Autumn [September/October/November]  – temperatures in fall are ideal for sightseeing with generally warm sunny days and cooler nights. Top temperatures range between 65°F and 75°F (18°C and 24°C)

Winter [December/January/February]  – Italy has cool to cold days and nights in winter with snow and sub-zero temperatures in the Alpine regions. You will get some rainy days. High temperatures range between 50°F and 55°F (10°C and 13°C)

Spring – [March/April/May] – Spring in Italy is lovely Temperatures at this time of year average between 60°F and 75°F (16°C and 24°C). It is also the season when you are most likely to experience rain

It’s important to note that buildings are generally well heated so in the middle of winter it can be stiflingly hot when you are indoors. Air conditioning is a bit of a luxury in summer and not as common as you might expect.

The key to having a great trip to Italy is making sure you are prepared for the elements and to not overpack. I find that the best approach is to find pieces that layer and don’t add bulk.

More about seasonal dressing in the full packing list below.

Want this checklist as a printable PDF document? Click here .

Walking on cobbled streets

When you walk around the picturesque streets of Italy’s cities , villages and towns there are 1,000 photo opportunities around every corner.

But, here’s the thing.

Visiting sights, walking the cobbled streets and climbing up and down stairs to get those incredible views means you need to be practical about clothing and footwear.

Style is important but you need to think about comfort too. No one wants to spend their well-deserved trip with sore feet or cold hands feeling miserable.

In Italy,  you need comfortable, sturdy and water-resistant footwear for winter. As well as a hat, scarf and gloves.

Summertime calls for sandals you can walk miles in and light clothing you can layer.

Luggage: to check or not?

Personally, I prefer to check a bag.

This is because I like to be prepared and get annoyed if I need to chase around a new destination looking for things I have at home. That eats into my trip and vacation time.

I also like to shop and bring home some treasured souvenirs. There are so many wonderful things to buy in Italy that you cannot get at home. Gorgeous scarves, shoes and leather goods as well as specialty food items like cheese which can be vacuum sealed.

Trust me, the cheese souvenir is a very good idea.

Our top rated luggage for a trip to Italy

Our favorite luggage is a medium hard-cover lightweight suitcase from Samsonite . While many people recommend taking carry on luggage only, I think a medium case is the right size for a 7-10 day trip. It’s big enough to hold all your necessary items but can also be stored in the overhead racks on most trains.

This luggage is stylish, durable and the four double-spinner wheels make it easy to move around. I like that it has a TSA security-approved lock and a zippered internal compartment so your loose belongings don’t fly around.

You can also buy this case as part of a nested set which is great if, like me, you’re short on storage and like things that match.

READ: Our guide to the best luggage for your trip to Italy

Italian style – La Bella Figura

Bella Figura translates literally as the beautiful figure and it is a concept of great importance to Italians. It refers to presentation and how you show yourself to the world. 

Italians are always wonderfully turned out in the best that they can afford. Clothes are ironed, hair and nails are groomed and outfits are accessorized. You can see bella figura every day but particularly on Sundays as Italians enjoy passegiata – their afternoon stroll. 

One thing you will not see many Italians wearing, if any, are gym clothes or flip-flops on the street. They are just not seen as refined.

It’s also important to note that shoulders and knees should be covered when entering churches – yes, that means the Vatican, San Marco in Venice and Santa Croce in Florence – all of them. For both men and women. That means no shorts, crop or spaghetti strap tops. 

When you are in Italy, at the very least you should make some effort with your style. Yoga pants, crop tops and flip-flops might be comfortable or in fashion where you are from but in Italy you will stand out a mile. 

Men should wear collared shirts and jackets and belted pants. I have only ever seen Italian men wear shorts on the beach. 

When in doubt, opt for smart casual outfits with a little tailoring. You can always add great sunglasses and a scarf for maximum impact.

These items are the ones you absolutely must pack for your trip to Italy.

✔︎ Passport – this varies depending on your nationality but it is good practice to have at least 6 months validity on your passport. I always save an image in a secure cloud service like Dropbox and carry a printed copy too

✔︎ Visa(s) – make sure you have read and understood the visa requirements for your nationality. Italy is part of the Schengen visa zone . 3 month (90 days) visitor visas are issued on arrival to nationals of the USA, Canada, Australia  New Zealand and UK. 

Nationals of China and India will need visas confirmed before arrival. Do check the visa requirements for your country of nationality before departing.

✔︎ Insurance – do not forget to organize insurance for your trip. It’s one of those things that you probably won’t use but is essential if something goes wrong on your travels.

READ: Why you should organize travel insurance for your trip to Italy .

✔︎ Tickets and documents – I like to keep as much travel information as I can online. I map out my itinerary and save copies of documents on Evernote . Because I can be a bit paranoid, I also save them on Dropbox and have a separate folder for the trip in my email account. Don’t forget copies of your medical prescriptions. I keep hard copies in an organizer like this one .

Did you book your train tickets and tours? It’s not too late! Book train tickets on Omio here and find tours on GetYourGuide here .

✔︎ Money: I like to size down my wallet when I travel so I only carry the essentials. I travel with a small amount of cash and my Wise debit Mastercard . This is the best travel money card on the market thanks to its low and transparent transaction fees and competitive conversion rates – there is no profit margin built-in >> more information here . I also have a backup credit card in case of emergencies.

✔︎ Portable wifi or International SIM:  If you use a lot of data daily like I do, consider buying or renting a portable wifi device like this one from  Solis – unlimited data from $US 10 per day for up to 10 devices. It can even charge your phone and is small and lightweight. 10% off Solis with our code: UNTOLDM – > click here to check prices .

Another option is to preorder an international SIM before you go. OneSIM offers savings of 85% or more on international roaming charges. Personally, I find moving SIMs around to be a bit of a pain though – especially as many apps require 2 factor authentication using your main phone number. 

✔︎ Smartphone: travel is so much easier now we all have cameras and our documents in a palm-sized package. I did love my iPhone, but having seen some of the photos they produce, I invested in a Samsung Galaxy .

✔︎ Umbrella: don’t get caught out in a rain shower! Apart from frizzy hair, I get so annoyed at having to pay ridiculously high prices for an emergency (and bound to break in 10 minutes) umbrella from the side of the road. I have this travel umbrella  and it has never let me down.

✔︎ Crossbody bag: a medium-sized crossbody bag  is the perfect bag for travel. Choose wisely and they will fit your wallet, phone, camera and other essential items leaving your hands free to take photos but at the same time not weighing you down.

✔︎ Camera: don’t forget to capture those amazing travel moments. While phone cameras are getting better every day, I love my Olympus Pen mirrorless camera for getting those wow shots. As an added bonus it fits inside my crossbody bag. 

If you’re thinking about adding a new camera to your Italy packing list, check out our guide to the best compact and lightweight travel cameras

✔︎ Packing cubes: these miracle items have been a revelation for me and our family. They make packing and unpacking a breeze. With packing cubes, you can organize your items and have a color for each person in your party.

Having tried a few brands I prefer these packing cubes   for their strong and durable design and finish.

Browse our favorite travel items on Amazon > CLICK HERE to view

There’s a fine balance between having things you need to keep you comfortable, and not having too much stuff to manage. I like to fit everything I need into a tote that I can pop under the seat in front for easy access. That’s one advantage of short legs!

✔︎ Large tote: I carry a large tote (like this one by Longchamp ) on board and find it is the most practical way to hold all of my things for the flight neatly. It’s great to have zip closures and internal pockets – both essential features. You don’t want your valuables rolling around the plane floor but you do want easy access to the essentials like your passport and phone. If that’s a bit pricey, try this one instead.

Inside the tote, I have pouches for my tech items, toiletries and passports. Don’t forget you need a security approved clear bag for the toiletries in your carryon.

✔︎ Scarf/pashmina:  why are planes so cold? I don’t know but because I usually feel a little chilly on any flight I bring a light wool scarf or pashmina   to keep me warm

✔︎ Pen(s): you will need them to fill in your arrivals card. I always keep a couple handy

✔︎ Hydration: for your skin – lip balm (this is the best ) and your favorite moisturizer, and for your body – a collapsible water bottle   – this will come in handy in Rome. Did you know they have fountains where you can fill up your bottle with drinking water all over the city?

✔︎ Health: I always carry hand sanitizer when I travel. Don’t forget your medication and travel/motion sickness and sleeping tablets if you need them

✔︎ Comfort:   Make your traveling space as comfortable as possible with a travel pillow ( this one is fantastic), eye mask and earplugs

✔︎ Tech: Don’t rely on inflight entertainment systems. An iPad loaded with movies, TV series and reading material is the best way to get through the long flight.

As I mentioned earlier, style is everything in Italy. If you don’t want to stand out in a sea of stylish Italians, make sure you pack items that look pulled together and a little refined. 

There is no need to be a fashionista. Despite some of the incredible styles on show during Milan Fashion Week, Italians are generally conservative dressers and don’t like to stand out from the crowd. Everyone seems to have a navy blue puffer jacket for the cooler months – as an example.

Aim for smart casual and you will be fine. Although it is always nice to look a little glamorous for dinner.. ladies, bring a dress!

Very casual attire such as tiny shorts, yoga pants, flip-flops and ripped clothes are NOT recommended.

If you want to wear sports shoes then go for something classic like Superga low tops or Vega white sneakers .

What to wear in Rome and the big cities

Visiting the sights of Rome, Florence and Venice will involve some waiting time. Make sure you are suitably dressed for the weather and local culture whatever the season.

In the summer months, the weather is hot and sunny so you need to stay cool but remember you cannot enter the magnificent churches unless your shoulders and knees are covered. So tank tops and tiny shorts are not advised. 

At a pinch, you could wear a scarf over your shoulders. 

Italians dress more formally in the cities and you might feel uncomfortable in higher end restaurants and hotels if you are dressed very casually. 

What to wear on the Amalfi Coast in summer

At the coastal resorts, the dress code is more relaxed but I still think it is stylish and glamorous.

Think cool linens and straw hats, floaty maxi dresses, statement earrings and bejeweled sandals.

Tip – You can buy yourself a pair of these finely made shoes all along the coastline but the ones you find in the boutiques of Capri are the best. The shoemakers of Capri are famous for their craftsmanship. 

Italy dress code: Simple and stylish layers

Keep it simple and stylish – that’s your ‘what to wear in Italy’ mantra.

As well as these rules of 3

✔︎  Choose a 3 hued color scheme and stick to it. I like to keep things neutral for my main pieces and add a bit of interest with accessories. Black, navy, light grey and white are my go-to colors with pops of red, pink and/or light blue depending on my mood

✔︎ Only take 3 pairs of shoes . I know this is hard but shoes add weight. I like to take a pair of ankle boots in winter, sandals in summer, and ballet flats in all seasons. Avoid heels if you can, but if you must, wedges are a much better choice for walking on cobblestones.

Click links for prices: Sandals  | Flats | Sneakers | Boots

✔︎ Bring 3 statement accessories you love to brighten up your outfits – a scarf, pair of earrings or a fun hat can make all the difference. For Italy, you must also pack sunglasses 

✔︎ Aim to use each item in at least  3 outfits

Over the years I have learned the hard (overpacking) way that if you pack 4 pairs of pants, you will only wear two of them. I use a week-long trip as a baseline for how many items to pack.

If I am traveling for longer then I will need to do some washing. If it’s a shorter trip I take some items out.

Here are the clothing items I recommend that you pack for your Italy trip. I have started from a basic capsule collection that can be adjusted depending on the season or special activities you have in mind.

I like to think of the activities I will be doing each day and build outfits from there.

Capsule wardrobe for Italy

Click links for details: Black pants | Patterned blouse  | Stripe shirt  | Dark jeans

✔︎ Underwear, bras (2), socks

✔︎ Pants/jeans: (2-3 pairs)

✔︎ Dresses/skirts (2-3 pairs)

✔︎ Ankle boots, flats

✔︎ Seasonal items

✔︎ Long sleeved shirts (2-3)

✔︎ Short sleeved shirts (2-3)

✔︎ Cardigan

✔︎ Accessories

✔︎ Laundry bag / detergent

✔︎ Toiletries – see below

Click links for details: Skirt | Cardigan  | Scarf | Dress

Clothes for winter

Winter calls for a warm wool coat. Temperatures are cool to cold and freezing in the northern Alpine regions.

You need lightweight warm layers that can take you from taking in the views and splendor of the Coliseum in Rome to museum-hopping in Florence.

Click links for prices: Sweater | Coat | Scarf | Hat

I swear by Uniqlo’s thermals because they are warm and thin enough to layer but if you can’t get them where you live, these thermals also look good.

You could also swap a pair of ballet flats for long boots or a second pair of ankle boots.

Spring and Fall clothes for Italy

In spring and fall/autumn you need a lighter jacket – a classic trench coat is ideal. You might also like to take a bag in a lighter hue.

Click links for prices: Bag | Cardigan | Scarf | Jacket

You won’t need your chunkiest scarf but a warm lightweight wool or silk scarf is a good idea.

You can buy beautiful scarves in Italy if you can wait until you get there. They are such a wonderful souvenir of your trip.

Summer clothes for Italy

If you are in Italy during the summer months, try to get to the seaside at least once.

Whether it is the glamor of Capri and the Amalfi Coast or the rustic beauty of the Cinque Terre and surrounds, the Italian coast is iconic and should not be missed.

Click links for prices: Sunglasses | Skirt | Dress | Swimsuit

No matter where you go, you will need a swimsuit, sandals (and a pedicure!), a hat and of course sunglasses. 

✔︎  Swap ankle boots for sandals

✔︎  Add a jaunty summer hat and some sunglasses

✔︎  Pack a pretty summer dress

✔︎  Swap a pair of pants for tailored shorts

✔︎  Add a statement skirt

✔︎  Pack your swimsuit!

If you are planning to swim or lounge on the beach, a lightweight, quick dry towel   is a useful item to pack.

Click links for prices: Dress | Skirt | Top | Foldable Hat

Try your hardest to find travel-sized versions of your favorite products. I find shampoos and conditioners take up the most space so I like to use dry shampoo ( this one is the best) to extend the time between washes. Some people swear by solid shampoo but I’m yet to try it.

One thing you must pack is a decent conditioner. When traveling your hair will need some extra care and attention. As the conditions are humid (especially in summer), I also found I need my straightener to keep my locks under control.

  Travel shampoo + conditioner  

Be realistic about how much make up you need. You really can survive with only one or two eyeshadows. I like these cream eyeshadow sticks   as they have a lovely finish and the shape means they are easy to pack.

I also avoid pressed powders and shadows due to the potential for mess.

Don’t forget to pack some laundry detergent sheets . We choose them instead of pods or powder because they are light, easy to pack and mess-free.

✔︎  Moisturiser

✔︎ Foundation

✔︎ Eye pencil

✔︎ Eyeshadow

✔︎ Blush/bronzer

✔︎ Makeup brushes

✔︎ Lipstick/gloss

✔︎ Face cleanser

✔︎  Shampoo/conditioner

✔︎  Dry shampoo

✔︎  Hair styling products

✔︎  Hair straightener

✔︎  Hair brush / comb

✔︎ Hair bands

✔︎ Laundry detergent

✔︎ Insect repellent

✔︎  Toothbrush

✔︎  Toothpaste / floss

✔︎  Feminine hygiene products

✔︎  Sunscreen

✔︎ Nail file / scissors

✔︎ Razor / tweezers

Want this checklist as a printable PDF document? Click here

Make sure you have enough medication for your trip plus some extra days in case you are hit with delays or other unforeseen circumstances.

Replacing medication abroad can be difficult, especially without your prescriptions. So bring copies of the scripts with you.

✔︎ First aid kit: you could try to make one yourself but this one  is small, lightweight and has everything you could think of

✔︎ Pain relief: you know what works best for you, bring your favorite products from home for headaches, joint and muscle pain

✔︎ Contraception:  always important

✔︎ Face masks and hand sanitizer: face masks are required indoors and in crowded outdoor areas. You will find hand sanitizer at most venues but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared with your own

Travel first aid kit details – click here

✔︎ iPad/laptop:  I always travel with my MacBook Pro as I am often working but I’d prefer to go just with my iPad

✔︎ Camera accessories:  don’t forget your battery charger and an extra battery. A tripod is useful too.

✔︎ Power pack: make sure your phone stays charged while you are out and about with a portable battery  Note – make sure to take this in your carry on as they are often confiscated from checked bags.

Click on links for prices: Portable battery | Compact power strip | Power strip + adapter

✔︎ Power strip:  keep all your devices powered up with this compact power strip – it even has USB ports

✔︎ Converter: so everything works as it should. If you plan to travel more frequently or are heading over to Europe, this power strip and adapter combination  looks like a great buy

✔︎ Selfie stick/tripod:  I’m a late convert to the selfie stick but I have to admit they are so handy for getting the perfect solo or group shot. Don’t buy a dodgy one from a street corner. You will be disappointed.

We recommend this one that will hold your phone and camera, has a tripod and wireless remote.

Click on links for prices: Smartphone tripod | Selfie stick

Our kids have done many long-haul flights into Italy and around Europe. We have got this down to a fine art now so I’m happy to share this with you.

Click on links for prices: Water bottle | Headphones | Backpack

Their main entertainment is an iPad loaded with games, puzzles and favorite shows. I would not fly 24 hours (even 3) with kids without one.

Keep the toys to a minimum. After many travels with our kids, we realized that they just did not play with most of them. And that means there is room for a few special souvenirs.

Kids can follow the main clothing advice but I would throw in a few extra pants, tops and underwear for whatever kids do that always makes them get so messy.

We also like our children to carry some of their things while we are sightseeing so a mini backpack is a good idea

✔︎ 2 x extra tops, pants and underwear

✔︎ mini back pack

✔︎ toys and books

✔︎ extra snacks for the plane

✔︎ water bottle

Obviously, if you are traveling with a baby you will need a whole host of things. Check out this list  of items for flying with a baby.

I would not describe myself as a light traveler but over the years I have learned to leave some things behind. These are items that I rarely use, are heavy or can be found easily at your destination.

✘ Full sized shampoo and conditioner – too heavy and take up lots of room

✘ Guidebooks – read them before you go and take notes or photos of key pages with your phone. Even better, download Lonely Planet’s Best of Italy  as an ebook

✘ Valuable jewelry – a security risk and hassle if lost

✘ Hairdryer – most hotels/AirBnBs provide one and you can always finish off with your straightener

✘ Novels – again, too heavy – invest in a Kindle or download to your iPad or phone

✘ Kids toys – as above

So now I hope you know what to pack for Italy and you are ready for your trip. If you want to brush up on the culture and make sure you are mentally as well as physically prepared for your travels you might like to read our tips for Italy article.

If you still need to make plans or are looking for things to do while you are there, visit our Italy page or our article on planning a trip to Italy .

Don’t forget your travel insurance! Click here for more information .

• Rome food guide
• Tips for driving in Italy
• Rome’s best tours

Planning a trip to Italy? Join our free Italy Travel Planning Facebook group and read our detailed guide for tips, information and advice for planning your travel to Italy.

Disclaimer –  Untold Morsels assists our readers with carefully chosen product and services recommendations that help make travel easier and more fun. If you click through and make a purchase on many of these items we may earn a commission. All opinions are our own – please read our  disclosure  page for more information.

The creator, writer and photographer behind Untold Morsels , Katy has been travelling and tasting the world since she was a teenager.

Now the proud mum of twins, she hopes they grow up to share her passions of great food, wine and travel. Favourite destination: Italy

If we had 3 months in Europe this is where we would go! [3 Month Itinerary]

Europe how we love you! If you’re reading this, you’re likely considering a longer Europe adventure, and we are so happy for you! After completing 6 months full time travel in Europe, and multiple other trips to various regions in the continent, we are uniquely qualified to give a little advice, and a few suggestions! We urge you to do lots of research, including reading blogs like ours, before you start planning you adventures. Take a look below at some recommendations, where we would head if we visited Europe for 3 months, and a few proposed itineraries for you to check out!

A few things to consider when travelling for 3 months (or more)

3 months isn’t as long as you think.. don’t try and fit everything in! Yes, 3 months seems like a lot, and it is! However, Europe is enormous, and despite the temptation of trying to tick off every one of your ideal destinations, we urge you to slow it down a little and re-assess. We travelled Europe for 6 months, and despite visiting 25 countries, we didn’t even get close to seeing everything, or ticking off all places we were keen to visit (Malta we will return for you!). Therefore, we urge you to pick your standouts, work out where you definitely want to visit, and spend some time in these locations.

Fast & Slow travel: Leading on from the last point, some destinations you may skip through quicker, but definitely we urge you to slow down in others. Not only will this help you refresh and enjoy it more, you physically cant keep going country-to-country every few days. We put a little piece together on Slow vs Fast travel if you want to read a little more on this area.

Head to a variety of different locations . Don’t spend your entire 3 months in big cities. However, spending the whole trip on the beach is likely too much as well. We would recommend striking a balance. Definitely include some big cities full of history, culture and good food (see our favourites below). We also strongly encourage you to check out the smaller towns as the often give a more authentic and often picturesque experience. And depending on your preferences, head out into nature, whether it be beachside, or hiking, or lakeside. There’s so much in Europe and we recommend you sample a complete range!

Step away from the conventional tourist paths for awhile. The ‘big ticket items’ (e.g. Italy, France etc) are popular for a reason, they are often spectacular. However, underrated countries and destinations are often just as impressive, and come with far less cost and fewer tourists. We definitely think it’s worth considering.

Do lots of research! Well done, you’re already on the way with this point by reading this blog! There’s so much great information out there, and the more you research the better you can plan your dream 3 month trip!

Where we would travel if we were heading to Europe for 3 months

If we were in your shoes, planning a dream 3+ month holiday, these are some of the countries and regions we would lock straight into our travel itinerary.

It’s a no-brainer. Italy is one of the best countries in all of Europe (and the world) to visit! Filled with amazing food, stunning big cities, so many inland and coastal towns, and lots of impressive beaches. Despite the popularity, there’s still many places to see that are a little away from the busy crowds. Don’t think twice, plan to head to Italy. Breaking down where to visit in Italy becomes a little more of a challenge. To give you some inspiration, we urge you to consider the following locations:

• Puglia: see why we loved this underrated coastal region!
• Tuscany: see our road trip through this amazing region!

The stunning country of Croatia is a true gem and definitely somewhere you should look to visit, especially during warmer summer months and shoulder seasons! Boasting some of the best beaches in the world, a crazy amount of incredible islands to explore, and lots of wonderful seaside towns, Croatia is a must visit! See some of the locations in Croatia that we loved!

• Croatian Islands: our favourite island is Vis!
• Makarska: this beachside town is bursting with reasons to visit!
• Dubrovnik: despite the tourist ‘hype’, it’s worth visiting!

Switzerland:

Ah Switzerland, your beauty is boundless! Our visit to this stunning country was punctuated with family moments (Tess’s Swiss-Italian family), incredible views, great hikes and cute towns to explore. We urge you to visit the many mountainous and lake regions, where postcard views will be at every turn. Don’t miss:

• Jungfrau: see our guide to the region!
• Oeschinensee: one of the most beautiful natural regions we have ever seen!

Portugal may well be our favourite country in Europe, or at least a close second to Italy. We loved the cities, beaches and smaller towns, but even more so enjoy the positive and welcoming nature of the locals. The food was excellent, and there was so, so much to see and do. If you’re heading to Europe, definitely consider Portugal on your ‘hit list’ of places to check out. We urge you to visit:

• Lisbon: our pick of things to do in Lisbon!
• Porto: our snapshot of Porto!
• Algarve: the impressive Portuguese beachside region

The Balkans:

This region in the central-east of Europe is truly a hidden gem filled with so many amazing places to explore. While Croatia (listed above) is part of the Balkans, there are many more amazing countries like Slovenia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia, Romania and more! You could easily spend a month or 2 just in this region, so we’d strongly urge you to consider adding the Balkans into your Europe trip. Take a look at our guide to the Balkans here.

And don’t miss..

There’s so many more amazing locations which we will include below, including cities like Copenhagen, Prague, Budapest and Edinburgh, along with amazing small towns and regions like south of France, Lake Bled, Albanian Riviera and more!

3 month Europe travel itineraries:

The planning is always a strange mix of extreme excitement and wanderlust, mixed with stress and ‘fear of missing out’. However, as discussed above, we urge you to not try and ‘fit everything in’, and choose a few key areas and regions to visit! Additionally, we also recommend a mix of coastal, big cities and smaller towns/regions. We have put together a few sample itineraries that we think cover off all the regions we love, and give you a wonderful mix of different locations. These can be copied exactly, but are more designed to give you inspiration for you 3 month travel planning.

Option 1: Switzerland, Italy & the Balkans

This itinerary covers of so many of our favourite places, particularly Switzerland, Italy and the Balkans! Start in the Swiss capital of Zurich , make your way down to the stunning Jungfrau region , before heading to one of our favourite countries, Italy ! Spend up to a month in Italy covering off Tuscany, Rome, Puglia and Venice, before a pit stop in Lake Bled on the way to another of our favourite countries, Croatia ! Head along the coast, to some of the islands, and a pit stop to Mostar on your way to Dubrovnik . After Dubrovnik, don’t miss Kotor in Montenegro, before flying across to check out the booming Albanian Riviera. Head further off the tourist path with Lake Ohrid, Sofia, and Transylvania (Romania). Finish your amazing trip visiting 2 of our top big cities in Budapest and Prague !

• Switzerland: 1-2 weeks
• Italy 3-4 weeks
• Lake Bled 3 days
• Croatia 2-3 weeks
• Mostar 1-2 days
• Kotor 3-4 days
• Albanian Riviera 7 days
• Lake Ohrid 3-5 days
• Skopje 1 day
• Sofia 2 days
• Romania 5-7 days
• Budapest 2-3 days
• Prague 2-4 days

Option 2: Portugal, Spain, Sth France, Italy & Croatia

This is another amazing option to visit some of our few favourite European locations, including Portugal, southern Spain and France, Switzerland, Lake Bled and Sicily! Start you travels in one of the best countries around, Portugal ! Work down from Porto, Lisbon and the Algarve, before heading to the Andalusian region of Spain . A pit stop in Barcelona takes you through to the beautiful south of France . Don’t miss Avignon and Gordes! Head across to the Jungfrau region of Switzerland, and then make your way to northern Italy. We recommended Lake Garda over Como, and pit stop in Venice before stopping at the gorgeous Lake Bled ! Head down to the underrated Sicily in Italy to finish you adventures with great food, beaches and culture!

• Portugal: 1-2 weeks
• South Spain: 1 week
• Barcelona: 3 days
• South France: 1 week
• Switzerland: 1 week
• Northern Italy: 1 week
• Lake Bled: 2-3 days
• Southern Italy: 1-2 weeks

Option 3: Northern Europe

Start in one of our favourite cities in Europe, Edinburgh . Spend at least 3 days here, and try to get up to the Scottish Highlands if you can. Make your way down to London stopping at the historic towns of York and Cambridge. London has so much to offer, but could easily be sampled in a few days, or spend a longer timeframe and see so much more. Catch a train from London to Brussels , then check out some of the other smaller Belgian towns, with Bruges top of our list. Make your up to Leiden which we consider a ‘mini Amsterdam’ and is a great base to stay and visit the nearby Amsterdam . From the Netherlands, make your up to Copenhagen stopping a few times in Northern Germany . When at Copenhage n, stay at least 3 days in one of our favourite cities in Europe! Consider day trips the the Swiss town of Malmo by train (approximately 45minutes) or the fishing village of Hornbaek (1-2 hours via train). Tick off some of the top big cities in Europe with Berlin, Prague and Munich before slowing down a bit in the Jungfrau Region and lake region of Switzerland. We then encourage you to either finish your trip in 2 of our favourite countries, Italy or Croatia !

• Edinburgh: 3-4 days
• Scottish Highlands: 2-3 days
• York: 1-2 days
• Cambridge: 1-2 days
• London: 3-7 days
• Brussels: 2 days
• Bruges: 1-2 days
• Leiden: 1-2 days (or stay here for Amsterdam)
• Amsterdam: 1-3 days (pending if you stay Leiden or Amsterdam)
• Dusseldorf/Dortmund: 1-4 days
• Hamburg: 1-3 days
• Copenhagen: 3-5 days
• Hornbaek: 1-2 days (or day trip)
• Malmo: 1 day (or day trip)
• Berlin: 2-4 days
• Prague: 2-4 days
• Munich: 2-4 days
• Choose Italy or Croatia to finish your trip for 1-2 weeks

These are only example travel itineraries put together to spark inspiration and excitement! We have visited most of these locations, and have literally 100s of guides available on our blog. We have also put together some recommendations to help you travel. A few top options include our complete Europe Travel Guide and our Favourite Accommodation in Europe !

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The Ultimate Guide to Italy (2024)

Inside: the top destinations in italy to add to your bucket list. plus jaw-dropping itineraries whether you have a week or a month..

Are you planning a trip to Italy? If so, you’re in for a treat! This amazing country wows visitors with history, culture and beaty and truly has something for everyone.

Looking to explore ancient ruins and historical sites? Italy’s got you covered from the Colosseum to Pompeii.

Searching for a stunning Mediterranean beach to bask in the sunshine? Yep, Italy’s got that, too.

Seeking incredible food and wine? Hello!?! We’re talking about Italy , here!

In this ultimate guide to Italy, you’ll find all the information you need to make the most of your time in this magnificent country. From the current entry requirements to how to plan the perfect itinerary, whether you have one week or a full month to explore. And all the essential details in between!

While the travel industry across the globe took a universal shellacking from COVID-19, perhaps no country suffered worse than Italy.

And that’s why Italy should be at the top of your Bucket List this year. There’s lost vacation time to make up for and there’s no better place to make it count than the magical Italian countryside.

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your dream vacation to Italy now!

Let’s start with the basics…

What are the current entry requirements for travel to Italy?

Italy was the hardest hit of the European countries during the pandemic and, as such, they were slower to ease all Covid restrictions than other European countries (like Greece , for example).

However, as of June 1, 2022 , Italy is once again open to all visitors without restrictions , regardless of vaccination status. A Covid test is not required for entry and all mask requirements have been lifted, except for hospitals and other medical facilities.

Now, let’s get back to the fun stuff!

How many days do you need in Italy?

While I heartily endorse traveling around the entire world in 30 days, you could easily spend 30 days (or more) exploring the historic cities, rolling countryside, and exquisite islands of Italy. Tip: If you do have 30 days…first, lucky you! And second, check my 4-week Italy itinerary below.

Of course, I may be a little biased. My husband and I were married in Tuscany and kicked off our 3-month round-the-world honeymoon in Cinque Terre and Venice.

But it’s easy to be partial to Italy.

So how long do you really need? It depends on where you want to go, but I would say a week, minimum. Of course, I’ve been known to fly to Rome just for a long weekend. But I also used to go around the world in 30 days once a year so my travel habits are anything but traditional.

Two weeks is ideal. Three weeks, even better! But no matter how much time you have, you can make the most of it with the suggested itineraries I’ve listed below.

What’s the best time to visit Italy?

The tourism “ season ” in Italy runs roughly from April to November. My visits to Italy have spanned just about every month of the year and for my money, the best times to visit are April/May and September/October.

During those shoulder season months, you’ll find lower hotel rates, better availability, and fewer crowds. And the weather is still amazing, especially in southern Italy. Expect temps in the 70’s and plenty of sunshine.

What’s the worst time to visit Italy?

If you want to visit Italy at the most crowded and expensive time of year, visit in July or August. These are the most popular months for cruise ships and tour groups. Not to mention most of Europe goes on vacation in the month of August and many of them head straight to the Italian coastline and islands thanks to direct, low-cost flights into Rome, Naples, and Milan.

What’s the best way to get around Italy?

The answer to that question largely depends on where you’re going within Italy. Most international flights into Italy arrive at Rome’s busy Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO). From there, you have a variety of options for traveling around Italy.

Flights within Italy

It’s unlikely you’ll need to book domestic flights within Italy to get around. Unless you’re going from one of the larger cities in the north (Milan, Turin, or Venice) all the way to the southern tip of the country (Naples or Palermo), in which case a flight might make good sense. Even then, I often prefer the train just to avoid the hassle of the airport on either end.

Traveling by train in Italy

If you’re traveling between major cities in Italy, the highly efficient train system is your best best. The major cities are connected by hi-speed trains that make it quick and easy to get from one to the other. Here are the average hi-speed train times and approximate fares between major cities:

The best site for booking trains in Italy in advance is ItaliaRail .

Driving in Italy (a cautionary tale)

But the truth is, sometimes a car is just the best way to get everywhere you want to go in Italy on your own schedule.

So, if you must, my go-to for rental cars is DiscoverCars.com , especially when renting in Europe. After renting with them dozens of times in multiple countries, I’ve found they’re the best option for low rates and – most importantly – no surprises (like extra charges) at the counter.

However, and here’s my cautionary tale, driving in Italy can be challenging. Don’t get me wrong, the road system is terrific and the physical act of driving in Italy is not at all difficult (unlike driving in Ireland ), especially if you stick to the highways (called autostradas). However, the rules for driving in Italy (and especially the speed limits) can be a little difficult to decipher.

In fact, my husband who – in 40 years of driving – has never had a single speeding ticket in his entire life (honestly, there should be some kind of award for that), has had more than one ticket in Italy. And he is truly just about the most cautious and attentive driver you’ve ever seen in your life. No, he’s never been pulled over. Each time, the ticket arrived in the mail several months after our trip. And yes, you do have to pay them. Especially if you ever want to rent a car in Italy again.

The most common culprits for tickets in Italy are automated speed cameras and ZTL zones “Zona Traffico Limitato ” in city centers. Often, speed limits are not well posted, which is why those cameras are such a nuisance. You have no idea you’ve exceeded the speed limit until that ticket comes in the mail months later. And ZTL zones (unique to Italy) are restricted areas that prohibit driving in certain historic areas (like Florence’s historic district, for example).

But it is possible to drive in Italy and not encounter any issues if you’re prepared. After all, my husband only got tickets twice out of the 10-15 times we’ve been (and we’ve driven almost every time). But this subject is too comprehensive to be covered adequately in this guide. So, if you do rent a car, here’s the most helpful post I’ve found on driving in Italy . Read it from start to finish, watch your speed, learn what a ZTL sign looks like, and you’ll be fine.

Best Food & Drinks to try in Italy

And now, we move on to my favorite subject…food! And more importantly, wine!

I could write an entire romance novel devoted to Italian food and wine. But for the purposes of this guide, I’ll hit the highlights. Part of the joy of a trip to Italy is discovering the country’s magical cuisine as you travel from region to region.

Foods you have to try in Italy

A traditional meal in Italy consists of at least four courses but can stretch to as many as eight or more. It begins with an antipasti (or starter), followed by primi (the first hot course, often pasta, soup or risotto without meat), then secondi (a meat or seafood course), and finally dolci (dessert). These are the typical categories you’ll see listed on an Italian menu.

There’s nothing Italians love more than lingering over a long meal and enjoying quality time with family and friends. We could all take a lesson from the Italians on that one!

Starters – The first course (equivalent to the US appetizer) often consists of a charcuterie platter, cheeses or breads. Bruschetta and caprese (fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil) are also popular options.

Pasta, pasta, pasta – Nothing says Italy like a decadent pasta dish and you’ll find a wide variety of pasta specialties to try throughout the country. Though the rest of the world often treats pasta as a main course, it’s a course unto itself in Italy. Top pasta dishes to sample on your trip include lasagna, anything with pesto, linguine with clams (linguine alle vongole), spaghetti with garlic and oil (spaghetti aglio e olio) and, my all-time favorite, spaghetti carbonara. Tip: In the Amalfi Coast region, try pasta dishes with lemon!

Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine steak) – Sourced from a particular breed of cattle known for producing incredibly flavorful meat, this unique cut of steak is a popular “ secondi ” and a must when visiting Florence and the greater Tuscan region. Seasonings are kept simple to highlight the delicious flavor of the meat. We served this as the secondi at our wedding in Tuscany and it’s still my husband’s favorite dish when we visit.

Pizza – Treated as a snack more than a meal, tis iconic Italian creation falls into two categories within Italy. Roman-style is paper thin and crispy, while Neopolitan-style is thicker and fluffier. Try it Roman style in Rome and Neopolitan style in Naples. Less is more when it comes to toppings to let the quality of the ingredients in the sauce shine through.

Cannoli – Native to Sicily, the “ Sicilian connolo ” is a tube-like crispy pastry shell filled with ricotta cheese mixed with chocolate bits and candied fruit. These tasty treats can be found in cafes throughout Italy. A late morning or mid-afternoon cappuccino and cannoli stop is a staple during my typical day in Italy.

Tiramisu – Perhaps the most well-known Italian dessert, you’ve likely had tiramisu elsewhere in the world. But since everything’s better in Italy, don’t miss a chance to try this coffee-soaked sponge cake piece of heaven at least once on your trip.

How to find the best gelato in Italy

From the mountains of the Dolomites to the beaches of Sicily, you’ll find gelato shops just about everywhere in Italy. Gelato differs from ice cream in a few ways. Ice cream contains eggs and has more milk fat and more air. Gelato usually does not contain eggs, contains less cream and is churned slower. It contains less air making it more dense in texture and richer in flavor than ice cream.

But all gelato shops in Italy are not created equal. For example, the vibrant rainbow mounds of gelato dotted with fruit and hunks of chocolate that make a great Instagram photo are not likely to be your best best. That, my friends, is tourist gelato. And while it’ll probably taste just fine on a hot summer day, it’s not what you travelled all the way to Italy for.

Authentic hot or cold-pressed Italian gelato comes in stainless steel tubs, with lids. If you’re choosing your flavor from a list on a sign instead of visually through a window, chances are it’s quality gelato. The best gelato is dense, not infused with air, and its colors are muted and natural.

For example, banana gelato should not be neon yellow. Bananas are off white. You know this. A little common sense will go a long way in seeking out the best of Italy’s frozen delights.

Drinks you have to try in Italy

Everything revolves around food in Italy and the drinks are no exception. Here, a brief introduction to the Italian concepts of “ aperitivo and digestivo ” are in order.

An aperitivo is a pre-meal drink intended to “ open the stomach ” before dining. This cherished Italian custom typically takes place between 7-9pm in the evening and may also include some small finger foods. A digestivo , typically served as a shot, is an after dinner drink meant to aid in digestion after a hearty Italian meal.

Taking part in both Italian traditions with your meal is all part of the fun of dining in Italy. Like Italian food, wines and spirits vary greatly by region. Let’s cover a few of the most popular options:

Italian wines – Let’s be honest, all of Italy is basically just one giant vineyard. Some of Italy’s most famous wine regions are Tuscany, Abruzzo, Piedmont, Veneto, and Sicily but brilliant wines are produced in just about every nook and cranny of this country. Many of the wineries can be visited for tastings, but you can also find plenty of local wine options to sample in every restaurant. Some of my favorites are Montepulciano, Dolcetto and Sangiovese. You can, of course, sip wine any time of day in Italy but it’s also a popular choice for an aperitivo.

Prosecco – Though it’s technically also a wine, Italy’s legendary sparkling concoction is worthy of a separate mention. Produced only in Italy, this light, crisp, nectar of the Gods is the Italian answer to champagne. Personally, I actually prefer it to champagne, especially prosecco produced in the Veneto region. It’s my go-to aperitivo.

Aperol Spritz – Invented in Venice, this popular Italian cocktail mixes the bitter herbal-orange flavor of Aperol with prosecco and tonic water. (For an even more bitter option, if you dare, try a Campari Spritz.) Full disclosure: I’ve tried an Aperol Spritz several times and I’m just not a fan. I love how pretty they are and the average Italian looks impossibly chic drinking one on a hot summer day by the sea, but I just can’t do it. Not when there’s prosecco and limoncello nearby. Which brings me to…

Limoncello – In the southern regions of Sicily and the Amalfi Coast, trees burdened by softball-sized lemons line every street and limoncello reigns supreme. I don’t want to oversell it here, but in my opinion this decadent lemon liquor is literally heaven in a shot glass. Each seaside town and island produces their own variety and I often feel a sense of obligation to try them all when I visit. It’s the polite thing to do, right? Not surprisingly, limoncello is my go-to digestivo and one of my all-time favorite drinks anywhere in the world.

Grappa – Made from the stems, skins and seeds of winemaking grapes, Grappa is another popular digestivo. It’s typically very high in alcohol and has a peppery intense grape flavor. Like the Aperol spritz, this one is an acquired taste that I have yet to acquire. If you’re a fan of drinks that burn when they go down, give it a go.

Sambuca – Another common digestivo, Sambuca is an anise-flavored liqueur. It pairs well with an after dinner coffee but if you’re not a fan of licorice it may not be for you.

But whatever you choose to drink, be sure to pair that beverage with a cheerful “ cin cin ” (pronounced chin-chin), the Italian version of “ cheers .”

So now that you know how to get around Italy and what to eat and drink, let’s get to the really good stuff…the BEST places to go in Italy!

Best places to visit in Italy

Oh boy. I could go on. And on. And on.

But for the purposes of this guide, I’ll focus on the most popular cities, regions, lakes, and islands around the country. Plus, a few off the radar gems well worth a detour. I’ll cover each very briefly on this page but for most of these destinations I’ve written much more detailed posts. I’ve linked to those posts throughout so if you’re interested in a certain city or region, just follow those links for more information on that particular destination.

Let’s get started!

The Cities of Italy

The most beautiful big cities in Italy are the first three listed here – Rome, Florence, and Venice.

These are an absolute must-see when visiting Italy. Conveniently, the vast majority of international flights to Italy arrive and depart from these three cities. So, they’re an easy addition to any itinerary. If you’re hoping to cover a lot of ground on a short stay, consider flying into one and out of another.

The other two cities on this list? Well, I have more of a take it or leave it attitude about them (especially the last one). But – sigh – they are the gateways to some of the most beautiful regions of Italy, so they still rate a mention.

In addition to the big cities listed here, Italy is home to hundreds of smaller cities, towns and villages. Many of these are well worth a visit and I’ve covered some of my favorites in the remaining regions below.

Italy’s “ Eternal City ” is the country’s #1 must-see. I mean, you simply can’t visit Italy without at least a day or two in Rome.

Fortunately, most international flights arrive here so it’s an obvious first stop on any Italian itinerary. And as someone who first visited Rome many years ago, I can say with certainty that it’s an amazing city to explore. The Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps are all must-see sights, and there’s so much history to absorb around every corner in the historic city center. Plus, like the rest of Italy, the food is amazing.

Read More: Rome in 48 Hours

Florence (& Pisa)

Florence is my favorite of the big Italian cities. It’s a large city with a small-town feel. Like Rome, the history here is rich and expansive. Not to mention the stunning architecture and incredible museums and artworks. The Florence Cathedral (Duomo) dominates the city’s skyline and it’s one of Florence’s most impressive sights. Don’t miss a stroll across the Arno River on the iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge or a visit to the incredible Uffizi Gallery.

If you’re looking for a beautiful city to explore that just oozes Italian charm, Florence is the perfect destination. (It also makes a lovely backdrop for wedding photos!)

Bonus: The iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa is just a short train ride away. (Because, c’mon, you’ve just gotta get that photo op!)

Read More: Bucket List Italy: How to Visit the Iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa

Venice (& Burano/Murano)

Venice is perhaps Italy’s most unique city. Built on a series of islands in a lagoon, the ubiquitous canals are a beautiful sight. And there’s simply nothing more romantic than a gondola ride through the city. St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace are both must-see sights, and the Rialto Bridge is a great place for quality people watching. Venice is definitely a city like no other and should not be missed.

If you have more than a day or two in Venice, take a ferry trip out to the islands of Burano (famed for its Venetian glass) and Murano (a charming fishing village with vibrantly painted houses.

Bonus: You can also catch a ferry in Venice to lovely Rovinj, Croatia , one of my favorite places (outside of Italy),

Read More : The Romance of Venice Italy

This bustling city in northern Italy is more geared toward industry than tourism. The fashion industry, to be precise. And I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan since the city feels far more industrial than charming. But it does make a terrific gateway to the magnificent lakes of Como and Garda. So, if you’re headed there, Milan is your best entry point (Venice is also a great option for Lake Garda).

Plus, there are a few impressive sights to see in Milan – the Duomo di Milano is a must, as are the Teatro alla Scala and Castello Sforzesco. Next to the Duomo is the magnificent Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest shopping gallery dating back to 1877. Among other luxury retailers, the Galleria is home to the original Prada store.

OK, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Naples is probably my least favorite city in Italy. Ironically, it’s also the gateway to the spectacular Amalfi Coast and stunning islands like Capri, Ischia, and Procida. Which means it’s mostly unavoidable if you’re headed to those destinations. It’s also the easiest home base for visiting the fascinating ruins of Pompeii.

So, what’s the problem with Naples?

I’ve visited the city three times, first on my 3rd Round-the-World trip, 2nd on a Mediterranean cruise, and more recently on my way to Procida and the Amalfi Coast. On my first trip (10+ years ago), I loved Naples. I walked all over the city on my own and felt completely safe.

Read More: Positively Perfect Posita no

On more recent visits, the city has gone downhill a bit and petty crime against tourists is more common. Pickpockets are rampant and can be aggressive. That said, there are plenty of pickpockets working the tourist circuit in other major cities around the world, too, but I still go. So, wherever you go when you travel, it’s always a good idea to be aware of your surroundings and watch your back.

But not all is lost. Naples has been making pizzas since the 16th century and the classic Margherita pizza was invented here. Naples is literally the best place on earth to sample this famous pizza and many others. You’ll find plenty of places to enjoy this Italian delight.

The Islands of Italy

It’s hard to choose a favorite among Italy’s sublime islands. So, it’s probably just best to see them all, right? Well, obviously!

There’s no doubt Capri is Italy’s most famous island and with good reason. Capri’s natural landscape is spectacular. Everyone thinks so. And, as a result, everyone goes there. Like ritzy Lake Como, Capri is best known for 5-star hotels, designer shops and the European jet set.

Don’t get me wrong, you have to see it. It’s just not the place I would chose as a home base for a visit to the Amalfi Coast region.

For many years, colorful Procida was probably best known as “ the extra ferry stop ” between Naples and the popular islands of Ischia and Capri. Often overlooked in favor of its glitzier neighboring islands, Procida has long been one of my favorite hidden gems in Italy.

However, last January, this tiny, soft spoken island beat out nine other Italian cities and small towns to be named  Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2022 . Procida is the first island to win the award after its inception 8 years ago and assumes the crown from Parma, last year’s winner. With all the recent press, things could get busier in this sleepy fishing village. So get there while you can.

Read More: Pretty Procida is the Best I talian Island You’ve Never Heard Of

The largest island in Southern Italy’s Gulf of Naples, the volcanic island of Ischia is famed for its mineral-rich thermal waters. The island is home to bubbling hot springs, therapeutic spas, dazzling beach resorts, lush gardens, and rolling vineyards. Not to mention one pretty impressive medieval castle built on a rock in 474 BC (Castello Aragonese).

If you’re looking for an island in the Amalfi Coast area to call home for your stay, Ischia is a terrific choice. The island has plenty of affordable hotel options and easy ferry connections for day trips to Capri, Procida, and Sorrento.

Read More: Is the Volcanic Island of Isc hia Italy’s Hottest Destination?

Located just off Italy’s northwestern coast, Elba is Italy’s third-largest island (after Sardinia and Sicily). It’s the largest of the nine islands that make up the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago (Europe’s largest marine park). Elba Island is perhaps most famous for harboring French Emperor Napoleon during his exile in 1814-15.

But, Elba’s rich Napoleonic history aside, most visitors flock to this island for clear blue seas and magnificent beaches rivaling those in the Caribbean.

Read More: 3 Reasons to “Make Like Napoleon” and Escape to Italy’s Elba Island

Italy’s largest island is also the largest island in the entire Mediterranean. But Sicily’s culture is uniquely Sicilian and, like Sardinia, it is one of five autonomous regions of Italy, allowing it a certain amount of political self-rule.

Well known for its amazing beaches, Sicily is also home to Mount Etna (an active volcano) and the historic capital of Palermo. The Aeolian Islands are a popular destination for visitors to Sicily and gorgeous Mondello Beach is widely considered the region’s most lovely. During your visit, don’t miss a traditional Sicilian “ granita ,” a semi-frozen dessert.

Sardinia & the Maddalena Islands

Italy’s second largest island, Sardinia is world famous for its stunning coastline (most notably the Emerald Coast) and sparkling clear waters. This popular Mediterranean holiday hotspot is a great choice for an Italian beach vacation. Situated between Sardinia and Corsica, don’t miss a visit to the nearby Maddalena Islands. This charming archipelago is made of up of 7 large islands and 55 tiny islets surrounded by turquoise seas more reminiscent of the Caribbean than the Mediterranean.

Read More: Sardinia and the Maddalena Islands

Tip: From the northern tip of Sardinia, it’s also an easy day trip by ferry to the scenic town of Bonifacio, Corsica.

Read More: A Day Trip to Bonifacio Corsica

The Coastline

Italy’s rugged coastline is where the real magic happens. From north to south, here are some of the best regions to appreciate the Italian coastline in all its natural beauty.

Italian Riviera

Located in Italy’s northwestern corner, the coastal strip between the French border and the Tuscan border is widely referred to as the Italian Riviera. It’s divided in the center by Liguria’s capital city, the port town of Genoa. To Genoa’s east, known as the  Riviera di Levante , the most popular cities to visit are: Camogli, Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, and Rapallo. Santa Margherita Ligure makes the ideal, affordable home base for exploring the region.

Read More: The Best of the It alian Riviera in 3 Days

One hidden gem not to be missed in this region is the seaside monastery of San Fruttuoso. Accessible only by boat, most ferries make a stop here between Camogli and Portofino.

Read More: Photo of the Day – S an Fruttuoso Italy

Cinque Terre

Located farther south along the Italian Riviera in the Liguria region, the five vibrant villages that hug the dramatic coastline are collectively known as “ Cinque Terre ” or five lands. From the nearby town of La Spezia (considered the gateway to the villages) they are, in order – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. Early settlers converted the steep, rugged terrain into an elaborately-terraced landscape that allowed for the growing of vines and olive trees. Today, these unique five villages make up the Cinque Terre National Park.

For beaches (and fewer steps!), head to Monterosso al Mare. To avoid the tourist crowds, try Corniglia. It’s the hardest of the villages to reach due to a lack of sea connections and infrequent train service. But for pure romance and charm, it’s hard to top Riomaggiore, Manarola, or Vernazza (we kicked off our Round-the-World honeymoon in Riomaggiore!).

Read More: Italy’s Fantastic 5 – The Se aside Towns of Cinque Terre in 48 Hours

Amalfi Coast

Stretching more than 30 miles along Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, the sun-kissed Amalfi Coast has charmed visitors for decades. From Sorrento to Salerno, a labyrinth of narrow alleys and gravity-defying stairways connect mountain to sea with typical Italian flair. Traditional white-washed houses and magenta bougainvillea blend with the scent of lemon blossoms to create a dramatic landscape that seems plucked from a watercolor painting.

Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, the Amalfi Coast is one Bucket List destination that truly lives up to the hype. The impossibly beautiful village of Positano is the most popular home base for visitors to the region. It’s also home to some world-class hotels.

Read More: The Best of the Amalfi Coast Italy in 4 Amazingly Affordable Days

Summer is prime time for the Amalfi Coast but I also once visited in the winter months, on Round the World #4 . And I have to say, while pretty much every hotel and restaurant was closed, it was spectacular to see the region without a single tourist to be found (well, except me!). I used lovely Sorrento as a home base and it was a breeze to travel to Amalfi, Positano and neighboring towns by local bus. And the weather was mild, even in January. Highly recommend.

Read More: Positively Perfect Positano

From a geographical standpoint, the region of Puglia forms the “ heel ” on Italy’s famous designer boot. Bari, a lively port town, is the region’s capital. But the stunning baroque architecture of Lecce make it perhaps the most beautiful of Puglia’s cities to visit. Along the Adriatic coast, there are plenty of coastal towns worthy of a lingering pause. The most famous of these is Polignano a Mare, but Trani, Brindisi, and Monopoli also rate a stopover.

Tip: Don’t miss a visit to Alberobello to see the “ trulli ” stone huts with their distinctive cone-shaped roofs.

The Countryside

Yes, there’s more to the Italian countryside than just Tuscany (though it’s the obvious superstar!). From vineyards to rolling hills, here are some of Italy’s best places to escape the city life.

It’s the iconic image of Italy, the impossibly beautiful countryside of Tuscany. This scenic region in central Italy encompasses a diverse landscape from the Apennine Mountains and cypress-lined drives to sun-soaked hill towns and the beaches of Elba Island. The capital city of Florence is the best launching point to explore the Tuscan countryside. The larger towns of Siena, Lucca, and Pisa all merit at least an afternoon of exploration but the rolling hills are really the star of the region.

For the full Italian experience, don’t miss the chance to spend a few nights in a traditional Tuscan villa.

Tip: Tuscany also happens to make a pretty spectacular place to say, “ I do. ”

Read More: A Dream Wedd ing in Tuscany

San Gimignano

Perhaps the most famous of the Italian hill towns, the walled city of San Gimignano is one of Tuscany’s best destinations. The town’s skyline is dominated by striking medieval towers and the entire historic center is encircled by 13th-century walls. Located about 25 miles from either Florence or Siena, San Gimignano can easily be visited by organized (or self-driven) day trip.

It’s also a frequent stop with the tour bus circuit so don’t expect to have it all to yourself. But despite the daily crowds, it’s still absolutely worth a visit.

Tip: If you do want to experience San Gimignano without the crowds, visit in the off season or simply spend the night. Most tour buses arrive by 10:00am and depart by 4:00pm each day leaving the early morning and evenings perfect for peaceful exploration.

Like Tuscany, Umbria is home to fantastic vineyards, charming medieval hill towns, and verdant rolling hills. But with far fewer visitors than neighboring Tuscany, Umbria feels a bit more undiscovered. The medieval hill towns of Narni, Montefalco, and Orvieto are must-sees in Umbria and are more easily reached from Rome than most of Tuscany’s hill towns (another perk of Umbria versus Tuscany).

The only thing Umbria doesn’t have is a coastline. But with all that exceptional food and wine, you won’t miss it.

World renowned as a winter skiing and adventure sport destination, Italy’s dramatic “ Dolomiti ” mountain range is located in the country’s northeast region, between Venice and the Austrian border. The traditional Alpine villages of the Dolomites might have you wondering if you’ve accidentally crossed the border into Austria or Germany (in fact, many in the South Tyrol region speak German first, not Italian).

Though best known as a winter destination, this mountainous region is equally charming in the summer months when spectacular hiking trails, fresh Alpine air, and beautiful lakes (like Lake Braies) are the main attractions.

Tip: The tiny church of San Giovanni in Ranui is one of the most iconic sights in the Dolomites.

Italy’s fantastic water views aren’t just limited to the coastline. This diverse country is also home to some pretty spectacular lakes. Let’s take a closer look at two of my favorites.

Lake Como is the perfect place for a “ George-Clooney-style ” fashionable Italian holiday. This stunning lake is surrounded by soaring peaks and 5-star hotels. Como’s colorful towns and villages have welcomed Italy’s well-heeled visitors every summer for decades. In the warmer months, window boxes overflow with vibrant bougainvillea and classic vaporina wooden boats glide swiftly across the lake carrying everyone from wedding parties to celebrities.

Bellagio, dubbed the “pearl of Lake Como ” is the most famous of the many towns along the lakefront. It’s also widely considered the most beautiful. Other picturesque towns along Lake Como’s cosmopolitan shores – Varenna, Como, Menaggio, and Tremezzo, just to name a few. Each town is wonderfully unique with its own charm and they’re all worth a visit if you have the time.

In the summer months it’s easy (and scenic!) to travel between them via the local ferry service. (There are also convenient local buses but where’s the fun in that?) You can visit Lake Como by day trip from Milan but, trust me, you’ll want to stay longer.

The Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a relaxing Italian holiday on the water, Lake Como is the perfect destination.

I actually prefer Lake Garda to Lake Como. It’s less crowded, less expensive and just as beautiful. Perhaps the most lovely lakeside town in Garda is Limone sul Garda. But Sirmione, Malcesine, and Riva del Garda are also glorious options for a lakeside holiday. From swimming and boating to exploring historic villages, you’ll find plenty to do around Lake Garda.

Like Lake Como, ferry transportation is the way to go during the summer months. However, if you visit in the off-season you may want a car.

The Microstate – The Republic of San Marino

While not technically Italy, this sovereign hilltop microstate is surrounded by Italy on all sides. This fairytale town is like something out of a Disney movie and will literally charm your socks off. It’s small enough to be visited in a day trip but do yourself a favor and linger for an overnight stay.

Tip: San Marino is best visited with your own rental car as there is no direct train service.

Read More: The Fairytale Republic of San Marino: Italy’s Mountaintop Microstate

Favorite Hidden Gems in Italy

It’s nearly impossible to find less touristy “ hidden gems ” in Italy these days. After all, it’s one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. But I do have a few favorites I’m willing to share. These are mostly off the major tourist circuit but they are popular with Italians so you’re unlikely to have them all to yourself. But if you want to enjoy Italy as the locals do, try these:

• Procida (near Naples)
• San Fruttuoso (near Portofino)
• Corniglia (the least-visited village of Cinque Terre)
• Camogli (Italian Riviera)
• Maddalena Islands (by ferry from Sardinia)

Cruises around Italy & the Mediterranean

Cruising is a great way to explore Italy without the hassles of traveling between regions. Many cruises depart from Rome’s Civitavecchia cruise port. But there are also a number of amazing Mediterranean itineraries from Barcelona that include bonus stops like France, Mallorca and even Tunisia (I did that itinerary a few years ago and it was fantastic!).

Here are the most popular cruise ports in Italy and the best places to visit while in port:

Civitavecchia – This is Italy’s main port and the most popular departure point for cruises around Italy. Located 50 miles from the city center of Rome, it’s a just a 40 minute ride on the express train. If your cruise originates elsewhere in the Mediterranean, this is your perfect opportunity to explore the wonders of Rome.

Genoa – Hop the ferry and head toward Positano for the perfect day trip. Along the way, the ferry stops in the gorgeous little seaside monastery of San Fruttuoso. This stunning beach area is only accessible by boat and is a terrific bonus on the way to Portofino. A bit farther but still possible by day trip is Cinque Terre. Though, if you go with this option, book your trip through the cruise line so the ship doesn’t leave you if you get stuck in traffic or have a ferry delay.

Venice – As of July 2021, large ships are no longer allowed to dock at Venice’s main cruise port (just small ships and river cruise boats). However, larger ships now dock at Porto Marghera on the mainland which is a more industrial area. Not to worry, the cruise lines have pivoted and if you’re cruising out of Venice it’s still possible to stay in the heart of Venice prior to your sailing and transit to the new port.

Naples – I’ve already mentioned my overall dislike for Naples, but it still makes a terrific cruise stop. Just catch the ferry to charming Procida or cosmopolitan Capri. Either makes a great day in port. Depending on how long your ship is docked, you may even be able to make a day of it on the Amalfi Coast.

Livorno – Located about an hour’s drive from Florence, the number one thing to do here is spend the day exploring Florence with a quick obligatory stop for a photo-op at the Leaning Tower of Pisa (because you just have to). It’s also possible to visit Cinque Terre from this port.

Salerno – This smaller port is the best option for visiting the Amalfi Coast. It’s also an easy ferry ride out to Capri.

Read More: A Mediterranean Cruise: Spain, France, Italy, Tunisia & Mallorca

Suggested Itineraries for Italy

And now, the good stuff! Here’s how to make the most of your time in Italy whether you have a week, a month or somewhere in between.

1 Week Italy Itineraries

With just one week, it’s best to stick to the major cities since they are easy to transit between via high-speed trains. Alternatively, you could choose one city and explore the surrounding area near it. Since most of us only have a week or two on vacation, I’ll focus most of my advice on 1-week itineraries and you can add-on as needed, depending on how much time you have to enjoy!

Here are a few examples of terrific 1-week itineraries:

Rome, Florence, Venice – Save time by flying into one city and home from another. For example, arrive in Rome and depart from Venice with a stop in Florence in between. Plan 2 nights in each city.

Rome + the Amalfi Coast – For this one, you’ll fly in and out of Rome. Be sure to stay in Rome on your last night since travel time back from the Amalfi Coast can be unpredictable. With that in mind, I recommend heading straight to the Amalfi area (perhaps Positano or Capri to start) on arrival in Italy. Then you can work your way back to Rome slowly while taking in the Amalfi area including Positano, Amalfi, Capri, Procida, etc. Stop for a night in Sorrento and explore nearby Pompeii. Then, be sure to give Rome at least 2 full days.

Florence + Cinque Terre/Italian Riviera – Like the above itinerary, I recommend starting your trip on the coast and ending with at least 2 days in Florence. The northern part of the Italian Riviera (Portofino, Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure) isn’t easily connected to Cinque Terre, so choose one or the other and maximize your time exploring the seaside towns. Cinque Terre is much closer and makes for an easier add-on to Florence when you only have a week. Don’t miss a quick stop in Pisa on your way back to Florence.

Florence + Tuscan Countryside – The ultimate Italian holiday! For this one, I recommend renting a car to maximize your time. You won’t need it in Florence so, ideally, rent the car when you first land and head straight for the countryside. Then return it back at the airport before spending a few days in Florence. If driving in Italy isn’t your thing, there are plenty of convenient tours to the countryside available from Florence. Don’t miss San Gimignano and San Marino.

Venice + Verona & Lake Garda – From Venice to Lake Garda takes a little over 2 hours whether you drive or take the train. In the summer months, take the train. It’s easy to get around Lake Garda with the local ferry system. Outside the summer season, it’s better to have a car. If you drive, don’t miss a stop in Verona on the way. End in Venice with at least two full days.

Milan + Lake Como – Since I already mentioned I’m not a huge fan of Milan, I’d set aside just one full day there and instead focus on the beautiful towns of Lake Como. Like Lake Garda, it’s better to skip the rental car and utilize the local ferry system to travel between towns in the summer months. But in off-season you’ll want to have a car.

2 Week Italy Itinerary

With two weeks, choose your two favorites from the list above. My choice for a first time trip to Italy?

Rome + Amalfi Coast , followed by Florence + the Tuscan countryside . It’s the perfect blend of all the best of Italy – the history, the rugged coastline, and the countryside. Ideally, fly into Rome and out of Florence to save time. Bonus: Depending on how much time you devote to the countryside, you could also squeeze in a day or two in Venice and fly home from there.

3 Week Italy Itinerary

Choose your favorite combination of the one week itineraries x 3! Plan your itinerary around the places in Italy that are the highest on your Bucket List. My choice?

Rome + Amalfi Coast , followed by Florence + the Tuscan countryside , and then end with Venice + Lake Garda . Venice is so unique from Rome or Florence that it’s really a must if you can make the time. With one or two weeks, it’s certainly possible to make it part of your itinerary. But with 3 full weeks you simply cannot miss it.

4 Week Italy Itinerary

Now we’re talking! With a full month to explore you can slow down and really experience what makes Italy so special.

Yes, sure, do all the things. Like the things I suggested for a 2 or 3-week trip. But do yourself a favor and rent an apartment or villa for one of those weeks. I vote for either a villa somewhere in the Tuscan countryside or one of the less touristy towns (like one of those hidden gems I mentioned above?).

Spend the week just immersing yourself in the local culture and doing as the Italians do. Tip: If you choose a villa, this is the one where I got married and it’s amazing.

Italy Honeymoon Itinerary? Here are Italy’s most romantic destinations

It all depends on how much time you have, of course, but there are so many romantic honeymoon spots in Italy! For romance, I’d forgo Rome and Milan and focus on other areas. Here’s my top 5 list of the most romantic destinations in Italy:

• Venice – A gondola ride under the Bridge of Sighs (don’t forget to kiss!) is a honeymoon must.
• Florence -This city can’t help itself, it just oozes romance. Pairs well with Cinque Terre due to proximity.
• Amalfi Coast – Clifftop sea views, 5-star hotels and dining options, it’s a honeymoon paradise straight out of central casting.
• Cinque Terre – Equally spectacular vistas as the Amalfi Coast but slightly less touristy and expensive.
• Italian Riviera/Positano – The whole region is lovely but Positano is for lovers.

Italy FAQ – What to know before you go!

Italian is, of course, the primary language in Italy. However, around 40% of the population also speak at least some English. You won’t have any trouble communicating in English in the main cities and primary tourist areas. However, once you get into the countryside and the smaller villages you’ll have more trouble. The Google Translate app can be your best friend whether you’re visiting a less touristy part of Italy or just trying to translate a menu in a Rome trattoria. Hint: You can almost always get a menu in English in the larger cities and popular tourist areas. In fact, they’ll often provide it even if you didn’t ask – after all, you did ask for your table in English, right?

Again, in the major cities and popular tourist areas, yes and yes. The less touristy or more remote the region, the more cash you’ll probably need. Italy’s currency is the Euro and ATMs are widely available. Most hotels, restaurants, and shops will accept credit cards (primarily Visa & Master Card). But for smaller shops, cafes, restaurants, and even some hotels cash is preferred. As a general rule of thumb, I pay for anything under EUR 50 with cash.

With all the incredible beauty to be found in Italy there must be a downside, right? Unfortunately, yes. Allow me to call your attention to Italian public restrooms. Sigh. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for historic relics. I’d just prefer not to find them in the ladies room. And that’s if you can even find a ladies room available for your use. Unlike the US, public restrooms are not a common thing in Italy. Your best bets for finding a restroom when you’re out and about are restaurants (yes, you’ll need to order something) and large hotels where they will hopefully assume you’re a guest. I have been known to make a random stop for a cappuccino and cannoli just to take advantage of the cafe’s facilities (or was it just a convenient excuse for a cannoli break? I’ll never tell). When you do find a restroom, expect it to be down a narrow set of stairs to some damp cellar area. And don’t expect a seat on the toilet or toilet paper (always travel with your own!).

Like most of Europe, the voltage in Italy is 230V, 50Hz frequency. For Americans with 120V (single voltage) devices, you’ll need a voltage converter (expensive and heavy). However, for dual voltage devices that can run on either 110V or 220V (the vast majority of cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc.), all you’ll need is a simple adapter plug  like this one that I carry .  Note:  Most hairdryers and styling devices are single voltage. Every hotel will have a hairdryer, leave that at home. If there’s a styling tool you can’t live without, invest in  one that’s dual voltage  before you go.

Wrapping up!

If you’re planning a vacation to Italy, you’re truly in for a treat!

I hope this guide will help you make the most of your time in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. From its stunning coastal cities to its picturesque villages in the countryside, a trip to Italy will inspire a lifetime of memories.

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your Italian adventure today!

What Does a Trip to Italy Cost (On Any Budget)?

Italy is one of our favorite countries to travel in and write about, and one of the most common questions we get about it is also one of the hardest to answer: how much does a trip to Italy cost?

The short answer is anywhere from basically nothing to the GDP of a small country… but that doesn’t provide a lot of useful context, right?

The estimates we’ve put together here stem from nearly a cumulative year spent traveling in Italy over the last several years.

We usually travel as a couple but have also visited the country on multi-generational family trips and with friends.

We’ve traveled to 11 of Italy’s 20 regions, spent a month each “living” in 3 cities (Florence, Bologna, Rome), and don’t expect our travels there to slow down anytime soon.

We’ve traveled at most price points in the country, and while each trip is unique, we think this guide will give you a solid basis of how much a trip to Italy will cost for you.

Table of Contents

How We Structured These Italy Budget Tips

Budget trip to italy cost: $50-70/day, mid-range trip to italy cost: $70-100/day, luxury trip to italy cost: the limit does not exist., getting to italy on a budget, how to save money on your trip to italy.

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All of these estimates for the cost of a trip to Italy are given in USD, assume that you are traveling for 3 weeks or less, and assume that you are spending at least half your time in tourist hotspots like Rome and Venice .

They are also an estimate for one person.

If you’re traveling with other people and are able to split the costs of things like accommodations, you will likely be able to lower these numbers further.

A budget trip to Italy does require some sacrifices on comfort, but not as many as you might think: Italy can be surprisingly affordable.

This is a rough sketch of what a budget trip to Italy will cost and feel like.

Keep in mind that this is a budget trip in the sense of a traveler who is visiting Italy as a standalone destination or as part of a defined trip.

Shoestring backpackers who would like to cut costs by camping, hitchhiking, avoiding all paid attractions, etc, will, of course, be able to get by on less, but that is not how we would recommend seeing Italy!

Accommodation

At this budget, you’ll likely stay in hostel dorms or private rooms on Airbnb (as opposed to renting a whole apartment).

You’ll be able to stay in well-reviewed properties but may have to sacrifice a bit on location and stay further from the center of cities.

Transportation

Bus companies like Flixbus and perhaps the occasional budget airline flight will be your most common methods of transportation between destinations.

Regional train tickets may fit into your budget occasionally, but you’ll typically need to avoid the expensive high-speed rail lines and therefore it will take longer to reach each destination.

If you’re traveling to Italy on a budget, you’ll want to shop for your own groceries at least half the time.

Luckily, this isn’t a chore in Italy: freshly made pasta, bread, pesto, and more are all reasonably affordable.

Local bottles of wine in grocery stores start around 4-6 Euros each.

You can supplement your food with affordable options like takeaway pasta, pizza, and sandwiches, and splurge on the occasional lunch special to enjoy restaurant meals in Italy.

Tours & Attractions

A budget traveler in Italy will likely need to skip some pricey tourist attractions (and either resign themselves to waking up early to avoid long lines or simply wait in them–guided tours that allow you to skip lines will likely be over budget).

However, you can work some attractions into your budget.

Notable highlights that you may want to see like the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Statue of David, Uffizi Gallery, Pompeii, etc, tend to cost between 10-20 Euros for a basic ticket, but that will include significant time sacrifices by waiting in sometimes multi-hour lines.

Climbing towers for various viewpoints usually cost less than 10 Euros in Italy.

Some luxuries, like riding in a gondola in Venice (around 80 Euros/gondola), will likely need to be skipped.

We generally consider the bulk of our travels in Italy to be mid-range.

At this price point, you’ll be able to visit most attractions you would like to see, splurge on a guided visit or two (perhaps in the Vatican Museums), add a food tour or cooking class, and eat more restaurant meals.

However, you’ll still need to keep an eye on your Italy budget daily to avoid accidentally overspending.

At a mid-range price point, budget hotels near the center of cities or slightly more upscale hotels outside the center of cities are options.

You can also opt to rent an entire apartment on Airbnb in most destinations.

If you’d like, you can mostly avoid bus travel in Italy on a midrange budget, though high-speed rail travel will likely still be out of the question unless you book far in advance.

Regional trains and budget air travel will be your best bet for getting around Italy, and public transportation will still be optimal in cities.

If you’d like to visit part of Italy via road trip, a midrange budget will allow you to rent a car for a small part of your trip, though you may need to cut a different tour or experience elsewhere.

However, we recommend avoiding renting a car while in a city (nothing ruins an Italian travel budget quite like receiving a ticket in the mail months after returning home) and limiting the time you have it to the bare minimum.

Remember that if you rent a car in Italy, you’ll need to have an International Driving Permit to do so!

Midrange travelers can eat out more than budget travelers in Italy, but it will still be best to cook some meals if possible (perhaps 30%), and to eat the biggest meal of the day at lunch when many restaurants offer daily lunch specials.

If you’re a foodie, this budget may also allow room for a food tour or cooking class while in Italy.

Prioritization is the name of the game when it comes to balancing the cost of traveling in Italy with a midrange budget.

You’ll be able to add some guided tours to your explorations, and will be able to visit just about any attraction that you want (but perhaps not all of them).

If you have your heart set on a particular luxury experience–say, a gondola ride in Venice or a day spent sailing around Capri –you’ll likely need to cut expenses elsewhere to make it work on this budget.

Luxury accommodation in Italy can be truly magnificent.

Think upscale hotels (sometimes housed in historic palaces!) located right on the Arno River in Florence, overlooking the Spanish Steps in Rome, and along the Grand Canal in Venice.

At this price point, you can also consider renting out country villas in places like Tuscany, though bear in mind that many properties have a minimum rental period of one week.

Without budget restrictions, high-speed train travel will likely be the preferred method of traveling around the country: it’s very efficient, very fast, and much less cumbersome than dealing with flying.

You’ll also have the freedom to rent a car as often as you like, however, we still recommend only renting one for the time spent outside cities.

Dealing with limited parking, many restricted driving areas, and hefty ticket prices (that you often won’t receive or know about until weeks after the fact) makes renting a car while staying in Italian cities more trouble than it’s worth.

Private transfers are generally unnecessary in Italy, however, if it fits into what you want your luxury trip to Italy to cost, they can be considered at this price point.

Italy is dotted with Michelin Star restaurants and luxury dining experiences, and a luxury budget will allow for these meals at least some nights.

If upscale dining is important to you, bear in mind that you’ll want to make reservations as far in advance as possible at the most popular spots.

Taking a trip to Italy without concerns about cost allows for some truly epic experiences.

Think about early-morning tours of the Vatican Museums before it opens for the day, visiting various monuments after-hours, taking a private gondola ride in Venice, setting off on private wine tours through Tuscany with your own driver, and chartering private boats along the coast!

How much a trip to Italy costs before arriving on the ground varies dramatically depending on where you are coming from, of course–but where you arrive can significantly change how much your trip to Italy costs.

If you’re coming from Europe, be sure to check budget airline flights to and from Rome, Pisa, Bologna, Milan, and Venice in the north/central regions, and Bari and Palermo in the south–these destinations tend to have quite a few low-cost flights available.

Regardless of where you are coming from, be sure to compare the cost (including the cost of on-the-ground travel and time consumed by logistics during your trip to Italy) of a roundtrip ticket as opposed to two one-way tickets that will allow you to avoid backtracking–say, flying into Rome and out of Venice.

Consider sticking to a smaller geographic region.

Most first-time visitors to Italy will want to visit Rome, Florence, Venice, and a piece of the coast if they have time–and there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a fabulous itinerary that we recommend ourselves.

However, if you are concerned about the cost of a trip to Italy, consider sticking to a smaller region.

Rome, Naples /Pompeii, and the Amalfi Coast require very little in-country travel and make for a stunning trip.

A Tuscany-focused trip , perhaps with a side trip to Cinque Terre in Liguria, offers a unique option as well. If your heart is set on Venice, perhaps head to Verona or Milan after that, instead of further south.

Plan your route in advance.

As tempting as it is to let spontaneity guide you from city to city, if you want to keep the cost of a trip to Italy down, planning ahead is definitely the way to go.

Plane tickets and high-speed rail tickets can rise in price as the departure date gets closer, and booking lodging ahead of time will often allow you to find competitive deals in better locations than a last-minute booking.

The exception to booking lodging in advance, though, is if you’re traveling in the offseason.

If you’re visiting at a point that you’re reasonably confident most hotels won’t be sold out (but also won’t be closed–I wouldn’t try this in Riomaggiore in February), you can sometimes get fabulous last minute deals on hotels by booking 2-3 days in advance.

That is a gamble, however–the safest bet is to plan ahead, especially if you’re traveling Italy on a budget.

Don’t forget about buses and planes.

Both Flixbus and Ryanair have a solid presence in Italy and are great alternate transportation options to consider when train travel looks too expensive.

The further south you go, the cheaper Italy is.

Bottom line: your cash will stretch much further in Puglia, Sicily , or Campania than in Lombardy, Veneto, or Trento-Alto Adige.

If you want to plan a low-cost trip to Italy and don’t mind missing the most famous sights in favor of lesser-known but still incredible ones, consider sticking to the lower half of the boot–the further south the better.

Decide which tourist attractions are unmissable ahead of time, and budget for those.

If you book a trip to Italy knowing that your visit will feel incomplete without, say, a chance to see the Sistine Chapel or a cooking class in Tuscany, go ahead and add that to your budget in advance.

That way, you will visit knowing exactly how much that experience will cost during your trip to Italy, and exactly how much scrimping you’ll need to do in other areas to make it happen.

Wake up early.

Italy’s most popular sights and attractions can have prohibitively long lines that will make all but the most patient humans go screaming for the skip-the-line scalpers (even knowing that the people selling guided visits and immediate access in-person charge far more than online deals you can purchase in advance).

If you want to avoid either giving in to the temptation of spending extra or simply wasting hours of your trip to Italy waiting in line, there’s a simple workaround: wake up early, and be in line before the attractions even open.

Budget carefully for food.

Food is such a big part of the experience of a trip to Italy, cost of your trip aside.

Whether you’re traveling on the tightest budget or the most luxurious one, experiencing Italian cuisine is likely high on your list of priorities.

We recommend tracking your daily spending carefully on food–individual purchases, say for a scoop of gelato or an espresso at the bar, can feel quite small but add up fast, particularly if your spending is limited.

If you have access to a kitchen, absolutely take advantage of it.

Heading to a market and purchasing fresh pasta, pesto, cheese, bread, and wine and then cooking at home will cost a fraction of what the same meal would in a restaurant, and is a fabulous experience to have regardless of your Italy budget.

Research restaurants in advance.

When you do eat in restaurants, do so carefully.

You may think that every restaurant in Italy would be fabulous, but that is definitely not the case. 

There are a lot of duds out there, especially near tourist attractions (shocker).

Dining out in Italy can be enormously improved by simply doing some basic restaurant research ahead of time–this can be as easy as typing “good Italian restaurants near me” into Google and seeing what comes up that is well-reviewed and within your price range.

It’s not full-proof, sure, but it raises your odds considerably from simply picking somewhere you happen to walk by.

Go somewhere you’ve never heard of.

Italy is absolutely chock full of insanely beautiful places that offer gorgeous architecture, delicious food, compelling history, and stunning nature… and yet, most of them don’t get seen, because we all have a tendency to visit the same places over and over again.

Sure, some of that is inevitable–there’s only one Rome, there’s only one Venice–but while Capri is gorgeous, very few non-Italian tourists make it out to Sardinia. While Lake Como is magnificent, Italy is full of beautiful lakes .

If you’d like to cut down your trip to Italy cost, consider taking off to a point on the map that makes geographic sense with your itinerary, but you’re not already familiar with.

You might be surprised at what you find (and how few other visitors that you have to share the view with).

Make lunch your big meal of the day, and beware of bread.

Many Italian restaurants run specials at lunch, offering a 2-3 course meal, often with wine, for a set price.

If you want to regularly eat out in Italy, this is the way to do it!

The same restaurants charge much more for dinner portions, but we’ve never been anything but stuffed after lunch in Italy.

Also: beware of the bread placed on your table.

In some parts of Italy (we’ve heard it’s most popular in Lazio, but we’ve run into this in Tuscany too), the bread placed on the table is not included, and if you eat it, you will be charged (usually a Euro or two per person).

This absolutely isn’t the case in all restaurants, though, so be sure to clarify before digging in!

Consider traveling in the offseason.

Particularly if you’re wanting to visit cities in Italy on a budget, Italy makes a great offseason destination.

Winter is mild in much of the country, and the Colosseum looks about the same regardless of whether or not you’re bundled up in a coat to see it.

Fall is our personal favorite time to visit Italy, and we think late October is the perfect sweet spot for avoiding the worst of the crowds and hopefully still having some beautiful weather to enjoy for most days of your trip.

Your trip to Italy cost will definitely be highest during the summer months, especially if you hope to visit the coasts and/or the most popular spots!

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

16 thoughts on “What Does a Trip to Italy Cost (On Any Budget)?”

Hi kate and husband. Will be in Rome March 10-13 Florence 13-16 Venice 16-18 Paris 7-9 Long awaited trip with friend who cared for dying mother! Now is our time. My 3rd to Paris and first to Italy. So excited and thankful for stumbling on your post. Thank you both for all your dedication and time in sharing your love of country. I am 62 and from Wisconsin Mona; 67 and same; currently residing in Mississippi Be well, Maureen

Thank you so much, Maureen! So glad you found our site helpful. Hope that you guys have an amazing trip to Italy and Paris!

Great info here. We are planning a September 2021 trip to Rome Florence Cinque Terra and then Venice in 14 days. Have I set it up wrong given you say getting to CT from Florence is arduously long by train. Then back via train over to Venice. Should I rework the itinerary, the fly in/out of the country is Rome so that is our first stop, 3 days then last night out by airport(traveling from Venice) may fly down from there. Sorry it’s long winded.

It’s arduously long for a day trip, but if you’re spending a night or two, it’s not a big deal to get to Florence to Cinque Terre by train. We have more details on what to expect traveling between the two here: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/florence-to-cinque-terre/

Cinque Terre to Venice by train is a long day but it’s doable, we’ve done it before ourselves.

Hope that helps!

Buonasera Kate,

I’d like to know your feeling if the following Freecerosa route would blow a hole into a $133/day over 3 weeks. I’m shooting for mid range. Fly into Milan/Como 2-3 days Florence 4 days Rome 3 days Amalfi 2 days Palermo/Cefalu 3 days Naples 1 day Rome 4 days Basically I tracing college wandering. I’m B-2 so I can negotiate things

Hi Bryce! It’s hard to tell specifically (especially this year, since everything is so up in the air), but I’d say your route is going to be pretty tough on that budget, especially aiming for mid-range travel.

The daily costs in each place (place to stay, food, attractions) will be fine, especially if you’re willing to skip a couple of expensive things, but the train/bus/plane costs of getting from destination to destination will really eat into your budget.

I’d recommend cutting a few stops, including saving Sicily for another trip for logistical reasons.

Additionally, a few of your stops–Como and Amalfi in particular–are pretty pricey. I’d consider how badly you want to see them vs spending more time in other spots.

My partner and I are wanting to plan a trip to Italy next year. It will be our first time there and would love to go around our birthdays in may but latest August. Sicily is definitely a option and add two or three more places to visit. Any advice for planning would be great. Looking for 2-3 week stay

Hi Merilena! Sounds like a fantastic trip.

We have several posts that might help you plan. I recommend taking a look at our Sicily itinerary: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/10-day-sicily-road-trip-itinerary/

If you want to combine Sicily with a few other places, this post has some ideas: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/7-days-in-italy-in-a-week/

If you’re flying from place to place, a classic spot like Rome, Florence, or Venice could be a fun trip when combined with Sicily.

what company will you recommend for transfers from airport to hotel or hotel to train stations?

There are different companies all over Italy, so it depends. For airport transfers, I’d recommend booking through Get Your Guide, they have several options.

For moving from your hotel to the train station, I’d recommend asking your hotel to call a taxi for you, and confirm the price with them. 🙂

Hi Kate, Jeremy

My partner and I will be going to Italy this month for my birthday and will be arriving in Venice. It’s a 6 day trip and would like advice on how and where to start. My key places are : Rome Possible Florence Milan Amalfi coast for my birthday. Some tours to include more destinations and activities

Please advise some possible great 6-day itineraries that could work and also if renting a car would be best for some destinations.

Thank you, Olivia

I’m not a travel agent, so don’t provide individual itineraries, but I’m always happy to point people in the right direction. 🙂

With only 6 days, I’d recommend cutting down your itinerary to Rome and the Amalfi Coast, with a possible day trip to Florence from Rome if you want to squeeze it in.

If you’re a confident driver, having a car on the Amalfi Coast can help, as there’s no train service there and the buses can be crowded. Alternatively, you could hire a taxi or driver. The driving on the Amalfi Coast is not for the faint of heart!

You won’t need a car in Rome or Florence.

Hope that helps, and Happy Birthday!

Love this post so much! For the luxury Italy trip, what could be an example of how much to expect to spend say for 2 people for a couple weeks or so? I know you said it’s endless but just curious!

That depends a lot on what luxury means to you–it can vary so wildly from person to person. You can stay in a 5-star hotel in Rome for 300 a night during the slow season… or you can rent a penthouse suite in the height of summer or head to an island and rent out a whole palazzo for thousands.

Your biggest expenses (excluding flights) will likely be your hotels, followed by activities (which again–do you define luxury as a private wine-tasting tour for the day or a private boat ride around Capri followed by a night in a palazzo?) and transportation (1st class trains can be defined as a luxury, so can private flights).

If you work out what you expect to spend in those categories, you’ll have a better idea of how to craft your specific budget.

Hi Kate, Using much of your expertise for our upcoming trip to Rome and Florence (7 days in each). Planning on a taxi from airport to hotel. Is this a good idea? I read where you recommended a transfer through GetYourGuide (I think). Traveling April 11-25. Thank you for all of your great information!

Hi Catherine,

It’s definitely not a bad idea! Transfers from the airports to city centers in Italy are one of those things where there’s really no right or wrong answer, just the one that best fits your budget and preference for convenience.

In order of convenience (especially for a first trip to Italy), a private transfer will generally be simplest, followed by a (less expensive) group transfer in something like a van, followed by public transportation. Of course, that order tends to go from most expensive to least expensive too!

The biggest benefit of a taxi or private transfer is that they can generally get you closer to your hotel in one fell swoop than taking the train will.

Keep in mind that Florence’s city center is pretty devoid of cars–if you’re hoping to limit your walking and aren’t sure which is fastest, you might see if your particular hotel has any specific arrival recommendations. Florence is also a small city, though, so you’re more likely to be staying within a reasonable walk of the train station there than in Rome!

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Good to know

Faqs - booking italy flights, what other cities can visitors arriving at fco airport access.

You can travel to Italy quickly with direct flights from the US, where you can visit a few other destinations close to FCO Airport. Nearby cities like Rome, Cerveteri, and Pomezia are reachable from FCO Airport by taxi or bus. Each of the aforementioned cities' centers is less than 22 miles apart from FCO.

To stay closer to athletic events in Italy, which airport should I consider flying into?

When traveling to Italy for vacation, sports fans from the US should think about utilizing FCO Airport as their destination airport. Stadio dei Marmi, Stadio Olimpico, and Central Stadium of Tennis are just a few of the stadiums that serve as venues for both local and international-level sporting events. You'll be able to visit these venues to support your popular sports teams if you stay close to FCO Airport.

Are there any special amenities for pets on the USO to IT0 aircraft route?

Yes. Passengers traveling on the USO-IT0 airline route do not need to be concerned about the security of their dogs when visiting Italy. The majority of US airports, like SLC, LAX, as well as JFK, which operate international flights to Italy, permit passengers to travel with their four-legged friends.

Which airport is most frequently used by passengers going from the northwestern USA to Italy?

Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the widely preferred departure airport among travelers flying from the northwest areas of the USA to Italy. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights on the SEA-IT0 route. Travelers have the option of using connecting flights only.

Which airport is closest to Sicily?

Falcone Borsellini Airport (PMO), or Palermo Airport, is a natural choice to travel to Sicily, but you may also wish to consider flying into Naples Capodichino Airport (NAP) and taking a connecting flight from there, which may be cheaper. There is also a ferry service from Naples to Palermo if you don’t mind the time (about 12h).

Is a visa required before I can fly to Italy?

Fortunately, US citizens do not require a visa for Italy but it is a member of the Schengen Zone, so permanent residents and other foreign nationals planning on taking a flight from the US to Italy should make inquiries to determine if they need to apply for permission to enter the country.

Can I purchase euros at any of the airports in Italy?

Yes, you can purchase euros at all the major international airports in Italy. Best and Fast Change operates multiple bureaux de change at Fiumicino Airport and Florence Airport and you can use Forexchange if you land at Milan Airport. MC Exact Change is available at Venice Airport and there are ATMS at each location if you prefer.

Which airlines fly nonstop to Italy from the US?

United Airlines and Lufthansa offer direct air service from Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) in New Jersey to Rome and Air Italy offers similar service from Miami Airport (MIA) to Milan. Norwegian flies nonstop from Boston Logan Airport (BOS). There are also several flights from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and JFK in New York City.

How long is the flight to Italy?

An average nonstop flight from the United States to Italy takes 10h 33m, covering a distance of 4742 miles. The most popular route is New York - Rome with an average flight time of 8h 10m.

What is the cheapest flight to Italy?

The cheapest ticket to Italy from the United States found in the last 72 hours was $197 one-way, and $405 round-trip. The most popular route is New York John F Kennedy Intl to Rome Fiumicino and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $460.

Which airlines fly to Italy?

Air France, Delta & KLM fly the most frequently from the United States to Italy. The most popular route is from New York to Rome, and TAROM, SAUDIA and ITA Airways fly this route the most.

What are the most popular destinations in Italy?

The next most popular destinations are Milan (24%) and Venice (11%). Searches for flights to Florence (5%), to Naples (5%) and to Palermo (2%) are also popular.

How does KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Italy

• Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Italy flight deals.
• When flying from the US to Italy, those with limited mobility should consider flying from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and landing at Rome-Fiumicino International Airport Leonardo da Vinci (FCO). Passengers with mobility issues and other special needs may request special assistance at LAX Airport, such as wheelchairs, medical and safety aid, as well as baggage assistance.
• The best places to relax while waiting for flights to various locations are thought to be airport lounges. Most budget travelers choose flying from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) as their departure airport of choice if they want to unwind at a cost-effective lounge before boarding their flights to Italy from the US. The Delta Sky Club lounge in SLC is a comfortable place for budget travelers to unwind before their flight.
• Flying from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to FCO on Delta Airlines or ITA 609 Airlines may be an ideal option for parents from the US who want to send their children on vacation to Italy. The JFK and FCO airports are served continuously by these airlines. Direct flights make it possible to travel from the US to Italy in the least period of time, lowering the risk that your children will be exhausted before they reach Italy.
• If your flight from the US is expected to land in Italy at night and you're taking the SLC-Giovan Battista Pastine International Airport (CIA) route, you might want to think about booking accommodations close to the CIA Airport. Passengers that land in Italy at night can stay the rest of the night in the Pit Stop Ciampino station, which is two minutes' walk from the airport.
• JFK & Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) are the two primary airports from which passengers looking to book direct flights from the United States to Italy can depart. These are the main hubs in the US from which United 40, Delta Airlines, and ITA 609 Airlines provide direct flights to the FCO Airport in Italy.
• Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FLE), otherwise known as Fiumicino Airport and Ciampino Airport (CIA), are the two international ports in the city of Rome that receive flights from the US to Italy.
• Italy has several international airports in major cities such as Milan (Malpensa Airport- MXP), which is the main port of call to explore the northwestern cities of Genoa and Turin, while Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) covers the northeastern areas of Trieste and Bologna.
• In addition to being the main gateway to the Eternal City, Rome also sits in the middle of Italy, so its two airports can be considered twin launchpads for traveling to points north of the city, like Perugia and Florence, points to the south, like Naples, and Bari in the east.
• The island of Elba lies off the western coast of Italy and is within reach from Florence Peretola Airport (FLR) in Tuscany, but if you intend to travel further south to the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, then you can fly from the US to either Rome Airport or Naples Airport and get local flights from there.
• The Italian coastline that borders the Adriatic Sea is an area that, while off the beaten track, has proven tourist destinations from Trieste in the north via Venice, Rimini and Ancona in the central region, and Bari and Lecce in the south. Taking a flight into Venice, Rome or Naples allows you to access the cities and towns along this corridor.

Top 5 airlines flying to Italy

The flight was delayed but we got to our final destination.

Boarding was great. The flight landed early. It took the crew over an hour and a half to bring out drinks. I paid to upgrade my seat to Comfort+ only to be near a crying/screaming baby who was seldom quiet. Noise-cancelling earbuds didn’t even help. Waste of money to upgrade.

Boarding was good, was able to get on early and get settled in . Loved the glass of wine before take off. Once in the air the service was amazing, from the snacks, drinks and the food was good. The flight attendants were very good and attentive. Love flying with Delta..

Seats in first class on the E175 recline too far back. I was in 2A, and the man in 1A fully reclined almost the entire flight. It took 6-7 inches of space away from me and made it very difficult to work on my laptop.

On 2 different flights the wifi was horrible and there was no drink or snack service.

Wifi wasn’t working well so we couldn't view any media.

Flight was late. Club was full. Experience is exactly what I expected.

Carly the flight attendant was extremely helpful and very accommodating to passengers on the flight from what I noticed. Couldn't be more satisfied with the service and assistance from Delta's flight attendant, Thanks again Carly!!

I didn’t not like that I could not select my seat and ended up with the worse seat.

I didn’t like that I could not select my seat and was assigned a seat when I checked in at LAX

Nice flight, nice crew but no cookie or napkin with my seltzer.

Trip was smooth bumpy from the wind but no issues at all the crew attendant was very pleasant and had great customer service

This was a Lufthansa flight. Disappointing main meal. Very rough over Canada and arrival at FRA. IFE was almost unusable.

It got me where I needed it to; not much more. It had no competition so that was why I chose it.

I liked everything about the flight. The service was excellent!

The customer service was excellent! Check-in, baggage check-in, boarding, the flight went very smooth.

The flight was delayed instead of leaving at 11 it left at 12.20

United WiFi is consistently unusable (it can take 10 mins to load a single web page). If you need Wifi to do work, be prepared to lose half a day of productivity.

We waited to takeoff for about 1 hour delay for a 20 min flight.

Good dinner and nice plane.Smootz flight. Breakfast had no sweet option. Seats hardly reclined.

My concern is with Flight: 441 IAH-FRA I was very cramped in my seat and the person in front of me was reclined. I pulled my wallet out of my purse and when finished I did my best to cram it back into my purse. Our flight was very delayed and we were rebooked twice and lots of airport time. As I got off the flight I noticed that I had dropped my wallet( containing all my credit & debit bank cards + 240 US dollars & 240 Euros. I spoke to customer service & Lost &Found. I was denied access to look on the plane. Therefore I have been without money and given no help. Paula Bjork 503.545.6698

Dinner was good by air travel standards but breakfast was too light and heavy on carbs/sugar.

Used to love Lufthansa, but Rowe are too close together in Economy and passengers are allowed to recline their seats so far back it is impossible for those behind them to even reach for carry-on essentials during flight - except for meal service when flight attendants ask for seat backs to be raised, we can’t sleep on planes so this flight was most uncomfortable ever! Rod Rose

So far so good. I missed my flight because of the Lufthansa diversion. United helped me to figure out how to get accommodations from Lufthansa for my long layover. They help me book appropriate onward flight.

Horrible crowding on the seats, headphones provided did not fit or work in the entertainment center, seriously the most uncomfortable flight I have taken in a LONG time. The people in front of me were literally 5 inches from my face the entire flight. Did they change their seats recently? I remember it being tight but wow this was a whole new level. Also I am a 5'3" small woman so I can't even imagine a larger person dealing with that for 11 hrs.

Seat controls of lights were broken, and only 1 of the 2 seat TVs ever worked on the long flight. On the short flight there were no USB connections, on the long one they were difficult to access. Part of my meal was frozen, though the hot portion was good.

Lufthansa fails at mentioning no luggage when booking through points. We had to pay added fees to take checked bags to Europe for 2 weeks. The staff at check in were not helpful at all. told us "if we don't like it, then book another flight". Food was bad, they ran out of half the options. Vegetarian was terrible. The flight crew was nice, and tried to make it work ok.

Always a pleasure to deal with United's helpful and knowledgeable staff

Always a pleasure to deal with United's helpful and knowledgeable saff

My school age daughter was not sat near me. We left almost an hour late. Therefore arriving late and missing another flight. Since it was not a connecting flight there was nothing Lufthansa could do about it. After the selay in take off and arrival we waited almost an hour for baggage claim. There was zero concern for my inconvenience. I asked if we could insure being seated together on the return. They stated no because we booked through Kayak. I typically love Lufthansa. This was very disappointing.

I’m not happy because I discovered there is something wrong and my miles have not been getting put on my AA account. So this needs to be fixed because I have traveled a lot since October and none of my miles are registered

This was an American Airlines flight. The crew were very unhappy and quite grumpy. Abrupt to the point of being rude. The food was dreadful. Indeed the breakfast was in edible. I will avoid AA at all costs in the future.

As expected for a BA long haul flight in economy - you get what you pay for. Good leg space, in flight entertainment and food and drink provided. Staff on the return flight (overnight) we're a bit brisk and just wanted to get everyone fed and watered before turning the lights down. We're vegetarian so ordered it separately through the booking, although when we were in flight we realised there was a normal and vegetarian option anyway, and we were given vegan. This is fine, however on the return trip we were told there were no more specially ordered meals left, so be aware in case you have specific dietary requirements.

Crew and boarding fine. Flight delayed, then delayed again after boarding.

Fare was much lower with a layover in London as I was able avoid numerous landing fees that would have been added to the ticket price had I booked a direct flight to Amsterdam.

We have business class seats from Los Angeles to London. The crew is friendly and provided great service. The flight was very comfortable and very smooth. Will use this airlines again in the future.

The flight was delayed numerous times with inconsistent updates and very ambiguous information. When it was finally cancelled the logistics of handing out vouchers and rebooking was extremely chaotic. Meal vouchers were completely inadequate for the airport restaurants, and not even accepted at some. All-in-all, it was a very disappointing experience.

Everything was great - but then had to wait one hour for my luggage in Verona…

Terrible. The flight from Islamabad to London took 3 hours more then previously planned, I missed my connection to Chicago, and instead had to go New York, spend an extra day before arriving at my final destination. The return leg of the journey was similar. The connection time in Qatar was shrinked to less then an hour unannounced, I had to scramble to barely make it to my flight to Islamabad. Terrible experience, never using British airways again.

The crew on this flight were attentive, efficient and friendly. It really made for an enjoyable flight.

Good. But there food was poor quality and 95% of movies didn't have English subtitles

I thought they had rebranded themselves in every aspect but it was quite the opposite. The food was terrible the service was sub-par. Overall it was not a good experience.

Service from staff was poor, food choices were limited. Air plane was not clean or hygienic and seemed like not cleaned for days. Seats were uncomfortable.

service from stAff was barely there , food choices were limited. AirPlane was not clean and seemed like it was not cleaned for days.. Seats were very uncomfortable.

I paid for premium seats and the last minute they changed the aircraft for a bigger one, they bumped me to another seat which was NOT at all comfortable for an 11 hour flight, will fight for a refund!!

The landing was catastrophic. I was very scared. I thought it were my last lminues. Pilotes should be more experienced

ALL services were good. An announcement should’ve been made at the end of the flight that filling out a customs form would not be necessary anymore for USA travelers entering Philadelphia.

The flight was smooth, the premier economy seats were comfortable, the flight crew were excellent. The on board food, however, was AWFUL. I suggest bringing your own food on board.

The flight was smooth, our premier economy seats were comfortable, the flight crew were especially fine - attentive, cheerful. The food, however was AWFUL. I advise bringing your own on board.

The service on board should have been better fast service

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Three Months in Italy

I am taking a "pause" after a relatively short stint as a corporate lawyer and will use the time for a three month trip to Italy next spring. I'm very excited as I've used seven vacation days in the last 2+ years. my girlfriend will be with me. i tend to prefer cities, both large cities and small, quaint hill-towns. she likes those as well but tends to prefer nature/scenery. here's my rough itinerary. any thoughts would be appreciated! I've already trimmed this down, cutting Piedmont, Calabria, and Sicily, trying to minimize driving time and allowing for a few days of "dolce far niente." Outside of Rome, where we've already booked an apartment in Trastevere, we are hoping to stay in a mix of Airbnbs (for the urban locations) and Agriturismi. We've previously done a Rome/Florence/Cinque Terre/Venice trip, liking those destinations in that order. We plan to rent car in Naples and keep it for the remainder of the trip, or close to it.

--Rome, 5 weeks. I want to "live like a local," enjoy the local markets, become more proficient in Italian (I'm learning but am still short of conversational), take day trips, take a cooking class, wander aimlessly, and see some off the beaten path sites. --Naples, 1 week. --Amalfi Coast, 4 days. --Matera, 2 nights. --Puglia, 8 nights. Hope to split our time between Lecce and an Agriturismo within range of Alberobello, Locotorondo, Ostuni, and Martina Franca. --Abbruzo, 6 nights. Stay in an Agriturismo, explore some hill towns, hike in the national parks. --Umbria, 6 nights. Stay in an Agriturismo. I want to see Orvieto for sure, but other towns TBD. --Tuscany, 8 nights. 2 nights in Panzano to eat at Dario Cecchini's restaurants. remainder of the time at 1-2 Agriturismi, perhaps 1 near Siena and another more south? --Emilia Romagna, 9 nights. Perhaps 3 nights in each Bologna, a smaller city, and an Agriturismo?

What a wonderful opportunity. It sounds like you are probably aware of the Schengen zone requirement for no more than a 90-day stay, since you have 85 days on your list. If it were me, I'd trim down once again, eliminating some of the possible short stays at the end of your trip. Stays of just 2-3 nights wear me down (of course I'm undoubtedly way older than you are).

Just a hint to offer: in Puglia, you'll want to search for a masseria rather than an agriturismo. Happy planning!

What a wonderful trip! In Umbria, look at Spello for your base, less touristed than Orvieto. We were there for two weeks and found it perfect for exploring the area. It is pretty, filled with flowers and a very good selection of dining options. We also spent a week in Panzano. Entering Dario’s shop was the first time I have been given wine and snacks at a butcher’s! We loved the town. Have a meal at Enoteca Baldi on the main town square too. Chef Mimmo prepared a meal in our villa for our group. Fabulous.

No Florence? As a Florentine, I am shocked. See if you can borrow a week from Rome.

The biggest problem I see in your plans, is that you will never want to go back and work 80 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, in a law firm again.

@Janet thanks for the tip re masserie! are there any in particular that you recommend? short stays are tiring for us too, but there are some places that are can't miss for us (matera, panzano) that don't seem like great bases for the region.

@Suki thanks for the tips on Spella and Enoteca Baldi!

@Roberto I’ve spent a month in florence years back and also spent a week there on a recent trip. While I loved it, I want to explore other places. And Rome appeals to me more for a longer stay. That said, I think we will take the train up to florence for a night or two during our Rome stay.

And I think you’re absolutely right regarding the law firm.

As you're planning to use a rental car, I assume you're aware that you'll need the compulsory International Driver's Permit for driving in Italy. These are used in conjunction with your home D.L. and are valid for one year. You'll also need to be vigilant to avoid the ZTL (limited traffic) areas which exist in many cities. There are hefty fines for infractions in Italy, and some are payable on the spot!

I'd split the time between Naples and the AC more evenly, visit Herculaneum, Pompeii, maybe Capri or Ischia from Naples, then more time either in Salerno or one of the "AC towns."

I'd also try to fit some "rural" time in between Rome and Naples, maybe Umbria. Have you looked into leasing a car rather than renting? The collective wisdom here is that it's a lot cheaper if you want a car for more than 30 days.

Lastly I don't think any visit to Italy would be complete without a few days in Venice. If you don't have air tickets yet, consider spending 4-5 nights in Venice as your first stop. It's the best place to relax and soak up the atmosphere as you get over jetlag and acclimate to your new country :-)

For Tuscany, don't miss Pisa, Lucca and Siena. For Umbria, don't miss Assisi, Spoleto, Perugia and Orvieto. Wasn't that impressed with Bologna, but loved Ravenna. Amalfi Coast is nice, but suggest staying in Sorrento. Visit Capri, Naples, Amalfi Coast and Pompeii.

We preferred Amalfi over Sorrento. We stayed in both. Amalfi is actually on the Amalfi coast while Sorrento is not. From Sorrento, you would just be taking day trips to the Amalfi coast. There are other towns to stay in on the coast but Amalfi has advantage of being transportation hub.

I would probably take a day or two off Naples and add to coast. We enjoyed Naples but the Amalfi coast is beautiful and time consuming with travel.

How fantastic to have an opportunity to do this!

I am in agreement with the 5 weeks--almost 50% of your time--in Rome. I haven't been there nearly enough (just a couple weeks' worth over my trips), but in communicating with folks like board veteran Laurel who lived there for years, that's the place in my opinion that it's easiest to assimilate and 'live like a local', as they say. Why? Because Rome locals see tourists & ex-pats all the time, and probably aren't as insular & cliquish as a small town would be if you arrived with pointy shoes and a scarf around your neck, giving off the vibe like '...accept me! I'm Italian now!' Or react--as happened to me on a geneological trip to the mountain village of Sant' Arsenio, SE of Salerno--by a long, silent stare, as if I were an alien or had an extra eye in the middle of my forehead! They eventually warmed up to us after a fashion, but that initial 'greeting' was mighty disconcerting...

So, if that's your purpose, I believe Roma's the place, not to mention the cool vibe the locals have, between passing off thousands of years of history at their fingertips with a shrug & a smile. They're willing to talk to you, oft times in English, and it's just plain fun. Hope to do 6 weeks some winter in the future--gettheheckoutta Chicago--and do 2 weeks Rome, 2 weeks travel by train around the country, then finish off with 2 final weeks back in Rome. A place to call home...

We did three 3 mos trips -- one when my husband took 3 mos off from his business and I, who taught, took the summer off. And we did one for each retirement. It was fabulous. Now that we are retired we usually do 6-8 week trips as my husband has a medical treatment he has to do every 7 weeks or so. do note that your limit for Schengen is 90 days not 3 mos so don't overstay. The consequence of overstaying the visa free period is no re-entry for 5 years. When we flew into Italy on our last 3 mos trip, the lazy immigration agent didn't stamp our passports but just waived us through. When we went to leave from Amsterdam 89 days later, we were pulled aside with someone else who didn't have passport evidence of entry and it took over an hour for us to prove our entry (I did have airline ticket receipts and hotel receipts) and then have our passports retroactively stamped. The guy pulled with us missed the plane and we only made it because I had actually added an extra hour for the airport since I had read on TA about the possibility of this happening. Unfortunately that was after we were already in the Schengen zone and not before. I had made sure I had the paperwork to prove our entry with me. so yeah , they are increasingly rigorous about checking the length of time you are in Europe and enforcing the limit.

It appears that you are a young couple. As such for Rome I suggest the following districts: If you like some local feeling while staying very close to the historical center: Trastevere . This area has become very trendy and touristy in the past 20-30 years, but not as overwhelmed by tourists as the historical center (Campo dei fiori to Spagna area) which is basically a Disneyland. If you want fewer tourists but plenty of vibrant life and activities, due to the high University students’ presence, look at the University districts of Pigneto or also San Lorenzo (a bit further out from Pigneto). Of the family friendly places I like Monteverde and also the area called Ostiense. But for two young people, I would choose between Trastevere or Pigneto (which also has a metro station.

We rented an apartment in the Vomero neighborhood in Naples and loved it. It was nice to stay in a quieter area of Naples, yet be able to get easily into downtown Naples. Also, we took a cooking class from Mama Agata in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast. It is a fun, wonderful class and we still make several of the recipes.

@Ken yes, on our long to-do list.

@Chani my general feeling is that I always crave more time in cities and am usually content to leave a more resort place after a couple days. Daytrips for Roman/Greek ruins sounds great though! And ideally Umbria would have come next after Rome, but we are trying to avoid backtracking and want to go south to north to avoid the heat. I know we are in the slim minority on this, but neither of us liked Venice much last time.

@geo/beth my girlfriend has her heart set on Ravello so that part is out of my hands (and Ravello looks great to me).

@Jay I appreciate the reassurance on Rome! It was tough to pick one long base so that’s nice to hear.

@Janet I have a family obligation stateside right at the 90 day mark so it works out well.

@Roberto we actually picked an apartment in Trastevere very close to Monteverde—I’m glad we made a good choice!

@Becky thanks, I’ll keep that neighborhood in mind when I get to researching Naples. The name sounds familiar from the Ferrante novels (which books are somewhat responsible for the relatively long Naples stay).

I've never stayed in a masseria, but my forum friend Charlene has recommended Masseria Montenapoleone, kind of between Ostuni and Monopoli.

Ravello is charming and has beautiful views. We took a bus there from Amalfi and walked back. The only disadvantage of it is that it isn’t that easy to get anywhere else from there. But if the two of you are content staying out, it really is a lovely place.

We loved staying at Masseria Aprile outside of Locorotondo in Puglia --- lovely hosts, great breakfasts, peaceful, and you stay in your own trullo with a terrace in the back and olive orchards.

In Naples, where we also spent a week with no day trips and easily could have stayed longer, we loved our sixth-floor (seventh-floor?) apartment right in the center of town on Via Atri, close to the archeology museum and literally around the corner from Sorbillo's pizzeria. Great view of the city and the volcano --- if you think you can take that many stairs: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1874249?source_impression_id=p3_1572959618_UD%2B06s6TgGdkH4U3

More later.

Have your searched leasing a car over renting? There was a time when leasing a car was cheaper than renting a car of more than 3 weeks.

hey hey daniel sent you a PM (private message). check your inbox upper right hand corner aloha

We stayed in Parma, Bologna, and Ravenna for 5 nights each.

Parma --- so pretty and so easy to walk around in Torrechiara Castle in Langhirano --- interesting castle with many rooms with painted walls Bologna --- lots to see and do and eat, super easy to do day trips by train Ravenna --- many people just do a speedy day trip to see the "top" places --- but it's a nice walkable town with at least a dozen interesting sites, and it makes a good base with good food.

Our favorite small towns in Emilia Romagna: Portico di Romagna --- nice old hotel with good food: Al Vecchio Convento. They arranged a truffle-hunt with dogs for us. Be sure to climb the tower and to cross the old bridge in town. Lots of hiking in the area. It's halfway on the road between Florence and Ravenna. Brisighella up in the hills (walk on the donkey path inside a building.) Comacchio in the Po Delta (cool bridge and canals in town, walk in the regional park) Cesenatico on the coast (its Maritime Museum is a collection of boats floating on the big canal that runs through town. Faenza --- if you like ceramics visit the ceramics museum

Be sure to eat some piadine and tigelle and some puffy fried bread whose name I forget. Go on a food tour to visit places that make cheese and balsamic vinegar.

Since you'll be in Emilia Romagna a long time, I'd try to include a visit to Ravenna to see the extraordinary mosaics. There's a blurb on this website and tons elsewhere. You may find it worth a detour.

hey hey daniel if you're interested in historic racing cars, check out mille miglia 2020 tour that will be in cities around italy. look what days they are in the cities that you will be in. may 13 - 16 2020 a great opportunity to see these classic, lovely vintage cars. aloha

Hello, I see you are already headed to Puglia. We just returned from an 8 day self guided cycling trip from Matera ending in Ostuni with Puglia Cycle Tours. Was an amazing way to see the country, mostly on empty back roads surrounded by olive trees. We are not big cyclists (well I am not anyway!) so we rented e-bikes. Great places to stay and wonderful support on the road when needed. We were sad that we didn't choose the longer tour. Loved all the towns we visited and stayed in, Matera is especially enchanting.

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A month in Italy: An itinerary for spending 4 weeks in Italy

Here at Bookings For You , we’re big fans of slow travel. Rather than rushing around trying to fit everything into just one trip, we think it’s much smarter to take your time to really absorb the culture, get to know the locals and simply relax and properly enjoy your surroundings. At the same time, we’re also conscious that the fixed cost of travel (flights, transport and accommodation) means that not everyone has the luxury of being able to visit time and time again and so, particularly for those visiting Italy from further afield, it’s important to balance this slower pace of travel with still being able to tick off some of your Italian bucket list items.

So here’s a suggestion for an itinerary allowing you to explore Italy from top to bottom in four weeks whilst still being able to enjoy the country at a slower pace. Instead of constantly being on the move, we’ve selected a number of ‘bases’ from where you can enjoy some fantastic day trips but also still uncover some of those incredible ‘off the beaten track’ destinations that makes Italy so unique and so special. We’ve also included some of our favourite activities in these must see sites in Italy.

It’s up to you how long you spend in each place or how many bases you choose to stay in. Much of your decision can be based on where you book flights to an from and in which destinations you decide to hire a car . If you have only 2 weeks in Italy, then you may decide to stay in just a couple of places and explore them more fully. But, by choosing an apartment or villa rental in each of these areas and then using this base from which to explore some of our suggested highlights in each area, we think you can enjoy the very best that Italy has to offer.

Base 1 : The Italian Lakes

Spend your first week in Italy exploring the Italian Lakes . We’d recommend picking either Lake Garda , Lake Maggiore or Lake Como for your stay. Trying to do all the lakes is just too rushed and we think you’d be better choosing just one as a base.

Our favourite of the lakes is Lake Maggiore . It’s also extremely convenient. Less than an hour from Milan , it’s also under 2.5 hours from Verona and from here, just a 90 minute train journey to Venice . It’s also one of the least well known of the lakes so time spent here will serve as a great contrast to the hustle and bustle of the regional cities. If you’re traveling with teens or adrenaline hungry adults, a favourite of ours is the adventure park found above the western shore of the lake. For your bravery, you’ll be rewarded with the most spectacular panoramic views, followed by an exhilarating 65 metre zip line to return to Italian lakeside paradise. There are so many things to do on Lake Maggiore but some of our favourite towns to visit would include Cannobio , Cannero and Arona . We also highly recommend a trip to the beautiful Borromean Islands and the Santa Caterina Monastery. Or hire a boat and simply enjoy the slower pace of life on the lake waters!

Bucket list highlights: The Duomo in Milan, the Arena in Verona , the Basilica di San Marco in Venice

Base 2: Explore Cinque Terre and Tuscany

The Cinque Terre is a group of five villages – Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore – that literally cling on to the rocky cliffs of the Italian Riviera. With their pretty pastel shades, the Cinque Terre is a photographer’s dream. There are few roads here but in their place are a network of coastal trails to be explored on foot (bring sensible shoes!) As a result, we don’t recommend driving here but instead suggest you catch the train from one of Tuscany’s most famous towns, Pisa , a journey which will take you just over an hour on one of the fast trains.

For us, Pisa is just one of a plethora of towns and cities in Tuscany worthy of a visit. Others include Siena, Florence, San Gimignano and Lucca as well as some smaller, lesser known spots such as Volterra, Anghiari, Cetona, Cortona, Montalcino, Montepulciano and Pienza. However, Tuscany can not be fully appreciated without spending at least a couple of days in the rural landscape that connects all these cities. From the Chianti vineyards in the north of Tuscany to the rolling hills of the Val d’Orcia further south, Tuscany’s rural landscape really needs no introduction. If you’re looking for an original holiday activity why not try a an off-road jeep tour around Carrara’s magnificent marble quarries, complete with lardo tasting – I don’t think you can get more Italian than that!

Bucket list highlights: Duomo in Florence , Piazza del Campo in Siena , Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa .

Base 3 : Amalfi Coast

This 50 kilometre stretch of coastline in Campania is characterised by sheer cliffs that drop into the turquoise sea below. One of the most beautiful winding coastal roads in the world takes you past pastel-coloured fishing villages as well as grand villas, terraced vineyards, lemon groves and small beaches. Our favourite of the picturesque towns on the Amalfi Coast include Positano , Ravello and Amalfi however, it’s also worth taking a trip to the bustling city of Naples , home to the Italian piazza. It will come as no surprise to learn that many of the activities in this area involve spending time in, on or gazing at the spectacularly azure-blue waters which define this stretch of Italy’s most exclusive coastline. Why not grab your Go-Pro and make some magical underwater memories with a combined boat and guided snorkeling tour ? Or for a more adrenaline-fueled experience, soar above this stunning coastline on a parasailing flight adventure . Along with all of this, you’ve got the fascination of the ancient Roman remains at Pompeii and Herculaneum along with the glitz and glamour of the island of Capri and the only active volcano in mainland Europe, Mount Vesuvius .

Bucket list highlights: Pompeii , Capri

Base 4 : Umbria and Le Marche

Umbria and Marche are both just as beautiful as neighbouring Tuscany, but in both regions you’ll find the crowds far fewer and the experience arguably more authentic. Some of our favourite towns and cities in Umbria include Assisi, Orvieto, Bevagna, Montefalco, Spoleto, Todi and Foligno. But for us, Spello has a charm that is unsurpassed anywhere else. Here you won’t find the inflated tourist prices you’ll find just 15 minutes down the road in Assisi and the locals are incredibly warm and welcoming.

Head across the border to Le Marche and you’ll be marvelling at the spectacular rural landscape. However, Marche can rival its more famous neighbour, Tuscany, when it comes to art and architecture too. After all, Urbino was one of the main centres of the Italian Renaissance and the birthplace of Raphael. Not only that but Marche’s spectacular coastline and beaches such as those nestled under the steep limestone cliffs of Monte Conero can also rival any of the best beaches on the Tuscan coastline. We would also recommend a trip to the spectacular Marmore waterfalls where you will be met with some of Italy’s finest natural water features.

Bucket list highlights: Basilica of Saint Francis , the Furlo Gorge in Marche along with the Tempietto del Valadier which is nestled into the cliffs .

Base 5: Rome

No visit to Italy would be complete without time spent in its capital city, Rome . Whilst Rome is a popular destination for a weekend break, you’d need at least a week to do it justice. A city break in Rome can be a great way to start or end a villa holiday in Italy. With two international airports to choose from, flights to Rome are easy to come by and we have even found a very convenient way to securely store luggage so you can travel hands-free around this magnificent city. Check out our bucket list to Rome for ideas on what to see and do.

Bucket list highlights: Trevi Fountain , Spanish Steps, Vatican City , the Colosseum and the Pantheon

Base 6: Puglia and Basilicata

Situated in the ‘heel’ of Italy’s boot, Puglia has been Italy’s up and coming region for the past decade. The Apulian landscape changes quite dramatically from North to South. From the green forests of the Gargano National Park in the North to the rugged cliffs of the seaside town of Polignano a Mare , to the central swathe of inland towns many of which feature in the borghi piu belli d’Italia , and finally to the vineyards of Manduria further south along with the incredible white beaches of Salento , affectionately nicknamed the ‘Maldives of Italy’, Puglia will delight holidaymakers wherever they go. Our favourite towns in Puglia are definitely those in the central swathe of the region though – Ostuni , Alberobello , Cisternino and Locorotondo – along with Otranto and Lecce further south. We guarantee that you will not be disappointed by a visit any of Puglia’s best beaches . There are plenty of activities to enjoy on or in the crystal clear waters that swaddle the dramatic coastline. Our recommendation is to hop aboard a boat or even a SUP and see Italy’s best kept secret for yourself.

Neighbouring Basilicata hasn’t really made it onto the tourist map just yet, with the exception of Matera . Fifty years ago and you wouldn’t have seen a tourist anywhere near Matera (in the 1950s it was a place of slum dwellings) but these days, its sassi have been converted into luxury boutique hotels and upmarket restaurants. Less than 15 minutes from the Puglia border, it’s the perfect trip to combine with any holiday in Puglia .

Bucket list highlights: Sassi of Matera , trulli of Alberobello

Base 7: Sicily

It’s easy to forget how vast Sicily is and it would be impossible to do justice to the island even in a couple of weeks. Sicily is home to two of Italy’s four UNESCO Nature World Heritage sites – the  Aeolian Islands  and Mount Etna , the tallest active volcano in Europe and home to numerous picturesque, tiny villages and hamlets that perch on its fertile slopes. It’s also home to five of  Italy’s UNESCO Cultural World Heritage sites  – Agrigento , Villa Romana del Casale, Siracusa and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica , the Late Baroque towns of the Val di Noto and the Arab Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalu and Monreale. And there are a plethora of fascinating towns and cities in Sicily to discover too among them Palermo ,  Siracusa , Ragusa , Piazza Armerina , Noto and Taormina , home to the incredible Teatro Romano . 

Bucket list highlights: Mount Etna , Agrigento

We recognise that this itinerary excludes some key regions – Emilia Romagna, Sardinia and Calabria to name just a few – and we’re not by any means saying that these aren’t worth a visit. Not in the least! But, with a limited time in Italy, difficult choices have to be made and compromises taken.

If you’re planning an Italian holiday and need some advice on where to stay in Italy, get in touch with Bookings For You and we’d be happy to help provide you with a suggested itinerary for your villa holiday in Italy .

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How Much Does a Trip to Italy Cost? 2024 Budget Worksheet

I have traveled to Italy seven times in recent years and I have also planned about two dozen vacations to Italy for other families. Over the course of years, I have developed a really good sense of the prices of hotel rooms, tours, and transportation in Italy. So when someone asks me how much “does a trip to Italy cost”, I can rattle these numbers off pretty quickly.

Since budgeting is such a HUGE part of planning a trip, I thought I would lay it out for you and break down the average Italy trip budget to make it easy for you to plan — I’ve even included a helpful budget worksheet to get you started. Italy is a popular travel destination and while not as cheap as Ireland or Portugal , it isn’t as expensive as London or Paris . (See this post if you need help creating a family travel budget !)

How Much Does a Trip to Italy Cost?

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. All opinions are my own.

Before we jump into figuring out how much a trip to Italy costs, let’s first dive into a few budgeting and travel tips to keep in mind when planning a trip to Italy:

• Summer is not only the most expensive time to visit, but given recent European heat waves in late June and July, it will be HOT so make sure you are looking at accommodations that offer air conditioning;
• Honeymoon destinations like the Amalfi Coast ( Positano , Capri , Ravello , etc.) or the Cinque Terre are going to be especially busy in the summer and family-friendly accommodations are hard to find;
• If traveling in the high season, plan on booking accommodations at least six months in advance for the best selection;
• Villas/houses in the Tuscan countryside tend to rent for one-week minimum in the summer and rentals go from Saturday to Saturday so you need to plan your itinerary accordingly. You can always stay in hotels or smaller agriturismos that don’t have a minimum night stay requirement, but those will cost a bit more;
• If you want to stay in the Italian countryside on a budget, look for places in Umbria (near smaller cities such as Orvieto or Assisi ), Emilia Romagna (near Bologna , Parma , or Verona ), or Piedmont in the North, instead of Tuscany to get a similar feel at a cheaper price point;
• Main Italian cities like Rome , Florence , Venice , and Milan are more expensive to stay in versus the countryside so consider limiting your time in cities and doing day trips to save money (see my tips for driving in Italy ). Of these, Venice is especially expensive.

Not sure how to plan a trip to Italy? Get a detailed 10-day Italy Itinerary with 40 pages of day-by-day schedules, instructions, and maps.

Italy Budget Assumptions

For this example budget, I have based these expenses on a family of four. This sample family consists of two adults and two children between the ages of 6-11 and lives near a major airport hub in the USA. When planning your own trip budget, make adjustments as needed to suit your specific travel companions and travel style.

I’m going to assume that this family is traveling in the summer months since that is when most families visit Italy. This example family isn’t strictly budget travelers, but they are comfortable with three to four-star accommodations. Of course, traveling in the shoulder season would save money, but most families don’t have the flexibility or the budget for luxury hotels.

I’m also going to base this on a 12-day trip, with four nights in Rome and one week in Tuscany , which is a great first trip to Italy with kids this age. If you plan on visiting Venice, the Amalfi Coast, the Dolomites, Lake Como, or the Cinque Terre, expect to spend even more on accommodations and food.

The budget for a trip to Italy is made up of the following elements:

• Hotel/Accommodations

Transportation

• Souvenirs/Miscellaneous

I’ve seen Italy trip budgets out there that talk about traveling to Italy for $50-75 a day, per person, but I don’t think that is what a typical family vacation is going to look like. For my family, and others that I have worked with, we want our accommodations to be a little bit more comfortable, private, and centrally located. Families don’t always have the option of doing things on a shoestring budget (nor do they want to!).

Plus, the trip is much more enjoyable and memorable if you can splurge on things like a gondola ride or a private, kid-friendly guide that can engage children in sights like the Colosseum or Vatican Museums, vs. just paying for an entrance ticket.

So while this budget may sound a lot higher than others that you will find online, I also think it is much more realistic. Like everything when it comes to family travel, I’ve tried to strike a balance between budget and enjoyment.

Before we get into the details, the bottom line is that a 12 day trip to Italy for a family of four in the summer months will cost about $17,340, or $361 per person, per day.

Airfare to Italy

Airfare in the summer can get pricey with direct flights averaging somewhere around $1700 per person on ITA Airways (the Italian replacement for Alitalia.) If you wait too long to book your airfare, it can easily get up there in price. To find the cheapest airfare, I would recommend purchasing tickets six months before your departure date (Cyber Monday after Thanksgiving is a good time to purchase airfare) and signing up for a service like Going that sends you alerts when destinations you are watching go on sale.

Generally, you will find better deals if you travel in and out to Rome on a round-trip ticket and if you can travel midweek versus the weekend. To save money, consider booking on a budget airline and connecting in Europe as you can usually find those for under $1000.

Of course, what we always try to do is save up our travel points that we earn on our credit card and use those to wipe out the cost of at least one or two of the airfares. If you want to find the best way to accumulate points and miles through credit card spending and sign up bonuses, I’d suggest downloading the  Travel Freely app  to track your credit cards and learn how to earn points.

Total airfare cost: $6,800 ($1700 per person)

Accommodations

Accommodations can be pricey, especially in Rome and other major cities in Italy. Keep in mind that very few hotels can accommodate a family of four in one hotel room. This can often mean you will need two rooms or a pricey suite. I’ve found that it is usually cheaper to get two smaller rooms than to get a large enough suite to accommodate a family.

In Rome, a four-star hotel will run you about $650 per night, per room if you want to stay in the historic city center. If you are traveling in the summer, you will probably also want a Rome hotel with a pool to cool off in the afternoon. Five-star hotels will run over $1500 per night and the super luxe can easily be $2000+ per room.

However, if you want to prioritize budget over luxury, there are economical mid-range hotel options that DON’T require you to stay far from the city center or in a shady part of town. Simple boutique hotels like the family-run Daphne Inn in Rome have a family room that will sleep four for under $400 per night, and it includes breakfast!

Of course, you can also do what we did and go the vrbo apartment rental route. We found a three-bedroom, two-bath apartment with a view of the Colosseum for $150-350 per night.

Find more places to stay in Rome:

Some other hotels that offer a family room or suite at an affordable price include:

• Hotel Albergo del Senato near the Pantheon
• Hotel Santa Maria in charming Trastevere
• Hotel Ponte Sisto in the historic center

Total Rome accommodations: $1,800 ($450 x 4 nights)

The price of accommodations can range wildly in Tuscany too. There are five-star resorts like Belmond’s Castello di Casole where you will spend well over $3000 per night. There are also plenty of budget-oriented, self-catering options like agriturismos or villa rentals .

With an agriturismo, you will have a self-catering apartment on a working farm. Generally, there is a shared pool and they may even offer things like breakfast or an on-site cooking class. Kids usually love this type of accommodation because it is authentic and there is room to play and sometimes farm animals roaming around. Not every property has a pool so if this is important to you, be sure to read the descriptions carefully.

Just keep in mind that agriturismos and many vacation rentals in Tuscany require a seven-night, Saturday-to-Saturday night stay. So if you fly into Italy on a Saturday morning, you would drive right from the airport into Tuscany and then finish your vacation in Rome.

A popular and very conveniently located agriturismo is Al Gelso Bianco . The furnishings are simple but the warm welcome from this family-run farm does everything to make you comfortable. Here an apartment for four can go as low as $1500-3500 for a week in high season.

When selecting an agriturismo, be sure to look into if room air conditioners or fans are available, as those are not typically found in these traditional farmhouses. Also, learn what dining options are available. Does the stay include breakfast or is it entirely self-catered? If there is dinner available, does it need to be organized in advance? This is often the case because the meals are cooked by the owners and ingredients need to be purchased that day. Not many agriturismos offer a full-service restaurant, but some that focus more on the hotel portion of the property may have limited services.

Find places to stay in Tuscany:

Total Tuscany accommodations: $2,500

If you are spending a week in Tuscany, you are going to need a car. I recommend using Auto Europe to find the best rates across vendors. You should also book early as prices fluctuate and will continue to rise the closer you get to departure. Ideally, book by the end of January, especially if you want an automatic as the inventory is quite limited since most Europeans drive a manual transmission.

Just keep in mind that you are going to pay a premium for an automatic transmission and you may want to size up to make sure there is room for your luggage as European cars have small trunks. In my experience, an automatic station wagon that will nicely fit a family of four without being too big to manage the Tuscan hills, will cost about $600-$1500 for a weeklong rental depending on if you drop it off at the same airport or at another one. It may be tempting to rent a van or SUV, but you may regret it later when driving through small Tuscan towns or on narrow roads. Instead, encourage everyone to pack light and bring smaller luggage.

Since you don’t want to drive in Rome, I would recommend arriving on Saturday morning, picking up your rental at the FCO airport, and driving to your accommodations in Tuscany. Then, on the following Saturday, drop your rental back off at the Rome airport and then catch a cab or arrange a car service into the city (I use Welcome Pickups ) and then back out on your departure. A car service to/from the airport will run approximately $65-80 and a cab is closer to $50 but it may be more cramped for your family.

You can also take a train from the airport to the Termini station in Rome, but I wouldn’t really recommend staying in that neighborhood so you will probably need to get a cab from there anyway. You could also take a regional train from Rome to Florence and get a rental car there. Train travel in Italy is pretty easy (just make sure you validate your train ticket before you board!) but when you are staying in the countryside, you are going to need a car.

When pumping gas in Italy, make sure you know if the car is diesel or unleaded. I’ve seen some disasters after people put regular gas into a diesel car! See my other tips for driving in Italy .

Total transportation: $1000

Tours and Activities

If you are traveling with kids, I highly recommend private tours. Whenever you take a group tour, you never know who is going to be part of your group and how that may disrupt your experience. There are so many family-friendly options, including some really fun and unique ways to explore Rome with kids. Private tours will usually run around $450 for a family of four.

If you want to save money, you can book a small group tour. Companies like LivTours offer small groups of no more than six people and Walks of Italy’s small groups are less than 12.

In Rome, I would highly recommend tours for the following attractions:

• An intro to Rome walking tour with gelato
• Colosseum tour for kids
• Vatican Museum / Sistine Chapel or a Vatican private tour for kids

If the budget allows, I would add tours for the following:

• Catacombs and Roman underground
• Food tour with Devour Tours (for older kids/teens)

Luckily, when you are in Tuscany it is easy to spend the week taking day trips to visit towns like Lucca, Pisa, Siena , San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Montalcino , and Pienza . However, you may want to think about a family-friendly wine or food/cheese tour with a company like Tuscan Organic Tours or a bike tour with On the Road in Chianti .

However, at a minimum, you will want to take a day trip into Florence and take a tour of the city highlights or get skip-the-line tickets to the Accademia and/or Uffizi, as well as pre-book timed entry tickets to climb the Duomo .

Total tours: $2,000 (4 x $450 + tickets)

The price of food can vary, but if you stay away from the highly touristic areas (this means walking a block or two away from any main attraction), there are plenty of affordable and delicious options. Keep in mind that a trattoria or an osteria is less formal and less expensive than a ristorante. You can also usually purchase pizza or panini and take them to go for picnics or inexpensive, casual meals.

Also, if you order your coffee and pastry at a bar and eat inside, it will be much cheaper than ordering table service and sitting outside on a piazza. That said, sometimes it is worth the price, especially when eating Tartufo and people-watching in Piazza Navona.

We tend to overspend on food, but that said, I would still plan on budgeting at least $170 for the family a day on food if you are happy with pizza and pasta. Foodies looking for fine dining experiences should budget a bit more. The good news about staying at an agriturismo is that you will likely have access to a kitchen and can prepare some meals at your lodging. This is always a great money saver and allows you to then splurge on those days when you are visiting cities or towns.

Total food: $2040

Souvenirs & Miscellaneous Expenses

While we would rather spend our travel budget on experiences versus things, there are some items that make perfect souvenirs from an Italy trip. These include wooden toys, leather goods, purses/bags, painted ceramics, blown glass, lace and linens, wine, and olive oil.

You will also want to set aside some budget for the little things including tips for your tour guides, parking (remember to bring coins in Tuscany!), gas, and taxis. I generally use a rule of thumb of $50 per day.

Total Miscellaneous: $500

Travel Insurance

I would recommend protecting your trip with travel insurance. Pricing varies depending on your level of coverage, ages, trip costs, and more. However, I would use $600-1,000 as a rough estimate (kids under 17 are usually free.)

If you follow this modest budget, your total trip to Italy cost would come to a grand total of…

Average total Family trip to Italy cost: $17,340

The bottom line is that a 12-day trip to Italy costs about $1,445 per day for a family of four . Keep in mind that there are ways to do this for less including using points for airfare or connecting with a budget airline, staying in vacation rentals, taking small group tours or self-guided exploration, cooking your own meals, and limiting your extra spending.

Of course, if you have champagne tastes, you can easily triple this cost with luxury accommodations, private transportation, and fine dining. We try to land somewhere in the middle between budget and super-luxe and that is what this budget is based on.

Download your Italy Budget Worksheet

Keep track of your expenses as you plan your trip with this downloadable Italy trip planning budget worksheet. Download the PDF worksheet .

VISITING ITALY? YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN…

• Get tips for  driving in Italy
• Get itineraries for  Rome ,  Florence ,  Venice ,  Bologna ,  Parma , and  Milan
• See tips and things to do in  Ravello ,  Cinque Terre ,  Siena,   Assisi

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Tamara Gruber is the Founder and Publisher of We3Travel. A former marketing executive and travel advisor, Tamara is an award-winning travel writer and recognized expert in family travel. Tamara is a member of SATW and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association. She is also the publisher of YourTimetoFly.com and the co-host of the Vacation Mavens travel podcast.

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Publish Date: November 29, 2023

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One Month in Italy – Our Comprehensive Itinerary

Last Updated on March 16, 2024 by Bonnie

When we started planning our first trip to Europe, we wanted to see it all! I (Bonnie) had visited Europe once before, in college, but Grant had not (unless you count a 30-minute layover while he was in the Army, which we don’t). We knew we wanted to make the most of the long flight and spend as much time there as we could. Our thoughts wandered to France, Germany, Italy and everywhere in between and near and far!

After much consideration, we decided to just focus on Italy. We knew we would enjoy the trip more if we had time to see some of the smaller towns. We absolutely made the best decision in this regard and that idea has shaped much of our travels since then.

This article covers our itinerary for how we spent one month in Italy, complete with our favorite sites and mistakes! We used Rick Steve’s Italy itinerary for inspiration but definitely made changes to make it work for us and our length of time.

(Disclaimer: When we link to places where you can buy our stuff or places we stayed, we are using special codes that earn us commissions on the sales at no additional cost to you. Please see our  Review Policy   for more information.)

Our Original One Month in Italy Itinerary

Rome – four nights.

Many folks traveling to Italy will fly into Rome because it is the biggest city and a must-see destination. Rome is a good starting place for one month in Italy, but it is very crowded and busy in the summer, so be ready! Our Four Days in Rome gave us enough time to see the major sites plus a few off-the-beaten-path sites.

We decided to spend our first night at the Hilton at the airport (Fiumicino). In hindsight, that was probably a mistake, especially since we arrived early in the day. We did end up going into the city, which was about a 30-45 minute shuttle bus or train ride. While we enjoyed the hotel and the amenities of the Hilton, I would only suggest staying near the airport if you are arriving later in the day and know that you won’t have time to go into the city.

We booked our next three nights through AirBnB, which was our first experience with that app (this was in 2013). Our room was in the apartment of some locals – a woman and her son. The location was near the Coliseum and the price was right. While everything was ok, it just was not the type of experience we were looking for – not enough privacy when staying in someone’s home vs. an actual bed and breakfast.

On our second visit to Rome (in 2017), we stayed at  Hotel Villa Giulia   in Ciampino, about 30 minutes outside of Rome by bus. The train is only about a 15-minute ride and very inexpensive!

Two or three days is enough time to see the major sites of Rome, such as the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Spanish Steps. If you spend another day or two in Rome, it will give you time to get off the beaten path. We found some of our favorite sites, such as the Catacombs of San Sebastian, Via Appia Antica and the Castel Sant’Angelo were off the beaten path.

Indeed, when we returned to Rome in 2017 , we got to see a lot of cool stuff we missed on our first trip, like the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and the Catacombs of St. Domitilla, both of which we highly recommend visiting.

Salerno – Three Nights

From Rome, we went to the Amalfi Coast. We chose to stay in Salerno at the wonderful Alto Mare B&B . The view from our room was amazing and the hosts were very friendly and helpful.

Salerno itself is fairly quiet and there is not a lot to see or do. We enjoyed a big park near the coast, but the real attraction is the other nearby cities. Still, we had one of the best meals we had in Italy in Salerno at the recommendation of our host.

We spent one day visiting Amalfi and Sorrento via ferry and bus. The next day we hiked “Sentiero degli Dei,” which means The Path of the Gods, near Amalfi. This excellent hike has tremendous views and is well worth bringing your hiking shoes to tackle this trail!

Get more details on our time at the Amalfi Coast, Salerno and Sorrento here.

Naples – One Night

We spent one night in Naples, which was one night too many for us. Seriously, we absolutely hated Naples. I had read some mixed reviews, so we were hesitant to add it as a stop for our one month in Italy. That said, the Archeological Museum in Naples houses many of the artifacts from Pompei, which we wanted to see. It was also a good base for visiting Pompei, which we enjoyed.

Naples was dirty, crowded, confusing to navigate and did not feel safe. We definitely walked past a SWAT raid of some sort and are pretty sure we walked past a drug deal on one of the side roads (we were about a block off the main street trying to avoid the congestion). The food was not any different from anywhere else in Italy.

I know plenty of people have had wonderful experiences in Naples, but we did not.

On the flip side, our hotel in Naples, Hotel Piazza Bellini , was one of the best we stayed at the entire month in Italy. If you feel that you must go to Naples, we strongly suggest this hotel.

Honestly, if we had this trip to do over again, we would skip Naples and visit Pompeii from Salerno. While it would have taken a bit longer to get there from Salerno, it would have been worth it to enjoy walking the quiet streets of Salerno more.

Ferry to Palermo (Sicily) – Two Nights

While we enjoyed the (overnight) ferry, which was basically a small cruise ship, we definitely made some mistakes here. One mistake was not scheduling more time for Sicily on our one month in Italy itinerary. The other was that we took the ferry from Naples to Palermo but then decided to visit Mt. Etna on the other side of the island.

We had to take a three-hour bus to get there and back. The upside was that we got to see a lot of the interior, which was very pretty. The downside was that we wasted a good part of our time in Sicily sitting on a bus.

The Best Western Hotel Mediterraneo in Catania (one night) was very nice. They helped us book a tour of Mt. Etna, which was with a local guide and only four of us total in the group. We also found some great food here. If you want to try exotic meats, Sicily is the place to do it.

Again, if we had it to do over again, we would have spent more time in Sicily. What we saw of the island was quite pretty and is one of the few places we could be convinced to rent a car.

Read more about our time in Naples, Pompei and Sicily here.

Venice – Two nights

We flew from Palermo to Venice on Ryan Air, which was a cheap and easy flight. One note about flying into Venice: there are two airports. Somehow, we weren’t paying attention and didn’t realize we were at the one farther outside the city. We kept waiting and waiting for the hotel shuttle to pick us up and couldn’t figure out why it was taking so long. Once we realized that we were at the “wrong” airport, it took a train and a cab to get us to the right place. I think we finally arrived after midnight… A full day of travel exhausted us!

One full day in Venice was more than enough for us. Other people will tell you to spend two or three days or more. I think we were just tired that day and didn’t have the patience for some of the lines and rules about not taking bags into places. The city is very interesting though, and definitely worth a day or two.

Make sure you take the time and spend the money on a gondola ride. On our second trip, we took one and LOVED it! We also recommend going out to the islands and seeing glass blowing… Amazing!

After our return to Venice, we can see spending a second day in the city to make sure you have the opportunity to explore more of the outskirts but we think you can make do with just one day.

Our hotel for this stay was the Hilton Garden Inn in Mestre , just outside of Venice. A note on Venice: you cannot drive in Venice, so don’t bother renting a car here. Honestly, though, I wouldn’t want to drive anywhere near any of the big cities we visited in our one month in Italy.

Trento – One Night

Trento is northwest of Venice and is a good base for visiting the Dolomite mountains in northern Italy. There is definitely a German/Austrian influence here and not nearly as touristy, which was a nice change of pace!

We took a “hike” that offered some nice views, but we must have missed some signs because a lot of it was along a road.

This was a great place to rest and relax, but maybe not necessarily a “must-see” stop, unless you are just looking for something different. Still, we recommend this stop for our one month in Italy itinerary because it is beautiful and the food was quite good!

We stayed at the Hotel America , which was definitely more European than American!

Milan – One Night

We were going to go from Trento to Bolzano, another mountain town farther north, but we discovered at the last minute the museum we wanted to visit was closed the day we would be there. So, we changed of plans and went directly to Milan.

Milan was the perfect example of “don’t go somewhere just because everyone says you should go.” Yes, the cathedral in Milan was amazing. That was it. We aren’t big shoppers and didn’t care about going to any of the malls for the latest fashions. So, basically, we spent the night in Milan for a 30-minute visit to one cathedral.

If I had it to do over, I would skip Milan on our one month in Italy itinerary. It just wasn’t where our interests are.

We stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton , which was a nice hotel, out of the main part of town, but near a metro station.

Varenna – Two Nights

Thankfully, our next stop, Varenna, made up for the wasted time in Milan! Located on Lake Como, Varenna became one of our favorite cities in Italy. We visited an old castle that is now home to several owls and hawks. They do a falconry show each day, but it was short due to the heat. The hike there was still worth it, as there were great views from the top.

We also took the ferry across the river and did a short hike in one of the neighboring towns. We loved this area and would spend more time here if we could get a do-over!

The Hotel Monte Codeno provided a comfortable room, though it did have a very small shower.

Turin – One Night

The big attraction in Turin is the Museum of the Shroud. We enjoyed the museum and how it presented the information. We also visited the Cinema Museum, which was just ok.

Turin was not overly touristy or crowded, which was a nice change. If either of these attractions interests you, or anything else you read about in Turin, then it’s worth a day. Otherwise, you could probably skip it on your one month in Italy.

We stayed at the Best Quality Hotel Gran Mogol, a nice, comfortable hotel, despite the fact they were in the middle of some renovations.

Read more about our time in Northern Italy here.

Riomaggiore – T hree Nights

Riomaggiore is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre. These towns are quintessential Italian coastal hillside towns and there is a hiking trail that connects all of them, which makes the area even more interesting.

There are a couple of different trails along the Cinque Terre. The Blue Path is the lower and more popular path. The Red Path is higher up the mountain and more difficult to get to. In fact, we were not able to hike the Red Trail, as we waited too late to plan it and couldn’t make it work with the bus schedule.

Parts of The Blue Trail were closed, due to poor conditions, which is not unusual after a lot of rain. There have even been some mudslides in the past that have completely washed out parts of the trail.

We took a train to Monterosso al Mare, then hiked to Vernazza and on to Corniglia. Having train service to all the towns makes it easy to start and stop hiking wherever you want or need to.

We stayed in  Riomaggiore at the Hotel La Zorza , which provided a large one-bedroom apartment above a nice bar/restaurant at a very reasonable price.

Read more about Hiking the Coast of the Cinque Terre here.

Florence – Four Nights

We made a quick stop in Pisa on our way to Florence to see the Leaning Tower. As we walked through town, it was obvious that we really weren’t missing anything else. Thus, we did not feel bad about not spending more time there. I’m sure Pisa is a lovely town, but we had other towns that we were more interested in seeing.

On our return to Italy in 2017, we spent a bit more time exploring the rest of the Piazza dei Miracoli but still only spent a few hours in Pisa. After two visits, we can safely say Pisa is worth the stop but not worth spending the night unless it just happens to work best for your timing.

Florence is by far our favorite “big” city in Italy. The art and beauty of the entire town are just magical. We found what ended up being our favorite restaurant, Antica Trattoria da Tito , not far from our Bed & Breakfast. Grant REALLY enjoyed the Steak Florentine!

There are tons of interesting sights in Florence, so I would suggest giving yourself at least two or three days. I am sure that it would be easy to fill up a week, especially if you decide to use Florence as a base to travel out to Pisa or any of the smaller towns in Tuscany.

We stayed at the B&B La Notte Blu . The hotel was about a 10-minute walk from the main part of town – close enough to be convenient, but far enough to not be too loud or crowded.

Read more here: Let Florence Capture Your Heart in Three Days

Cortona – One Night

While one night is plenty of time to “see” Cortona, we could easily have spent several days here. It is absolutely beautiful and very quaint and interesting, as most of the small hill towns are.

It was VERY easy to see why Frances Mayes was inspired to buy and renovate a house here, which ultimately became the book (and movie), Under the Tuscan Sun .

Spend as much time here as you can. The Hotel San Luca was right at the entrance to the town with great views and a good restaurant.

Siena – Four Nights

We spent “extra” time in Siena because we were here for The Palio. If you haven’t heard of The Palio, be sure to check out our article which provides all the information on Italy’s iconic horse race . If you can time your visit so you are in town for The Palio (July 2 and August 16, annually), we highly suggest it.

There are probably one or two days’ worth of sites any other time of the year. Siena is a smaller town, but not too small. It too would be a good town to use as a base to take day trips to some of the other small towns in Tuscany.

The Hotel Albergo Chiusarelli was amazing! Great location and great food plus they managed to accommodate us when we decided to add an extra night at the last minute… Not easy to do on the day of The Palio!

Read about Planning Your Trip to See Il Palio – Italy’s Craziest Horse Race

Assisi – One Night

I am convinced that most visitors love Assisi because it is the only small town they visit. And I understand that. If you have limited time and/or money, I understand choosing Assisi as your one small town so that you can see the church of San Francesco.

Don’t get me wrong, it is an interesting town, and the church is nice. But, we enjoyed Cortona and Siena more.

By this point in the trip, it was “just another interesting church” to us. Seriously, there are SO MANY interesting and pretty churches and paintings in Italy that eventually they all run together.

The Hotel Sorella Luna  was very comfortable and conveniently located.

• Exploring Tuscany: Side Trips from Florence

Rome – One Night

Our last night in Italy was at the Hilton Garden Inn at the Rome airport. We did not see any additional sites in Rome this day.  We like to stay near the airport on our final night, especially if we have an early flight. It allows us to not have to worry about fighting traffic and missing our flight and maybe even get a little extra sleep!

Our Revised and Recommended One Month in Italy Itinerary

So, after our experiences in Italy, both on our first trip and our second trip, what would we do differently? What would we recommend? What would we plan for a friend?

Here is what we recommend, including our changes from our visits to Italy:

• Land in Rome and spend four days exploring
• Travel by train to the Amalfi Coast, staying in any of the cities but we liked Salerno.
• Three days exploring the Amalfi Coast and seeing Pompeii
• Take a ferry from Naples to Palermo.
• Rent a car and spend three days exploring Sicily. At the end of the third day, fly to Venice.
• Spend one day exploring Venice
• Take the train to Trento (stop in Verona to walk the streets and grab lunch if you have time… we did that in 2017 and it was great)
• Spend a day in Trento exploring the town and doing a little hiking
• Take an early train to Bolzano to see the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, home of Europe’s oldest known preserved human mummy, plus a lot of other cool sites.
• Take the train to Varenna on Lake Como and spend two nights enjoying Lake Como and exploring the area
• Take the train to the Cinque Terre, staying in either Riomaggiore (where we stayed) or Monterosso
• Spend the day hiking the Cinque Terre on the Blue Trail from end to end and then take the train back.
• Take the train from the Cinque Terre to Pisa and spend a few hours exploring the Piazza Miracoli then continue to Florence.
• Spend four days exploring Florence
• Travel by train to Siena and spend two nights exploring (longer if you can be there for the Palio!)
• Travel by train to Cortona and spend two nights enjoying this beautiful hill town
• Travel by train from Cortona to Rome to pick up your return flight

This one month in Italy itinerary eliminates the mistakes we made, giving more time to experience Sicily and skipping over the stops we made that weren’t really worth the time.

Final Thoughts on Our One Month in Italy

We thoroughly enjoyed our one month in Italy but we would certainly make changes if we were doing this trip again. Still, spending one month in Italy, rather than splitting it up between two or three, or more, countries, was the right decision for us. We really felt like we experienced the country rather than just visiting it.

You can get more details on each of our stops in the links above or below.

• Four Days in Rome
• The Amalfi Coast, Salerno and Sorrento
• Naples, Pompei and Sicily
• A Taste of Northern Italy – Venice and Lake Como
• Hiking the Coast of the Cinque Terre
• Let Florence Capture Your Heart in Three Days
• Transportation in Italy: Getting Around the Country
• Tips for Your First Visit to Italy
• Planning Your Trip to See Il Palio – Italy’s Craziest Horse Race

I know there are still some amazing sights that we missed. Hopefully, we will get to go back one day and revisit some of our favorites and enjoy some new places.

In the meantime, we will stay busy visiting the hundreds of countries that we haven’t been to yet!

If one month in Italy is too much for you, check out our itinerary for One Week in Italy (Venice, Florence and Rome) .

Travel Resources

What do you use to find a flight.

We use Skyscanner to find deals on flights. Skyscanner has a great interface and compares tons of airlines for the best pricing and routing. That said, it does not always have every airline and some airlines will have better deals on their website. Still, Skyscanner is a great place to start. Click here to search for a flight.

What do you use to find a hotel?

We typically stay at Hilton properties , so we use the Hilton website . You can find good Hilton Honors discounts or AAA discounts for a hotel there. We make great use of our free night certificates from our Hilton Honors American Express. Click here to book a Hilton property.

If there are no Hilton properties available, we use TripAdvisor to read reviews and book the hotel. We find we can get the best price that way. Click here to search for a hotel.

We recently partnered with Stay22 to add interactive maps to each of our destination posts. This will allow you to see a plethora of hotels and vacation rentals all in one responsive map of the area.

What if I need more space than I can get at a hotel?

We use Vrbo for the times when we have rented a cabin for a weekend getaway, like this cabin in Townsend, TN , or needed to rent a house for a large family vacation. We had a great experience with them in terms of refunding deposits when COVID hit and will continue to use them. Click here to search for a vacation rental.

Who do you use for rental cars?

As a general rule, we book with Hertz for rental cars. We have had nothing but good experiences with them. Plus, we really like unlimited mileage and not worrying about crossing state lines. We have even rented from Hertz overseas in both Slovenia and Croatia . Click here to book a rental car.

How about booking a cruise?

We have found some amazing prices for booking a cruise through Cruise Direct . We have saved a lot of money on our cruises compared to what we found elsewhere, making a last-minute Bahamas cruise even cheaper. Click here to book a cruise.

What if I want to rent an RV?

We highly recommend Outdoorsy for RV rentals. We rented a camper van for a week to visit Rocky Mountain National Park for the elk rut and Custer State Park for the Buffalo Round-Up and had a blast. The program was easy to use and we really enjoyed the freedom of having a camper van for that trip. Click here to rent an RV.

What do you use for booking tours?

We don’t often book tours. Typically, we like to do stuff on our own. That said, there are some experiences you can’t have any other way. So, when we do want to book a tour, we always check Viator first. Click here to book a tour.

Do you use anything to get discounts on the road?

We make extensive use of both Good Sam and AAA on the road. Good Sam is normally regarded as a discount card for RVers at campgrounds and Camping World but anyone can use the 5 cents off a gallon at the pump at both Pilot and Flying J. Click here to get a Good Sam membership. We have had AAA as long as we have been married and it has more than paid for itself in discounts at hotels, aside from the peace of mind of having roadside assistance. Add in paper maps and the ability to get an international driver’s license and it is more than worth it for any traveler out there. Click here to get a AAA membership.

21 thoughts on “One Month in Italy – Our Comprehensive Itinerary”

Can never go anywhere staying only a day or two. prefer to stay long term in a single region and day trip to towns nearby. For me Florence is a 5 day trip alone. Venice a minimum of 4 days. Having 45 to 60 days helps. Salerno or Sorento is a must for 5 days or more. the ferry takes you to so many beautiful sights. As Americans we tend to equate a great trip with how many “things” we can see in a day. I look for memorable moments and they rarely happen at the pace we set for ourselves. See less enjoy more is my motto. Rushing around destroys the attempted infiltration of life overseas.

We 100% agree but also know that most folks simply do not have that much time to dedicate to visiting just one city. We could only afford the month we spent by saving for quite a while.

I agree with you Gary, it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality. I find that I need at least a day or two in each city or town (depending on the size) to get a “feel” for the place. The first couple of days all I do is “walk” the town, to get my bearings, and see the daily lives of people throughout the town and try to experience the vibe. I do a lot of people watching from street cafés. It’s only then, after a few days, that I try to start to see the sites and go only when the day trippers and tour groups aren’t there. I’ve been going to Italy annually for four weeks for the last ten years. The best trips have been when I visit the least amount of cities and towns. The average time in a city is about one week for me. I’ve also learned that one wants to repeat visits and patronize those establishments you enjoy being at, like restaurants, and bars (coffee) several times. The reason: the first time you go, your just another customer. the second time you go, they recognize you with better service, and the third time you go, you’re family!

That is a wonderful way to travel. We wholeheartedly agree. The only difficulty we have is time restrictions. As teachers, we only have so much time we can travel. We are lucky that we can spend a month or more on the road. Most folks can’t.

Grant I was wondering, do you have a written budget of your daily expenses? Like for accommodations, meals, transportation, tours/museums/city passes, entertainment, and souvenirs/purchases? That would be a an incredible insight. I understand that everything depends on one’s choices like luxury hotels vs AirBnB, or Michelin rated restaurants vs humble family trattorias. As for me, I don’t ever plan to stay or eat in hotels, I prefer the “real-life” experience of renting a strategically located apartment (a la AirBnB) half way between the main train station and the historical center, and I total avoid ridiculously priced Michelin starred restaurants and try to eat only in simple trattorias that service the locals not tourists.

I actually have a breakdown of how much we spent and how much we budgeted. Please bear in mind that this was in 2013, so you will have to factor for inflation and the difference in exchange rates.

We budgeted $300 per day. We spent about $265 per day.

In terms of accommodations, we spent $3,581 or about 44% of our total. We spent $2,553 on food or about 31% of our total. We spent about $1,236 on transportation or about 15% of our total. We spent $733 on tours/museums/entertainment or 9% of our total.

We stayed in moderate hotels, no hostels and only one AirBnB. We ate in mostly reasonable restaurants but did splurge from time to time.

I hope that helps!

What an exciting and cool trip! I was thinking of taking our family (3 of us) to Italy this coming summer, and renting an AirBNB as a ‘central point’ and doing day trips from there (what city, I’m not exactly sure). We could stay an overnight or two, but feel like it would be better if we have one jumping off point and don’t have to keep packing and unpacking. In your experience, do you think this is a feasible idea? Thanks in advance 🙂

Thanks for the question!

I think you could (and should) do one location if you are planning on exploring a particular region. If we were planning on spending a lot of time exploring Tuscany, this is exactly what we would do.

That said, if you are planning on seeing a lot of the highlights of Italy, you are gonna see travel times are really burning up how long you can spend in these cities. Let’s assume you are planning on renting a car. If you use Florence as your home base, you are looking at a 6-hour round trip to visit Venice, a 6-hour round trip to visit Rome, a 5-hour round trip to visit Monterosso al Mare, etc.

While I would rent a car to explore Tuscany and the island of Sicily, I would not want a rental car for most of my trip. I would much rather just ride the train, which is far more convenient.

We saw all these places on your list but it took us about three months. We made Lucca as our base ( not on your list). We live like locals and we have made lots of local friends at Lucca. We go every year to Italy and rent apt thru VRBO.We love to cook, buy local produce and invite friends. We stay inside Lucca’s walled city. Each town as its own characteristics. As somebody says it is quality and not quantity. Due to the pandemic we have not been back since 2019. We are looking into buying an apartment but in Abruzzo region close to the Adriatic coast. Lucca’s real estate has gotten very high like here in California since we visited last. We plan to discover this region perhaps this summer 2022 and stay about 8-10 weeks or more. We are both retired and love to travel.

That’s outstanding! We have not been to Lucca, yet, but hope to when we return to Italy in the future.

Being retired sure makes longer travel a lot easier!

This sounds fabulous. My wife and I are planning a 2 month trip next spring and looking to stay for 4 2-week stays split between Italy and Spain. We have done a few trips and covered lots of ground so looking for something more like what you did. Any suggestions for base camps?

A two-month trip to Europe sounds wonderful! We personally love Tuscany and would highly recommend spending some of your time there. Florence is our favorite big city anywhere. But, the small cities offer a lot more charm and opportunity to really feel like a local. Cortona is one of our favorites and we would definitely recommend it. Sienna was a great mid-size town. That said, there are still MANY cities in Italy that we haven’t been to and I really don’t think you can go wrong anywhere in that region.

From there, it really just depends on where all you want to visit and how far you are willing to spend for day trips. We loved Salerno, Sorrento and Positano. Any of those would make a good base. Or, you could go north towards Venice, Verona or Milan.

We haven’t been to Spain, yet, so really can’t offer any advice there.

Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great trip!

if you’re going to stay in American chain hotels and rush from one place to the other, really why bother? The whole tone of your article was pretty negative- Naples is dirty and unsafe, ‘nothing to see here’, little to do! Why bother writing about it at all? Why bother going? It’s easy to see where the term Ugly American really comes from. You didn’t do any one a service and I’m sure that the locals in those ‘small towns with nothing to do’ we’re glad when you left. The whole point of travel is to see other cultures with different food and architecture and art and look with childlike-wonder and appreciation. it’s an opportunity to meet other people with other perspectives and share a moment when we appreciate our similarities and celebrate our differences. If you can’t do that why go at all?

First, thanks for your comment. I will say this is a first, being called an “ugly American.”

If you read our article, you would see we did not stay exclusively at American chain hotels, but did enjoy various local hotels and B&Bs, including the Hotel Piazza Bellini in Naples, which remains one of our favorite hotels in Europe to this day. We did enjoy several small towns, including Cortona and Ravenna, and, if we could afford it, we would move to Tuscany. We love it that much. We made some mistakes on planning out this trip. We wrote the article in the hopes our readers would see our mistakes and make up their own minds. That said, our trip to Italy was a month long. Most folks in the US get a week or two for a vacation and the cost of flying across the Atlantic is prohibitive. I would hardly argue we did not do our best to enjoy Italian culture and learn from it. We spent a month doing just that. You seem mostly concerned about our coverage of Naples. We did not enjoy Naples at all. We found the city to be dirty and devoid of charm, in contrast to every other city we visited in Italy. While we did not really enjoy Milan all that much, it was mainly due to the nature of the city’s attractions, not the city itself. We stand by our observations with this caveat: we visited in 2013. That said, a quick search of the internet confirms that Naples has not improved. While we get your concerns, if you want Naples to be better, clean up the city, eliminate the graffiti and crack down on street crime. Until then, we simply cannot recommend the city to our readers and would remiss in not warning them to steer clear.

Well said..

Enjoyed your month in Italy. I would live there given a choice. Loved Lucca n the Tuscany. Was interested in the prices which I expect would be double now in 2023.

Thanks so much, Ginny! We agree! There are several towns we visited in Italy we would gladly live in!

In terms of prices, I was surprised. I did a quick search for prices for the Hotel San Luca in Cortona (which I am guessing is what you are referring to?) and the prices came in at less than $100 USD/night in the summer. I think this partly is due to the decline in tourism over the past few years due to COVID. I would also attribute that to a favorable exchange rate for euros vs dollars. When we were there, it was not favorable to folks with dollars and that made the trip a bit more expensive for us.

I loved reading this! Thanks so much for sharing your story. What time of year did you do this trip? Thanks!

Thank you! We were there from early June to early July.

Hi, I have been contemplating trips to Europe for many years and was wondering if this itinerary be safe for a single woman traveling ? my fiends are either married or dont quite have the funds Thank you

In our experience, solo travel in Europe is generally very safe, with the appropriate precautions. Based on our experience in 2013, I would not necessarily recommend Naples as a single female, though. That said, a lot could have changed in this time. I suggest that you look for blogs by solo female travelers for more information and specific tips.

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1 Month Italy Itinerary: See the Best of Italy and Sicily

by Sharyn McCullum | Last updated Jan 15, 2024 | Europe live work and play , Itineraries , Live Work Play Travel

What is it about Italy that attracts so many people to it? Could it be the weather? The food? The wine? Maybe the people? Possibly it’s the vibrant old cities? Well, find out for yourself in my 1 month Italy Itinerary where I take you on a journey through Italy taking in all the ‘best bits’.

The first time I went to Italy, I was told to throw a coin from my right hand over my left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Doing this will ensure my return to Rome one day. Well it worked! I have returned to Rome on a number of occasions and each visit I throw another coin into the fountain. This 1 month Italy Itinerary includes a visit to Rome to throw a coin in the fountain as well as many other ‘must see’ places in Italy. Starting in the northern Italy town of Turin before heading south to Italy’s boot and ending on the island of Sicily. Spending one month in Italy will allow you to discover the different areas and cities of Italy. Without further ado, here is how to spend 4 weeks in Italy – let’s get travelling Italy.

I have written this itinerary starting in the north of Italy before heading south. You could easily reverse this itinerary and start in the south then travel your way up to the north. Whatever works best for you during your month in Italy. Don’t have one month holiday? Then you may be interested in my 2 week Italy itinerary . During that 14 days in Italy itinerary you will get to see the highlights of Italy.

Table of Contents

Plan Your Trip to Italy

How to get to italy.

Italy is found in Central Europe. It has borders with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. To get to Italy you have a number of options. Depending where you are coming from you can easily drive from a European country into Italy. You could also fly from anywhere and land at a major Italian airport such as in Rome, Milan, Turin or Florence. Or you could sail from another European country or country on the Mediterranean as there is an extensive ferry network in the Mediterranean.

How to Get Around Italy – The Best Transport Options in Italy

Beautiful Italy countryside flying by through a train window

Italy is very easy to get around. It has an extensive network of rail and bus routes. It also has a number of airports. Most who visit Italy will travel by bus, train or car. There are bus passes and train passes making it easy to get around Italy. If you hire a car you will have the flexibility to go where you want, when you want.

If you decide to rent a car you will want to know where will you park your car while travelling in Italy. Parking spots in Italy are colour coded. White spaces are free. Blue are metered and you must pay to park there. Yellow spaces are reserved for handicapped permits, official vehicles and taxis. Pink spaces are reserved for expectant mothers or mothers travelling with infants. Your accommodation may have free parking, but check when you book. If it does, you could then use the public train or bus network to get around.

Walking is also one of the best transport options in Italy. You will do plenty of walking in Italy as you discover new towns, museums and beautiful coastlines. Make sure you pack good walking shoes, either sandals for warm weather or enclosed shoes.

To travel Italy by Train – Check out RailEurope >>>here To travel Italy by Bus – Check out Busbud >>>here

Best Time to Visit Italy

Italy can be visited any time throughout the year but most people who are staying a month in Italy are influenced by the weather and events they want to attend. So is there a best month to go to Italy? During the summer months in Italy (June, July, August) it can get very hot in Italy. Plus, this is the time many tourists visit Italy so accommodation and entrance fees to many things are more expensive. If you don’t mind the cold weather, even snow, you could visit Italy during the winter months (December, January, February). Some people do so they can ski, even work and ski in Italy for a season. But this is also the time when many tourist hotspots can close so if there is something in particular you want to see, check it will be open during your visit. Many choose to visit Italy in the Spring months (September, October, November) or Autumn months (March, April, May) when the weather is more pleasant and costs are not so expensive. Crowds are also less during these seasons. But really, anytime is a good time to visit Italy so the best month to visit Italy, is the best month for you.

Where to Stay in Italy – Your Accommodation Options

Italy has lots of accommodation available. It ranges from hostels to hotels to villas so whether you are travelling Italy solo or with a partner or, travelling Italy with kids, there is accommodation to suit your needs. I have included suggested accommodation options at each place visited in this Italian itinerary. To find the best place to stay I use booking websites or apps. HostelWorld to find a hostel bed, Booking.com to find a hotel room and Vrbo for a holiday let.

Packing for Your Italian Holiday

The time of year you are visiting Italy will determine the best things to pack for your Italian holiday.  

Documents. Passport, visa (if needed), money and credit cards, travel insurance details , pre-booked entrance and Hop-on Hop-off bus tickets, pre-booked accommodation details. Clothes . Layers are best so you can put on if cold and take off if hot. You will need underwear, shorts and t-shirts, long pants or skirts, jacket. Ensure you have good walking shoes. Electronics . Phone, camera, power adaptor plug and power bank Toiletries . Luggage . As you will be moving around every few days on this itinerary of Italy, ensure your luggage is easy to carry .  

How Much Money to Take to Italy for a 1 month holiday?

To work out your 1 month in Italy cost, I suggest you create a budget. List it out as follows:

Airfare or transport to Italy _____ Transport to travel around Italy _____ Accommodation 28 nights @ _____ Food _____ is this included? Is breakfast included in accommodation stay? Extras _____ ie. entrance fees to museums and other sites Travel Insurance ______

TIP : Purchase as much as possible before you arrive then you don’t have to worry about taking extra money.

And how will you take your money on your one month Italy itinerary? Take cash, credit and debit cards to give you the flexibility to pay for things.

1 Month in Italy Itinerary Map

28 Day Italy Itinerary

Your 4 weeks in Italy starts from the city of Turin and ends on the small island of Sicily off the boot of Italy. Starting in the north and ending in the south, or vice versa, will help you make the most of your 1 month in Italy. You are travelling in the one direction and not backtracking. I have made it 28 days to include a day or two of travel time from your home to and from Italy. So, let’s get into it.

Days 1-2 Turin

Arrive to start your 1 month in Italy in Turin either by car, bus, train or plane. By car, bus or train from one of the neighbouring European countries of France, Switzerland, Austria or even Slovenia. Or fly into Turin’s Turin-Caselle International Airport only 16km north of Turin. Budget the morning for your arrival and checking in to your accommodation about lunch time before exploring Turin for the afternoon.

Where to Stay in Turin (book for 2 nights)

Hostel : Tomato Backpackers Hotel : Cristallo Hotel For other accommodation in Turin, check out HostelWorld for a hostel bed and Booking.com for a hotel room.

What to See and Do in Turin

Turin city has a rich history and culture with plenty of churches, palaces, piazzas and museums to explore. Start with the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) of Turin which was the residence of the Duke of Savoy and his family. It is about a 10 minute walk from the Piazza San Carlo, Turin’s main city square where you could enjoy a meal or a cup of coffee.  

Car enthusiasts may wish to visit the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile (National Automobile Museum) offering a journey through the history of automobiles. How apt as Turin is where the Fiat was created. Fiat is the acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino.  

Before leaving Turin visit the Most Holy Shroud Museum to see the Shroud of Turin. The Shroud of Turin is believed to be the linen cloth that once wrapped the body of the dead Jesus Christ. You won’t actually get to see the real Shroud of Turin, but there are replicas and displays explaining about the shroud.

Days 3-4 Milan

Distance Turin to Milan : 142km or 88 miles. Car – 1.5 hours, Train – just over an hour, Bus – 2.5 hours.

Where to stay in Milan (book for 3 nights)

Hostel : Ostello Bello is only .6km from the centre of the city so it is close to all the sites. Budget Hotel : Art Hotel Navigilli Mid-range Hotel : Hilton Milano . For more options check out Hostelworld for hostels and Booking.com for hotels.

What to See and Do in Milan

Milan is the largest industrial city in Italy with many different industrial sectors. It is an attractive city for designers, artists, photographers and models. You will also be delighted by its many luxury boutiques in the historic centre. But not only that, you will be pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the neighbourhoods and the multitude of museums and sites to visit. These include the Grandiose Cathedral , the Sforza Castle and the Teatro alla Scala .  

Make time to appreciate the splendour and religious significance of the Last Supper mural . Painted by Leonard da Vinci, it is on display at the Santa Maria Delle Grazie . It depicts Christ and the apostles at the last supper before Christ’s crucifixion. Don’t forget to shop till you drop. You could pick up a bargain in one of the markets or fashion houses.

I always like to go on the hop-on hop-off buses in a new city. Milan has a hop-on hop-off bus with the circuit taking around 90 minutes. I enjoy this as you get commentary and tips about the city. Your ticket allows you to hop-on and hop-off at the sites you want to stay longer at. You can book a Milan Hop-on Hop-off Bus Trip through Get Your Guide here .

Day 5 – Lake Como Day Trip

Today, on this 1 month Italian itinerary is a day trip to Lake Como. One hour north of Milan is the southern end of Lake Como, the third largest Italian lake. It is located at the foot of the Alps providing some of the most picturesque scenery in Italy. While here, visit some of the large towns around the lake, Como , Lecco and Bellagio . Enjoy some fine dining and a glass of vino with spectacular views. Maybe take a cruise on the lake. You can book a private cruise here . Return to Milan for the evening.

Day Trip to Lake Como

Imagine sitting by the lake enjoying a meal and a glass of vino. Well you can!

Days 6-7 – Venice (via Verona)

Distance Milan to Venice : 270km or 168 miles. Car – 2.5 hours, Train – 3.25 hours, Bus – 3.5 hours.

Leaving Milan, head east towards Venice stopping in Verona. Verona is a medieval old town and is famous for the tiny  ‘Romeo and Juliet’ balcony  made famous in William Shakespeare’s play of the same name. You can find the balcony at 23 Cappello Street. Verona is more than just this balcony, it is on the Adige River and is home to ancient Roman landmarks. Some of them are well preserved such as the Ampitheatre.

Continue on to Venice, known as the ‘City of Canals’. Venice is probably one of the most picturesque cities in Italy. With its canals, striking architecture and beautiful bridges, Venice is one of the most popular destinations in Italy.

Where to Stay in Venice (book for 2 nights)

Many stay in the central district of Venice where you will be able to commute on foot around Venice very easily. However, if you are driving, there are no cars in Venice and you will need to leave your vehicle on the outskirts. Maybe you would prefer to stay with your car and commute into the city, which isn’t very far.

Hostel : Just 400m from the centre of Venice is Ostello S. Fosca – CPU Venice Hostel. Hotel : Ai Mori  is not too far away. For more accommodation options in Venice check out HostelWorld for a hostel bed and Booking.com for more hotel options.

What to See and Do in Venice

Spend a full day in Venice walking around the central square, Piazza San Marco where you will find St Mark’s Basilica . Great views over Venice can be had when you to to the top of the bascilica. Visit one of the many glass blowing factories and watch glass being blown. Walk across the Rialto Bridge and other bridges before taking a ride on a gondola . Yeah, I know, very touristy, but if it is your first time in Venice, you will regret it if you don’t do it. Maybe sit in a cafe and enjoy a coffee and watch the world go by.

Take a Gondola Ride

Yes it is a very touristy thing to do, but you will regret it if you don’t.

Days 8, 9, 10 Cinque Terre

Dramatic Coastline of Cinque Terre

Distance Venice to Cinque Terre : 396km or 246 miles. Car – 4.5 hours, Train – 6 hours (depending on route)

Up early for the trip to Cinque Terre for the day. It is a must visit on any month long holiday in Italy. If travelling by train, trains leave from Florence’s train station about twice an hour and reach La Spezia train station about 2 hours after that. At La Spezia switch to the 5 Terre Express train, a fast regional train that runs every 15 minutes and connects all five villages of Cinque Terre and get off at the right stop for your accommodation. I have included 2 full days in Cinque Terre providing one day of sightseeing and one day for relaxing on the beach, or hiking one of the many trails and eating and drinking in the restaurants overlooking the ocean.

Cinque Terre is made up of five beautiful hillside or some say seaside villages: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggioreon . They make up a 2 mile / 3 km stretch of Italy’s northwest coast which is actually a national park. Referred to as the Italian Riviera due to its dramatic setting of Italian houses on the coast. You can either walk between the villages or catch the train as no cars are allowed. The five villages are connected by hiking trails if you want to explore this way, but it can take around 6 hours, depending on how fast you walk. But you will be treated to picturesque past houses and the Mediterranean.

Where to stay in Cinque Terre (book for 3 nights)

You could choose any one of the 5 main seaside villages. Hostel/Hotel: Corniglia Dreams B&B: Da Peppe For more accommodation options in Cinque Terre check out HostelWorld for a hostel bed and Booking.com for a hotel room.

Day 11 – Florence via Pisa

Distance Cinque Terre to Pisa : 114km or 70 miles. Car – 1.5 hours, train – 2 hours, Bus – 2.5 hours.

Leave Cinque Terre and head to Pisa for the morning. Most go to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa so you can see this plus a few other things in 2-3 hours. After the Leaning Tower of Pisa was constructed it immediately started to sink into the marshy ground on one side. Most of the time it is open to be climbed. And it is well worth the climb to the top where you can see across all of Pisa. Maybe have lunch before heading to Florence.

Get a photo holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Tour the cathedral and get great views over Pisa when you climb the tower to the top.

Days 12, 13 – Florence and Tuscany

Distance Pisa to Milan : 90km or 55 miles. Car – 1 hour, train – 1 hour 20 mins, Bus – 1 hour

Leave Pisa after lunch on day 11 of this Italy itinerary. Continue south travelling through hills that frame small towns, estates and vineyards, olive groves that overlook and complete a panorama that is already unique and fascinating, loved by both Italians and foreigners – you’re in Tuscany. And you are now in the heart of Tuscany – Florence. There is plenty to see and do in Florence. 

The Duomo dominates the Florence skyline

Where to stay in Florence (book for 3 nights)

Florence has a variety of accommodation available for your 2 nights stay. Hostel : Ostello Bello Firenze Hotel : Hotel Kraft in the centre of Florence is close to all the major attractions. For more accommodation options check out HostelWorld for a hostel bed and Booking.com for a hotel room.

What to See and Do in Florence

Florence is home to many monuments and museums and this is what you will spend a lot of time seeing and doing during your 2 full days in Florence. Starting with the Duomo of Florence, perhaps the most famous cathedral in the world and the jewel of the city. It dominates the city’s skyline. If the Duomo is the most important religious building in the city, Palazzo Vecchio is the most important administrative building. Pass through the Ponte Vecchio , an extremely famous and ancient bridge; it is the only bridge in Florence that survived the Second World War.

Also not to be missed is a visit to the Uffizi Gallery , a renowned art museum considered one of the most important Italian museums in the world. Inside the museum there is an immense collection of Renaissance art by artists such as Botticelli, Da Vinci, Titian and Raphael. If wanting to see Michelangelo’s Statue of David , (and who wouldn’t!), he is currently in the Accademia Gallery of Florence (Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze) in Florence. Seeing this state was once of my goals not to miss when I was in Florence. I think my friends and I stood there for at least 30 minutes in awe at the perfect form of this statue. Plus there were lots of giggles from some tourists, particularly families travelling Italy with kids, seeing a naked man statue.

Statue of David is waiting for you!

Statue of David

Another beautiful statue by Michael Angelo in the city of Florence. Very popular so get your ticket so you don’t miss out.

Day 14 – Travel to Rome via Tuscany

Distance Florence to Rome : 272km or 170 miles. Car – 3.5 hours, Train – 2.5 hours, Bus – 4 hours.

Day 14 of this 1 month Italy itinerary, sees you head to Rome. If driving, take the Chianti Road which unites Florence and Siena. This ‘wine trail’ winds through, among others, Castellina in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti, up to Siena among wine cellars, pecorino cheese producers and places where time seems to have stopped. A journey along the Chianti Road means not only enjoying the beauty of the landscape, it is a unique food and wine experience. If you are a lover of good wine and good living, this is one of the obligatory trips to do in Italy. Continuing further you arrive in Siena and from this magnificent medieval city you can reach Val d’Orcia, between the wine towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano, and go as far as Bagno Vignoni and its thermal baths.

If travelling by train or bus, don’t worry, you will pass through fabulous Tuscany countryside on your way to Rome. You can deviate a little from this itinerary by having a stop in Cortona . Cortona is an Italian town where Francis Mayes, the author of ‘ Under a Tuscan Sun’ lives. If you loved her book, and the movie, you can discover this part of Italy with a stop at Cortona. If you are happy to not stop, you still won’t be disappointed as you will be travelling through beautiful scenery on your way to Rome.  

If you would like to read Under a Tuscan Sun, you can purchase a copy through this link to Amazon .

Days 15, 16, 17 – Rome

The Colosseum – just one of the wonders of Rome!

This Italian 1 month itinerary spends three full days sightseeing in Rome. One exploring the Vatican City and two exploring the top sights of Rome.  

READ MORE : How to Spend 3 Days in Rome

Where to Stay in Rome (book for 4 nights, 3 if staying in Tuscany for 1 night)

Rome has plenty of accommodation for your 4 nights stay. Hostel : RomeHello Hostel is only 1km from the centre of Rome. Hotel : Termini Terrace . For more options visit HostelWorld for a bed in a hostel and for a hotel room, check out more options on Booking.com .

What to See and Do in Rome

After leaving Tuscany, here we are in Rome , the “Eternal City”. It is impossible to overlook the wonders of Rome. The capital is certainly one of the best places to visit in Italy. There is so much history just staring you in the face. Families travelling with kids to Rome studying ancient history will love it – seeing places in person helps book learning make sense.  Rome will offer you an unforgettable walk to the Colosseum , among the ruins of the Roman Forum , or among the Renaissance monuments of Piazza del Campidoglio . Rome is in fact full of ancient monuments, splendid squares and museums. To visit there are certainly the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona and the equally famous Piazza di Spagna. And don’t forget to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain.

Venture into the Vatican City , the city within a city and visit the Vatican and its wonders. Stand in awe in the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica . Near the Vatican City you also find Castel Sant’Angelo. Finally you can proceed towards Trastevere, a district south of the Tiber river, very characteristic and traditional. I highly recommend that you stop and eat in one of the Roman trattorias in this area, but you don’t have to.

One thing I like to do when in a new city, is to get a ticket on the hop-on hop-off tourist bus . I like this bus as it takes you to all the sites of the city, provides a commentary which includes many interesting facts and allows you to hop-on and hop-off at the tourist spots you want to spend more time at. And Rome has a hop-on hop-off bus.

Rome Hop-on Hop-off Bus

The Rome Hop-on Hop-off bus takes you to all the best posts, provides commentary and lets you hop-on hop-off the bus and spend longer time at the sites you want to see.

Omnia City Card

With a 3-day Omnia City Card you will skip the line with free admission to a number of sites like the Colosseum, Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums. Plus take advantage of free unlimited public transport.

Days 18, 19, 20 Naples

Distance Rome to Naples : 223 km or 139 miles. Car – 2 hours 15 mins, Train – 1 hour 10 mins, Bus – 2.5 hours.

On day 18 of this 1 month itinerary of Italy, you leave Rome and head south along the coast to Naples. Naples is famous for its rich history, architecture, way of life and its gastronomy, such as the famous pizza.

Where to stay in Naples (book for 3 nights)

There is plenty of great accommodation in Naples. Hostel: Naples Experience Hotel: Bellini House B&B For more accommodation options in Naples check out HostelWorld for hostels and Booking.com if after a hotel room.

What to See and Do in Naples

The city tour can start in Via Toledo , the longest shopping street in Naples. Here you can find numerous elegant boutiques. The Royal Palace , Castel Nuovo , the cathedral , the catacombs , Castel Dell’Ovo , the Maschio Angioino, the underground excavations, Piazza del Plebiscito, Posillipo, Vomero and Mergellina: these are just some of the things to see in Naples, without forgetting the suggestive “Spaccanapoli”, the central street of the city and a tour of the Naples metro stations, among the most beautiful in Europe. One of the must-see works of art, among the most evocative in the world, is the Veiled Christ, a life-size sculpted marble statue that represents the dead Jesus Christ covered by a transparent funeral sheet made from the same block as the statue. It is a 5-minute walk from Piazza del Gesù Nuovo.

Naples is a great base to explore and do day trips to Pompeii, Sorrento and the Isle of Capri. However, they can also be done from the Amalfi Coast. So these days can be moved around if you want to make this itinerary more flexible.

For dinner, enjoy one of the most famous foodstuffs to come from Naples – the pizza! You will find many pizza parlours and restaurants all over the city. Choose one and enjoy. Or why not participate in a pizza making cooking class and learn to make it from scratch the traditional way.

Learn to Cook Pizza in Naples

Pizza has a long history where flatbreads with toppings were consumed by many ancient civilisations. But the modern birthplace of pizza is in Naples. So while in Naples take a cooking class and learn to make pizza from scratch the traditional way. 

Day 21 – Amalfi Coast via Pompeii

Leave Naples for the short trip to Pompeii and spend a full day here discovering the lost city of Pompeii. Pompeii is an archaeological site that shouldn’t be missed on your one month Italy itinerary. It was a thriving city in 79AD and then there was a catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the city was buried under metres of ash and pumice. Walk around the preserved area to see the excavated ruins of streets and houses. Nowadays Mount Vesuvius is mostly considered safe to climb and you can trek to the crater of the mountain if you are feeling energetic and have time. You will be treated to breathtaking views over the Bay of Naples area if you do the climb. After a day in Pompeii head to the Amalfi Coast to check into your accommodation for the evening.

Pompeii Archaeological Site

Step back in time in Pompeii and discover this lost city.

Days 22, 23, 24 – Amalfi Coast

Dramatic coastline along the Amalfi Coast

Distance Naples to Amalfi Coast : 60km or 37 miles. Car & Bus – just over an hour, Train – 1.5 hours (longer if stopping in Pompeii).

Where to Stay on the Amalfi Coast (4 nights – 1 night after visiting Pompeii)

The Amalfi Coast has a variety of accommodation available. Hostel : I based myself in Amalfi and stayed at Amalfi Centro . Very close to everything. Hotel : Holidays Baia d’Amalfi For other accommodation options on the Amalfi Coast check out pricing and availability of properties on HostelWorld for a hostel bed or Booking.com for hotel room.

What to See and Do on the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast, is a gorgeous stretch of coastal land in Southern Italy. Drive the Coast Road through charming cities with stunning views of the Amalfi Coast. Some places to visit while here are Valle delle Ferriere , the Amalfi Cathedral and Villa Cimbrone Gardens . Visit the towns of Sorrento and Positano set along dramatic cliffs overlooking sparkling blue waters.

Perhaps go on a day trip to the Isle of Capri in the Bay of Naples. Here enjoy villas dripping with bougainvillea, romantic restaurants and the natural phenomenon of the Blue Grotto . The grotto is a cavern where the water glows an electric blue from the sunlight bouncing on the cave walls! Truly spectacular. Looking for some nightlife? Then maybe have a night out on the Isle of Capri. Even the kids will enjoy sitting in the restaurants or bars with fabulous views over the water.

Perhaps just relax on one of the fabulous Amalfi Coast beaches and recharge your batteries after the last 3 weeks travelling Italy. Plenty of waters sports to enjoy if you want to keep active, particularly if you want to keep the kids entertained. Do enjoy the local food and drink, particularly Limoncello – an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced here, in Southern Italy around the coast of Amalfi. It is traditionally served chilled as an after-dinner digestivo! Just great after a typical Italian meal.

Blue Grotto

Go on a boat trip to the Blue Grotto.

Set Sail for the Isle of Capri

Sail to the Isle of Capri and discover Capri’s breathtaking beauty.

Days 25, 26, 27, 28 – Boot of Italy & Sicily

Distance Amalfi to Reggio Calabria : 462 km or 287 miles. The time taken will depend on how many stops you make along this coastline.  

Leave the Amalfi Coast and head to the southern province of Puglia – the heel of Italy’s boot. This area is less visited than its northern counterparts but there is still plenty to see and do. There is clear blue sea, wonderful landscapes and don’t forget the beautiful local Italian food. Work your way down the coastline, stopping where you like to Reggio Calabria where you can visit the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio. And then you can say you have travelled Italy from top to boot!

From Reggio Calabria you can catch the ferry to Messina, Sicily, only a 30 minutes sail away.

Where to Stay in Palermo, Sicily

Plenty of places to stay while on the island of Sicily. Palermo, the capital is a great base. Hostel: Bed and Breakfast D’Angelo Hotel: B&B Casa Degli Artisti For more accommodation options in Palermo check out HostelWorld for a hostel and Booking.com for a hotel room.

What to See and Do on Sicily

While on the small island of Sicily you can visit Catania and check out the grand baroque piazzas of the World Heritage-listed city centre. Maybe explore Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples and learn about this fascinating historic site with its temples to the gods. Then take a walk across the southern flank of Mt Etna , Europe’s largest active volcano. Make sure you have a day or two to discover Palermo the capital city of Sicily, and a great base while you are on the island of Sicily.

Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples

Discover the temples of this historic site.

Leaving Italy

Unfortunately, it is time to leave Italy after a fabulous four weeks in Italy. There are a number of options for leaving Italy in the southern part of the country. From Palermo you can sail to other cities in Italy or in the Mediterranean. You could fly out. Maybe catch the train or bus or drive back to Rome and fly out of the international airport. There are quite a few options to get you home.

Are you Ready for Your 1 Month Holiday in Italy?

This 1 month Italy itinerary takes you from the top to the bottom of Italy or vice versa. It takes in the ‘must see’ places in Italy, plus loads more. I hope you have found this month long itinerary for Italy helpful in the planning of your own Italian odyssey. If you have any questions about the planning of your trip to Italy, or want to let us know about your own travels through Italy, please leave them in the comments following.

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Italy Working Holiday Guide How to Spend 3 Days in Rome 14 Day Italy Itinerary

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23 Comments

I tried the Trevi Fountain coin trick and thus far it hasn’t worked for me! However, never say never! None the less, it is a great itinerary for a month and I would happily follow your suggestions to see the best of Italy and Sicily, Sharyn. A great guide.

There are two main things that would definitely take me to Italy – Rome and Naples (purely for my love for Pizza). And yes, I too am going to throw that coin, and keep the hope of coming back to Rome in life again alive.

What a great post. Everyone heading to Italy should read it as it’s a great base to get ideas for everything in Italy. I’ve done the Trevi Fountain coin trick and am waiting to go back, but will read your blog again to get more ideas of what to do.

Wow! What an itinerary! This post is packed with great info. There are so many places in Italy I have yet to visit: Lake Como, Amalfi Coast, Florence, and Cinque Terre; I don’t know where to start. I really have to visit soon.

Great itinerary! There is just so much to see and do in Italy that you could spend a lifetime. Thanks 🙂

Thanks. Agree. There is plenty to see and do in Italy. This is why millions visit Italy every year with many falling in love with the country and wanting to stay a lifetime.

Wow. Excellent itinerary. We have been discussing a winter Italy get-away. Maybe even two months so we could do this itinerary at a slower pace. Thanks for the great ideas. I’m saving!

Thank you. The itinerary is influenced by my own travels through Italy. It is such a great place to visit and 1 month gives you a great taste of what Italy is all about. Two months in Italy would be fabulous you lucky thing!

What a treat to be in Italy for an entire month. And you didn’t waste any time. You traveled from top to bottom of the boot!

This is a great itinerary. I particularly like how you recommend spending a few days in some of the key places. I like to spend three or four days at each place because I start to get a feeling of the local flair. So far Venice and Cinque Terre have been my favorite places in Italy. However, I have not gotten to Rome and some of the southern cities yet. This will be a good guide to help with planning when I go there.

Thanks for so much great information on Italy. It’s a great resource and as I’ve done the coin in the fountain, I’ll be able to use it one day, fingers crossed.

A whole month in Italy would be a dream! I have been to a few places on this list but I haven’t been down to the south yet. Thanks for sharing

This was a great planning guide for a month in Italy, thank you! I love to travel slowly and for a long time, and this gave me a lot of great input. 🙂

Good to herd your thoughts on my 1 month in Italy guide. I hope you enjoy slow travels in italy.

I’d love to spend a month touring Italy. I’ve only been to a few spots on your list, and definitely would like to spend a few days more in Naples.

Absolutely love Italy and your suggested itinerary is great – hitting all the perfect highlights along the way. Great inspiration for planning a longer time away. Thanks!

When you have a month to spend in Italy you will see many out of the way places but be able to visit all the major sites too.

I love Italy. It is always my first choice! And now I am wondering, is one month even enough? I took a day trip to Lake Como, but I would definitely plan more time there next time.

One month is definitely a start if that is all you have available. But if you have more time – great. Some people fall in love with Italy and stay. Look at Frances Mayes who bought her villa and wrote Under a Tuscan Sun!

I absolutely love this. I spent 3 months studying abroad in Italy and still haven’t seen some of the places that you’ve listed. if I ever get a chance to spend a month in Italy I would definitely use this itinerary.

I’d love to do something like studying abroad in Italy – I’m jealous, I’ve only ever toured around.

Love all these recommendations for Italy! I’ll be adding all these places to my future trip to Italy.

Great. I hope you have a wonderful time in Italy. There is so much to see and every area is different in its own unique way!

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17 Fun Things To Do In Venice Italy [2 day Itinerary Included]

W e took the train 4 hours from Rome to Venice on our 3 month backpacking trip around Europe and we got 2 gorgeous days with the sun shining! We couldn’t wait to explore this iconic city and to get out on the water. There are so many great things to do in Venice, Italy.

We loved Venice, the vibe, the canals, it is such a beautiful city.

Overview Of Venice

The city is located on 118 islands that are separated by 150 canals. It really does feel like a city on the water! A lot of the islands are connected by 400 footbridges while some of them like Burano and Murano you have to take a boat to get to them in the Venetian Lagoon.

There are no cars in Venice which was amazing. Knox commented how quiet the city was without cars!

You will only find four bridges that cross the Grand Canal. And won’t miss the 400+ gondolas that are floating through the canals all around the city.

Venice is magical. There really isn’t a better way to describe it. I know people have complained about it being too busy or smelly. But when we were there at the end of March/beginning of April it was perfect.

Not busy, not smelly and with the sun out it was perfect weather to be walking around the city.

That being said if you are going to visit Venice when it is busy we definitely recommend you book your tickets in advance and get as many skip the line tickets as you can. The worst thing to be doing in Venice would be standing in line!

Getting To Venice

We took the train into Venice. It was a very easy process and was a beautiful ride coming into the city. Be sure to check your trains stops and make sure you stay on until you reach the actual island.

Once you reach the island you can walk from the train station right across a bridge and into Venice. We purposely picked a vacation rental that was within walking distance to the train station.

That meant we weren’t close to the main attractions but the island isn’t that big so it was no problem walking anywhere we wanted to go.

Things To Do In Venice

Grand canal “tour”.

I have tours in quotes since this wasn’t a paid tour. This was us riding on the Grand Canal public water bus (vaporetto). It was packed with people using it as a bus to get around Venice.

We paid attention and quickly grabbed the seats at the front and got out my phone to open the Rick Steves Grand Tour app on my phone . His tour lasts 45 minutes – starting from the Piazzale Roma and bringing you just past St Marks Square.

It talks about places like the Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute which is a beautiful church that was built in the 17th century to commemorate the end of a devastating outbreak of the plague that killed thousands of Venetians.

The tour was well done and helped us understand what we were saying as we were riding down the canal. If you don’t want to stay on for the whole tour you can hop on and off at any of the stops the boat makes.

St Marks Square

Next up we headed to St Marks Square (Piazza San Marco). We got our Rick Steves app again and read through some of the highlights of St Marks Square. While we were doing that we noticed all of the people sitting out have a drink in the square. We definitely wanted to try that!

We stopped at Caffè Florian. It was super expensive! But it was an experience so it was worth it. We got overpriced drinks and snacks and looked out over the square as we listed to the orchestra playing from the restaurant.

You could also choose to tour the Doge’s Palace when you are here and see the Ponte dei Sospiri or Bridge of Sighs. We figured with our kids they wouldn’t be into it. But if you like seeing Gothic palaces that were built in the 14th century you should do it!

**Fun Fact: The Bridge of Sighs is a small enclosed bridge that connects the Doge’s Palace to the adjacent prison. Legend has it that the bridge earned its name from the prisoners who, as they crossed it, would sigh at the sight of Venice for the last time before being locked up.

Another option would be to climb to the top of the Campanile di San Marco (bell tower) when you visit Saint Marks square.

Gondola Ride

We of course had to do a gondola ride! They only allow up to 5 people on 1 boat so luckily Nana and Boppa were with us and could take 2 kids!

It was an over priced but fun experience and we are glad we did it! At the time it was $85 for a 35 minute trip for up to 5 people. We tried to see if we could do 6 with the 4 kids but they said no they would lose their license.

I mean you can’t come to Venice and not do the Gondola Ride so be sure you budget for it. Now that we did it we won’t have to do it again but I am glad we did and that the kids got this experience.

It was also fun to explore the canals and see some areas of Venice you can only see on the Gondolas.

Rialto Market

We started the day with a trip to the fish market at the Rialto Market. It was quite the experience. There are all kinds of different fish just sitting out. I mean fish we have never seen before!

Plus there is blood on the ground from the fish and a definite fishy smell! Once of the crazy things is that when the market is done they clean it all up and you could barely tell it was there.

We didn’t buy anything . . . but I have to say I would love to hire someone to bring us to the market and help us pick things out. Then bring us back to our place to cook a delicious meal from the market.

Osteria al Squero

After that we headed to Osteria al Squero to watch the workers fix and build gondolas across the canal at Squero Di San Trovaso.

Scavenger Hunt

If you are traveling with kids you won’t want to miss this scavenger hunt around the city. It was a great way to teach the kids some history of Venice while making it fun and interactive. Plus we visited a couple of places we may not have found on our own during the hunt!

Our guide had a map and clues and split us into 2 teams so we could see who found the clues first and answered the questions correctly.

It was education and fun! And brought to our attention some different things in the city we may not have noticed on our own.

Libreria Acqua Alta

We found this stop on our scavenger hunt and I am so glad we did! It backs up to one of the canals and there is a book staircase you can climb up to look out over the canal.

The store has a gondola in it filled with books and books everywhere. It can get very busy and you may have to wait in line to get in.

Spiderman Movie Spots

If your kids are Spiderman fans they probably remember when Spiderman came to Venice. If that is the case be sure to stop to see the following two spots:

• Santa Maria Formosa Church
• Ponte de l’Arsenal o del Paradiso

The Rialto Bridge

Grab a picture on the famous Rialto Bridge! This is the iconic bridge in Venice that goes over the Grand Canal. If you spend any time in Venice you will most likely catch your self walking over this bridge a few times.

Take note the bridge is called The Ponte di Rialto in Italian.

Learn To Row As A Venetian

This is another activity our friends from Zula Life did when they visited and they said it was a blast! It is one thing to take a gondola ride but to be able to learn how to row that is awesome!

You can learn more about learning how to row as a Venetian here.

Carnival Mask Making

Zula Life also did this activity and said it was a great experience. There are masks stores all over Venice that you can buy masks at. But being able to make your own would be quite an experience!

You can book your own Carnival Mask Making class here.

Teatro la Fenice

If you are into Opera and/or architecture you are going to want to check out this Opera House. You can either do a tour or you can opt to come and see a show here. The Opera House has a long history of being destroyed or damaged by fire and rebuilt.

Burano Island

We only had a little bit of time to see Murano or Burano. We ended up going with Burano because I wanted to see all of the colorful buildings!

To get to the island we had to get on the water bus (vaporetto) at the Fondamenta Nuove stop and took the 45 minute ride over to Burano Island. We didn’t get there until almost 6pm so things were starting to close down. But we were able to grab a quick dinner at Trexento and make a stop in a couple of the shops.

The island’s buildings are painted in bright colors such as pink, blue, green, and purple. The origin of the brightly colored houses is said to be from the fishermen who used to live on the island. They painted their houses in bright colors so they could easily spot them from the sea.

Burano Island is also famous for its traditional lace-making industry. The art of lace-making has been passed down through generations of Burano families, and today it is still possible to see artisans creating delicate lace items by hand. My Mom bought some when we were there.

We definitely wish we had more time on the island! We also really enjoyed seeing the views of Venice from the water on the way here and back.

We didn’t make it To Murano Island on this trip but we ill next time! I just couldn’t resist the colored buildings of Burano so made the choice to go there since we could just go to 1 island. However, getting to Murano from Venice only takes about 10-15 minutes by water taxi (vaporetto).

Murano Island is known for the art of glass making. The skill dates back to the 13th century when the Venetian Republic ordered all glass factories to move to the island to prevent fires in the city. Since then, Murano has been renowned for its exquisite glassware, and the island’s artisans continue to create unique glass objects by hand using traditional techniques.

When you go to Murano you can watch the glass-making process in action by visiting one of the island’s many glass factories and studios. These studios offer guided tours that showcase the intricate and complex process of creating glass objects. You can also see the stunning finished products on display in the studios and purchase them as souvenirs.

Our friends from Zula Life visited Murano Island and did a glass making class and they said they loved it!!

You can see the video of them in the class here.

Where To Eat In Venice

Gelateria il doge.

This Gelato spot is located in Campo Santa Margherita. The kids were able to get their ice cream and they sat by a fountain to eat it while us and my parents found an open table at Fuori Rotta to get a glass of wine.

When the kids came to find us after they were done with their gelato by Dad gave them 20 Euro and said go see what else you can find. That give us a chance to sit for a bit longer and finish our glass or bottle of wine.

Birraria la Corte

We were excited to head to Birraria la Corte to try their pizza! When we walked in they asked if we had a reservation . . . umm no. I guess that meant we might not get a table. Luckily they had some outside seating and since it was a bit cooler not many people wanted to sit out there.

It was actually really nice and we always prefer to eat outside when we can. The drinks were good and the pizza was delicious!

Cip & Ciop

This was a fun little restaurant/bar right by where we stayed. They had these delicious handheld foods like fried mozzarella pocket things and vegetarian tapa’s and other ones filled with meat. I don’t even know the right way to describe them but they were so good!

You just walked up to the counter and they had everything on display in the case so you just asked for what you wanted. We went and ordered and came back and ordered more since it was so good.

I think they are called Cicchetti. Like the Italian version of Spanish Tapas. In any case if you are in Venice ask around about Cicchetti and try all the things!

Cantina Do Spade

Make sure to stop here for a Mozzarella Sandwich. We just stopped in to grab one to go and it was delicious!! While we waited we also got a glass of wine and that was good too.

Where To Stay In Venice

When picking where to stay we picked a place – Residence degli Artisti – that was close to the train station so we could easily walk from there to our vacation rental with our backpacks and bags.

The place we picked wasn’t close to St Mark’s square but we liked that it was tucked away and not in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of Venice.

The place – Residence degli Artisti – was beautiful and we were glad we stayed here.

Venice Itinerary

Here is what we did on our 2 days in Venice. We definitely could have stayed longer. We really fell in love with Venice!!

Venice – Day 1 (day you arrive)

• Head to the Piazzale Roma water bus (Vaporetto) stop. To start the Rick Steves Grand Canale tour at the right place. Check out the water bus schedule here. You can buy your tickets online before you get there.
• Ride the water bus to the St Marks Square stop. If you want more context check out the Rick Steves Tour of St Marks Square on his app. Stop here for a drink in the square.
• Birraria la Corte for dinner.
• Breakfast and Coffee at Cip & Ciop
• 10am – Rialto Market Area – only open until 1pm
• Osteria al Squero to watch the Gondola workshop across the canal (squero di san trovaso).
• Campo Santa Margherita and get gelato at Gelateria il Doge [Dorsoduro 3058/A, Rio Terà Canal]
• Stop at Cantina Do Spade for mozzerella sandwiches.
• Santa Maria Formosa Church – which was in the Spiderman movie.
• Liberia Acqua Alta
• Ponte de l’Arsenal o del Paradiso – which was in the Spiderman movie.
• 2pm – Gondola Ride – 30-45 minutes.
• 3pm – Scavenger Hunt Tour
• 5pm – Head to Burano Island
• Burano Island for dinner at Trexento
• Head back to Venice

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Three Weeks in Northern Italy: a Travel Itinerary

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I recently took a three-week trip to northern Italy that blew my socks off.  I had an opportunity to attend a conference in Trento in the Trentino region, and I used it as inspiration to plan a trip concentrating solely on the far north of Italy. Concentrating on this part of the country gave me the chance to go more off the beaten path, and I loved my itinerary so much I knew I had to come home and share it with all of you!

If you’re able to spend three weeks in Italy, you’re VERY lucky. As an American, I know how hard it is to get this much time off, but if you’re able to swing a longer trip, you’ll be able to explore Italy so deeply. And if you don’t have quite enough time, I have ways to modify the itinerary to fit your time frame.

I’ve been traveling extensively in Italy for 15 years. It’s one of the countries I know best. When I travel to Italy these days, I’m not looking to travel the well-worn itinerary — I’m looking to go deeper.

That’s what led me to plan this trip, and write this post for you. While some of the locations on this trip are well-touristed, the majority of them don’t get a lot of tourism. As a result, this is an offbeat Italy itinerary that will be full of surprises.

Who is this Italy travel itinerary for?

This itinerary is best for people who have traveled to Italy before and have already been to the major sites. This itinerary could potentially also work for first-time travelers to Italy who would rather get off the beaten path than visit the busiest spots.

This Italy travel itinerary includes in a lot of variety. You’ll visit two of Italy’s best culinary regions, Emilia-Romagna and Piemonte; you’ll marvel at Italy’s most picturesque mountains in Trentino and Alto Adige; and you’ll visit four lakes: Garda, Como, Orta, and Maggiore. You’ll spend time in the quiet but very pretty city of Trento, the busy and modern metropolis of Milan, the warm and fun city of Bologna, and visit two of the more touristy spots, Florence and Verona, on day trips only.

To me, this itinerary is true bliss: everything that I love about northern Italy with few of the drawbacks that plague more touristed areas like Venice, Cinque Terre, and Rome.

Day 1: Arrive in Milan, train to Bologna

If you’re flying overnight to get to Milan, chances are you’ll be a zombie.  Don’t set super-high expectations for yourself for the first day. I spent my first day hanging out with my friends and taking it easy. You may want to take a nap; you may want to push through. Either way, I recommend taking melatonin at bedtime to help you get on the right time zone.

When you arrive in Milan, take a bus or train to Milano Centrale, the main train station. (If you’re arriving at Milan Malpensa, the bus and train take the same amount of time but the bus runs more often and is cheaper.) From there you can book and hop on a train to Bologna. The Frecciarossa train is an engineering marvel that only takes one hour.

Days 2-5: Bologna

Bologna is a fantastic, underrated Italian city — and it happens to be my favorite city in Italy. Bologna is a city that comes with a lot of nicknames — la rossa , or the red, because of the red colors of the city (and its politically liberal history), la dotta , or the learned, because of its long history as a university city; and la grossa , or the fat, because it’s one of the best food cities in both Italy and the world.

Bologna is a beautiful, culture-filled city that doesn’t get nearly the number of tourists of Rome, Florence, or Venice. As a result, it feels like a lived-in city devoid of tourist traps. The cuisine is outstanding, so much that many Italians grudgingly admit that Bologna has the best food in the country. It also helps that Bologna is surrounded by lots of great cities for day trips.

My Favorite Thing to Do in Bologna: Eat, eat, eat. Check out my 25 Best Food Experiences in Emilia-Romagna, Italy for 25 ideas. At the very least, go to Osteria dell’Orsa for a cheap and delicious tagliatelle ragú and hit up the aperitivi near the city center.

Where to Stay in Bologna: Phi Hotel Bologna is an upscale and charming hotel just 2 minutes from the town square (rates from $136). Almarossa is a simpler, cheaper option in a great location near the university (rates from $76). Find deals on more Bologna hotels here.

Day Trip from Bologna: Florence

Florence is one of the all-time great cities of Italy.  It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world; the art is unparalleled. Unfortunately, Florence is also one of the most touristed cities in Europe, and if you visit during high season, the crowds will be particularly intense.

My advice? Plan this day trip extremely carefully. If you want to visit the Uffizi or see David at the Accademia (I recommend one but not both in the same day unless you’re a hardcore art appreciator), BUY TICKETS IN ADVANCE. That is vital. If not, you’ll spend most of your day waiting in line. Beyond that, choose a few sites you want to see and roughly plan your route.

Choose your priorities in Florence without scheduling every moment of the day — you need to allow for a bit of serendipity, even if it’s just a gelato break (my favorite is Gelateria Dei Neri). But having a few sightseeing goals will help you navigate this city much more easily.

My Favorite Thing to Do in Florence: Enjoy the sunset from the Giardino Rosato, pictured above. This is very close to the much more popular Piazzale Michelangelo but with far fewer tourists, and the roses add to the ambiance.

Where to Stay in Florence: If you choose to stay overnight in Florence,  Hotel Torre Guelfa Palazzo Acciaiuoli  has colorful, central rooms and an unreal rooftop terrace. If you’re on a budget, Plus Florence  has value-for-money rooms with amenities like a rooftop pool. Find deals on more Florence hotels here.

Day Trip from Bologna: Verona

Verona is most famous for being the setting of Romeo and Juliet — but today’s visitors admire the ancient amphitheater, the calm riverside setting, and the pristine city center, clad in the soft colors of the Veneto.  Verona is a major transportation hub and a growing tourist attraction, but it’s much calmer and low-key than other Italian cities. The amphitheater, for one, only gets a fraction of the tourists Rome’s Colosseum gets.

Plenty of Romeo and Juliet tourists make their way here and set up shop at the Casa di Giulietta, where you can go out on Juliet’s balcony (built long after the play was written) or pose with the statue of Juliet. It’s a running gag for tourists to pose with a hand on Juliet’s breast. (Creepy. She’s barely pubescent in the play, you know.)

My Favorite Thing to Do in Verona: The one activity I didn’t do that I wish I did was to climb to the best view in town: Piazzale Castel San Pietro. Go up during sunset for especially good photos overlooking the city skyline.

Where to Stay in Verona: If you choose to stay overnight in Verona, Escalus Luxury Suites has gorgeous, modern suites in the heart of the city for surprisingly low rates starting from $101.  Find deals on more hotels in Verona here.

Alternate Day Trips from Bologna: Parma, Modena, Ravenna, Ferrara, Rimini, San Marino

Bologna makes a great base for lots of reasons, including that there are several great cities in Emilia-Romagna.  You can easily visit several on day trips. Parma and Modena are located close together on the same train line and you could visit Parma in the morning and Modena in the afternoon.

Ravenna and Ferrara are two other great cities easily day-trippable from Bologna. Ravenna has outstanding mosaics ; Ferrara is a gorgeous medieval town.

You could even visit a new country — San Marino ! Take the train to Rimini, then the bus to San Marino from there. Rimini is a terrific beach destination and it’s a nice city to explore, too.

San Marino: The Tiny Nation Surrounded by Italy

Days 6-9: Trento

Trento and the surrounding Trentino region aren’t often on travel itineraries — but it’s worth it. I visited Trento for a conference, which is why I spent a few days here in the first place, but I was surprised by how hard I fell for this little city. Trento is immaculate yet unpretentious, covered with frescoes and surrounded by mountains. Tourists here are very few, and many are cyclists and hikers exploring the mountains.

I encourage you to base in Trento and spend some time exploring this incredibly and underrated region, filled with spectacular mountains, beautiful towns, and sensational wine. Riva del Garda and Rovereto make great day trips, and there are tons of mountain hikes available too.

My Favorite Thing to Do in Trento: See the frescoes inside Buonconsiglio Palace. Far from your average frescoes, my favorites are in a tower where a portion of the wall represents each month of the year. Each panel is so detailed and full of interesting symbols.

Where to Stay in Trento: I highly recommend the Grand Hotel Trento . Beautiful rooms, nice bedding, super quiet, and in an ideal location just a four-minute walk from the train station and on the edge of the city center, with easy access to everywhere. Rates from $107. Find deals on more hotels in Trento here.

Day Trip from Trento: Riva del Garda

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and is split between the regions of Trentino, Lombardia, and the Veneto. I visited the most popular destination on the Trentino portion: the town of Riva del Garda.

Other Italian lakes may be more about the beauty or luxury. Lake Garda made me feel humbled by its nature — the waves seemed more intense; the mountains seemed more foreboding. Even so, it felt so Italian and refined.

Riva del Garda is a pastel-colored little town that felt more like Liguria to me than Trentino. You could lounge in a cafe on the edge of the lake while sipping an aperol spritz, or you could waltz among the sherbet-colored buildings with a cup of artisanal gelato.

My Favorite Thing to Do in Riva del Garda: Climb the Torre Apponale, the tower that dominates the landscape. You’ll have amazing views of the lake, the town, and the mountains. The top photo in this post is from the tower!

Where to Stay in Riva del Garda: If you choose to stay overnight in Riva del Garda, I highly recommend the city center. The outskirts are home to campgrounds and cheap motels — probably not what you’re looking for on this particular Italy trip. Hotel Canarino is an option just off the city center with rates from $126.  Find deals on more hotels in Riva del Garda here.

Days 10-13: Dolomites

The Dolomites, in the Alto Adige region of Italy (also known as South Tyrol), are home to some of the most dramatic landscapes in Italy. This is also the region least like the rest of Italy — it feels more like Austria or Switzerland!

Before you plan your trip, make sure you’re timing it correctly. Summer is hiking season and winter is ski season — but many resorts, Ciasa Salares included, are closed during the shoulder seasons. Keep this in mind before your trip. Also keep in mind that snow can last a long time here — 2019 was particularly intense and some of the last snow didn’t melt until June!

The summer is all about hiking, and the winter is all about skiing. Either way, the Dolomites are center stage — they’re jagged, pointy, and absolutely stunning.

My Favorite Thing to Do in the Dolomites: Hike, hike, hike! There are so many great hikes in the mountains, and there are hikes available for all levels of fitness. Talk to your local accommodation about a hike that is close to you. Oh, and eat plenty of soft, feathery speck.

Where to Stay in the Dolomites: Ciasa Salares is a fantastic high-end resort that I highly recommend. I loved this place and it’s a must if you want outstanding cuisine in addition to your mountain adventure. Find deals on more hotels in the Dolomites here.

Day 14-15: Lake Como

Lake Como is famous for its beauty, its mountains, its palazzi, its Las Vegas namesakes. Oh, um, and George Clooney, easily the lake’s most famous resident. Here you’ll fine palatial residences, picture-perfect towns, flowering gardens and palm trees, and mountains leading straight down into the lake.

Lake Como is enormous and the biggest transit hub is the city of Como, home to an attractive city center. An hour away by bus are the cities of Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio, three of the prettiest cities in the area and easy to explore by ferry.

Do know that it took us so long to get to Lake Como on the first day that this was essentially a lost transit day — bus from La Vila to Brunico (Bruneck), train to Bressanone (Brixen), train to Verona, train to Milan, train to Como. Looking back, I think things would have been easier if we had rented a car from Trento or Verona and driven into the Dolomites and back.

My Favorite Thing to Do in Lake Como: While I didn’t get to explore much in Lake Como due to illness, I’ve been told that Bellagio is the prettiest city of all. There’s a reason why it inspired a Las Vegas casino!

Where to Stay in Como: I highly recommend two places: Ostello Bello is one of the nicest hostels I’ve stayed in lately with excellent amenities like laundry, breakfast, and free activities; and they have gorgeous private ensuite rooms (though the shower was so shockingly small that average-sized people will struggle to fit inside; there are shared showers that are a bit larger if you need them). Dorm rates from $28; private rates from $136.  Alessia’s Place is a quiet, well-decorated B&B with perhaps the most comfortable bed and pillows I’ve ever enjoyed in Italy. Rates from $151. Both are centrally located near the old town of Como. Find deals on more hotels in Como here.

Day 16-17: Lake Orta

Lake Orta is one of the lesser-known lakes in northern Italy — and after visiting four of the lakes, Orta is my favorite.  Lake Orta is much smaller than Como, Maggiore or Garda; it’s much less developed, and it has far fewer tourists. Most of Lake Orta’s visitors are Milanese looking for a nearby getaway, which gives it a much more local feel than the other lakes.

Orta San Giulio is the main hub of Lake Orta and home to a very pretty old town. You can take a boat to the island in the lake: Isola San Giulio, a spooky place filled with signs encouraging you to be silent. You can head up to Mottarone, a local mountain where on a clear day you can see 360-degree views of all the lakes in the region. But I think Lake Orta is best experienced by enjoying the peace and quiet.

My Favorite Thing to Do in Lake Orta: I had the best meal of my trip at Il Cucchiaio di Legno , an agriturismo in Orta San Giulio. 10 courses of astoundingly fresh, local, inventively prepared dishes. And I only paid 32 EUR ($36) for the food and 23 EUR ($26) for three glasses of wine, including a fine Barolo. One of the best value for money meals I have had anywhere in the world.

Where to Stay in Lake Orta:  You can actually stay at Il Cucchiaio di Legno if you’d like, though it’s a bit of a ways out of town (rates from $94). While there are lots of towns around Lake Orta, I recommend basing in Orta San Giulio as it’s a beautiful, centrally located town with lots to do. Hotel la Bussola is a great option close to town (rates from $127).  Find deals on more hotels in Lake Orta here.

Day Trip from Lake Orta or Lake Como: Lake Maggiore

Lake Maggiore is very close to Lake Como, but a world away in lots of ways. It has a lot of elegance, but a vintage kind of elegance, the kind that you could see lighting up the lake in the 1950s but fading a bit into the present day. It doesn’t get a lot of the first-time-to-Italy travelers that dominate Lake Como; instead, people visiting here tend to be regular Italy visitors. And it doesn’t have quite the panache of Lake Como, but does it even need it?

Stresa is one of the transit hubs of Lake Maggiore and it’s a great base from which to explore the lake. It also gives you access to the pretty little islands in the lake: Isola Bella and Isola Superiore o delle Pescatori.

My Favorite Thing to Do in Lake Maggiore: Enjoy the architecture of Stresa and the surrounding towns while walking along the lake, pretending you’re in a Wes Anderson film.

Where to Stay in Lake Maggiore: If you choose to stay overnight in Lake Maggiore, Stresa is a good, well-connected base. Hotel Fiorentino is in the heart of town — highly rated with rates from $108 per night. Find deals on more hotels in Stresa here.

Day 18-21: Milan

By this point, you’ll probably be feeling tired from such a long trip, and it’s nice to have a place to crash for a few days near the end. Milan makes a great spot to base for the tail end of your trip to Italy, especially if you’re flying out of Milan.

Milan is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in Italy — only Rome comes close. You’ll be surrounded by incredibly well-dressed people sitting cocktails on piazzas, as well as some great attractions like the Duomo and The Last Supper . Take this time to soak up the best of Italy: the aperitivi, the gelato, the people-watching. Be sure to get some risotto with saffron, too.

My Favorite Thing to Do in Milan: Seeing Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper . There are limited slots to see the painting and it books out months in advance, so I joined a tour with Walks of Italy, who comped my tickets. Seeing the painting was a moving experience and after I got to tour a bit of Milan and go up to the roof of the cathedral! Get your tickets here.

Where to Stay in Milan: Most recently, I loved staying in an apartment in the Zona Risorgimento — an up and coming place with great transportation access and tons of cool bars and restaurants. One great hotel in this neighborhood is Bianca Maria Palace Hotel , with huge rooms and bathrooms, a great gym, and rates from $124. Find deals on more hotels in Milan here.

Day Trip from Milan: Torino

The Italian city of Torino, also known as Turin, is perhaps best known for hosting the Winter Olympics in 2006. But there is plenty more to explore in this city: the Egypt Museum, the endless elegant squares. THE BICERIN, a hot beverage made from chocolate and coffee. And all the wonderful food and wine from the surrounding Piemonte region.

Torino feels much more international than other cities in Italy — at times I felt like I was in Switzerland, or maybe France. It felt more quiet, more refined, more cultured. And absolutely beautiful.

My Favorite Thing to Do in Torino: Head to Cafe Al Bicerin to try the bicerin, either outside at one of the tables or inside in the cafe that has been open since 1763. Afterward, walk across the street to Santuario al Consolata and marvel at the collection of paintings depicting the church’s parishioners at the moments they narrowly escaped death. The paintings were commissioned to say thanks to God.

Where to Stay in Torino: If you choose to stay overnight in Torino, stay in the city center for the maximum convenience. Turin Palace Hotel is one of the highest-ratest hotels and a stone’s throw from most of the city’s attractions. Find deals on more hotels in Torino here.

How to Get Around Italy: by Train with an Italia Rail Pass

On this trip, I traveled Italy by train with an eight-day pass from Italia Rail Pass . I love traveling in Italy by train and having this pass saved me a lot of money, especially because I did a lot of day trips by train.

There are two kinds of trains in Italy: local and express. If it’s a local train, you can hop on any train, show your pass, and be covered. But if it’s an express train, like one of the high-speed Freccia trains, you need to make a reservation in advance or you’ll be charged extra on board. You do this at any train station that has a station employee.

It costs 10 EUR ($11) for each Freccia reservation, no matter how far it goes (even on the 11-hour train across the country from Torino to Lecce !). And while it may seem annoying to pay for trains, they save you a ton of time. Milan to Bologna is just one hour, and it often travels at 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour)!

On several of my day trips, including Florence, Verona, and Torino, I paid the 10 EUR for the fast train in one direction and took a “free” local train on the way back. Sometimes there isn’t even that much of a difference; at other times, I didn’t mind taking a two-hour local train instead of a one-hour fast train.

To get the most out of your pass, I highly recommend doing day trips by train. Because the pass charges you by the day, using a day of rail pass will cover you for unlimited rail journeys on that day. It’s even more worth it if you do a few trips in one day — say, if you’re staying in Bologna and take the train first to Parma in the morning, then to Modena in the afternoon, then back to Bologna.

There is only one place where taking the train was a bit of a pain: the Dolomites. We made it work, but it was complicated taking several trains and a bus, including trains that didn’t run often and had to be timed precisely. It would have made more sense to rent a car in Trento or Verona to get to the Dolomites and back, then resume our train travels from there.

But overall, I loved having a pass from Italia Rail Pass and I would absolutely get another on my next trip. I adore traveling Italy by train and I see more rail passes in my future.

Three weeks is too long! What about a two-week northern Italy itinerary?

You can absolutely shave this itinerary down to two weeks if you’d like.  Believe me, a two-week trip to northern Italy is absolutely wonderful. Just go through the itinerary and take off a day here and there, or axe a few destinations altogether.

If you’re not visiting during the summer, you may want to omit the Dolomites, as much as I loved them, as the winter is all about skiing and many places are closed during the spring and fall.

What are other destinations you can easily axe? Milan was lovely but I don’t consider it as essential as the other cities. Cut down on the day trips and definitely skip Florence or Verona if you’ve been before. Choose between Lake Como and Lake Orta.

If you only have 7-10 days to travel northern Italy, I recommend you base in two cities, three at the absolute max. Choose your favorites.

Italy Travel Tips

Italy is a very popular country to travel, and northern Italy in particular has excellent tourism infrastructure. It’s a relatively easy place to travel, but there there are lots of ways you can make your Italy trip even better.

Never eat right in front of a monument. Walk a few blocks away and take a few turns and you’ll find restaurants that don’t pander to tourists.

Remember to validate your ticket on the train. If you don’t have a rail pass or are not using it for a particular journey, you must validate your train ticket by putting it into the machine and stamping it.

It helps to dress to blend in with Italian women. Italians tend to be well dressed and groomed, especially in the cities; dressing this way will help you keep a low profile. Don’t wear athletic wear, shorts, baseball caps, or torn jeans unless they’re fashion items. Don’t wear sneakers or flip-flops; instead, bring nice flats, boots, or sandals.  The Walking Company  is my go-to for comfortable shoes that are cute; I strongly recommend black ABEO flats , which have fantastic arch support.

Italians tend to wear a lot of black, but you don’t have to restrict yourself to dark colors. In summer, I wear tailored dresses; in other seasons, I wear tall boots, nice jeans or pants, and a leather jacket. Italians tend to wear designer sunglasses; some solid black frames at any price range should do you well.

Consider bringing a Speakeasy Travel Supply scarf .  These beautiful scarves are designed and sewed by my friend have a hidden passport pocket in them. I love these scarves ( I even designed my own! ) and they are so good at keeping your valuables hidden. They’re also extremely chic, enough to work in a fashion-conscious country like Italy.

Men can be aggressive with street harassment; the best thing that you can do is ignore it. Don’t react to the “Ciao Bellas”; if he grabs your arm, shake it off and keep walking. Italian men are used to local women ignoring them. 95% of the time, their behavior does not escalate if you do not give them a reaction.

In the event that the behavior continues without abatement or escalates, go into a shop or restaurant. Ask for help. Locals are familiar with this behavior and know how to defuse it.

Get travel insurance for your Italy trip. This is nothing to mess around with. I’ve been sick and injured in the EU before, and an emergency room visit cost me 300 euros — which was refunded by my travel insurance company. I use and recommend World Nomads for trips to Italy.

Planning a Trip to Italy:

• What NOT to Do in Italy
• Solo Female Travel in Italy: Is it Safe?
• Ultimate Guide to Driving in Italy
• How to Stay at an Agriturismo in Italy
• 40 Italy Landmarks to Experience Once In Your Lifetime
• 30 Stunning Mediterranean Islands To Visit In Your Lifetime
• 30 Italian Cities To Visit Once In Your Lifetime

Cool Places in Southern Italy:

• Tropea, Italy: A Spectacularly Situated Beach Town
• The Stunning Trulli of Alberobello, Italy
• 16 Fun Things To Do In Sorrento
• 17 Fun Things to do in Bari, Italy
• 16 Fab Things to do in Lecce, Italy
• 15 Best Things to do in Monopoli, Italy
• 17 Fun Things to do in Matera, Italy

Cool Places in Sicily:

• 22 Best Places to Visit in Sicily
• The Joys and Challenges of Traveling in Sicily
• Where to Go in Eastern Sicily
• 23 Fun Things to Do in Palermo, Sicily
• Complete Guide to the Aeolian Islands, Sicily
• Aci Trezza: A Laid-Back Coastal Town in Sicily
• Visiting Sicily in the Winter: Worth it or not?
• 30 Iconic Dishes To Try In Sicily

Cool Places in Northern Italy:

• Parma, Italy: A Colorful, Artsy, Delicious Town
• Where to Stay in Rome: Best Neighborhoods and Accommodation
• Three Days in the Dolomites: A South Tyrol Getaway
• Best Day Trips from Florence, Italy
• The Immaculate, Bursting Mosaics of Ravenna, Italy
• 25 Best Food Experiences in Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Most of this trip was paid for out of pocket for me, but there were a few exceptions: I received two eight-day rail passes from ItaliaRail ; I had a comped four-night stay at the  Grand Hotel Trento , as well as several meals and activities in Trento, and my flights to and from Italy as part of my speaking engagement at Traverse; I had a comped three-night stay at Ciasa Salares  in the Dolomites; I got two comped tickets on Walks of Italy Best of Milan and Last Supper tour. The rest of this three-week trip was at my own expense. Many thanks also to my friends in Italy who welcomed me into their homes, neighborhoods, and cities!

Have you traveled in northern Italy? Have any tips? Share away!

Anna Sherchand

Solo Female Travel Blog

A cheat sheet to one month in Italy

Are you looking for one month in Italy guide? You have found it! Whether you are a solo female traveler like myself or traveling with a friend or in a group, Italy has something for everyone. Traveling to the ‘Bel Paese’ alone is a great idea! I mean, Italy is full of people with passion and culture. The cultural references and classic infrastructure will draw you back to the Renaissance age.

Italy is a gorgeous country blessed with terrific weather and heavenly delicacies. In fact, the country is punctuated with loads of scenic landscapes and other geographical features such as rugged mountains and rivers. As you know, Italy has had some of the most dominant empires ever recorded in history. You can catch a glimpse of the ruins and so much more here.

As a backstory, I have solo traveled to Itay twice now. The first time I was there in July 2015 I visited Rome, Orvieto, Sienna, Florence, Venice, Lake Como, and Milan. The second time was in June 2019 and I visited Trento, Rovereto, The Dolomites, Naples, Bari, Sorrento, and Amalfi Coast. I didn’t have enough time to visit Tuscany and Cinque Terre but it gives me another reason to go back again!

It can get hard to move around especially in rural areas as most of the locals only speak Italian. Nonetheless, I assure you that traveling in Italy is gratifying and enjoyable, to say the least. Here is a detailed guide for a planned one month in Italy.

• One month in Italy

1st week in Trento

How to get to trento, things to see in trento, things to do in trento, where to stay in trento, where to eat in trento, 2nd week in naples, how to get to naples, what to do in naples, things to see in naples, where to eat, where to stay in naples, 3rd week in bari, how to get to bari, what to see in bari, what to do in bari, where to eat in bari, where to stay in bari, positano, sorrento and amalfi coast, how to get to positano sorrento from bari or naples, things to see and do in positano, sorrento, and amalfi, where to eat in sorrento or amalfi.

• Let me know in the comments:

Traveling alone is quite different, as opposed to moving with a tour company. Hence if you are traveling alone, you have the choice to travel however you want via flight, bus, ferry, train, and cruise ship. It all depends on your preferred mode of traveling and budget.

Let’s start with beautiful northern Italy, then train travel and day trips followed by the road trip in the south of Italy.

I visited Trentino aka Trento because I was attending a travel conference. So, this Trento travel was a post-conference experience. That being said, after the conference I spent the next 3 weeks traveling solo in Italy. So, altogether I spent one month in Italy.

Trento is a small but delightful town nuzzled in the north of the country. There are so many enjoyable activities to choose from. But first, how do you get there?

You can get to Trento by train, plane, and car. The A22 motorway uses a car, a domestic train from Milan, and a flight too. If you decide to visit Trentino by plane, there are four airports located in the nearby provinces. The nearest airports are Verona (Valerio Catullo offers connections to a couple of European destinations such as Paris, London, Rome, and Amsterdam) and Brescia, Bolzano, Orio al Serio in Bergamo, and Treviso, wherein high-season shuttle services take you to the province of Trento. From these airports, the province of Trento can also be reached on the motorways or the railway lines.

On arrival, you will be introduced to beautiful landscapes that are floored by a blend of ancient and contemporary buildings. Here are a couple of things you should consider doing while staying in Trento for a week.

Seeing is believing. And in this religious yet culturally rich town, there are a lot of areas that are great for sightseeing. First, start off by taking a tour around the old city center on foot. Then visit the Aquila Tower, Diocesan Museum, Piazza del Duomo, and the Orrido di Ponte Alto Waterfall. However, be wary of the opening and closing times for all the places you go to.

Trento is known for its vast landscapes and views. The first thing you should do in Trento is get on a cable car and enjoy the breathtaking views . You could also go for a stroll by Lago Di Toblino , hiking , and bike rides in the city. If you are traveling during the winter season, then consider ice climbing and paragliding.

As a day trip from Trento in about 1 hr and 45 minutes, you can arrive at the hiking base of the Dolomites . If you love the mountains, climbing , and hiking you could easily spend 1 week in the Dolomites. I highly recommend considering at least a day or multi-day hikes to Dolomites hut to hut hiking .

Alternatively, you can also visit the nearby city Rovereto which falls in the same province of Trentino. The highlights and some things worth seeing are Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, Museo Storico Italiano della Guerra, Campana dei Caduti, Casa D’Arte Futurista Depero and Castel Dante Sacrario AI Caduti.

Trento has a couple of great accommodations to kick back and relax after a long day of exploring. Here are some reasonably priced suggestions within 500m- 0.6 km from the center and with the highest positive reviews.

Habitat Guest House , Al Cavour 34 , Scrigno del Duomo , Hotel America , or Bed & Breakfast Nettuno

No matter which area you stay, I recommend using booking.com and sorting with price, then consider the ones with highest reviews plus within 1km of center/old town in order to be between all the actions. For tours, I recommend using get your guide and walking tours available in most places

There are many restaurants in Trento , and my word do they serve great delicacies! The Torre Verde and Ristorante Al Vo will blow you away with their menu, including Australian and Italian dishes. For travelers in need of a drinking restaurant, then consider the vibrant and energetic Forsterbräu Trento.

Next on our list is the lush city of Naples. There are more than 5 ways of getting there from Trento. However, the most recommended option is via train. The train from Trento to Naples takes approximately 6-7 hours. Additionally, this option is perfect for solo travelers on a budget.

Naples is full of places to visit and enjoy. First, you should consider going to a football/soccer game in Napoli’s own stadium, Secondly, go hiking and sightseeing at Mount Vesuvius. Lastly, you should go for a walk or swim at Lowdermilk Beach.

Here’s a local’s secret spot: Head to aperitivo lane, it’s the backstreet in Naples city. You can meet other solo travelers here as well as the exchange students and locals enjoying the night sipping on their famous Campari, Aperol spritz. I will include the exact name of the bar from my Italy story tomorrow)

Must-See Attractions in the City of Naples are The Churches, Museums, and Opera Houses. Italy is full of chapels and churches but the Cappella Sansevero and Basilica di San Francesco di Paola are sights to behold.

Are you a fan of classic operas? Well, the Teatro di San Carlo will blow you away. It is one of the oldest opera houses, dating back to 1737 when it was opened. Lastly, consider visiting the Museo Madre and Museo di Capodimonte for lessons about Italy’s rich cultural heritage.

Italy is globally regarded as the ‘mecca’ when it comes to pizza. That said, the L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele is as close as you’ll get to the best pizza in the world (It’s the same pizza place from that movie Love, eat, pray!) Since the 1870s, this restaurant has been serving all kinds of pizza. For solo travelers looking for nightlife, the Bourbon Street Jazz Club is a great place to start

Safety and comfort are the most important things for a solo traveler when looking for a place to stay. Considering it might be your first time, I recommend staying at the Decumani Roof Bnb, Centro Storico, or Quartieri Spagnoli. For nightlife, then Vomero is the best area to stay.

If there is one place you want to visit that is not crowded with tourists, head to the hidden gem Martina Franca. But to get there, I need to introduce you to Bari. I truly believe this region of Italy makes this one month in Italy guide perfect!

Not far from Naples is the capital city of the province, Bari. The town is known for its beautiful landscape bordering the Adriatic Sea. It is also known as the city of Saint Nicholas.

The best way to get to Bari from Naples is via bus. It is affordable and takes about three hours. You can still fly or take the train, but these options will be slightly expensive or might take longer.

The Old Harbour and Lungomare and the Beaches The views, the boats, the beaches, or the restaurants; Where do I start? Start your tour here and experience Italy’s best seafront, which opens up to lively bars and restaurants.

Italy is a football, loving country. You can go and catch a game on the weekend at Bari FC’s Stadium and enjoy the culture that comes with football in this town.

There is not much to do in Bari besides some beach areas that you can go to which are quite nice by the way. Then from Bari, most people visit Puglia (famous for olive oil production and a holiday destination that reflects laid-back vibes), Alberobello ( famous for its unique trulli buildings), and Ostuni (well known for its olive oil farmhouses and also a most happening place for sunsets and dinners). All 3 are stunning places that I highly recommend. I may write a guide on that soon. Subscribe to know when they are out.

Puglia, Alberobello, and Ostuni are some of my favorite places in this region. I could easily spend days and months here!

Traveling and eating alone is not easy. The food needs to be great. Additionally, the food should be matched with a great ambiance. Most restaurants that match these requirements are along the beach or old harbor. They include Mastro Ciccio and Seafood Market. That being said, Allegro Italia Burrata Bar in Martina Franca, a short drive from Bari is a must-visit place! They serve the most amazing Italian meals!

Staying in Bari depends on your means of traveling. If you have a car, then you would have no problems residing in rural areas. If you depend on buses and trains for transport, then you should stay in Northern Puglia.

Alternatively, check out the hidden gem Martina Franca near Bari. If you are into exploring off-the-beaten-path places I highly recommend visiting Martina Franca and staying at Allegroitalia Hotels.

This one month in Italy guide wouldn’t be complete without visiting the small towns of Positano, Sorrento, and Amalfi Coast. Positano is a beautiful, little beach town in Italy, well known for its colorful buildings, excellent restaurants, and ideal location on the Amalfi Coast. Sorrento is a town known for its excellent views and skillful craftsmanship. In fact, you should buy a gift when leaving this town. Amalfi is a town connected to Positano and Sorrento by Amalfi Drive. These two towns are easily accessible thanks to the excellent transport links.

The best way to get to Sorrento from Bari is by bus. The bus is affordable and takes an average of five hours. However, of course, driving is a faster option if you have a car.

There are a lot of enjoyable activities that you could profit from while staying in Sorrento for a week. First, the Positano is nearby and the Amalfi coast is known all over the world. Why? It stretches for over 50 km (30 miles)! You don’t want to miss that. Other top attractions you should consider visiting include Piazza Tasso, Old Town, and Capri.

You are going to love ‘O Parrucchiano. If you still haven’t had pasta or pizza in Italy, then look no further. For seafood, the Gelateria Davide is your best bet.

Where to Stay in Sorrento and Amalfi

Treat yourself in your last week in Italy. After all, the country is known for its glamour. Stay at one of the fanciest hotels in Italy- Bellevue Sirene.

I hope this one month in Italy itinerary will help you in your preparations and stay in Italy. Whatever reasons you have for traveling, Italy is worth every penny you spend.

If you still have more time to spend in Italy, perhaps check out these places to visit in Central Italy .

Let me know in the comments :

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23 thoughts on “ a cheat sheet to one month in italy ”.

Taking a month in my wonderful country is the best way to visit it. I am glad you have been there 2 times already! Can I suggest other destinations for the future? Turin and the castles of Piedmont, the circuit of the fortresses and castles of Parma and Piacenza, the Roman castles, but also the rest of Lombardy, Lake Garda, Lecce and its province …

It’s always been a dream of mine to visit Italy! I would love to spend an entire month there!

Spending time in Italy has been on my bucket list since I was a teen. This is an amazing resource, saved it for later.

Italy is one of my favorite destinations. I remember going to Rome. I hope to visit again soon.

Wow, Italy is one of my dream travel destination! I’m so glad to see your shots, it feels like I travelled there virtually!

Italy is really an amazing place to visit…I have heard much about..and seriously much inspired to visit once..Thanks for sharing these places..they are so mesmerizing and interesting..Loved the views..Great work…

We’ve been thinking about going to Italy after all this is over. Especially to the Dolomites, from your pictures, they look amazing! Saving this for article for my travel plans.

I love this. Just started dating an Italian guy thinking of making a trip out there so we’ve been talking about it

looks like an amazing trip! thanks for sharing tips for places to stay and eat. always top of my list 😉 hehe.

Wow what a beautiful country. I would love to book a trip and stay for a month now.

This is perfect. Thank you so much for this! Gorgeous photos, btw!

Such a marvelous place. I love how beautiful all your photos, it looks really inviting tho. Gonna add Italy to my bucket lists.

Goodness! One day I hope I’m able to spend a month (or even a week!) in Italy!

What a beautiful view in Italy I’ll always want to visit this place you look stunning on your photos.

Your post makes Italy so mesmerizing. I really love to visit Italy in the future, maybe after this pandemic crisis.

Must be beautiful to spend a month in Italy. I cant wait to visit when it is safe!

It looks very “Eat” from “Eat Pray Love” and I love a good pizza – therefore, I reckon I will have a fabulous time in Italy. But wait. who doesn’t love to go to Italy ~:P

Italy is really a nice place to visit sometime! Thank you for sharing this with us!

this looks beautiful. i would love to visit new places. someone just needs to take me.

One month in Italy literally feels like a dream! A few years ago I spent 2 weeks there, and that was not nearly enough time! I hope to go back soon and try your recommendations for Naples.

Very handy! I am living in the UK and planning this right now, can’t wait!

Oh, this looks like it would be fun. I went to Italy almost 25 years ago and did the 8-day bus tour. We hit the high points but there seems to be a lot we didn’t see. Thanks for sharing this!

It takes 6-7 hours by train to go from Trento to Naples! Can’t wait

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Very kind words. Thank you.

You are all inspiring me.... thanks!

Bologna is a proper city full of students as it has one of the oldest university in Italy (I would not consider it).

In Tuscany Siena and Firenze for sure are the main attractions for cities but there are so many lovely towns everywhere.

In Emilia-Romagna I would consider Ferrara or Mantova. It depends if you are after cities or small towns.

In my opinion you can choose among:

Smaller cities: Ferrara , Parma , Perugia , Siena , Assisi , Mantua.

All the best :)

Mario, Mantova in Emilia romagna?

But I do agree with the suggestions. All good.

I have checked out Spoleto. I think it has moved to the top of my list! Thanks

Spoleto is lovely. The train station is not exactly in town though, it’s a good walk or bus away.

The cathedral is spectacular especially for the setting.

Tripadvisor staff removed this post at the original author's request.

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