Highlights
Rome
The Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon sit within walking distance of baroque squares such as Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain. Across the river, Vatican City holds St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel.
Florence
The cradle of the Renaissance, with Brunelleschi's dome on the cathedral, the Uffizi Gallery, Michelangelo's David at the Accademia and the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno. Booking museum tickets ahead avoids long queues.
Venice
A city built on more than a hundred small islands in a lagoon, with St Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace and the Grand Canal. Explore the quieter districts of Cannaregio and Castello, and the islands of Murano and Burano by water bus. Check whether a day-visitor access fee applies on your dates.
The Amalfi Coast and Pompeii
Positano, Amalfi and Ravello cling to cliffs above the sea south of Naples. Nearby, Pompeii and Herculaneum, buried by Vesuvius in AD 79, are the best-preserved Roman towns anywhere.
Cinque Terre
Five colourful fishing villages on the Ligurian coast linked by train, boat and cliff paths through terraced vineyards. Some paths require a park card and may close after bad weather.
Tuscany's countryside
Rolling hills, cypress-lined roads and hill towns such as Siena, San Gimignano, Montepulciano and Pienza, with Chianti wine country between Florence and Siena.
The Dolomites
Jagged limestone peaks in the north-east, a UNESCO site, with summer hiking and via ferrata routes, mountain huts and winter skiing around Cortina d'Ampezzo and Val Gardena.
Sicily
The Mediterranean's largest island has the Greek temples of Agrigento, the mosaics of Monreale and Piazza Armerina, Mount Etna, the baroque towns of the south-east and vibrant street food in Palermo.
Interesting facts about Italy
- Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than almost any other country.
- Two independent states, Vatican City and San Marino, lie entirely within Italy's borders.
- Mount Etna in Sicily is one of the world's most active volcanoes and the highest active volcano in Europe.
- Coins thrown into the Trevi Fountain are collected and given to charity.
- Many Italian bars charge less if you drink your coffee standing at the counter than if you sit at a table.
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October are the best times to visit most of Italy, with warm weather and fewer crowds than midsummer. July and August are hot and busy, especially in Rome, Florence, Venice and on the coasts, and many Italians take holidays around the 15 August Ferragosto holiday. Winter is mild in the south and quieter in the cities, and the ski season in the Alps and Dolomites runs from about December to March. Spring and autumn are also the best seasons for hiking.
Practical information
| Capital | Rome |
|---|---|
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| Languages | Italian |
| Plugs | Type C, F, L |
| Voltage | 230 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 112 |
| Driving | On the right |
| Tipping | Not expected. Many restaurants include a cover charge (coperto) and sometimes a service charge. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated. |
Getting around
Trains are the best way to travel between cities: high-speed services link Turin, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples, while regional trains reach smaller towns. Regional paper tickets often need validating before boarding. Buses cover hill towns and rural areas. A car is useful in Tuscany, Puglia and Sicily, but many historic centres have restricted traffic zones (ZTL) where unauthorised driving brings automatic fines. Ferries link the mainland with Sicily, Sardinia and smaller islands.
Staying connected in Italy
4G coverage is good in cities, towns and along main rail lines and motorways, with 5G in larger cities. Signal can be weak in mountain valleys, in parts of the Dolomites, on rural roads in the south and in the interior of Sardinia, and in some railway tunnels. Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafés and on high-speed trains. Italy is in the EU, so EU roaming rules apply for visitors from other EU countries. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
See Italy eSIM plans · How to install an eSIM
Useful apps for Italy
- Trenitalia: Timetables and tickets for Italy's national rail operator, including high-speed and regional trains.
- Italo: Tickets for the private high-speed operator running between major cities.
- FREENOW: Booking licensed taxis in Rome, Milan and other cities.
- Google Maps: Walking routes, public transport and finding places; download offline maps for rural areas.