Italy
Rome · EUR · Italian
Hub airports: FCO, MXP, VCE, NAP, BLQ · Suggested stay: 10–14 days
Italy packs more UNESCO sites than any country, plus the planet's most influential cuisine and 4,700 miles of coastline. The classic first trip — Rome, Florence, Venice — is classic for good reason, but a second visit unlocks Puglia, Sicily, and the Dolomites, where the crowds thin and prices halve.
Aperitivo in a piazza you stumbled into at sunset.
Where to go
Best time to visit
Late April–early June and mid-September–October hit the sweet spot. July–August is brutally hot in Rome/Florence (95°F+) and beach towns inflate 2–3x. November is wonderful for cities — empty Vatican, off-season truffle season in Piedmont.
Score combines weather, crowds, and price (1–5). See the full matrix across all countries.
US-citizen tips
Tap water is safe and free — ask 'acqua del rubinetto' (some places will still steer you to bottled). Most museums require timed-entry reservations: book Vatican, Uffizi, and Last Supper at least 30 days ahead. Tipping isn't expected; the 'coperto' (cover charge, €1–3) is normal. T-Mobile international works fine; for heavier use, get a TIM Tourist eSIM.
Local etiquette
Lunch 12:30–14:30, dinner 19:30–22:30 — kitchens are closed in between. No cappuccino after breakfast (an actual social rule, not a stereotype). Cover knees and shoulders to enter churches; the Vatican enforces this.
Getting around
Trenitalia and Italo high-speed trains link major cities (Rome–Florence 90 min). Book on the Trainitalia or Italo apps — base fares from €19. Drive in Tuscany, Puglia, Sicily; never in historic centers (ZTL = automatic fines).
Daily budget (USD)
Common pitfalls
- ⚠ZTL zones: cameras photograph plates and fine you weeks later via the rental car company.
- ⚠Restaurants near major sights are usually overpriced and mediocre — walk 5 min.
- ⚠Train strikes (sciopero) are announced; check trenitalia.com day-of.
🆘 Emergency reference
Works from any phone (locked, no SIM), free, multilingual operators, dispatches police/fire/medical.
US consulates in Milan, Florence, and Naples also handle emergency passport services.
Lost passport, arrested, hospitalized, victim of a crime → contact embassy first, then home insurer. After hours: the main line routes you to a duty officer.
🗣️ Essential phrases
Italian