Before You Go
Visa
Italy is in the Schengen Area. Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and most of Latin America can enter visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period — no application needed today. That's set to change once ETIAS (a pre-travel online registration, not a visa) launches; it's been pushed back repeatedly and is now expected around 2027, so it's unlikely to affect a 2026 trip, but worth a quick check closer to your dates.
When to go
May and September are the sweet spot — warm, pleasant weather and noticeably thinner crowds than the July–August peak. Central Italy (Rome, Florence) runs mild winters and hot, dry summers; the north (Venice) is more continental, with a real chance of winter cold and fog.
| Months | Feel | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jun – Aug | Hot, 28–35°C | Peak season — book everything early, Rome & Florence get brutal midday heat |
| May / Sep | Warm, 20–27°C | Best value — the shoulder-season sweet spot |
| Nov – Mar | Cool/cold, 5–15°C | Venice can flood (acqua alta) Nov–Jan; fewer crowds everywhere |
What to pack
Check things off as you pack.
Documents
Money
Clothing
Electronics
Extras
Arrival & Departure
Landing in Rome
Most international flights land at Fiumicino (FCO), about 30km from the city center. The Leonardo Express train runs non-stop to Roma Termini every 15 minutes, takes 32 minutes, and costs €14 — the fastest and most predictable way in. A fixed-rate taxi from the airport to anywhere inside the old Aurelian Walls is €55 flat, day or night, no metering.
Flying into the north instead
If your international flight lands in Milan first, Malpensa (MXP) connects to the city center via the Malpensa Express train (~€13, 40–50min) — from there it's a straightforward train down to Florence or Venice rather than backtracking through Rome. Venice and Florence also have their own smaller airports (Venice Marco Polo, VCE; Florence Peretola, FLR) if you'd rather fly in and out of different ends of the trip.
Leaving Italy
- Arrive at Fiumicino at least 3 hours before an international flight — security lines for the far terminals can be long, especially in summer.
- If you're doing tax-free shopping, the customs stamp desk is before check-in, not after — plan the extra time in.
Stay
Only highly-rated picks, grouped by neighborhood — pick the one that matches what you're there for.
Trastevere — atmospheric, a little removed from the crowds
Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá
Urban-resort feel, views toward the Vatican and Castel Sant'Angelo.
Donna Camilla Savelli
A former 17th-century convent, right in the heart of Trastevere's alleys.
Centro Storico — walk to everything
Hotel de Russie
Rocco Forte's Rome flagship, a hidden garden courtyard steps from Piazza del Popolo.
Prati — quieter, right by the Vatican
Hotel Dei Mellini
A calmer base a short walk from St. Peter's, on the river side of the neighborhood.
Getting Around
Metro, bus & tram
A single ticket (BIT) costs €1.50 and covers one metro ride plus unlimited bus/tram transfers within 100 minutes. Simplest option: tap a contactless card or phone directly on the readers at metro gates and bus/tram validators — you're charged €1.50 per journey automatically, and once you hit €8.50 in a day, everything else is free until midnight. No need to buy anything in advance.
Taxis & ride-hailing
- Uber works in Rome, but not the way it does elsewhere — UberX isn't available due to local regulations. You're limited to Uber Black, Comfort, or Van, which cost noticeably more than a standard fare.
- Taxis are metered and plentiful — hail one at a rank (they don't stop for street hails the way they do in some cities) or call one via the FreeNow app.
On foot
Central Rome rewards walking more than transit — the old center is compact and mostly flat, and a lot of the best moments (a fountain you stumble on, a church door left open) only happen on foot.
Money & Tipping
Currency
Euros. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including small cafés and taxis — carrying a lot of cash isn't necessary, though a little is handy for tiny bars and markets. Contactless (card or phone) is the norm for public transport.
Tipping — much lighter than you'd expect
Italian service staff earn a proper wage; tipping isn't the built-in expectation it is in the US or Egypt. Restaurants often add a coperto (a per-person cover charge, €1–3, for bread and the table setting — not a tip) and sometimes a servizio (service charge, 10–15%) — if servizio is already on the bill, you don't need to add more. If there's no service charge, rounding up or leaving €1–2 in cash is a normal, appreciated gesture — not a large percentage.
Roughly what a day costs
Per person, per day, covering a hotel, food, local transport, and sightseeing.
Budget
Public transport, free churches and piazzas, and being selective about which paid sites you enter.
Mid-range
Where most of this guide's picks sit — comfortable hotels, real restaurants, first-class train seats between cities.
Luxury
Full customization — private skip-the-line access, a driver instead of trains, and Michelin-level dining.
Language
Italian. English is common in tourist areas and hotels, less so the moment you step off the main routes — a handful of phrases go a long way and are genuinely appreciated.
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| Hello | Ciao / Buongiorno |
| Yes | Sì |
| No | No |
| Please | Per favore |
| Thank you | Grazie |
| Excuse me | Scusi |
| How much? | Quanto costa? |
| Where's the bathroom? | Dov'è il bagno? |
| Digit | Italian |
|---|---|
| 1 | Uno |
| 2 | Due |
| 3 | Tre |
| 4 | Quattro |
| 5 | Cinque |
| 6 | Sei |
| 7 | Sette |
| 8 | Otto |
| 9 | Nove |
| 10 | Dieci |
What to Wear
Italians generally dress a notch more put-together than casual tourist wear, especially for dinner — you won't be turned away in shorts and sneakers, but you'll stand out.
Comfortable shoes matter more than they sound — cobblestones in Rome's centro storico and Venice's endless bridges are hard on anything without real support.
See & Do
Rome's two essential visits
Colosseum, Forum & Palatine Hill
One ticket, three sites, 2,000 years of Rome in one afternoon — the arena where gladiators fought, the political heart of the ancient city, and the hill where emperors actually lived.
One ticket covers all three sites — you pick a timed slot for the Colosseum, then visit the Forum and Palatine Hill flexibly within 24 hours. Arena Floor and Underground upgrade tickets sell out within hours of release, so book the moment your date opens up if you want either.
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Egyptian mummies, Roman marbles, and miles of Renaissance corridors, all funneling toward one room: Michelangelo's ceiling, freshly restored in 2026 — the Last Judgment is now back to its original vibrant color for the first time in decades.
Book a skip-the-line slot 2–4 days ahead minimum — the general admission queue routinely runs 1–3 hours. Fridays and Saturdays run evening openings April–October if you'd rather see it lit for sunset.
More of Rome
- The Pantheon — free to enter, the best-preserved building from ancient Rome, still with its original oculus open to the sky.
- Trevi Fountain & Piazza Navona — the Baroque city at its most theatrical; go at dawn for the Trevi without the crowds.
- Trastevere — Rome's most atmospheric neighborhood after dark, all ivy and narrow lanes and trattorias spilling onto the street.
- Villa Borghese & the Borghese Gallery — a green escape from the ruins, plus Bernini sculptures in a compact, bookable-slot museum.
Eat & Drink
Food to try in Rome
Cacio e Pepe
Pasta, Pecorino Romano, black pepper — nothing else, and the only classic Roman pasta that's vegetarian
Carbonara
Guanciale, egg, Pecorino & Parmigiano — no cream, despite what you'll find elsewhere
Supplì
Deep-fried rice balls with a molten mozzarella center
Pizza al taglio
Rectangular, sold by weight, the everyday Roman lunch
Porchetta
Herb-stuffed roast pork, usually in a sandwich from a market stall
Amatriciana
Tomato, guanciale, Pecorino — the fourth of Rome's essential pastas
Highly-rated restaurants
These link to a Maps search rather than a pinned location — confirm you've got the right spot before you go.