Italy from above, ItalyVideo: Electric Life, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Italy
Italy, made simple: ancient cities, slow lunches and trains through the hills
Italy packs Roman ruins, Renaissance art, canal cities, cliffside villages and some of the world's most loved food into one long peninsula. It is easy to travel, but timed museum tickets, city tourist taxes, restricted traffic zones, summer crowds and the new European entry systems reward a little planning. This guide takes the guesswork out so you travel with confidence.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flyEntry rules, seasons, safety advice and bookings, answered
- LandingAirports, trains, euros and your first night, explained
- Your days in ItalyMuseums, coastlines, food and day trips, planned with care
- Home againDeparture tips so the last day is calm too
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain cover charges, city taxes, train tickets and typical budgets so costs never catch you off guard.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
Italy should feel like a holiday from the first espresso, not a puzzle. We answer the questions about entry, money, trains, crowds and bookings before they start, so you arrive confident and ready to find your Bliss.
Coming back from New York, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Toronto, Melbourne or London to find the family village, or bringing your children to meet the cousins for the first time? This guide was written with you in mind.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your ItalyArt cities, coast, islands or countryside: start with the destinations that fit you.
- Sort the essentialsEntry rules, the right season and current travel advice, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for trattorias, museums, beaches, markets and stays across the country.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to link Rome, Florence, Venice and the south at a realistic pace.
Everything your Italy trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Rome, Florence, Venice, the Amalfi Coast and Sicily, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred trattorias, museums, beaches, markets and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Rome, Milan, Venice, Naples and Sicily, and stays in every region.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build a route that fits.
Plan your trip
The classic Italy trip
Rome, Florence and Venice, then south to the sea
Most first trips link the big three by fast train: three or four nights in Rome for the Colosseum, the Vatican and long dinners in Trastevere, two or three in Florence for the Uffizi, the Duomo and day trips into Tuscany, and two in Venice for the canals and the lagoon islands. With more time, head south from Rome to Naples and the Amalfi Coast, or fly to Sicily for Greek temples, markets and Mount Etna. Ten days covers the classic route; two weeks adds the coast.
- The Colosseum and the Vatican Museums with timed tickets booked ahead
- Sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo over Florence
- Early morning Venice, before the day visitors arrive
- Lemon groves, ferries and cliff villages on the Amalfi Coast
Start with the destinations
See how the cities, the coast and the islands fit together.
Italy destinationsPlan with confidence
Your route, without the worry
Italy rewards a little preparation: entry rules checked for your passport, timed tickets for the Vatican, the Uffizi and the Last Supper booked weeks ahead, fast trains reserved early for the best fares, and a season that suits you, since July and August are hot and crowded while April, May, June, September and October feel easier. Our free planner helps you shape it.
- Realistic train times between cities
- The right season for cities, beaches or mountains
- Where to base yourself in each city
Where to go in Italy
From the ruins and piazzas of Rome to the art of Florence, the canals of Venice, the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and the temples and markets of Sicily.
Lazio
Rome
The Eternal City: ancient ruins, the Vatican, Baroque piazzas and fountains, and long dinners in neighbourhood trattorias.
Read the guidePhoto: Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tuscany
Florence
The cradle of the Renaissance: the Duomo, the Uffizi and David in a compact, walkable city that opens onto the Tuscan hills.
Read the guidePhoto: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Veneto
Venice
A city built on water and without cars: St Mark's, the Grand Canal, lagoon islands and lanes where getting lost is the point.
Read the guidePhoto: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Campania
The Amalfi Coast
Pastel villages stacked on cliffs above the sea, lemon groves, ferries to Capri and the Path of the Gods.
Read the guidePhoto: Alexis Lours, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sicily
Sicily
The Mediterranean's largest island: Greek temples, Baroque towns, Mount Etna, busy street markets and beaches on three seas.
Read the guidePhoto: Ввласенко, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is Italy safe to visit?
Italy is generally safe, with low violent crime. The main risks are pickpocketing in busy tourist areas, on trains and on city buses, summer heat, occasional strikes, and natural hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic activity around Etna and the Campi Flegrei. Read your own government's travel advice before you go.
Do I need a visa for Italy?
Italy is in the Schengen area, so the rules depend on your passport. Many visitors can stay visa free for short trips, while others need a Schengen visa. Check the official Italian visa portal and the EU entry pages for your nationality before booking.
What currency does Italy use?
Italy uses the euro. Cards and phone payments are widely accepted, but carry a little cash for small cafés, markets, village shops and tips.
When is the best time to visit Italy?
April to June and September to October are the sweet spot: warm weather, open beaches in the south and fewer crowds than July and August. Winter suits city breaks, museums and skiing in the Alps and Dolomites.
How do I get around Italy?
Fast trains link Turin, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples and Salerno, and regional trains reach most towns. Buses and ferries cover the coasts and lakes, and domestic flights help with Sicily and Sardinia.
How many days do I need for a first trip to Italy?
Ten days is enough for Rome, Florence and Venice at a comfortable pace. Two weeks lets you add the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany or Sicily without rushing.
Ready to find your Bliss in Italy?
Use the free trip planner to shape a route around your dates, budget and interests.