HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO ITALY – A STEP BY STEP GUIDE (Part 1)
Planning a trip to Italy is one of our favourite things to do (we are ITALIANS) so we created this guide to help you plan and book your trip with ease.
Travel to Italy
We hope you find our step by step guide on how to plan a trip to Italy useful or, if not, hire us we shall be glad to assist you making your dream come true.
WHEN TO GO TO ITALY
When?
The best time to visit Italy is when it suits you and your schedule. However, you should be aware of a few seasonal variations:
Italy is one of the world’s most popular destinations and is very busy (and more expensive) at peak periods – from May to September
Summers can be very hot (especially in the south) and winters cold with ski resorts open in the northern alpine regions
August is the busiest month with Italians and people from all over Europe on vacation. Coastal and lake areas are very busy with visitors.
Easter is a major holiday in Italy – expect demand for rail travel and accommodation to increase.
For this reason we like to visit Italy in the shoulder months – April/May and September/October when the weather is sunny and mild, crowds are manageable and you can find great value flight and accommodation deals.
HOW TO GET THERE
How?
Flying direct (or with a single stop in Europe) to Italy from most places in the world is easy. Most visitors fly into Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci (FCO) international airport but you can also easily fly into Milan Linate (LIN) or Malpensa (MXP) airports from major hubs around the world.
BEST FLIGHT DEALS TO ITALY
We suggest a combination of Skyscanner, CheapoAir and Google flights to source the best flight deals for Italy.
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 class flights around the world
Google flights – great for checking schedules and airline routes
To find the best deals, set up alerts on Skyscanner for the month you wish to travel and wait for price drops. Be prepared to be a little flexible on dates and stopovers. It is often cheaper to fly into Milan rather than Rome.
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.
PASSPORT & VISA
Passport & Visa
Citizens of the United States and Canada can 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.
All other nationalities should check this Italian government site that will walk you through whether a visa is required for your visit.
European Union (Schengen) 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
Canada – click here
ITINERARIES AND PLANNING
Where?
WHERE TO GO
Probably the hardest decision you need to make is which places you would like to visit. This is a very difficult task for many of us and it is a challenge for me to this day.
The most popular places to visit in Italy are listed below.
Major cities – Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and Naples
Tuscany – large region known for hilltop towns, wineries and beautiful countryside
Cinque Terre – 5 spectacular villages that hug the sides of cliffs on the Italian Riviera
Sorrento & Amalfi Coast – picturesque coastal region near Naples – Sorrento, Positano, Capri
Northern Italian lakes – scenic lakes close to alpine mountain ranges
As a general rule, for a 3-5 day trip choose one destination – a city or area. If you have a week to 10 days then 1-3 places in either the north OR south of Italy. For a 2 week trip you could cover 3-4 places and see both north and south.
Recommendation: Try not to pack too much in, it’s not a race. It’s easy to underestimate transit times and getting in and out of airports and train stations.
Arrivederci Mic & Simo
