10 Essential Travel Tips for Visiting Italy For the First Time
by Admin
Posted on 10-05-2025 05:00 PM
If you’re visiting italy for the first
time
, you’re probably excited, and maybe even a little bit anxious! going to italy for the first time can be a little bit overwhelming, so i’ve rounded up my best suggestions, italy travel tips and advice on traveling to italy for the first time. Here’s ten tips to make planning your first trip to italy a success! put together, it’s a guide on italy for beginners! and if you’re looking for more inspiration on where to go in italy, i’ve teamed up with some of the best travel bloggers out there to create the ultimate italy bucket list.
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Are you heading to italy for the first time, but feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information available online, and not sure what to expect? well, we've got you covered! italy is an amazing destination, full of ancient history, unique culture, friendly people and some of the best food you’ll find anywhere during your travels. It’s no wonder that the country ranks as one of the most popular tourist hotspots in the world! to help you plan your visit to this incredible destination, we’ve listed 7 essential tips and tricks that every first-time traveller to italy absolutely must know. From planning to packing, we’ll guide you on how to make your trip as memorable as possible. https://www.italia.it/en
Italy holds a special place in my heart. I've had the privilege of visiting this enchanting country 22 times, spending roughly a month on each trip. Over the past 3 years, i've dedicated entire summers to exploring new and breathtaking regions. On these journeys, i revisited my beloved cities that always beckon me back, as well as discovered a plethora of new destinations. Traveling isn't always a walk in the park, but the joy it brings is unparalleled. As a fluent speaker of the language, an italian citizen, and someone with family scattered throughout italy , i am well-equipped to offer you invaluable tips before your own italian adventure. https://www.firenzeturismo.it/en
Traveling to Italy for the First Time?
Love traveling italy, several people i meet hate it! they find it too expensive, too touristic, or too this, that, and the other thing. Because of this, and because i hate to see tourists leaving one of my favorite destinations disappointed, i’m sharing how i would recommend spending one week in italy as a first timer. I start with the high-level breakdown, and then include a day-by-day detailed itinerary. Now, i have to warn you.
This one week italy itinerary is super detailed. Like, how-the-heck-do-you-have-time-to-write-all-this detailed. And i did that on purpose. You can go to any old website to get a vague “two nights in here” and “one night here,” bare-bones itinerary for italy.
https://www.turismoroma.it/en
Traveling by car can be scary or convenient in italy, depending on how adventurous you are! but no matter which bucket you fall into, certain aspects will make car travel more costly than expected. For example, if you want to take italy’s highway, the autostrada, you’ll need to factor in all the toll costs and the extra time you may need to spend in line to pay for those tolls. If you decide you should rent a car, read our guide to driving in italy here !.
Certaldo alto in tuscany, italy our luxury travel guide for traveling to italy for the first time connects you to the ancient wonders, breathtaking landscapes, and celebrated culture that has attracted travelers for millennia. Your first visit to italy can immerse you in the aromas of fresh pasta or have you standing in the shadow of the colosseum’s soaring walls. From winding down the canals of venice to witnessing the piercing eyes of michelangelo’s david, you can find information to help make planning a trip to italy easy and unforgettable. Whether eager to wander through charming villages on a luxury italy trip, interested in tasting world-famous wines with an exclusive winery tour, or looking to participate in local traditions, our guide can help you to experience the gourmet and embrace the essence of the captivating peninsula.
1. Visiting Italy For The First Time? Don’t Try To See Too Much
Before i, matt, returned to venice this spring for the first time in a decade, i was fairly certain i was never going to set foot in venice again. From my memory of visiting in the middle of august, it was beautiful, yes, but also hot, crowded, and somewhat miserable. However, when i was searching for a place to spend a few days in the early spring before meeting up with family to visit rome and florence (again), i landed on venice. As we’ve covered, one of our favorite parts of exploring italy is the country’s regional diversity. As you move from one region to another, everything – from the food and wine varietals to the accents and dialects – changes.
There are many places you must see when visiting italy, but your personal interests, timeframe, and budget will dictate how exactly you plan your itinerary. I just love italy. I’ve planned and led more trips here than to any other country in europe since founding guidester in 2014. I know the country well, and never tire of this beautiful place – each visit comes with a new adventure. What i’ve learned is there are really two types of planned trips to italy – those that have never been and want to see the highlights, and those that have been and want a deeper dive.
Generally, spring and fall are the best times to visit italy, as the weather’s mild and there are fewer crowds than in summer’s high season. However, if you’re visiting to enjoy italy’s beaches or lakes, you may prefer to visit in june, july or august, when the water is most comfortable. Winter can be a great time to visit, too. Ski resorts in the northern regions of italy tend to open around late november or early december. And while there aren’t as many attractions and sites open during this period, bigger cities like milan and florence typically see fewer travelers (outside of the enchanting holiday markets, of course).
Italy is renowned for its extensive and easy-to-use train network, so there’s no need to rent a car when traveling through the country. Trains in italy are clean, straightforward, and relatively inexpensive, making them the perfect transportation option. Some of the main rail companies include trenitalia and italo , which each have schedules that run throughout the day.
A good first time itinerary to italy is rome, florence with time in the countryside of tuscany too, venice. Suggest renting a car as you leave rome, drop it off in florence after being in tuscan countryside where a car is needed, finish in venice. We didn’t go south of rome until our 8th trip to italy. However, you seem more interested in southern italy, amalfi etc. Take train from rome to naples if you want to be that area. Others can advise you more about that area. We have spent time in puglia and sicily but only a short in capri and sorrento.
The big-ticket stops in italy — venice, the cinque terre, florence, rome, and the cluster south of rome (sorrento/naples/capri/amalfi) — are inconvenient by car and easy by public transportation. A car is most helpful for exploring the hill town regions and the dolomites. Major car-rental agencies have offices in many towns. Day 1: arrive in milan (sleep in milan) day 2: milan to lake como (sleep in varenna) day 3: lake como (sleep in varenna) day 4: to the dolomites via verona (sleep in bolzano or castelrotto) day 5: dolomites (sleep in bolzano or castelrotto) day 6: to venice (sleep in venice) day 7: venice (sleep in venice).
Of course, if you’re up for the thrills of real-life italian mario kart, then there are a few extra things you should know. Here are some tips for renting a car in italy. When renting a car in italy, try to… pick a small one because you never know when you might end up on an impossibly narrow italian road get a vignette if driving into other countries. This is a paid sticker that you must put on your car if you want to use the country’s motorways, otherwise you get fined. You don’t need them in italy, but you do for many of italy’s neighbours like austria, switzerland, and slovenia.