Things to do in Italy: best places to visit

Best places to visit in Italy

Most first-time visitors to Italy start in Rome — ancient ruins, the Vatican and Baroque piazzas in one city. The classic route adds Florence and Venice, all linked by high-speed trains. Every city below has its own page with YesGo scores for each sight, plus ready-made day itineraries.

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A ready-made 7-day route through Rome, Florence and Venice is further up this page.

Italy itinerary: one or two weeks

A one-week Italy itinerary usually covers Rome, Florence and Venice: three or four days in Rome, two in Florence and two in Venice, travelling by high-speed train. With two weeks, add Naples with Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, or Milan and Lake Como in the north.

• Days 1–4 — Rome: the Colosseum, the Vatican, the historic centre.
• Days 5–6 — Florence: the Uffizi, the Duomo, a day trip to Pisa or Siena.
• Days 7–8 — Venice: St Mark's, the Grand Canal, the islands.
• Week two — south to Naples, Pompeii and Amalfi, or north to Milan and the lakes.

Getting around Italy by train

Trains are the easiest way between Italian cities: high-speed Frecciarossa (Trenitalia) and Italo services link Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan, Venice and Naples. Tickets are cheaper booked ahead on the operators' sites. Regional trains and buses serve smaller towns and the coast; a car is useful for Tuscany and the south.

• Rome — Florence — ≈ 1.5 h by high-speed train.
• Rome — Naples — ≈ 1 h 10 min.
• Rome — Milan — ≈ 3 h; Rome — Venice — ≈ 4 h.
• Regional trains — no seat reservations; validate paper tickets before boarding.
• Driving — historic centres are restricted zones (ZTL); fines arrive by post.

Money, tipping and entry rules

Italy uses the euro, and contactless cards work almost everywhere, even on the Rome and Milan metros. Tipping isn't expected — restaurants often add a coperto (cover charge) for bread and service. Italy is in the Schengen area; visa-free visitors will need ETIAS once it launches, so check the rules before you go.

• Coperto — a per-person cover charge listed on the menu; it isn't a tip.
• Tipping — round up or leave 5–10% for great service.
• City tax — charged per night by hotels in most cities.
• Tax-free shopping — non-EU visitors can reclaim VAT above a minimum spend.

Best beaches in Italy

Italy borders five seas — the Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Ionian, Adriatic and the Mediterranean around Sicily and Sardinia. Swimming season runs from June to September, with the warmest water in August. Favourite beach areas are Rimini on the Adriatic, the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento near Naples, Liguria's Cinque Terre, Sicily and Sardinia.

• Adriatic — Rimini and Riccione: wide sandy beaches, good for families.
• Amalfi Coast — cliffs, hillside towns, small beaches.
• Liguria — Cinque Terre and Sanremo, pebble coves.
• Sardinia — the clearest water and white sand.
• Sicily — Taormina, warm sea into October.
• Near Rome — Ostia's beaches, 30 minutes by train.

Best time to visit Italy

Italy's weather varies by region: the north — Milan and Venice — has colder winters, while the south and islands are warm most of the year. The best time for cities is April–June and September–October; for the beach, June to September. Below is Rome's climate as a guide to central Italy.

Ski season in the Alps and Dolomites runs from December to March.

Rules for tourists in Italy

Churches in Italy turn away bare shoulders and knees, and some cities ban sitting on monument steps or wading in fountains. Most cities charge a per-night tourist tax at your hotel, and Venice charges day-trippers an access fee on set dates.

• Dress — shoulders and knees covered in churches.
• Fountains and steps — no sitting or bathing; on-the-spot fines.
• Riposo — small shops close for 2–3 hours in the afternoon.
• Pickpockets — on metros, trains and at major sights.

Tips

• Book high-speed trains ahead — fares rise closer to the date.
• Reserve the big museums — the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Uffizi, The Last Supper — weeks in advance.
• Coffee standing at the bar costs less than at a table.

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