Itineraries in Italy

Plan your travel itinerary to Italy

A popular European destination, Italy is a country with many different landscapes. 

Pizza and pasta lovers, this will be paradise on Earth for you! Italy is THE country where you will want (and need) to taste all the local specialties! But Italy is not only about food!
Tie your sneakers’ laces up, put your cap on your head and go for an adventure across Italy and discover its lovely villages and breathtaking landscapes.
For those who like the sunbathing part of vacations, enjoy the small secluded creeks and live the « Dolce Vita » as they say over there.
Do not forget to stop by Rome, because let’s face it you can not go to Italy without visiting the Coliseum!

Ready for adventure? Let’s go!

Contents: Everything to plan your trip to Italy

1- Useful links
2- What to see in Italy?
3- What to do in Italy?
4- Language
5- Local currency
6- How to travel around during your trip to Italy?
7- What is the budget for such a trip?
8- Useful contact information
9- First bookings to make when planning a trip to Italy
10- Some useful information
11- Useful shopping list before traveling to Italy

Useful links to help you plan your trip to Italy

• To travel safely and without any worry on your mind, we recommend Chapka Insurance!
• You want to buy a paper travel guide? We recommend this one! In our opinion, it is the most complete, the most visual and the most up to date!
• Need a road map to prepare your itinerary? We recommend this one, the most detailed and the most pleasant to read!
• To travel around easily, we recommend renting a car from Hertz. , It’s possible to rent it in one city and return it in another without exorbitant prices and limiting hidden costs.
• To book your accommodation, we recommend this website. In our opinion, it is the most efficient, reliable, and the one with the best cancellation policies.

What to see in Italy?

What to do in Italy?

Live Italian experiences

• Don’t drink to much wine in Montefiascone.
• Visit the five villages of the Cinque Terre.
• Go for a swim in the vibrant blue water of Sardinia.
• Go for a gondola cruise in Venice.
• Stroll through the narrow streets of Bari.

But wait for it… Italians also know how to celebrate!

There are many national holidays and festivals all year long:

• In the beginning of January, in Venice, go admire the famous Regata della Befana, the epiphany regatta. You will get to see witches cruising on these boats!
• Want to go skiing ? Head to Northern Italy in January.
• In February, take part in the Venice Carnaval (or one of the many other held across the country).
• Come to Ombire in February and enjoy Italian truffle during the Mostra Mercato del Tartufo.
• When thinking about Easter you probably imagine lots of chocolate don’t you? Well in Rome it’s the time for Settimana Santa, Holy Week in English.
• Explore the Villa Taranto in Pallanza in April for the Settimana del Tulipano which will let you discover a beautiful botanical garden with many different flowers.
• Wine lovers, head to VinItaly in Verona in April for the largest wine fair.
• In May, attend the Snake Festival in Cocullo.
• Artists will be happy to meet you during the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spolete in June.
• Want to see a horse race? Go to Palio di Provenzano in July!
• The month of August is full of celebrations : from the Christian ferragosto to the Venice International Film Festival!
• In September, you will love the Regata Storica.
• End the year by celebrating Christmas the traditional Italian way and go to the midnight mass.

Languages in Italy

Parliamo italiano!

The official language is obviously Italian, surprised? Probably not. But don’t worry if you don’t speak Italian, English is widely spoken across the country.

Italian 101 : 

• Hello : Buongiorno / Salve / Buonasera (Hello / Good Morning / Good evening)
• Goodbye : Arrivederci
• Please : Per favore
• Thank you : Grazie
• Sorry : Scusi / Scusa / Permesso?
• Yes : Sì
• No : No

Local currency in Italy

Money, money, money

The official currency is the Euro (€). So for you non European folks, better get a money converter on your phone so you can manage your expenses more easily.

Credit/debit card are accepted pretty much everywhere and ATMs are very easy to find. Popular tourist spots, airports and hotels often offer poor exchange rates so prefer withdrawing money from an ATM.

Be sure to warn your bank that you are traveling so that they won’t block your card for suspect abroad transactions.

Traveling around in Italy

Is the steering wheel on the left or right?

Traveling in Italy is best with a car. To rent a car, better book it on the internet before going, it will be less expensive. You will need to be at least 21 years old and have had your driver’s licence for at least one year. If you are not a EU citizen, better get an International Driving Permit.

If you were wondering what side the steering wheel is on, it’s on the left side and Italians drive on the right side of the road.

Overall budget a trip to Italy

Thanks for all the information but how much will this actually cost?

Transportation

• Flights: two Italian airlines have domestic flights (Alitalia (about 60€/flight) and  Azyfly (starting from 5€). But there are also low-cost airlines with very low prices like Volotea or Ryanair.
• Trains: starts at 20€/trip, but it will of course vary depending on how long your trip is.
• Busses: from 25€ to 40€. Busses are much less convenient than trains because the network is not very developed.
• Car rentals: starts at 30€/day (you can also rent one for a week or a month). Gas is around 1,5€/liter.

Accommodations

• On average 80€/night depending on the season and the city. If you have a tight budget, Airbnb is a good solution (30€/night for a 2 person bedroom near the Coliseum).

Eating

• In restaurants, remember that bread and water are not free, from 2 to 4€ for bread and 2€ for water. For a full menu (starter, main dish and dessert) expect around 30€, otherwise, it’s around 10€/dish.

Activities:

• Museums are usually free (expect the most popular ones…).You can also get a pass for several museums and save some money.

Useful contact information in Italy

If you need to join / go to you embassy while in Italy, go to this website for the address, phone number, email address  and website : https://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-in/italy

In case of emergency, call :

• Police : 113
• Medical assistance : 118
• Firefighters : 115

Book your trip to Italy

Here are different platforms you can use to make your first bookings for your itinerary in Italy:

Flights

• http://www.alitalia.com/
• http://www.azfly.it

Trains

• http://www.trenitalia.com/
• http://www.italotreno.it/

Busses

• https://getbybus.com/fr/italie-en-bus

Car rentals

• https://www.Hertz.com

Practical information in Italy

Tips for our fellow travelers

• Tips are not mandatory but are highly appreciated.
• It is recommended to drink bottled water.
• Beware of pickpockets.
• When visiting religious places, be sure to be appropriately dressed or you could not be allowed in.
• Be sure to pack some sunscreen if you don’t want to burn under the Italian sun.

Useful shopping list before traveling to Italy:

• As for us, we always leave for a trip with a first aid kit, which can be more than useful. Add to this “ready-made” kit paracetamol and stomach-pain medicine… You never know!
• Travelling inevitably damages passports… To avoid changing your passport every 3 trips, we advise you to opt for a passport holder!
• Do you want to make your suitcase as secure as possible? Opt for a suitcase padlock. Don’t forget that between a protected suitcase and an unprotected one, people with bad intentions will prefer to attack the unprotected one.
• Depending on the country, you may need a universal adapter for your electrical devices. In Italy, the plugs and voltage might not be the same as in your country, so a universal adapter is definitely useful.
• You take pictures with your smartphone, you use it for GPS, to look at the time, etc. You will probably need an external battery to recharge your phone during the day!
• For the choice of your cabin luggage, special mention for this solid and practical suitcase, especially for “digital nomads” (like us!) who need to carry their computer around the world!
• Staying hydrated is essential when travelling! We recommend this isothermal stainless steel water bottle to quench your thirst!