First Time Traveling to Italy? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Let's face it: Italy is that destination that makes even the most cynical travelers beat their hearts. It is the country where a simple ice cream becomes a unique experience and where every alley hides a story worthy of a novel. But be careful, dear future explorer of the Bel Paese: behind so much beauty there are also traps for naive turists.

This travel guide for your first time in Italy is not the usual boring list of monuments to visit. It is the survival manual for those who want to experience Italy as a true local, avoid the most sensational fools and return home with authentic memories instead of the usual collection of sugary and, at times, overly elaborate selfies.

Get ready, therefore, to experience the best in your first time travelling in Italy, letting yourself be guided by our experience and our advice.

What is the best time to visit Italy?

The truth is that there is not, has never been and never will be unambiguity in the answers to such a question, as every season, in Italy, has a distinct personality, a bit like the actors of an Italian style comedy.

Spring and autumn are the periods in which it is possible to experience milder temperatures, halved tourists and prices that will not force you to take out a new mortgage on the house or, rather, to sell your motorbike or car (also because, you will definitely need them, perhaps, for a road tour of the country).

The summer? Magnificent. But get ready to sweat like a gladiator at the Colosseum and at significantly higher prices than in the 'half seasons' (this will naturally depend on the destination and type of stay chosen for your visit to the Bel Paese).

Winter, on the other hand, is made for romantic getaways or, rather, for family trips out of town: empty cities, snow, soft lights and that poetic poetic melancholy that makes everything more intense and memorable.

Our advice, all in all, is to choose the period also based on the destination chosen and the type of stay you will have in mind when you find yourself in the circumstance of having to organize your trip to Italy. As already stated previously, there is not, has never been and will never be unambiguity in the answers to the question: what is the best time to visit Italy?  

How many days should you stay in Italy?

Here's the brutal truth: it's never enough. But since we can't all move to Positano, let's try to wear decidedly more pragmatic clothes.

For Italian itineraries for those traveling there for the first time, the ideal would be equivalent to a minimum of seven days. For an optimal stay: from ten to fifteen.

Less than a week and you risk cultural indigestion from racing against time. More than two weeks and you may never want to go home again (it's not a threat, it's a warning).

The itinerary for your first time in Italy could bear a slight resemblance to something like this: Rome (three/four days to digest three thousand years of history); Florence: two or three days to best manage the after-effects of an art overdose; Venice: two days, or at least until just before the Venetian lifestyle translates into your own lifestyle.

If there is time left, Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast for a postcard grand finale.

How does train travel work in Italy?

Tips for train travel in Italy start from a fundamental truth: the Italian railway system is a miracle of efficiency disguised as apparent chaos.

High-speed trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Italo) are jewels of punctuality that connect the main cities more or less along the entire length of our boot. Always book online in advance: save money and stress. The regionals? Slower but romantic, perfect for movie landscapes.

The local trick: always validate the ticket before boarding (except online ones). Forgetting about it would mean facing a hefty fine and a barbaric figure. Download the official apps and get ready to fall in love with the trip as much as the destination.

What should you avoid doing your first time in Italy? Buckle up!

This list of travel mistakes in Italy might hurt your pride, but better now than in front of an irritated Roman waiter.

MISTAKE #1: Eating in restaurants with menus translated into 12 languages. If there is a photo of the dish, run away. If near the Colosseum, run even faster (just joking... maybe).

MISTAKE#2: Order cappuccino after 11:00 a.m. Italians will look at you as if you had blasphemed in church.

MISTAKE #3: Dress like you're going to the beach to visit St. Peter's. Shoulders and knees covered or you'll stay out.

MISTAKE #4: Expect everyone to speak English. Learn at least "thank you", "please" and "sorry". The smile does the rest.

MISTAKE #5: Underestimating distances. Italy seems small on the map, but Rome-Milan is no walk in the park.

The careful traveler's packing list for Italy starts with your feet: comfortable shoes or you will writhe in pain after a day spent happily tripping on Roman cobblestones.

Bring along a universal adapter (Italian sockets are temperamental), a reusable water bottle (public water is great), and layered clothing.

Summer: linen, cotton, hat and always a light jacket for the evenings.

Winter: the secret is the onion (layers upon layers).

Year-round: a stylish pashmina for churches, personal medications, and a cell phone or video/camera with good memory capacity.

Pro tip: leave space in your suitcase. You will return loaded with wonderful and useless things that you didn't know you wanted.

Are tips mandatory in Italy? No, but sailing these seas requires diplomatic finesse. The "cover" (that mysterious tax of 2-4 euros) covers bread and basic service, so the tip is a bonus, not an obligation.

At the restaurant: 10% if the service won you over. At the bar: loose change on the counter nonchalantly. Taxi: Round with style. Guides and porters: a few euros discreetly.

Extra tip: never be ostentatious. The tip is left as a secret between you and the waiter, not as a public proclamation.

Italy is not just a destination to tick off the list. It's a first date with beauty that will change the way you travel forever.

With these travel tips for Italy for beginners, you are ready to experience your Italian adventure without falling into the traps of a novice tourist. Remember: you don't visit Italy, you live. And once it gets into your blood, you won't get rid of it anymore.

Now stop reading and book that flight. Italy is waiting for you, and trust me: it will be love at first sight.

Orienting yourself in the sea of cards and passes for the main Italian cities could represent a rather demanding challenge for the traveller, who intends to try her hand at the arduous task of visiting the Bel Paese for the first time.

We would only tell these intrepid explorers not to worry, as, thanks to our City Passes, all the best of the Bel Paese is literally just a click away.

Choosing one of our City Passes means choosing to save time and money not only when planning your first trip to Italy, but also on site, when, happily, you won't have to wait hour after hour in line to be able to purchase your ticket for a particular attraction or even just to access it.

Discover our City Pass and trust the process: you won't regret it

- Discover the Venice City Pass

- Discover the Naples City Pass

- Discover the Visit Rome Pass

- Discover the Ravenna City Pass

- Discover the San Gimignano City Pass

- Discover the Florence City Pass

- Discover the Milan City Pass