To be fair, there are probably one million things you should know before going to Italy. But this is a list I’ve compiled over a decade of returning to the best country ever! Honestly these are in no particular order, I hope they help you with your Italy planning and adventures.
Practical Things To Know
Driving can be done! But be prepared for PARKING
Driving in Italy is not challenging. I even rented a car and drove myself from Venice to the Cinque Terre & back with absolutely no issues. The only place I would strongly advise that you avoid driving is major cities. You 100% do not need a car in Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice (you can’t anyway), etc. It will be a hassle, and there are special zones within the center of many Italian cities that you can be fined for driving through. Otherwise, if you’re visiting Italy, a car can give you a LOT of freedom. You can access many special small towns and villages that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see.
My best advice is to always know where you’re going to park. When booking accommodation, make sure you can park at your spot or nearby. I recommend messaging your accommodation directly to ask about parking before traveling. Sometimes places will list that they “have parking” but it is actually nowhere near their site or is in a paid lot somewhere.
When visiting a town, check out the parking situation before hand and plan accordingly. I’ve heard stories of people who couldn’t visit small towns or villages due to parking or had parking nightmare stories. If you are prepared, this wont be you, I promise. Many small towns and villages have paid parking lots right on the outskirts of town, this makes it really easy to park and then go enjoy without stressing about driving in any old towns or city centers.
Safety: I hate writing about safety, but here are some quick thoughts
Italy has never felt unsafe to me and we’ve been in major cities, small villages, and everywhere in between. As with anywhere you’d travel in the world, you should take normal safety precautions. You should protect your belongings. Always keep up an awareness of your surroundings, lock up your possessions, lock your doors to sleep, etc. Overall, I don’t believe that you need to be stressed about safety in Italy. I have also traveled here as a solo female and had no issues to report.
Trains are a great way to get around especially large cities
If driving isn’t for you, you’re in luck in Italy. Many absolutely incredible places are easily accessible by train, and when all else fails, bus. Trains are one of my favorite ways to travel and are so easy and straightforward. There are also so many stunning train rides through this beautiful country that truly feel like part of the adventure!
I prefer booking tickets online through sites like Rail Europe. This helps me to keep all my tickets digital and in one place but it does add a small fee. You can also easily book trains right at the station you’re at. It is important to make sure to validate your ticket in the little green machines in the train stations if you book a physical ticket.
It may also be valuable to google any train strikes before you travel. Generally, in Italy train strikes will be announced well in advance of the date of the strike. It is best to avoid train travel on those days if possible.
Eating the “local cuisine” from a region will give you a better food experience
One of the best parts of Italy, in my opinion, is that each region is known for certain things. In Liguria you know you’re going to have amazing pesto. In Sicily you’ll want to try arancini, in Bari you’ll want to try orecchiette and so on. One of our favorite things to do in Italy (or anywhere in the world) is to eat whatever the specialty is at that spot. If you are able to eat like this, I assure you, you will have the best food experiences.
Staying central can be very beneficial
When you’re visiting any area of the world, staying near the center is a perk. This is true in Italy as well. Although you may want to save a buck by staying on the fringe of a place, you may not get the same experience. You may also need to walk a LOT or use public transit to get where you need to go. Saving TIME traveling is a priority for me. Therefore I will stay in the most walkable location so I don’t loose time.
Focusing on one area or region at a time is a good idea
People often tell me they’re going to Italy and they say they’re going to do Puglia, Rome, Florence, and Venice in 7 days and I shudder to myself. Italy has so many regions and they all have SO much to offer. Although it is a well connected country, this does not mean it should be rushed. Time in transit can often be a bit more than predicted. You don’t want to spend your whole trip going from place to place. You want to actually ENJOY the place you’re in. So plan accordingly, depending on the time you have maybe focus on one or two regions. This leads me to my next point.
Italy has a number of major airports
You do not have to fly into and out of the same airport. I think many travelers get trapped by booking round trip flights. When you book round trip you obviously have to start and end in the same destination. There is nothing wrong with this, but booking a “multi city” flight can be very beneficial when visiting a country like Italy. For example, you could fly into Rome and out of Venice. This way you can travel in one direction the whole time and not have to circle back. We have also flown into Rome and out of Nice, France, or even into Rome and out of Barcelona. We’ve even flown into Albania, taken a ferry to Italy, and flown home from Rome!
If you’re interested in that itinerary you can check it out here —-> 2 Weeks in Albania & Puglia.
You have a number of options in Italy and beyond, don’t overlook that.
Know where to stay
To help you know where to stay in Italy I have comprehensive blog post of every hotel/apartment we’ve stayed in Italy thus far over our years of travel through this country. It has direct links that are easy for you to use and we have stayed in some truly incredible locations ranging from Palazzos in Tuscany, to apartments in the Cinque Terre, and 4 star hotels on the Amalfi coast.
They are all included and I will continue to update as we continue to travel throughout this special country. This past summer we visited Lake Garda, Trento, Liguria, Ischia, and Procida. We’re planning now for our first visit to Umbria.
If you’re interested in my favorite places to stay in Italy, you can check out my post here —> Free Guide to The Best Places to Stay in Italy
Is it an issue to be vegetarian/Vegan or have dietary restrictions
Honestly, this is a hard one for me to answer because we do not have any of these. We will eat and drink literally anything and everything. But, I am a firm believer that with a plan, you can do anything. I will say that most Italian menus have pasta dishes that are meatless and generally have tomatoes, zucchini, and other veggies. They also have a lot of bread, pastries, focaccia etc. that would be suited for dietary restrictions. We have also noticed a decent amount of places having gluten free options.
However, if you’re not in major cities, you may have a more difficult time finding sources of protein that are vegan or vegetarian. I would advise doing your research and making reservations at place you know have options for you, as well as scouting out some smaller in between meals in advance.
Do you need to speak Italian?
In most major cities and honestly even in many small towns and villages you’ll be able to find people that speak English. Italian is still widely used and admittedly we’re still working very hard to learn some basic phrases. You shouldn’t be stressed about speaking Italian, a little effort will go a long way, but you will also be 100% fine if you don’t know how to say a single word.
Plan in advance, make reservations for major sites
When visiting major sites it is always valuable to have plans in advance. I also prefer to book dinner reservations in advance most days to make sure we eat well. This may seem dramatic but I think having a bad meal is more dramatic. Also make sure that when you’re booking major sites that you’re using that DIRECT site for that place. There are so many third party sites out there these days pretending to be the main site, when in doubt, ASK. If you’re using a guided service they will handle that part for you, but there will be a cost.
Consider weather during the time you’re traveling
If it’s going to be boiling hot in August, this may not be the time you want to visit Puglia (although we did). If you’re planning a trip to the Dolomites and you are hoping to hike a lot and avoid snow, you still need to be careful even in May or September. If you’re traveling to Sicily in the Spring you should know the weather can be very unpredictable and can change rapidly in the course of a short time. Overall, you can visit any region in any weather, but it is beneficial to know what you’re getting into so that you can best prepare. Traveling in fair weather may result in more crowds, but I always find it to still be worth it.
Popular spots are popular for a reason
There is no place on Earth like Venice, Italy. You would be hard pressed to find something that can rival the history and magic that is Rome. Florence holds so much beauty and art that even though small towns can have some of the same charm, they just can’t compare. I highly recommend if you go by region, exploring big cities AND small towns. But don’t let anyone talk you out of the major cities if you’re into that kind of thing. They are what they are for a reason and their popularity is more than valid. You can try to visit these places at “less popular” times, but they’re always going to draw crowds. My best advice is always to plan and book the things you want to do in advance, and enjoy.
Seek out some lesser known/underrated spots as well
I am a firm believer that you can not go wrong in Italy. I think any city, town, or village that you visit will be fantastic. I have a blog post about 7 underrated spots in Italy, you can check it out below. Of course there are thousands of spots like these and I’ll be visiting more this summer and will continue to grow this list.
You can find my post here —>7 Underrated Gems in Italy You Should Know About
Is it better to stay in a hotel or airbnb?
Only you can answer this question, we’ve had wonderful experiences in both in Italy. I actually wrote a whole post about this that may be able to help you weigh your options. Personally, these days, I lean more towards small boutique hotels.
If you want to read a little deeper about my thoughts on this, you can check out my post here : Hotel Vs Airbnb
Enjoyable Things to Know
Aperitivo is an Italian Delight
Aperitivo is one of the most lovely things about the Italian way of life. Every day, before dinner, people gather to have a drink and a snack and socialize. It is also a well known time of day in which when you order a drink, you are given small bites to go with it. Depending on where you are, different parts of Italy may do this more elaborately than others, but almost all do it. You could get something as simple as chips, nuts or olives at times. You could also get really nice snacks like mini focaccia, cheese, meats, small panini, etc. No matter what type of snacks are being served this really is a time for families, friends, etc to gather together and wind down from the day.
Affogato
I am filled with regret that on my first two trips to Italy I hadn’t heard of this delightful treat and missed out on it. Now, I will not let that happen to you! Quite simply, affogato is a gelato with an espresso poured over it. But don’t let the simple description fool you, it is DELIGHTFUL! You can find it at many gelato shops and some cafes and coffee shops. There are also some famous ones throughout Italy that are made with toppings like shaved pistachios, etc. My favorite of all time is a stracciatella gelato with the espresso!
Pocket Coffee
This is another epic find that many people (even frequent visitors to Italy) STILL don’t know about! They are a delicious treat that can be found in Italian gas stations and roadside stops. They are a block of chocolate with espresso filling. In the summer they also have a special version that is essentially a sludge like mix of chocolate and espresso that is absolutely delightful! They are meant to give you a little pick me up on a long drive, they don’t have the same amount of caffeine as a real espresso, but they give you a little boost.
Auto grill
The auto grill is the king of the road side in Italy and is truly an awesome place. So awesome in fact, that Stanley Tucci even mentioned it recently on his new Italy series. If you are road tripping Italy a stop at the auto grill is a must. You can get almost anything you need here, it is like gas station, meets deli, meets bakery, meets convenience store, meets coffee shop, and grocery store! Everything here is yummy, my typical order is a crudo sandwich, a sparkling water, an espresso, and some pocket coffee to go.
Don’t let people scare you about cappuccino
People love to post on the internet that you can’t get cappuccino after 11 am in Italy and if you try to they’re going to send you home or something equally as dramatic. People are not wrong, Italians do not generally drink cappuccino after 11 am, and sometimes they will actually stop having certain drinks on their menus after certain times.
But you can order whatever the hell you want at any time and nobody will bat and eye or care. I have ordered cappuccino at all hours and have asked for creamy coffee at ridiculous times. If they can’t do it, they’ll simply say no, and if they can, they will, it’s that simple. Do what makes you happy and order what you need, just don’t be ridiculous. You should know, if you want additions to your coffees like special milks etc. in smaller villages and towns this just wont be a common thing.
Most regions have their own wine
If you are a wine drinker, wine in Italy is as special as the food. Even if you’re not a wine drinker, you can probably find an appreciation for the effort and taste of the wines in Italy. Almost all regions in Italy produce their own wine and just like the food, the wine is produced based on what is naturally in that area. The climate, landscape, etc. all have an impact of what type of wine is produced in each place.
House wine in Italy is generally very reasonably priced (sometimes cheaper than water) and delicious, and it can be a fun way to get to know an area better. It is very rare that we’d visit a region of Italy and skip out on the wine from that region.
Final Thoughts
This post is simply meant to be an introduction to a number of topics about traveling in Italy, to help ease your mind if you had worries, and to give you some little tidbits about my favorite country. It is not meant to be completely comprehensive.
If you have questions about Italy, how to plan, where to go, building an itinerary, etc. I am your girl. Feel free to email me any time at planformedani@gmail.com or find my on instagram at @planforme.dani
If you’re looking for more detailed posts about the destinations we’ve visited in Italy, you can check out my blog posts here —–> Italy Blog Posts
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