Greetings from the Duomo!
Italy 🇮🇹
From Michelangelo to The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Italy has fascinated me for decades.
I first visited as part of a trip to Europe for a wedding and spent a quick three days in Rome solo, wandering through the eternal streets among the ancient Colosseum, the Vatican’s numerous treasures, and climbing the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, all while staying at the nerdiest hostel imaginable.
On a later trip, I toured Italy by train with my travel buddy, making several stops, but memorably gliding through the majestic canals of Venice, where I experienced the breathtaking beauty of St. Mark’s Square, crossed the Rialto Bridge, and visited the Doge’s Palace, all of which made me understand why this floating city has inspired countless artists throughout history.
Whether you’re planning a solo trip, a friend’s vacation, or a family getaway, these Italy travel blogs will help you plan an amazing, budget-friendly trip to these Italian destinations.
What are the best places to visit in Italy for first-timers?
The best way to see Italy is by train, connecting major cities like Milan to the Amalfi Coast. First-timers should start with the iconic “holy trinity”: Rome (Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican City), Florence (David, Duomo), and Venice (canals, St. Mark’s). For breathtaking coastal views and a slower pace, explore the Amalfi Coast or head to Naples for a tour of Pompeii. I personally solo-traveled in Italy in 2015, then visited with my travel buddy in 2022, entirely without a car—proof that this approach works for first-timers.
Fun Facts About Italy
- 🏛️ The Colosseum was built in just 10 years (AD 72-80) and seated 50,000+ spectators, but something they didn’t show you in Gladiator was that they flooded the arena for mock naval battles, complete with full-scale warships! Tours sell out fast, so book months in advance!
- 🎨 The Pieta in St. Peter’s Basilica is the only sculpture Michelangelo ever signed—legend says his colleagues in Rome were in disbelief that a young and relatively unknown sculptor could create such a remarkable work, so he angrily chiseled his name across Mary’s sash.
- 🍦 Gelato in Venice (and throughout Italy) isn’t just hype—Italians genuinely eat it year-round like it’s a food group. You’ll find vendors everywhere, and honestly, I probably ate more gelato in two weeks than I have in years combined!
- ⚰️ Three popes’ embalmed bodies are on display in glass coffins at St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing. When Pope John XXIII’s coffin was opened 38 years after his death, his body was practically intact!
- 🎨 The Gallery of Maps inside the Vatican Museums features 40 enormous topographical maps of Italy painted on the ceiling between 1580 and 1583—they’re so detailed that they’re still geographically accurate today!
- 🏛️ The Roman Forum was the center of daily life for 500+ years—elections, trials, speeches, and gladiatorial matches all happened here. Now it’s the most celebrated meeting place in all of history, and you can walk the same stones Caesar did!
- ⛪ St. Peter’s Basilica Dome involves climbing 551 steps (or 320 if you take the elevator). The narrow spiral staircase gets claustrophobic, and they charge you for water at the terrace, but that 360° view of Rome is absolutely worth it!
The Best Time to Visit Italy
Why I prefer shoulder season:
- Temperatures are perfect for exploring ancient ruins without melting (Rome gets HOT in summer)
- The Colosseum, Vatican Museums, and other major sites are crowded but manageable
- Accommodation prices drop 30-40% compared to peak summer
- You can actually enjoy a cappuccino at Piazza Navona without being surrounded by massive tour groups
My experience: My second trip to Italy was in April, and though some places, such as Venice, were cold, overall the weather was pleasant, and aside from Florence, we didn’t have any trouble getting tickets to attractions. My first trip was in June, and it was far hotter and more crowded.
Things to Know Before You Go
Italy uses the Euro (€)
You can exchange money before a trip, but I find it best to withdraw cash at a local ATM on an as-needed basis.
They speak Italian
Practice basic phrases (Ciao, Buongiorno, Buonasera; Grazie, Per favore, Mi scusi), but in most tourist areas, people also speak English.
A visa isn’t needed
For short tourist visits (90 days max), no visa is needed. However, you will soon need to apply for ETIAS before entering. Additionally, EES requires non-EU travelers to provide fingerprints and facial images to enter Italy.
Download the Omio and Citymapper App
Use the Omio app for long train and bus journeys. Get the Citymapper app for local transport info. I easily traveled up and down Italy by train, then used buses or walked around the cities, except for Venice, which I toured by boat.
Italy Travel Tools
Below are the exact tools I used to plan my Italian adventure! Italy is incredibly rewarding but requires more advanced planning than you’d think. It is a safe (with precautions) and easy country to explore.
To avoid any mistakes and secure spots at sold-out attractions, here are my essential planning tips:
- 💰 Skip the tourist passes in Rome—they’re actually NOT worth it: I bought the Omnia Card thinking it would save money, but it wound up costing me more than booking individual tours. Do the math before committing!
- 🎟️ Book these attractions MONTHS in advance or miss out entirely: The Colosseum underground tours sell out ridiculously fast (I found out the hard way), Vatican Museums require timed entry, and St. Peter’s Dome gets packed. I’m talking 2-3 months ahead, not weeks
- 🚆 Train tickets are your best friend: Florence is 1.5 hours from Rome, Naples, and Pompeii are just over an hour—Italy’s train system makes exploring multiple cities easy and affordable if you book early
- 👗 The Vatican WILL turn you away for dress code violations: My cousin got rejected for a skirt that ended above her knee. Cover shoulders and knees, period. I was sweltering in a long skirt during summer, so next time I’d wear lightweight pants instead
- 🚶 Rome requires SERIOUS walking on uneven cobblestones: The Roman Forum alone took me 3.5 hours to explore fully, and the ancient roads are genuinely rough terrain. Make sure to follow my packing guide and bring supportive shoes, or you’ll regret it by day two
