Before you go
Do Americans need a visa or ETIAS for Italy?
Neither, for now. With a US passport you can visit Italy for tourism or business for up to 90 days in any 180-day period with no visa, no advance application and no entry fee. ETIAS, the EU's planned online travel authorization, is not operating as of late October 2026; in July 2026 the EU agency that runs it confirmed the start had moved into 2027, with no firm date announced. When it does launch, the fee will be €20 (about $22), there will be a transition period, and the only official source will be travel-europe.europa.eu, so ignore any site selling one today. See Entry requirements.
What is the EES, and what happens when I land?
The Entry/Exit System is the EU's digital border record, fully operational at all Schengen external borders since April 10, 2026, and it replaced passport stamps for visitors like you. At your first Schengen airport, your passport is scanned, your face is photographed and four fingerprints are taken; children under 12 are photographed but not fingerprinted. Queues have been longer and less predictable since it began, so do not book a tight connection from your arrival flight to a train, and get to the airport three hours before a US-bound flight in summer. See Entry requirements.
How does the 90/180-day rule work?
You can spend up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period in the Schengen area as a whole, so a week in Paris or ten days in Switzerland draws from the same 90 days as your month in Italy. There is no reset on January 1: on any given day, count back 180 days, and your arrival and departure days each count as a full day. The European Commission's short-stay calculator does the math, and since EES started, overstays are flagged automatically when you leave. See Entry requirements and Italy and Europe.
How long does my passport need to be valid?
At least three months past the day you plan to leave the Schengen area, and it must have been issued within the last 10 years. Airlines enforce this at check-in in the US, and many travelers treat six months of remaining validity as the safe margin. US passports for children under 16 are valid for only five years, so kids' passports are the ones that most often fall short. See Entry requirements.
How many days do I need?
An ideal first trip is 10–14 days with three or four bases, allowing at least two nights per stop and three for Rome. Every hotel change costs about half a day, so the most common mistake is moving too often. With one week, pick two places; with ten days, three; with two weeks, four, or three plus a countryside stay. See Plan your trip.
When is the best time to go?
Late April to June and September to October, when days are warm, evenings are long and every museum, ferry and beach club is running. July and August bring heat above 90°F (32°C) in Rome and Florence, the year's biggest crowds and closures around Ferragosto (the August 15 holiday), when some city restaurants and shops shut for one to three weeks. November to March is cheapest outside Christmas and Carnival, though many Amalfi and island hotels close. See When to go.
What should I book months ahead?
Summer hotels on the Amalfi Coast and in Venice, 6–9 months out, and hotels in Rome, Florence and Venice 4–6 months ahead for spring and fall. Some tickets open on a fixed schedule: the Vatican Museums about 60 days out, the Borghese Gallery about six weeks out, the Colosseum exactly 30 days out, and the Last Supper in blocks every three months. Book fast trains as soon as your dates are firm. See Plan your trip and Where to stay.
What plugs does Italy use, and will my hair dryer work?
Italy runs on 230 volts at 50 Hz, with Type F and Type L sockets plus the slim two-pin Type C plug. Pack two or three small Type C adapters, which fit nearly every Italian socket, and check your chargers: anything marked INPUT 100–240V needs only the adapter. Most US hair dryers, curling irons and flat irons are single-voltage 120 V and will burn out or catch fire on 230 V, so use the one your hotel provides. See Phones, plugs and apps and the packing checklist.
Money, tipping and the coperto
Is Italy expensive?
A mid-range trip runs about €200–300 (about $224–336) per person per day for two people sharing a room, before flights; a budget trip about €100–140 (about $112–157). Venice, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como and Portofino run 30–50 percent higher in summer, while Puglia, Sicily, Naples, Umbria and smaller northern towns can run 20–30 percent lower. Our sample 10-day Rome, Florence and Venice trip for two at mid-range comes to about €3,900 (about $4,370) before flights and shopping. See Money and costs.
Can I pay by card, or do I need cash?
Cards are now the normal way to pay: businesses are legally required to accept them, contactless is standard, and Apple Pay and Google Pay work widely. Still carry about €50–100 for small bars, markets, public toilets and tips, and have one card with a four-digit PIN for train ticket machines, toll booths and gas pumps. Bring a card with no foreign transaction fee, and withdraw cash from a Bancomat (ATM) attached to a real bank, avoiding freestanding machines run by independent operators such as Euronet. See Money and costs.
The card machine offers to charge me in dollars. Should I say yes?
No, always pay in euros. That offer is dynamic currency conversion: the merchant's bank sets the rate, usually several percent worse than your own card's, and you may still pay your bank's foreign transaction fee on top. Decline it on card terminals, at ATMs and on Italian booking sites, and check the currency on hotel and rental-car slips before you sign. See Money and costs.
What is the coperto on my restaurant bill?
The coperto (cover charge) is a per-person charge for bread, table linens and the setting, typically €1.50–4 (about $2–4.50), and it is legal as long as it is printed on the menu. You pay it whether or not you eat the bread. Some restaurants, mostly in tourist areas of Rome, Florence and Venice, also add a servizio (service charge) of 10–15 percent, which means you have already tipped. Water is not free either: a bottle usually costs €2–4. See Money and costs and Food.
How much should I tip?
Very little, and it is optional. At a sit-down restaurant with no servizio on the bill, round up or leave 5–10 percent for good service, in cash, since most Italian terminals have no tip line. Leave nothing or small coins for coffee at the bar, round a taxi up to the next euro or two, and give a hotel porter €1–2 (about $1–2) per bag. The American 18–22 percent habit is unnecessary and can flag you as an easy target in tourist zones. See Money and costs.
What is the tourist tax, and why wasn't it in my booking?
Almost every popular town charges an imposta di soggiorno (tourist tax) per person per night, set by each municipality and usually tied to the star rating or lodging type. Most lodgings collect it at checkout, separately from the room rate and often in cash, even if you prepaid the room through a booking site. Rome charges about €4 (1-star) to €10 (5-star) for up to 10 consecutive nights, and Florence about €3.50 (1-star) to €8 (5-star) for up to 7 nights. Cities revise these rates often, so check your hotel's confirmation. See Money and costs and Where to stay.
Getting around: trains, strikes and driving
Should I take the train or rent a car?
Take the train between cities. High-speed trains go center to center, about 1 hr 30 min from Rome to Florence and about 1 hr 10 min from Rome to Naples, and the classic Venice, Florence and Rome trip needs no car at all. Rent one only for the countryside, such as the hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria, the Dolomites, Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia, and pick it up at a station or airport outside the historic center. See Getting around Italy and Driving in Italy.
Frecciarossa or Italo, and how early should I book?
Trenitalia's Frecciarossa and the private Italo run on the same high-speed lines with almost identical travel times, so check both and buy whichever is cheaper or better timed; their tickets are not interchangeable. Fares work like airline fares: tickets typically go on sale around four months ahead, the cheapest non-refundable fares sell first, and flexible fares can cost two or three times as much on the day. A rail pass rarely pays off in Italy, partly because passes are not valid on Italo. See Getting around Italy.
Do I really have to stamp my train ticket?
For a paper regional ticket, yes. It has no date or time on it, so stamp it in the small green-and-white or yellow validation machine on the platform before you board. Boarding without a valid, stamped ticket gets you a fine on the spot, far more than the fare, and you cannot buy a ticket on board as you can on many US commuter lines. Digital regional tickets bought in the Trenitalia app are already linked to a date and time, so there is nothing to stamp. See Getting around Italy.
What happens if there is a strike?
Transport strikes (sciopero) are legal, scheduled in advance and usually last 24 hours or less; the next national rail strike affecting Italo runs from 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2026 to 8:59 p.m. on Friday, October 30. On weekdays, regional trains scheduled between 6 and 9 a.m. and between 6 and 9 p.m. must run, and Trenitalia and Italo each publish a list of guaranteed trains a few days ahead. Check the Ministry of Infrastructure's strike calendar when you plan and again a few days before each travel day. If your train is cancelled, both companies refund or change the ticket for free. See Getting around Italy.
Do I need an International Driving Permit?
Yes. Italian law requires visitors with a US license to carry an International Driving Permit together with that license, and every driver listed on the rental needs one. Get it in the US before you leave, from AAA (about $20 for a permit valid one year) or the American Automobile Touring Alliance, because you cannot get one once you are in Italy. Some rental desks never ask, but police at a checkpoint or after an accident can fine you without one. See Driving in Italy.
What is a ZTL, and how do I avoid the fines?
A zona a traffico limitato (limited traffic zone) is an area, usually a historic center, where only residents and permit holders may drive during set hours, with cameras reading plates at every entry; nearly every Italian city and many small towns have one. A fine usually runs about €80–335 (about $90–375) per entry, the rental company charges an administrative fee on top, and the fine itself is mailed to your US home, often many months later. Watch for the white circle with a red border and the Varco attivo (gate active) boards, do not trust your GPS near an old center, and if your hotel is inside a zone, give the front desk your plate number. See Driving in Italy.
Rome and the Vatican
How do I get from Fiumicino airport into Rome?
The Leonardo Express train runs to Termini in 32 minutes for €14 (about $16). A taxi to the center is a €55 (about $62) fixed fare, and from Ciampino the fixed taxi fare is €40 (about $45). Ask for the flat fare before the ride starts, and expect small supplements for night travel, Sundays and luggage. See Rome and Flights to Italy.
How do I book the Colosseum?
On the official shop, ticketing.colosseo.it, which releases each date 30 days ahead; in spring, summer and around holidays, good morning slots and all underground tickets can sell out within days. The standard ticket is €18 (about $20) including the €2 booking fee, valid 24 hours, and covers the Colosseum plus the Forum and Palatine; the Full Experience tickets cost €24 (about $27). Tickets carry each holder's name, so type names exactly as on the passports and bring your passport to the gate. Resellers whose sites look official charge two or three times the price. See Rome sights.
Do I have to pay for the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain now?
Yes. The Pantheon has charged admission since July 2023, and since July 1, 2026 a full ticket costs €7 (about $8). It is open daily from 9 am to 7 pm and free on the first Sunday of the month. Since February 2, 2026, visitors who are not Rome residents pay €2 (about $2.25) to enter the steps down by the Trevi basin, generally from 9 am to 10 pm (from 11:30 am on Mondays and Fridays), while the piazza around it stays free. Buy Trevi tickets at fontanaditrevi.roma.it or by card at the entrance on Via della Stamperia, or go before 9 am or after 10 pm, when the fountain is free to view. See Rome sights.
How do I get Vatican Museums tickets?
Book at tickets.museivaticani.va, the only official site: €25 (about $28) online, against €20 (about $22) at the door, where the walk-up line can run one to two hours in high season. In spring, summer and around Christmas and Easter, morning slots from Tuesday to Thursday can sell out two or three weeks ahead, and Saturday sells out first. The Museums close on Sundays except the last Sunday of each month, when entry is free from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the rooms are packed. See The Vatican.
What is the dress code at the Vatican and in Rome's churches?
Shoulders and knees covered, for men and women. At the Vatican Museums, sleeveless and low-cut tops, shorts above the knee, miniskirts and hats are not allowed, St. Peter's applies the same idea, and guards do turn people away, with no exception for 95°F (35°C) heat. Pack light trousers or a midi skirt and a top with sleeves, or a large scarf, because vendors at the door charge whatever they can. Rome's churches all require covered shoulders and knees, and most close for a few hours at midday. See The Vatican and Etiquette.
Florence and Tuscany
What should I book ahead in Florence?
The Uffizi, the Accademia (for Michelangelo's David) and the Duomo dome, which all use timed entry. The dome climb comes with the €30 (about $34) Brunelleschi Pass from tickets.duomo.firenze.it, and its time slots sell out first: in October 2026, mid-month dome times were gone weeks ahead, so book it before anything else. The Uffizi costs €25 (about $28) from March to October plus a €4 booking fee; book at uffizi.it several weeks out for April to October. The Accademia is €16 (about $18) plus a €4 (about $4.50) reservation fee. See Florence and Art and churches.
How many days do I need in Florence?
Three full days for the city, or four to five with day trips to Siena, Pisa or Chianti. The Uffizi, the Accademia, the Pitti Palace and most state museums are closed on Mondays, so plan around that. The first Sunday of each month is free at state museums, including the Uffizi and Accademia, but the lines are long, so use it for the smaller museums. See Florence and Tuscany.
Can I drive into Florence?
Don't. The center is a camera-enforced ZTL, active Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., plus 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday to Saturday from April to early October. Pick up a rental car at Florence's airport instead of a downtown office, and in Tuscany expect a ZTL at the gate of every hill town. If your hotel is inside the zone, tell the front desk your plate the moment you arrive, because its registration covers only about two hours after you enter. See Driving in Italy and Tuscany.
Venice and the north
Do I have to pay the Venice access fee?
Only as a day visitor on listed dates. In 2026 the fee applied on 60 days between April 3 and July 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at €5 (about $5.60) if paid by the fourth day before your visit or €10 (about $11) after that, and the 2026 trial is now over. The city has confirmed 72 fee days from March 26 to August 15, 2027, with prices and rules due by December 31, 2026, so do not assume the 2026 amounts will carry over. Children under 14 do not pay. Overnight guests anywhere in the municipality, including Mestre and the Lido, are exempt but should request the free exemption code through the city's fee portal (many hotels send the link); check the calendar at cda.ve.it. See Venice.
Is a day trip to Venice enough, and which vaporetto pass should I buy?
Stay two or three nights if you can. Day-trippers fill the streets around the Rialto and St. Mark's from about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the evenings after they leave are the best of Venice. A single vaporetto (water bus) ride costs €9.50 (about $11), so passes pay off quickly: €25 (about $28) for 24 hours, €35 (about $39) for 48 hours and €45 (about $50) for 72 hours, the sweet spot for a three-night stay. Tap your ticket or pass on the card reader at the landing before every boarding, including when you change boats. See Venice.
Are the Cinque Terre trails open?
Partly. As of late October 2026, Monterosso to Vernazza and Vernazza to Corniglia are open, and so is the Via dell'Amore from Riomaggiore to Manarola, one way only, with timed tickets from €10 (about $11) at viadellamore.info. Corniglia to Manarola is closed for landslide repairs with no reopening date announced, and the higher path through Volastra is the detour. From November 2, 2026 to March 12, 2027, every trail except the Via dell'Amore is free; in season the paid sections need a Cinque Terre Card, from €10 (about $11) a day. See Cinque Terre and the Riviera.
How do I get tickets for the Last Supper?
Be online the moment they are released. Visits are capped at 40 people for 15 minutes, a reservation is mandatory even for free tickets, and blocks covering several months go on sale at once, with popular weekend slots gone within hours. A full ticket is €15 (about $17) for visitors 25 and older, and the refectory is closed on Mondays. Watch cenacolovinciano.org for the release date of your block and set an alarm: noon in Milan is 6 a.m. Eastern. See Milan and the lakes.
The south and the islands
Can I do the Amalfi Coast without a car?
Yes, and most visitors should. SITA Sud buses run along the coast all year, about 50 minutes from Sorrento to Positano and another 50 from Positano to Amalfi, and from roughly April to the end of October ferries link Salerno, Amalfi, Positano and Capri, with Positano to Amalfi taking about 25 minutes. High-speed trains reach Salerno from Rome in about 2 hours, and a private driver from Naples to Positano takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Buy bus tickets before you board and validate them on the bus, and never plan a ferry on the day of a flight home. See Amalfi Coast.
What is the Amalfi Coast's odd-even plate rule?
On dates set by ANAS, the national roads company, alternate-plate days apply on the SS163 between Vietri sul Mare and Positano from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On an odd-numbered date, cars whose plate ends in an odd digit may not use the road, and on an even date, even plates are barred. The 2026 calendar covered set dates from the Easter period to October 31, with no restriction from November 1 until the next season. Self-drive rental cars are not on the exemption list, so check the plate before you pick up the car and carry your hotel confirmation. See Amalfi Coast and Driving in Italy.
How do I visit Pompeii?
Book a named ticket: €20 (about $22) for Express or €25 (about $28) for Plus, with a cap of 20,000 visitors a day. From mid-March to mid-October entry is split into two windows, and the afternoon one, up to 5,000 people from 1 to 5:30 p.m., sells out first on summer weekends and cruise days. From Rome, allow about 2 hr 15 min door to gate via Naples, where the Circumvesuviana reaches Pompei Scavi in about 35–40 minutes. Stamp paper tickets before you board, and keep your bag in front of you on that train. See Naples, Pompeii and the islands and Day trips from Rome.
Do I need a car in Sicily, and can I hike up Etna?
A car is the answer for most routes, though you should skip it in Palermo and Catania; give the island 7 nights for one half or 10–14 for a full loop. Etna's summit zone is open only with a licensed guide and closes when the volcano's alert level rises. Under the August 2026 ordinances, going beyond the ordinary tourist limits requires a certified alpine or volcanological guide, mountain clothing and a helmet. See Sicily.
What are Sardinia's beach rules?
La Pelosa, Cala Goloritzé and some other famous beaches need advance booking in season. Sardinian law bans removing sand, pebbles, shells and coral fragments from beaches, with fines reaching €3,000 (about $3,360), and airport security at Cagliari and Olbia regularly finds bottles of sand in luggage. A car is essential on the island. See Sardinia.
Food and culture
When do Italians eat?
Lunch runs about 1–3 pm, often later in the south, and dinner starts from 7:30 pm in the north and 8:30–9 pm or later in Rome and the south. Servers will not bring the bill until you ask for it (il conto, per favore), because rushing you out is considered rude, so a long, slow dinner is normal. Many restaurants will not split a bill by item. See Food.
Why does my coffee cost more at a table?
Bars post two prices: al banco (standing at the counter) and al tavolo (seated with table service). An espresso at the counter averaged €1.29 (about $1.45) across Italy in mid-2026, while the same coffee at a table can cost two to four times more, and on Piazza San Marco or near the Pantheon a table coffee can top €10 (about $11). Both prices should be posted, and neither is a scam. In busy bars, pay first at the cassa (register), then hand the receipt to the barista. See Food and Money and costs.
Why are shops closed in the afternoon?
Small shops keep traditional hours, roughly 9:30 am to 1 pm and 4 to 7:30 pm, and many close on Sundays. In August, some city restaurants and shops close for one to three weeks around the August 15 holiday. Shop in the morning or after the break; from roughly 6 to 8 pm comes the passeggiata (evening stroll), when whole towns walk up and down the main street. See Etiquette and When to go.
Safety and health
Is Italy safe for Americans?
As of October 2026, the US State Department rates Italy at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, because of terrorism, the same level it gives France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, and it names no Italian region to avoid. The everyday risks for visitors are petty theft, scams and travel disruption. Enroll in the State Department's STEP program and check the advisory again in the week before you leave. The US Embassy is at Via Vittorio Veneto 121 in Rome (+39 06 46741), with consulates in Milan, Florence and Naples that can issue an emergency passport. See Safety in Italy.
Where do pickpockets work, and how do I avoid them?
At big stations and on crowded transit and sights: in Rome, Termini, Metro Line A and the 64 and 40 buses toward the Vatican, plus the Trevi Fountain crowd; Florence's Santa Maria Novella station and the Uffizi lines; Venice's Grand Canal vaporetto lines 1 and 2; and the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii. Wear a zipped cross-body bag in front, never keep a wallet in a back pocket, and leave your passport in the hotel safe with a photo of it on your phone. Walk away from anyone who ties a bracelet on your wrist, hands you a rose or pushes a petition at you. See Safety in Italy.
Can I drink the tap water?
Yes. Tap water is safe to drink throughout Italy unless marked non potabile (not drinking water), which is common on trains and in some public restrooms. Rome's free public fountains, the nasoni, run with the same water as the tap, and Florence's fontanelli dispense chilled still and even sparkling water for free. In parts of Sicily and Sardinia, summer droughts have led to rationing in recent years, so follow your host's advice there. See Health in Italy.
What if I get sick, and do I need travel insurance?
Call 112 or 118, both free from any phone, in an emergency; public emergency rooms (pronto soccorso) treat everyone, but as a visitor you can be billed, especially for non-urgent visits, follow-up care and admissions. Travel insurance is strongly advised, because most US plans and Medicare cover little or nothing abroad. For minor problems, start at a pharmacy, marked with a green cross, where pharmacists give real advice; one per area stays open nights and Sundays. See Health in Italy.