We miss Italy everyday since we got back and have plans on returning very soon!
From the wine to the pasta to the beautiful Italian accents, every part of our trip was a dream. We love talking about our road trip though Italy and definitely count it as one of our best (most relaxing) trips!
But if you’re looking to have you own Italy adventure then you need to know a few things before you go. We’ve written some quick things to know, some more specific things, and some awesome travel tips to finish. Let’s take a look…
This post may contain affiliate links. You can read more on our Disclaimer Page.
Quick Facts About Italy
National Language: Italian, obviously 😛
Name of Country in Italian: Italia
Currency: Euro
Religion: The majority of the country is Roman Catholic. Italy is also home to the Pope and Vatican City is amazing to see if you’re going to Rome!
Main Regions: Italy has sooo many regions and they can be very different. Tuscany was our favorite since it’s so quiet and beautiful. We rented a car with Europcar and drove through all of the rolling hills. If you’re adventurous I would definitely recommend adding that to your list!
And if you’re in the area be sure to add Florence to your list – you won’t regret it!
Road tripping through Tuscany
Venice is also gorgeous and the Umbria region is home to Italy’s capital.
Then you have Lombardy to the north (home to Milan.) Puglia to the south where you can find the most beautiful beaches, and Piedmont which borders Switzerland and is more rural (lots of vineyards here.)
These are some of the most popular regions, but definitely not a complete list. Italy is so extensive that you can take multiple trips there and not see everything!
Traveling to Italy?
You need a valid passport that doesn’t expire for 6 months after your departure date. Be sure to check just in case! And you can visit Italy for 90 days without getting a visa.
Travel more with a full time job!
Travel planning is hard. But it doesn’t have to be. Get access to our free travel resource library to start crossing things off your bucket list!
IT ONLY TAKES 5 SECONDS!
Is it safe to drink the tap water?
Yup, completely safe to drink tap water in Italy. Now don’t go drinking water in random lakes or anything 😛
But there’s really no need to buy bottled water – we actually paid more for water than we did for wine in some places. That’s a little crazy!
Ever since then, we use a collapsible water bottle that we fill up with tap water before we leave the hotel. It takes up almost no space in our bag and saves money for the important things – like wine!
How expensive is Italy?
We actually traveled from Germany to Italy for around $35 per person. Crazy right? (We used Skyscanner if you’re still looking for flights.)
Now, certain things in Italy will be more expensive. Like things you get at a convenience store or anywhere near the tourist areas.
But food and wine are cheaper than other places we’ve been and cheaper than in the US from what we saw. And btw – most of the local markets have food vendors also that make amazing pasta and pastries for next to nothing.
Glass of local wine for €2 and an entire plate of homemade pasta for €5?
Yes please!
Tipping in Italy
Like much of Europe, tipping is limited in Italy since many service-based jobs get paid a decent salary. You’ll notice that a lot of restaurants will actually charge you a service charge anyway (look for the words servizio or coperto.)
And if you need to tip so you don’t feel guilty (I’m talking to you my fellow Americans 😉 ) then just round up to the nearest euro and call it a day!
Weather in Italy
Italy has a rather mild Mediterranean climate year round, but if you’re going into the mountains at all or more to the north, prepare yourself for a colder environment.
Also, if you’re going to the south you should pack your swimwear to enjoy their awesome beaches. We took our Italy vacation in September and got away with t-shirts and shorts most of the time, but keep in mind that the mornings and nights will be much cooler. Bring a jacket and some jeans just to be safe!
Italy Travel Tips
- Learning some Italian words and phrases will go a long way to warming up to the locals.
- If you’ll be in a rural area stay in an agriturismo – basically a B&B in the countryside. They have come to be very popular and mostly they’re run by families. We stayed at one near Florence that was part of a vineyard and had it’s own olive groves too! Just a heads up – sometimes they can’t be found on major booking sites, and you have to contact them directly. Airbnb is also a good place to look for them
The view from our Tuscany agriturismo
- Drive an automatic car! We road tripped Italy and had the best time. However, we expected it to mostly be flat (I have no idea why we thought that) and in some areas we found ourselves much higher up than we bargained for! Do yourself a favor and reserve a car with automatic transmission. We always use Europcar since we have found the best prices there, but be sure to filter for automatic cars when you search!
- If driving isn’t for you, you can take the high speed train which links most of the major cities. We’ve even linked it for you here 🙂
- For goodness sake pack light! Not all train stations will be near your hotel and even if you drive, you’ll probably end up street parking and have to haul your luggage through the cobblestone streets.
- Take out some cash. Most places in the city will accept credit cards, but some smaller shops will not.
- See if your plan has international data for GPS. We use our T-Mobile international data plan abroad and get unlimited data and text through all of Europe. This is perfect for GPS and we had no issues in Italy with the connection. Check if you can get a temporary upgrade and save yourself from having to rent the outdated GPS system from the rental car company.
- If you can’t get GPS on your phone, download Navmii – you can download maps of where you’ll be and use the GPS on you phone even when you’re offline.
- When buying gelato – if you see that the pistachio flavor is green, stay away. The green color is added in and means that the flavors have artificial ingredients. (We learned this one from a local)
- Italians are super friendly – in our experience. As Miami-ans we are usually skeptical, but everyone was super friendly and we had a great time once we started talking to the locals!
- If you’re visiting any cathedrals you will need to cover your shoulders and wear appropriate length skirts or pants.
- Like any other major cities, beware of your surroundings and watch our for pick-pockets.
We hope you have the best time on your Italy adventure! And don’t forget to subscribe for access to our free travel resource library! It will help you plan your Italy trip like a pro and it only takes 5 seconds!
– Veronica
Pin me for later!
Add a Comment