Getting to know Italy

Twenty regions, each convinced it does things best

Italy has only been a single country since 1861, and it still feels like a collection of proud regions. Tuscany and Umbria are rolling hills, hill towns and vineyards. Venice and the Veneto face east toward the Adriatic. The south — Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Puglia and Sicily — is warmer, louder and a little less polished, and many travelers fall hardest for it. Even the pasta changes shape every hundred miles.

For a first visit, the classic triangle is Rome, Florence and Venice, linked by fast trains that take under two hours between each city. A second trip often adds the Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre, the lakes of the north, or a week based in one Tuscan farmhouse. We usually recommend fewer bases and more nights in each — Italy rewards slow travel.

Daily rhythm matters. Many shops and churches close for a long lunch, dinner rarely starts before 8 p.m., and dress codes apply at St. Peter's and most churches (shoulders and knees covered). The Vatican Museums, the Last Supper in Milan and the Uffizi in Florence all require timed reservations, often weeks ahead in high season.

Planning notes

Planning notes for Italy

• Book timed entries early. The Vatican Museums, the Last Supper, the Uffizi and the Colosseum underground sell out weeks ahead in spring and fall.
• Travel by train. High-speed trains link Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and Naples. We reserve seats in advance and avoid driving in cities with restricted traffic zones.
• Summer is hot and busy. July and August bring heat and crowds, and many Italians take holidays in August. Spring and fall are the sweet spots.
• Entry requirements. Italy is in the Schengen Area, and Europe's new entry-registration and ETIAS systems are being phased in — check current requirements; we confirm them for you.