Italy Travel Tips: What to Know Before Your First Trip (2026)

These Italy travel tips cover what first-time visitors from the US most often get wrong: entry rules, the tickets that sell out, trains, driving, money and manners. Each tip is short, and each one links to the page on our site that explains it in full.

Last updated: September 25, 2026

Italy travel tips for entry and documents

US citizens can visit Italy for up to 90 days for tourism without a visa, according to the US State Department. However, the 90 days count across the whole Schengen area, within any 180-day period, so time spent in France or Spain counts too.

1. Check your passport dates. It must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area, with 2 blank pages (checked September 2026).
2. Expect a biometric check at the border. The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) registers non-EU travelers each time they cross an external border, and it is gradually replacing passport stamps.
3. You do not need ETIAS yet. The EU travel authorization is not running; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch (checked September 2026).
4. Declare large sums of cash. The limit is €10,000 or its equivalent, on entry and on exit.

Book these tickets before you fly

Most sights in Italy are easy to visit on the day. A few are not, and they are the ones first-timers regret missing. For that reason, book these first:

Prices read on the official sites in September 2026. Also, remember that many state museums close one day a week: the Uffizi in Florence, for example, opens Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 am to 6:30 pm.

Getting around: trains, flights and cars

1. Take the train between cities. High-speed trains link Rome to Florence in about 1 hour 25 minutes and Florence to Venice in about 2 hours (checked September 2026). Our Italy itineraries are built around these connections.
2. Validate paper tickets for regional trains before you board; digital tickets bought for a specific train do not need it.
3. Fly only for the long jumps, such as Sicily, Sardinia or Puglia. Our guide to Italian airlines compares the carriers.
4. Rent a car only for the countryside. Non-EU licenses need an International Driving Permit alongside them. Our guide to driving in Italy explains the rules, and renting a car in Italy covers the booking.
5. Stay out of the ZTL. Most historic centers, from Florence and Rome to Siena and Bologna, are limited-traffic zones watched by cameras, and the fine arrives by mail.

Money, tipping and shopping

Money is where small Italy travel tips save the most, because the rules differ from those at home.

1. Read the bill before you tip. Many restaurants add a coperto, a per-person cover charge for bread and table service. Our guide to tipping in Italy explains when to leave extra and when not to.
2. Claim your VAT back. Non-EU visitors can get a refund on purchases over €70 per invoice, validated digitally at customs. See our VAT refund guide.
3. Venice has no day-tripper fee right now. The city’s 2026 trial ended on July 27, 2026, and no dates for 2027 had been announced when we checked.

Culture and etiquette tips for Italy

1. Cover shoulders and knees in churches. St. Peter’s Basilica and many cathedrals turn away visitors in shorts or sleeveless tops.
2. Learn ten words of Italian. A buongiorno (good morning) when you walk into a shop changes the welcome. Start with our basic Italian phrases.
3. Eat on Italian time. Lunch runs from about 1 pm, dinner rarely before 7:30 pm, and the aperitivo, the early-evening drink with snacks, fills the gap in between.
4. Book a food tour on your first night. It is the fastest way to learn what to order; compare the best food tours in Rome or the cicchetti bars of Venice.

When to go, and how long to stay

For fewer crowds and mild weather, go in spring or in fall; in contrast, July and August are hot and crowded in the cities. Our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Italy goes into detail. As for length, one of the most useful Italy travel tips is also the simplest: plan at least 7 days for a first trip: two nights per city is the minimum that makes a stop worth the train. Then pick a route from our 7-day, 10-day or 2-week itineraries.

For the details of each booking, see our guides to Last Supper tickets, Uffizi tickets and Borghese Gallery tickets.

Budgeting for hotels? Check the official city rates in our Italy tourist tax table.

Not sure how to order at the counter? Our guide to coffee in Italy walks through Italian bar etiquette step by step, with a glossary of drinks.

Setting a budget? Our guide to how much a trip to Italy costs breaks it down by category.

Still choosing where to go? Compare the best places to visit in Italy, and read our checked interesting facts about Italy.

Italy travel tips: frequently asked questions

Do US citizens need a visa for Italy?

No, not for tourism of up to 90 days. The 90 days count across the whole Schengen area within any 180-day period, and your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area.

Do I need ETIAS to visit Italy in 2026?

No. ETIAS is not running yet, and the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch, checked September 2026.

What is the emergency number in Italy?

Dial 112 for emergencies, as the US State Department advises.

Which tickets should I book before going to Italy?

The Last Supper in Milan, the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Borghese Gallery and St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. The Last Supper and the Borghese Gallery require a booking for every visitor.

Can I drive in Italy with a US license?

Non-EU licenses need an International Driving Permit alongside them. Also, avoid the ZTL limited-traffic zones in historic centers, which are enforced by cameras.