Why Italy
Italy changes like a different country as you go from north to south. The Dolomites and the Lombard lakes have nothing in common with Tuscany, which has nothing in common with Sicily. The difference is not only scenic: it is economic, it is culinary, and it shows in the prices.
The north is expensive and fast, the south slow and affordable. The same budget buys two very different trips depending on whether you stay above or below Rome.
Entry and stay
An EU and Schengen country: an identity card is enough for nationals of the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland.
For other nationalities, the European Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. It digitally registers every third-country national crossing a Schengen external border, with or without a visa, for stays of up to ninety days in a hundred and eighty. The ETIAS authorisation, expected in the final quarter of 2026, will be added for visa-exempt nationalities at a cost of twenty euros.
Source: France Diplomatie and the European Commission, checked on 22 September 2026 — a system still being rolled out.
Getting around
The train is the right mode. Trenitalia and Italo compete on Milan–Rome–Naples, which keeps fares low when you book early. The regionali are slow but reach everywhere, and their tickets are not reserved: they are validated at the platform, and an unvalidated ticket is fined.
The country's expensive trap is called the ZTL — zona a traffico limitato. The historic centres of almost every town are closed to traffic, entry is filmed automatically, and the fine arrives by post months later, often after the rental company has added its own administration charge. Staying at a hotel in the centre does not exempt you: the hotel has to register your plate in advance.
Money
Euro. Cards work almost everywhere, but small shops and neighbourhood trattorias prefer cash, and some still insist on it.
Two lines to understand on a bill: the coperto, a per-person cover charge, and sometimes the servizio. Neither is a tip. Both must be shown on the menu; leaving something extra is a gesture, not an obligation.
A coffee drunk standing at the bar costs a fraction of the same coffee sitting outside, and this is legally displayed. It is not a scam, it is two tariffs.
Before you go
Many major sites now require a time slot booked in advance, and the quotas go weeks ahead in high season. This is not a comfort tip: without a booking, entry is simply refused.
Italy closes in August. The fortnight around 15 August — Ferragosto — empties the cities and shuts the neighbourhood shops, while the coast overflows. It is the worst period for a city and the most expensive for a beach.
Churches require covered shoulders and knees, and the rule is enforced at the doors of the major basilicas, including in hot weather.