Do I need a visa to travel to Italy?

This depends on where you're travelling from, the nationality on your passport, and whether your destination country is part of the Schengen Agreement. This agreement sees 26 European countries offer visa-free travel to nationals from 60 other countries including Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. To check whether you'll need a visa for the country you're travelling to, you can find more information on the Schengen Visa's website.

When is the best time to travel to Italy?

We think Italy is at its best in the spring (March - May) and late summer leading into autumn (September - October). The weather is often clear and bright, popular sights are relatively uncrowded and there are lots of interesting cultural events taking place like the Venice Historical Regatta (September), or Sicily's Flower Festival of Noto (April - May).

What is the weather like in Italy?

Italy's weather varies depending on the season and which part of the country you're visiting. Temperatures can range from -50ºC (-58ºF) at the highest point of the Italian Alps in the winter to well in excess of 35ºC (95ºF) in the south of Italy in the summer months. Generally speaking the best time to visit Italy for weather is in the spring, when favourite destinations like Rome average between 18ºC (64ºF) - 22ºC (72ºF), or the autumn for similar temperatures and thinner crowds at major sights.

Is tipping customary in Italy?

It is customary to leave a small cash tip after a meal, round of aperitivos or drinks at cafe or restaurant. Many restaurants may add an optional service charge to your bill of between 10-12%.

What is ATM access like in Italy?

ATM access in Italy is generally very good. Large cities will have ATMs on most commercial roads and more in the denser centres. In smaller towns and villages you're likely to find banks or ATMs (called 'bancomat' in Italian) in the central piazza.

Is tap water safe to drink in Italy?

Tap water in Italy is not only safe to drink, Italy has some of the cleanest drinking water anywhere in the world.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance for a Trafalgar tour to Italy?

We highly recommend guests purchase travel insurance prior to your trip. Please ensure you add the details of your insurance to the My Trafalgar portal. Your insurance should cover trip interruption, personal injury, medical expenses, and evacuation and repatriation cover including during pandemic events.

What should I pack for Italy in summer?

Italy's 23°C to 28°C on average summer calls for lightweight clothing and comfortable walking shoes. Pack in clothing items such as shorts, dresses, shirts, and comfortable sandals and sneakers to walk in. Pack sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat for sun protection. Bring along a bag to hold your reusable water bottle and power adapter for your devices.

What should I pack for Italy in winter?

For -5°C to 15°C winter in Italy, we recommend you to pack warm winter essentials such as scarves, umbrellas, jumpers, a warm coat, a rain jacket, rain boots, a hat and thermal socks to take the chill out of exploring the cities of Italy.

What should I pack for Italy in spring/autumn?

To prepare for fluctuating temperatures of Italy's spring/autumn seasons, pack layers to easily add on or take off as needed. Bring along light jumpers, long-sleeved shirts, a jacket and light trousers or jeans. Comfortable walking shoes are essential for exploring comfortably.

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Italy tours & holidays

Name: Best of Italy
Brand: Trafalgar
Price: 5588 NZD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.7

Travel guide

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From the canals of Venice to the hills of Tuscany and the historic streets of Florence, we explore the pockets of Italy that make this country a classic. Though they may have been etched into travel brochures many times, with Trafalgar's Italy tours, you will peel back the layers and find there's so much more to love than pizza, pasta and picturesque sites. On a slow and simple day in Italy, you'll relax by the ocean flopped under an umbrella on the glamourous Isle of Capri. On an extravagant day, you could be shopping at Prada and dining on breaded veal cutlet in the fashion mecca of Milan. In Rome, alfresco lunch is in order after many hours strolling the Vatican City, Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum. With so many opportunities available here, there really is no quintessential Italy tour holiday. With Trafalgar, you will sample the very best the country has to offer, quickly understanding how a lifetime spent here could still leave you wanting more.

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Unedited Italy tour reviews

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"Best of Italy was the best!"

“Service is A+, the attention to detail is impressive. Best of Italy was one of the best tours that we have ever been on. The Travel Director was one of the best. The list of cities is impressive, the hotels were great and food was delicious. The optional experiences were great too, we participated in almost all of them. We will certainly use Trafalgar again!”

- Hal, Best of Italy

"Everyone try this experience"

“You feel like you are with family not strangers. The Travel Director and driver went above what we ever expected, including all passengers and making everyone feel included. This was the first tour for us and I am looking for the next adventure with Trafalgar.”

- Beverly, Wonders of Italy

"You will want to go back for more!"

“We always knew what was going on daily. Our Travel Director was great, including giving out great advice on what to do in your free time. The perfect amount of time was spent in each city. My 13-year-old son and I definitely made memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you Trafalgar!”

- Tara, Gladiators, Gondolas and Gold

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Italy experiences with Trafalgar

With Trafalgar, you’ll journey into the heart of each destination. Be My Guest invites you to connect with locals, while MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences let you positively impact communities. Plus, on many tours, you’ll overnight at Stays with Stories accommodations with tales as rich as the places you explore. Here are just a few of these unforgettable experiences on a Trafalgar Italy tour.

Visiting Villa Il Leccio with Giada Landi in Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Be My Guest

Meet Giada at Villa Il Leccio Tuscany, Italy

Since the 18th century, Giada’s family has called Villa Il Leccio home. At their Tuscan wine and olive oil estate, Giada will treat you to her delicious traditional cooking, using fresh ingredients from their land, while sharing her family's stories with you. You'll leave with a true taste of life at the villa. Experience on European Whirl.

Stays with Stories

Stay at Hotel Cenacolo, Assisi, Italy

You’ll receive a warm welcome, just like the pilgrims who visited centuries ago. At Hotel Cenacolo, a fully renovated former monastery, enjoy a modern overnight stay. With many monastery features intact, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Assisi’s rich cultural heritage. Stay here on Wonders of Italy and Grand Italian Experience.

Close-up of a traditional glass-blowing in Venice, Italy

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Discover Venetian glass-blowing Italy

Meet master craftspeople and witness their glass-blowing skills and you’ll play a part in preserving this traditional craft. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11:Sustainable Cities and Communities. Experience on European Dream, Best of Italy, Italian Holiday and more tours.

Be My Guest at Villa Il Leccio, Tuscany, Italy

Watch your host, Anna, show you around her home, giving you a taste of the warm welcome you’ll receive at her Tuscan winery and olive oil estate. Experience on European Whirl and Italian Holiday.

Aerial view of Brunelleschi Dome in Florence, Italy with a few clouds in the background

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Fountain with sculptures in front of entrance to Pantheon in Rome, Italy

The best of Rome

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St. Peter Basilica and old bridge over river at sunset in Rome, Italy

Italy at a glance

From the canals of Venice, to the ancient Colosseum, to the hills of Tuscany, we explore the pockets of Italy that make this country a classic. Join your expert Trafalgar Travel Director and discover why this country is much more than pizza, pasta and picturesque sites.

Currency

Euro

Capital City

Rome

Winter avg temp

7 °C

Language

Italian

Summer avg temp

26 °C

Good morning

Buongiorno

Time Zone

GMT+1

Good evening

Buonasera

“Uffizi Gallery in Florence is a world class museum with an incredible renaissance art collection. Enjoy a guided tour with a Local Specialist to make the experience more memorable, especially when in front of Botticelli’s stunning ‘Birth of Venus’ painting”

Pino, Travel Director

Weather in Italy

Discover the weather, temperatures, and seasonal trends across Italy to plan your trip.

Our top 5 things to do in Italy

It's the moments of quiet stillness that take your breath away on a Trafalgar tour through Italy. Sitting in the calm halls of the Vatican. Floating on the canals of Venice. Standing beside the ruins of Pompeii.

See Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel

One of the most important structures of the Catholic faith, the Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel is a must-see on a tour of Italy. Though the chapel walls have witnessed centuries of worship, it’s the renaissance ceiling paintings of Michelangelo that will leave you in awe.

Visit the glamorous Isle of Capri

Enjoy the classic Italian summer in Italy’s picture-perfect Gulf of Naples. Famed for its crystal grottos, dramatic coastlines and endless glamour, our trips to Italy are complete with a day of freedom spent under a striped umbrella, watching sailboats pass by.

Cruise your way through Venice

The charm found in the canals of Venice is nothing short of irresistible. Admire gothic palaces and postcard bridges whilst adrift in a gondola, gaining an understanding of life in a city that floats. Exploring a city by foot will never be the same after a trip to Venice.

Journey to the well-preserved ruins of Pompeii

An unfathomable history lesson is found in the archaeological ruins of Pompeii. Buried and preserved by the ash of a volcano eruption in the year 79, in this Italian town you will discover the progressive life of early Roman times as you walk within the parameters of an open-air time capsule of life on Earth.

Go shopping in Italy's fashion capital Milan

Armani, Gucci, Prada and Versace. These are some of the prestigious fashion brands that call the Italian city of Milan home. In between yearning through boutiques and department stores, stop to sample the city’s delicacies like breaded veal cutlet and ossobuco.

Best museums in Italy

The epicentre of the Catholic faith and the birthplace of art’s most renowned masters. Our guided tours of Italy will take you to the many museums found here, whether in the Sistine Chapel, by the canals of Venice or in the grand galleries of Tuscany.

Florence

Uffizi Gallery

The Tuscan capital is home to Uffizi Gallery, where the brushworks of art’s true masters are found. Names like Raffaello, Leonardo, and Michelangelo dress Uffizi’s grand pink walls, whilst internal courtyards leading to the Arno River will show you the building’s architectural brilliance.

Rome

Vatican Museums

A collection of Christian artwork that spans centuries and stirs the soul is found in Rome’s Vatican Museums. From the intricate ceiling by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel to the detailed Pope portraits from the 16th century to today, you will be lost for words once inside this blessed museum complex.

Venice

Doge's Palace

Home to the leader of Venice from its opening in 1340, Doge’s Palace summarises the sparkle of this city. An opulent example of Venetian Gothic architecture and home to numerous historical works, this museum is a must when you visit Venice.

Best food in Italy

A date with Italian food will likely start and end with a slice of pizza. But it’s the menu items that we share with you in between that will take your appreciation to new heights; think cacciatore and Carbonara with a slice of tiramisu in between.

Carbonara

The authentic carbonara experience will take place in Rome, covered in salty Pecorino Romano cheese. A simple dish inspiring heart-warming meal times, this pasta will connect you with Italy’s rich culinary customs - an impressive evolution from its supposed heritage as a coal-miner’s meal.

Pollo alla Cacciatora

Literally translating to ‘hunter’ in Italian, cacciatore offers an appreciation for Italy’s meals of days gone by. Typically a preparation of rabbit or chicken, it’s the simmering tomato stew that makes this dish so mouthwatering. Satisfy a genuine hunger and consume with hand-ripped bread.

Tiramisu

Italy tours are best served with an oversized slice of tiramisu. Cementing this country's obsession with espresso, this cake of layered biscuits soaked in coffee is the perfect after hours pick-me-up before an evening stroll through the charming streets.

What to pack for Italy

Consider your environmental impact when you next take a trip and go single-use-plastic-free by packing a reusable water bottle, a steel straw, your own shopping bags and refillable toiletry bottles.

A man standing and packing suitcase next to a woman sitting on a bed

A classic linen outfit

Italians are famed for their equal parts glamorous and effortless dress sense. Look the part with a few ensembles including classic linens.

Headphones

With such a large expanse of space to explore in Italy, on some days, long journeys are unavoidable. Headphones can be used to listen to some local music or enjoy podcasts between stories from your Travel Director.

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

A classic memoir that brought the romance of Tuscany to the world, there’s no better time to read this book than when venturing through the country yourself.

A small blanket

When exploring the soul-stirring setting of Tuscany, a picnic may call. Come prepared with a small blanket to cover in wine and cheese.

A blank journal

With a wealth of inspiration tucked into every corner of Italy, you may find yourself compelled to write down notes, memories or recommendations to share with friends back home.