How many of us see photos or videos of wonderful places and wish to visit Italy in the nearest future?!
No matter if you are attracted to nature or you love the hustle and bustle of big cities, Italy has a little bit of everything!
I prepared for you some very useful information to read and know before you visit this wonderful country!
Where is Italy located
Well, if you look onto the map and you see a strange country looking like a boot, that is Italy!
Italy is located in southern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea or Mediterranean Coast and the Ionian Sea.
This country has also terrestrial borders with France, Switzerland, Slovenia and Austria.
Actually Italy is a peninsula delimited by the Alps Mountains on the north and surrounded by dozens of islands, especially on the southern part.
Italy currency
The national currency of Italy has been the euro since 1999. Before the euro, the national currency was lira.
Lira was replaced at a rate of 1, 936.27 lira being equivalent to 1 euro.
Is Italy expensive to travel?
All of us have this question before visiting any country. And this is also true for when we plan to visit Italy.
And the answer to this question is yes, Italy is a pretty expensive country.
Let me give you some examples!
A room in an average hotel, not very close to the city centre is somewhere around 60 EUR (65 USD) per night.
If you are looking for hotels close to the city centre or located in very touristy areas then the prices will increase significantly.
Spending somewhere around 500 or 600 EUR (550 or 650 USD) per night for a room in a 4 or 5 stars hotel located close to the city centre is something common when we speak about Italy.
As regarding the food, things are the same.
The closer the restaurant is to the touristy areas and the more luxurious it is, the higher the prices are.
For a meal with a glass of wine in a normal restaurant, you will pay somewhere around 30 EUR (35 USD).
Obviously, self-catering and fast food meals can reduce a lot of your costs when travelling to Italy. With about 15 EUR (20 USD) you can eat a meal if you are not very picky.
And the last, but not the least, are the transportation costs.
If you use public transport and trains, which by the way works really great, then your average daily costs are somewhere around 20 EUR (25 USD) per day.
If you plan to rent a car and visit Italy by car, then the costs will rise up to 40 EUR ( 45 USD) per day for a small car.
So, to sum up, what I just said, is that you will need about 110 EUR (125 USD) per day for a medium-range trip.
Bear in mind that this cost does not include the entrance fees at different attractions from major cities or from the countryside.
Is Italy safe to travel?
Now, this is a really good question.
With all the COVID-19 crisis nothing appears to be safe on this planet.
According to the last information revealed in the international press, it appears that Italy will open its borders to foreign tourists on the 3rd of June 2020.
I know that it might be very risky to travel anywhere these days, but with the right protections, everything will be fine.
As from terrorism and crime perspective, Italy is a safe country.
You might have looked at dozens of movies about the Italian mafia but in reality, things are not like that.
Except for some petty crimes things are safe in the peninsula.
Beware to pocket thieves and act civilised and respectful with the others and nothing wrong will happen!
Best time to visit Italy
Italy is an all year round destination!
The peak season is during summer months when there are tourists everywhere and the prices increase significantly.
From the prices and number of tourists perspective, the best time of year to travel Italy is in shoulder season.
Shoulder season is in spring and autumn, I mean from April to May and from September to November.
In some parts of the country, the weather might become too hot for exploring during summertime, especially in the south part of the country, while in other parts it is just the right time to be!
What I just told you is general information, but Italy is a very large country.
So, based on what you want to see and where you want to go, you should see when is the best time to go.
Let’s take for example the Alps Mountains or the Dolomites Mountains.
These are really an all-year-round destination.
If you are looking for ski or snowboarding, then you go to Italy in wintertime, especially in January and February.
But if you want to hike the mountains and explore the area, then summer is the best time to visit Italy; the days are long and warm and the mountain trails are open for tourists.
Things are not the same if we are talking about the southern part of the country.
There the summers are very hot and crowded, so you’d better avoid them!
On the other side, spring and autumn are the best time to explore the area because the tourists have not arrived yet and the prices are still down!
Winters are windy and chilly in the southern part of the island! Who would be interested in going to the beach in winter?! No one!
Now about the cities! I consider cities to be a year-round destination either!
Yes, it is true that during summer they might be full of tourists but it’s normal taking into consideration that it is peak season and that we are talking about one of the most famous and beautiful cities of Europe.
As a general rule, we prefer to go to city breaks in spring and fall mainly because of the prices and the number of tourists. And we advise you to do so if you can!
If I think better winters are also great for visiting cities!
There are Christmas markets and the Christmas vibe everywhere! It is a really memorable experience!
It might be a little bit cold and the days are shorter but there is something special in the air, like a warm atmosphere and a feeling of joy and happiness!
For exploring the countryside I suggest you go in spring or autumn! The landscape is more beautiful during these times of the year!
During spring nature wakes up after the long winter and everything is green and colourful, while in autumn the landscape is more dramatic
Best places to visit in Italy
Italy is just about beautiful cities, amazing landscapes, tasty food and welcoming people.
There are so many interesting attractions spread across the country that it is impossible to visit them all in a single trip.
A great idea is to split the country into regions and visit a few regions at a time. Take it slow and visit as many places as you can because all of them are interesting and unique.
There are hundreds of cities to visit, dozens of islands and many amazing places in the countryside!
Oh! And the mountains! The Dolomites Mountains are one of the most spectacular and impressive I have ever seen!
You might also like these articles:
- Best places to visit in Italy
- Best places in Italy for this summer
- Best places to visit in northern Italy
- Best places to visit in southern Italy
I am sure that you saw many beautiful pictures of Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence or Pisa. But there are many other great cities to explore when in Italy.
It is true, there are spread all over the country but splitting the country into regions and combining cities with countryside areas is the best thing you could do.
People and culture are different from one part to another of the country.
On the north side of the country, in the Dolomites, everything is more close to Austrian culture and architecture.
On the south part of the country, a Mediterranean air feels in the air. Island of Capri, Ischia or Amalfi Coast is just some of the most interesting places to visit when going south.
- Italy’s Location on the Map and Top Attractions
- Italy’s Region in Europe and Top Attractions
- Italy’s Continent: What You Need to Know
- Italy’s Location: Is it in Europe? Best Landmarks
- Italy’s Location and Climate: Everything You Need to Know
- Essential Travel Tips: Navigating Italy for First-Time Visitors
I am sure you will fall in love with this country from the minute you will get off the plane!
You will be fascinated by their wonderful landscape and welcoming people!
We’ ve been to Italy many times and each time we went to a different place!
Remember that there are still many places left unexplored!
Each of our trips to Italy was different from the others and we saw many interesting facts!
We invite you to explore this country and to discover its beauty and unicity!