Poets, painters, musicians, magicians, artists, novelists – just a few of the types of people who emerged from Italy and set the groundwork for today’s music, literature, theater, art, and cuisine. Names like Raphael, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and da Vinci evoke images of the Renaissance era, when art was the backbone of humanity and extravagance knew no boundaries. Today, travelers booking flights to Italy find themselves immersed in history and culture. From Rome to Venice to the Amalfi coast, nothing is off limits to travelers touring Italy.
Italy is blessed with lush landscapes and old city centers mixed with vibrant modern development. Embrace Roman architecture at its finest and indulge in Italy’s vineyards. Take a drive under the Tuscan sun before boarding your Italy flight to the snow-capped mountain tops of the Dolomites. Treat yourself to the finest cuisine before immersing yourself in the romantic Venice canals. Each city in Italy has its own character and personality but one thing remains constant throughout the country: Italy has style. Whether you’re a fashionista, sommelier, struggling artist or operatic singer, there is a place for you in Italy.
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Italy has a temperate climate with regional fluctuations. In summer, northern Italy is warm with occasional rain, central Italy is humid, and southern Italy is hot and dry. In winter, the north is cold, damp, and foggy; central is near freezing; and the south is mild. The coastal temperatures tend to be the same for the entire country, and the higher the altitude the greater the change between summer and winter. In the Alps, snow can fall as early as mid-September and winters are long and cold.
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Peak Season:
Seaside and mountain hotels in Italy are packed from June into September. The mountain ski season is December through April. Despite the heat and humidity, the cities are busy April through October, particularly June and July, and Christmas and New Year’s. Venice is also packed during Carnival (February). The crowds are less intense and the weather perfect April through May and September through October. December 15 through 24 is also a quieter time to take cheap flights to Italy.
Off Season:
The low season usually runs from November to mid-December, and December 25 to March 31. Most attractions go on shorter winter hours or are closed for renovation. August is when most Italians take their vacations and close their shops and businesses.
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Traveling around Italy is easily done by bus, train, car, or plane. There are a number of airports serviced by domestic and international airlines in Italy, so Italy flights are frequent and convenient.
Country driving requires nerves of steel, and city driving is not recommended. City drivers are aggressive and impatient, and parking spaces are rare and costly. Several cities add to the problem with confusing patterns of one-way streets. Most Italian cities’ historic centers are best covered on foot. When walking around Venice, allot extra time for getting lost—it’s bound to happen. For all cities, bring comfortable and sturdy walking shoes as there are lots of cobblestones. Public transportation is the best way to travel in a city. Rome and Milan have underground trains, buses, and trams, and Florence and Bologna have buses. Venetian public transportation is water buses and ferries.
Taxis are available in most cities in Italy, and water taxis in Venice. Either call for one or get one at a taxi stand. In Bologna, the network of one-way streets is so convoluted that taking a cab can be very expensive.
Mopeds are popular in Rome and Florence. Bicycling is difficult in Florence, but possible.
The following chart gives approximate journey times from Rome (in hours and minutes) to other major cities and towns in Italy.
| | Air | Road | Rail |
|---|
| Florence | 1.00 | 2.55 | 2.30 |
|---|
| Milan | 1.10 | 5.30 | 4.05 |
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| Naples | 0.55 | 2.15 | 1.27 |
|---|
| Cagliari | 0.55 | - | - |
|---|
| Turin | 1.15 | 6.35 | 6.35 |
|---|
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- From Romulus and Remus to the Holy Roman Empire to modern day, Rome’s history is rich with political intrigue, grandeur, infamy, papacy, and artistry. The streets of Rome reflect its past: the Forum, Farnese Gardens, Pantheon, Colosseum, and Vatican City. Museums house masterpieces created and accumulated throughout Rome’s history. Fine dining and shopping can be had on any budget.
- More beautiful than in the movies, Venice was Europe’s main trading post between the West and East for a thousand years. Merchants from a host of countries conducted business here, and everywhere you go are vestiges and relics of the past. Authentic Venetian glassware, lace, and Carnival masks are still produced here, and there’s always a concert going on somewhere.
- Italy’s financial and business center, Milan is rivaled only by Paris as a fashion center. Dining, the theater, and the nightlife are as popular as shopping. Italy’s most populous and prosperous city, Milan is not just glitz—La Scala opera house is here as are masterpieces like da Vinci’s Last Supper, grand architecture, and two premier soccer teams.
- Florence is considered Italy's most beautiful city, and the museums are even better. The development and growth of the Renaissance are reflected in the paintings, frescos, statues, cathedrals, and chapels. Michelangelo’s David, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, and Raphael’s Madonnas are here. For a change of pace, take a stroll in Dante’s neighborhood, have a Florentine gelato, or browse the shops and markets.
- Another beautiful city, Bologna has a medieval center, old brick palaces, porticoed streets and squares, but without the enormous crowds of other Italian cities. As Italy’s gastronomic capital, just eating is sheer pleasure. Home to the oldest university in Europe, Bologna guarantees an interesting mix of performing arts and exhibits. The large student population also means a vibrant and diverse nightlife.
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The borderless region known as the Schengen area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries issue a standard Schengen visa that allows the holder, in principal, to travel freely within the borders of all. Travellers are advised to have a return or onward ticket plus all documents required for their next destination, and sufficient funds to cover period of intended stay in Italy.
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United States citizens must have a valid passport. A visa is not required for stays of up to 90 days.
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