We have been lucky to visit Italy twice so far.
First time we visited was in 2017 when we spent 18 days in this country. In fact, when we told our friends/ family that we were planning to spend 2 weeks in Italy, they thought we had lost the plot! We heard concerned questions like “are you planning to apply for Italian citizenship“, “are there even things to see / places to visit for so many days” and so on and so forth.
Did raise some doubts but well we nonetheless went ahead. And guess what – we could have spent additional 2 weeks and still have enough things to do and see! Italy is such a beautiful country !!
In fact, we went back to Italy in September 2024 and visited some new places and revisited some of our old favorites. In case you are wondering, we can happily go back for the third time 😊
Best time to visit
Summer is not the best time to visit Italy. While temperatures may seem nice, most big cities are insanely crowded. It is no fun walking to Spanish steps and almost finding no space to sit; or pushing and shoving through narrow lanes to get to the beach at Positano.
Spring and autumn are the perfect time to visit. You are guaranteed fewer tourists and better weather for exploring the cities. The downside to traveling during the shoulder months is that the weather can be unpredictable. The water at the beaches could still be cold so unless you are brave enough to jump in freezing water, you cannot really enjoy swimming azure water. Also, you may need to carry sweaters and jackets – in some places, the weather dropped to 3 degrees Celsius in mid-April. Also, it SNOWED, yes SNOWED in Dolomites in September – so yes, weather in shoulder months is unpredictable.
But hey, I will take the snow over 30 degrees!
If you are looking for a mild winter getaway, then Italy is perfect for you. Most Italian cities do not experience harsh winters unlike most European countries.
Drive or take the public transport
Deciding to drive versus taking public transportation more or less comes to down to your affinity for driving. Public transport in Italy is very good, comprehensive and cost effective.
But having a car at your disposal has its own advantages – you don’t need to drag large suitcases from train stations to the hotels. Plus, it provides the flexibility of stopping by wherever you want and venturing to places out of the ordinary. Having said that, road trip through Italy comes with its set of problems – choice of hotels is limited (unless you are willing to pay € 15-20 per night in each city for parking), parking cost in the city is high and hard to find, gas is quite expensive (approximately € 1.5 – € 1.7 per litre for diesel and € 1.7 – € 1.9 per litre for petrol) and the tolls are very high (compared to other countries like the USA and Germany).
For us, the pros outweighed the cons, and hence, we decided to drive instead of taking the trains. In fact, we drove close to 2800 km in 15 days during our recent trip in 2024.
Cities/ Regions Visited
Here are the places we have visited on our two trips to Italy. Detailed articles for each location can be found under their own separate pages.
If you are wondering, we are yet to visit Lake Garda and Sicily region. Didn’t I tell you a third trip to Italy is due 😉
General tips
- For our recent two-week long trip in September 2024, car rental worked out to approximately €450. For the entire trip, we ended up paying €320 on gas and €120 on tolls.
- If you intend to do any guided tours (specially in Rome, Florence and Venice), book in advance. If you are travelling in the peak season, tickets could be sold out a whole month in advance!
- While credit cards are widely accepted in big cities, mom and pop shops, restaurants (specially in smaller cities) only accept cash. Keep a few euros in cash handy.
- In smaller towns, not everyone speaks English, so learn a few basic Italian words or download this app -iTranslate (the basic version of this app is free).
- During shoulder months, weather can be unpredictable, so carry plenty of layers and an umbrella in tow. Within a 15-day period, we have experienced weather of 25 degrees Celsius, as well as 0 degree Celsius (both in April as well as September).
- If you intend to travel by bus, you cannot buy your bus ticket on board the bus! You must purchase them at a Tabacchi, which is a local convenience store. Also, make sure you validate the ticket once you get on the bus.
- An espresso will cost you around €1.30 while a cappuccino will cost you €2-€2.5. Needless to say, prices are almost 50% higher at the main tourist spots.
- Most Italian eateries levy a coperto / cover charge ranging from €2- € 3 per person. If you decide to stand, you usually order from the cashier, who will give you a receipt that you present to the bartender for the drink/food.
- Lastly, if you try to tick everything off your bucket list, you will most likely be running from one place to another without really enjoying the place. Just go with the flow and you always need a reason to go back someday so don’t worry about seeing and doing everything on your trip.
*All prices mentioned are as of September 2024
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