The Best things to do when you Travel to Italy
Italy is by far my favorite place in all of Europe. I’ve explored much of the country on a few different trips, and yet I still feel like there’s so much more I have to see. Let me preface the guide with a general food tip for Italy - you really cannot go wrong with Italian food. I recommend asking locals for recommendations or wandering around for a menu you like. The one thing to avoid: anywhere directly next to a big tourist spot; the food often isn’t as good and is overpriced. You’ll also find different offerings in different regions, so if you don’t see your favorite Italian pasta on the menu, it’s likely not local to the area you are visiting. I encourage you to try the local specialties as this is part of what makes visiting Italy so wonderful. Click on the desired region and city to hop down to the tips.
Cinque Terre Travel Guide
FLORENCE Travel Guide
Rome Travel Guide
Naples, Capri, & Pompeii Guide
LAKE GARDA TRAVEL GUIDE
VERONA, BOLOGNA, & VENICE
Cinque Terre Travel Guide
By far my favorite place in Italy, this area of five coastal villages is absolutely stunning. You’ll want to get a train pass to see all five towns, although I recommend staying in one of them and hiking around. The tourists clear out at night and the early morning, so staying there is the best way to see the sights without a sea of others around.
Where to eat cinque terre
Ristorante Marina Piccola - Manarola - Waterfront views and fresh seafood pasta dishes.
Il Porticciolo - Manarola - They have two spots; the cafe side was our favorite.
Bar Terza di Cadario Alison - Corniglia - Overlooking crystal clear water, take in the view with a simple caprese salad.
Must try: Foccacia and pesto, both native to the region. I became obsessed with the foccacia bread there and ate it at least twice a day.
Things to do in Cinque Terre
Sunset boat cruise - We sailed around the five towns, had unlimited wine, and saw the most amazing sunset.
Hike - Some of the hikes are pretty strenuous, but I would recommend Monterosso to Vernazza. The view makes the climb worth it.
Beaches - Although located on the coast, not all of the towns have accessible beaches. If you want to sunbathe, try the beaches in Riomaggiore or Monterosso.
Take the train between villages - You can get a one or two day pass and see all five towns.
Where to stay cinque terre
We stayed at the Posidonia B&B in Manarola, which was perfect for a few days. My only disclaimer is that is is on top of a very large hill, so if you don’t want to lug your luggage up, check for places that are closer to the bottom or in another town. The larger of the villages have many more options.
Florence Travel Guide
Nestled in the rolling hills of Tuscany, this relatively small city in Italy is easy to see and filled with plenty of food to eat and sights to see. I’ve been twice now, and it never ceases to impress me.
Where to eat Florence
Trattoria Mario - Incredible Florentine steak. It look’s massive, but two can easily split it.
La Giostra - You will need a reservation (which you can make on their website), but this was best meal we had on the whole trip with impeccable service. The pear ravioli and burrata were the two dishes not to be missed.
Top things to do in Florence
Cooking Class in Tuscany - We did the pizza and gelato making class at a Tuscan farmhouse with Walkabout Florence Tours. It was just as amazing and magical as it sounds. Side note: Florence is located in the Tuscany region, so technically if you’re in Florence, you’re in Tuscany.
Boboli Gardens - Stunning gardens and views of the city and rolling hills of Tuscany.
Piazzale Michelangelo - Breathtaking views and a great area to walk around gardens close by.
Mercato di San Lorenzo - Indoor marketplace with everything from spices to full meals, outdoor market place filled with leather goods.
Grand Hotel Cavour rooftop bar - extremely overpriced, but with a rooftop view overlooking the Duomo, it’s worth one drink.
Where to stay in florence
We stayed in an AirBnb close to the Mercato di San Lorenzo. This was a great area to be in as we could walk everywhere.
Rome travel Guide
Roma is the place I’ve been the most in Italy, but can never seem to get enough of. There is so much to see, but my favorite part is simply wandering the streets and taking in the architecture and food. One important tip when visiting Rome: if you go on a holiday, things will be crowded and shut down (I’ve done this twice now). Check out a few of my top recommendations below; although my number one tip is to put down your map and get lost.
Where to eat Rome
Dar Poeta - Best pizza!
La Scala - Amazing pesto
Trastevere is my favorite neighborhood to eat in Rome. It feels much more local than spots near the major sites.
You really cannot go wrong with Italian food, so I recommend asking locals for recommendations or wandering around for a menu you like. The one thing to avoid: anywhere directly next to a big tourist spot; the food often isn’t as good and it’s overpriced.
Things to do in Rome
Buy tickets ahead of time for any major attraction.
Visit the market at Campo de Fiori.
Rome is a walking city and there are many small ruins and beautiful churches on side streets, most of which have signage in English and Italian.
The big sights are easy to find but take the time to explore more! I’ve mapped out the major sights below.
Where to stay in rome
My favorite place to stay is in Trastevere neighborhood at an AirBnb The neighborhood is less touristy but close to everything. This is also my favorite area for food and shopping. The metro is super easy to use, so you can really stay anywhere in the city and easily get around.
Naples, Capri, & Pompeii
Nestled just above the Amalfi coast you’ll find some very well-known spots. If you’re traveling on a budget, this area can be excellent to stay in and travel to the Amalfi coast on day trips. Here’s where I went.
Naples
I have to be honest - Naples is my least favorite place I’ve visited in Italy. It’s gritter and louder than most spots, and while the pizza and pastries are a knockout, I’d keep this to a day trip instead of staying a few nights and using it as a hub as we did. If you want to explore the area, opt to stay in Sorrento instead of Naples. It’s easy from there to visit Pompeii, Amalfi, Naples, and Capri. And if you do want to stay in Naples, I would highly recommend the Airbnb we stayed at - great location for day trips and excellent hosts.
A few tips on visiting Naples:
In Naples, the best pizza places will have long lines, but there are a lot of good and really cheap places to get a good pizza. We went to a random spot on a side street and paid less than $5 for a whole margarita pizza that was delicious.
Try the local pastries - they have a lot of fun ones like the rum-soaked baba and cream-filled sfogliatelle.
Plan out your day trips ahead of time - there’s a lot of coordination needed but it’s well worth it.
Capri
We took the ferry from Naples to Capri, which was just over an hour and $50 roundtrip. We booked on Omio.
When you get there, take a walk around the water before heading up on the bus or the tram to the main city center - you’ll see signs everywhere to buy tickets - this will cost you 2 euros each way. Capri is known for its designer shops, so take a stroll around when you get to the top. Buy some limoncello if you can, the area is known for it, and you’ll see lemons there the size of your head. Make sure to have a lemon granita as well, the perfect treat on a warm day.
A few other things to do in Capri:
For stunning views, visit Giardini di Augusto, which will cost you 1.5 euros.
Go to Marina Piccola - a great place for drinks or a beach day. Hike down to get there, but take the bus back up.
Eat at Isidoro for dinner.
Go to Anacapri for another beautiful garden and ski lift type ride
We spent six hours which was just enough time but you could do more or less depending on what you want to see and do.
Pompeii
Growing up, my brother and I went through a period where we were obsessed with mummies and other similar topics. When we visited Italy together, we knew Pompeii was somewhere we both wanted to see. While it was a little bit less than we’d dreamed of, it’s still well worth a trip.
It’s easy to take the train to Pompeii from Naples or Sorrento, but mind your belongings as it’s known as a prime spot for pickpocketers. You can easily buy the tickets the day of at the station. Google maps will give you an accurate idea of train times. Start your day there early and buy tickets ahead of time or at the entrance - just not the one right off the train as they will upcharge.
When you get there, I’d recommend a tour to get acquainted or an audio guide, as there’s a ton to see but very few signs. You’ll need the map as well to get around. Prepare to walk a lot; it’s literally a mini city. I’d recommend bringing lunch with you, as there’s only one cafe and it’s super busy. You can also bring a water bottle as there are a ton of fountains to refill for free.
If you want to visit Mount Vesuvius, make sure to go early or plan it out right. They close at 5pm and it takes around an hour to walk around once the bus takes you up. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to do this. There are public bus options, or once you’re at Pompeii, you can book a bus there, which I would recommend as the public bus schedule seemed very confusing. It’s then an additional 10 euro entrance to the volcano unless your bus ticket includes it. It’s about a mile hike from the drop point to the crater and can be a bit dusty from what I read. Note that I planned to do this and had all the info, just again, didn’t have enough time.
Lake garda
If you’re looking for a peaceful spot to spend a few days on a not-so-expensive Italian lake, Lake Garda is the spot for you. Located just under the Dolomites, the Italian section of the Alps, this beautiful spot has hiking, small Italian towns, and plenty of good food. We went in late October which meant there were few other tourists, but the weather was still mild enough to spend the entire day outdoors.
For day trips, I recommend spending time in Riva del Garda, where you can walk along the lake, Limone, for endless lemons trees and products, and Sirmione, for a gorgeous castle on the water. We are and drank at Ristorante Pizzeria al Lago, Bar Ristorante Pisseria La Bussola, and had a lot of gelato with a view at Gelateria Castellari.
Hiking is a must in this area. Look up the trails closest to where you are staying. You can go up into the mountains or take a trek alongside the lake. Either way, stunning views will be in store.
We stayed at this Airbnb, which had the most amazing views of the lake and surrounding area. Note that it’s up a steep hill and a road that looks one way but is supposed to fit two cars. If you’re up for the challenge or used to driving the roads of central Europe, I highly recommend this stay.
For a day trip, Verona is pretty close by, but my top spot is the Dolomites, specifically Lago di Carezza or Lago di Braies. I went to the former and it was the most stunning view of mountains and a rainbow-colored lake I have ever seen. Since my description can’t do it must justice, just take a look at the photos to be sold instantly. Note that this is another one that’s a bit of a treacherous drive to get to, especially when there’s snow on the ground already in later fall. That being said, it’s definitely worth the trek.
Verona, BOLOGNA & VENICE
VERONA
Prior to visiting Verona, the only thing I knew about it was that Romeo and Juliet had their star-crossed romance there. I came to find out the city has much more to offer and has the perfect location for exploring northern Italy. We used it as a hub to visit Bologna and Venice as well, and it’s right by the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, aka where all your favorite Italian foods are produced like parmesan, balsamic, and many more. As these are local specialties, the government regulates these goods with a DOP sign-off, meaning only certain producers and methods can create the real thing. As a major foodie and specifically an Italian food lover, I knew this trip was the spot for me.
We spent little time in Verona itself, save for one afternoon of strolling the charming streets and along the river, having a drink in Piazza delle Erbe, and ending the night with a great dinner at Osteria Il Bertoldo.
We stayed at this AirBnb, which was in a great location to walk to the main train station to get around for all of our day trips.
Bologna
Bologna is in the heart of the Emilia-Romagna region and has quite a few local food markets open year-round. As a result, they also have a lot of food tours. You can do everything from a market trip to a visit outside the city to see parmesan being made.
As we only went for the day, we opted for a tour of the food markets with Benedetta from My Bologna. You can book on Airbnb or DM her on Instagram and pay in cash upon arrival for a lower fare. This was an amazing way to see the city and markets with a local. Before we met her, we had to stop for a quick coffee and pastry at Bottge Porticci. Then we went for the tour, where she took us to this Mercato di Mezzo, Mercato delle Erbe, the Osteria del Sole wine bar (feature on Stanley Tucci’s discovering Italy), and ended with gelato at Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla. A fun fact on gelato - it’s only considered legit when it’s served from a metal tin with a lid top.
After the food tour, we spent the rest of the day roaming around the streets and shopping the local foods, getting everything from local parmesan to a new jacket at Humana Vintage. We liked the pasta at Mercato di Mezzo so much we went back again for dinner. My top recommendations of local foods to try are tortellini, Bolognese (just called meat ragu there), and Lambrusco wine (a sparkling red served chilled – just try it!). One place we were told to avoid from our tour guide - Eataly World. It’s more of a touristic attraction than an authentic, local experience.
Venice
I know it’s an extremely popular and romanticized spot, but I found Venice to be a bit overrated. While the city is just as beautiful as it looks, the number of tourists there and how they cater to them made it far too much for me. The main streets could barely be walked on and it seemed every corner had a tacky shop or tourist trap.
That being said, there is a way to see the better side of Venice. First of all, I think staying in Venice and outside of the main city gives you a chance to get some time alone in the late night and early morning before all the day-trippers arrive. Second, taking a boat (not a gondola) out to some of the islands to buy the Murano glass where it is actually made is also a good way to get off the beaten path. Next, walking the side streets gives you amazing views of smaller canals and the opportunity for photos without anyone in them. Lastly, and my top recommendation, is to do your own cicchetti crawl. These small Italian bites are served up on pieces of toast and usually accompanied by an Aperol Spritz, which originates from Venice. One of the oldest and best spots to try these is at Al Antico. It will look super local and a little intimidating, but it’s away from the crowds and will give you a real taste (pun intended) of Venice. Another great spot to try is All’Arco.