Resources

Making your way around Italy shouldn’t be too complicated, and neither should finding what you want right here on WhyGo Italy. There’s a lot going on in the pages of this site, but I’m going to keep this Italy Resources page updated with the links you’ll need so that you can always find just what you need when you need it. If you’re still having trouble locating something, please let me know – it could be that I’ve not linked it up yet, or it could be that I haven’t written about it yet!

Italy Travel Information

This is all the basic stuff everyone needs when they’re planning an Italy trip – including how to get to Italy, where to stay, and how to get around.

Airfare to Italy – Unless you have the good fortune of already being in Europe, you’re probably going to need to get a plane ticket to Italy. You can learn more about how to find the best deals on tickets, read about some of the country’s international airports to decide which one you prefer, and then book your airline ticket, all right from WhyGo Italy.
Italy Hotels – Hotels are one of your options when you’re looking for a place to stay in Italy, and you’ll find hotel listings for just about every city, town and village in the country on our hotels page. You can read about them and book your room when you find the one you want to stay in.
Hostels in Italy – Italy isn’t cheap, and cutting your accommodation expenses is a great way to save money on your trip. You can do that by staying in hostels in Italy; every major city has at least one (if not dozens), and the vast majority no longer have age restrictions, so they’re just a great choice for any budget traveler. With the search tool on WhyGo Italy, you can look for hostels that have vacancy when you’re traveling, and book your bed when you find one.
Agriturismo in Italy – Italy’s famously beautiful countryside is home to lots of Italians who willingly open their centuries-old farmhouses to travelers looking to experience something a little less touristy. These “agriturismo” opportunities are a welcome retreat from the city, usually are a bargain for the level of accommodation (and food) that you’re getting, and provide a chance to mingle with real Italians.
Italy Accommodation – In addition to the other options listed above, accommodation in Italy also includes things like campgrounds, monasteries, B&Bs, and vacation rentals. This page will give you more detailed information on all your accommodation choices so you can pick the one that’s best suited to your travel style and budget.
Trains in Italy – By far the most popular way for tourists to get around Italy, the country’s train system remains inexpensive (especially compared with the rest of Europe) and generally quite efficient (save for the odd train strike). It can take a little getting used to, however, and there are some decisions you’ll need to make before you arrive in Italy – especially whether you’re going to get a RailPass or buy point-to-point tickets. This guide will teach you how to use the trains in Italy.
Renting a Car in Italy – Not everyone wants to take the train, and the train doesn’t go everywhere you want to go. In that case, you migth want to look into renting a car in Italy. Driving in Italy can be a challenge, but as long as you learn the rules of the road before you go you’ll have a fighting chance. You can get quotes on rental cars in Italy on that page, too.
Transportation in Italy – In addition to trains and cars, Italy transportation also consists of buses and boats, scooters and subways. You’ll find information on all the ways of getting around Italy on that page.
Travel Insurance – Some people never buy travel insurance, and some people don’t leave home without it. You can find out about the different kinds of travel insurance on this page, and then decide for yourself whether you want it for your Italy trip.

What to Do in Italy

For every traveler to Italy, there will be a different list of must-see sights and destinations, but there are lots of things that show up on most to-do lists. These are some of the things to do in Italy, but it’s by no means an exhaustive list! In fact, I’m not even sure an exhaustive list is physically possible… And beyond these overall categories, be sure to also note the location-specific “to-do” lists – what to do in Rome, what to do in Venice, what to do in Florence, what to do in Pisa, what to do in Naples, and what to do in Milan.

The Perfect 2-Week Italy Itinerary – In response to questions from travelers over the years, I wrote up what I think is the perfect two-week Italy trip for a first-time visitor to Italy. It’s perfect because it covers the big sights, but it also allows you to tailor it to your own specific interests.
20 Things Everyone Should Do in Italy – Also in response to questions from travelers, this is a list of 20 Italy experiences that are well worth adding to your Italy itinerary. It’s not meant to be the list of must-do things for one trip, however – spreading them out over a few Italy adventures is probably going to make your trips much more pleasant.
Italian Festivals – It seems like there’s always some kind of festival going on in Italy (especially since every town has a patron saint and every saint has a special day), and you won’t see a town in finer form than when it’s celebrating. So even though being a tourist in a town during a big festival can be a little overwhelming, it’s highly recommended. Some of the country’s best-known (and just best) festivals are listed on this page.
Soccer Games in Italy – Is it a cliche to say that soccer in Italy is a religion? Perhaps, but it’s also true. This sport, called football by most of the world and “calcio” in Italy, is definitely a national pastime and it’s worth checking out, even if you’re not a sports fan. It’s usually easy to get last-minute tickets to a game, either in the top-level Serie A or in the lower leagues.
Vineyards in Italy – One of the main draws for many travelers in Italy is the country’s famous selection of wines, and although many of Italy’s wine producers don’t have tasting rooms or gift shops like the wine regions of California do, with a little advance planning you can still do more than just gaze at the vineyards from afar. You can do your research and do a DIY wine tour, or join an organized tour that’ll do the legwork for you.
Italy Tours – And speaking of tours, here’s some information about the kinds of tours you can sign up for in Italy. These Italy tours will vary from multi-day to just a couple of hours, but most of them are less than one day and are meant to give you an overview of a city or a peek at some aspect of Italian life and culture you might not get as an ordinary traveler. You can get a cooking or language lesson, spend a day wine tasting, take a bike or walking tour of a city, do a day-trip to a nearby attraction, or even sign up for a pub crawl. There’s sure to be something on this list of Italy tours that’ll appeal to your budget as well as your travel style.
Concerts in Italy – While many cities throughout Italy have regular outdoor concerts during the summer, there are concerts going on year-round all over Italy. But unless you’ve been in town for awhile and getting the local paper, you might not know who’s playing. With this tool, you can find the list of upcoming concerts in any city in Italy, including Italian musicians and touring acts from all over the world.

Italy Information

This stuff might not be as glamorous to read about as the various Roman ruins and Tuscan hill towns you’re going to visit, but it’s the nuts and bolts stuff that every traveler in Italy should know – like whether you’ll need a visa to go, what time zone Italy is in, what electrical system the country uses, and information about banking in Italy.

Basic Italy Travel Information – This is the page that’s full of the real basics, the real nuts and bolts, of visitor information for Italy.
Weather in Italy – Whether you decide when to go to Italy or it’s decided for you, you’ll want to know what you can expect from the weather so you know what to pack and how to plan your days. You’ll find month-specific posts about weather in Italy throughout the year, as well as temperature averages for a few cities.
Italian Food – I take back what I said about this section being less glamorous than the others, because the food in Italy is reason enough to buy a plane ticket. One of the great joys of traveling through Italy is finding out that “Italian food” is a misnomer, because each region (and, really, each town) has its own specialties and distinct flavors. Sample as many as you can (and don’t leave out the gelato). This page has everything you’ll need to know to make sure your culinary experiences are fantastic, including Italian menu tips and what the different restaurant names in Italy mean.
Italian Language – Even if you don’t intend to study Italian or dream of fluency, you can still pick up a few useful Italian phrases that will be handy for your trip. And learning a few polite terms will go a long way with the locals, especially if you’re off the beaten path where they don’t speak any English. Just don’t use the Italian swear words I’ve written about with anyone you don’t know really well…
Italy Gift Guide – Whether you’re hunting for the perfect gift for the Italophile you know or you want to make up your own wish list, this is a great place to start.
Italian History – Italy is a country with a long and celebrated history, but you can get a snapshot of the more important points that a traveler should be aware of before visiting Italy without getting your doctoral thesis in Italian history by reading this page.
Italy Maps – The kind of traveling you’ll be doing in Italy will determine the kind of map (or maps) you’ll need for your trip, but your choices include tourist-friendly city maps, detailed regional driving maps, and frame-able country maps. The map on this page gives you a look at the country as a whole and is broken up into regions, and there are some links to other more specific maps there as well.
Using ATM Cards in Italy – Most savvy travelers these days have made the move from using traveler’s checks to using debit cards when they’re in Italy, and it’s really the easier (and usually cheaper) way to go. This page tells you all you’ll need to know about using ATMs in Italy.
Duty Free Exemptions for Italy – Because chances are you’re going to be doing at least a little shopping during your trip, here’s some information about how much you can spend in Italy without paying a duty tax when you get home.
What to Wear in Italy – If you’re at all interested in blending in and looking like the locals, then you’ll want to read about what to wear in Italy in the summer, and what to wear in Italy in the winter.
Italian Music – I’m a big fan of Italian pop music, as it helps me learn the Italian language. Plus, I just like quite a bit of it. My Italian music playlist is full of some of my favorite songs, and has information about the artists as well as links to translations (where I can find them!). And for even more music, you can stream Radio Italia right from your computer.
Getting Married in Italy – As destination weddings get more and more popular, weddings in Italy are becoming big business. It’s not the easiest country in the world to get married in if you’re trying to do it all by yourself, but there are plenty of companies in Italy that can help you make your dream a reality. And if all the bureaucracy is too much for you, you can always go for a the option that involves far less paperwork: an Italy honeymoon!
Buying a House in Italy – The process of purchasing a property in Italy isn’t uncomplicated, as you can well imagine, so you’ll need to do your research before you fall in love with that Tuscan farmhouse. This page lists a few of the things you’ll need to think about, and then you can browse through the Italy real estate options to start swooning.