The practical part
- Since April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) registers non-EU visitors at Schengen borders with fingerprints and a photo, instead of passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border.
- The Last Supper in Milan can only be seen with a booking, and slots sell out fast. The Vatican Museums and the Uffizi sell timed tickets online.
- Venice charges day visitors an access fee on set days. In 2026 it applied on selected days in spring and summer. Overnight guests pay the tourist tax instead. Check the city's site for your date.
- Many old town centres are ZTL zones (limited traffic), watched by cameras. Fines can arrive months later, often with a fee from the rental company.
The general trip list still applies: passport, insurance, plug adapter and the rest. See things to do before a trip.
Cook and drink like an Italian
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Cook cacio e pepe
The Roman classic needs only pasta, Pecorino Romano and black pepper. The trick is starchy pasta water and patience. Eat it straight away.
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Make fresh pasta by hand
Flour, eggs and a fork are all you need. Knead, rest, roll thin and cut into tagliatelle, or shape orecchiette from Puglia with your thumb.
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Simmer a Bolognese ragu on a Sunday
Real ragu alla bolognese cooks for hours with a little milk and wine, and is served with tagliatelle, not spaghetti. Let the house smell of it.
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Host an aperitivo hour
Set out olives, crisps and a spritz or a glass of something bubbly around six. Aperitivo is about lingering, not eating dinner early.
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Learn how Italians drink coffee
Cappuccino is a morning drink, an espresso is just un caffè, and many people drink it standing at the bar. Practise ordering one.
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Choose your Italy must-eat
A Neapolitan pizza, a cone of real gelato, carbonara in Rome, or a cannolo in Sicily? Pick the one that would make the trip.
Watch and read
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Watch Roman Holiday
Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck on a Vespa through 1950s Rome, the Mouth of Truth and the Spanish Steps included. Pure joy.
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Watch Cinema Paradiso
Giuseppe Tornatore's love letter to film and a small Sicilian town. Have something sweet ready for the ending.
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Watch La Grande Bellezza
Paolo Sorrentino's dazzling film drifts through Roman nights, terraces and secret palaces. Watch it for the city as much as the story.
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Read Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend
The first of the Neapolitan novels follows two girls growing up in 1950s Naples. Once you start, the other three tend to follow.
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Read about the Palio di Siena
Twice each summer, Siena's neighbourhoods race bareback horses around the main square. Learn about the contrade and their fierce rivalries.
Borrow a few habits
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Learn five phrases in Italian
Start with grazie (thank you), per favore (please) and buonissimo (delicious). Add il conto, per favore (the bill, please) for later.
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Take an evening passeggiata
The passeggiata is the slow evening stroll Italians take to see and be seen. Dress up a little and walk your own town at dusk.
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Practise dolce far niente
The sweetness of doing nothing. Sit outside with a coffee or glass of wine for half an hour with no phone and no plans.
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Listen to the Italian cantautori
Try Lucio Dalla, Fabrizio De André and Lucio Battisti, then something like Paolo Conte for a smoky late evening.
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Look closely at one Renaissance painting
Find Botticelli's The Birth of Venus online and spend fifteen minutes on details. If you visit the Uffizi, it will feel like meeting a friend.
Questions people ask
Do I need to book the Last Supper in advance?
Yes. Booking is required and tickets are released in blocks that sell out quickly. Book as soon as the dates for your trip go on sale, on the official Cenacolo Vinciano site.
Does Venice charge an entry fee?
On set days, day visitors pay an access fee. Overnight guests pay the tourist tax through their accommodation instead. The days change each year, so check the City of Venice site for your date.
What is a ZTL in Italy?
A zona a traffico limitato, a limited traffic zone in an old town centre. Only permitted cars may enter, and cameras log number plates. If you rent a car, park outside and walk in.
Do I need to validate my train ticket in Italy?
Paper tickets for regional trains usually need stamping in a machine before you board. Tickets for a set train and digital tickets often work differently, so read what your ticket says.
More guides
- Things to do before a trip: a calm checklist by week.A short checklist of things to do before a trip abroad, sorted by when to do them, with extra steps if you fly, drive or travel with children.
- Things to do before a trip to Japan: the useful and the lovely.Before a trip to Japan: Visit Japan Web, medicine rules, cash and IC cards, plus films, food and small rituals to enjoy while you count down.
- How to get excited for a trip, and enjoy the wait.The weeks before a trip can be the best part. What the research says, six ways to build excitement, and what to do when the wait feels long.