Updated 1 November 2026
Reading an Italian Restaurant Bill: Coperto, Servizio and the Tourist Menu
The lines on an Italian bill that visitors think are a scam and mostly are not: coperto, pane, servizio and the menu turistico.
Trip planning
All our Trip planning guides for Italy, in one place.
20 guides: Trip planning
Updated 28 October 2026
Where to Stay in Florence Now the Key Boxes Have Gone
Florence has banned key boxes in its historic centre, so lockbox self check-in is over. What that changes when you book, and which area to choose.
Updated 21 October 2026
Italy's Tourist Tax: The Charge That Is Not in Your Room Rate
How Italy's per night tourist tax works, why every town sets its own rate, why Milan is currently the outlier, who is exempt, and why you may need cash.
Updated 18 October 2026
Three Days in Rome: A Complete Itinerary
Three days in Rome without a route march: the ancient core, the Vatican early, and a free city day on foot, with walking distances and booking order.
Updated 18 October 2026
Cinque Terre in Winter: What Is Open and How to Get Around
Ferries stop, some trails close and villages empty out, but the coast stays. What changes in the off season, and who winter suits and who it does not.
Updated 14 October 2026
Where to Stay in Rome: Six Neighbourhoods Compared
Six Rome neighbourhoods judged on what each costs you in walking and gives you back at dinner, plus the check-in formality every property must complete.
Updated 7 October 2026
Cinque Terre: How the Five Villages Actually Work
The five villages as one system: the railway that links them, what the Cinque Terre Card covers, how Via dell'Amore timed entry works, and where to sleep.
Updated 30 July 2026
One Week in Italy, Routes That Work
One week in Italy? Three routes that work: Rome with Florence, Venice with the north, or Naples and Amalfi, and why three cities in seven days wastes one.
Updated 29 July 2026
Driving in Italy: What to Know First
Where a car is essential in Italy and where it is a mistake: motorway tolls, autostrada culture, mountain roads, fuel, parking colours and paperwork.
Updated 29 July 2026
Milan and the Lakes: Building a Trip Around Both
How much time Milan actually needs, why the lakes are closer than you think, and how to combine a working city with three very different lakes.
Updated 29 July 2026
The Best Day Trips From Rome
Where to go for a day from Rome: the Roman port town with no crowds, the hill town of villas and fountains, the cathedral on a rock, and the too far ones.
Updated 29 July 2026
The Venice Access Fee: What Day Visitors Need to Know
Venice charges day visitors on selected dates: who has to pay, who is exempt, why staying overnight changes things, and why to check current rules.
Updated 29 July 2026
Italian ZTL Zones and the Fines That Arrive Months Later
The most common way visitors lose money in Italy: what a limited traffic zone is, how the cameras work, and why the fine arrives a year later.
Updated 28 July 2026
Italy Weather by Month: When to Go, Region by Region
A month-by-month guide to Italy weather: the north, center and south through the year, when crowds peak, why August is tricky, and the best months.
Updated 18 June 2026
Italy Visa and Entry Guide: Schengen Rules, EES and ETIAS Explained
Who needs a visa for Italy, how the Schengen 90/180 rule works, what the new EES biometric checks mean at the border, and where ETIAS fits in.
Updated 11 June 2026
Travel Insurance for Italy: What Actually Needs Covering
What travel insurance needs to cover in Italy: private medical costs, rental car gaps and ZTL fines, Dolomites hiking and ski, theft and disruption.
Updated 28 May 2026
Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre: Which Coast to Choose
Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre? Scenery, transport, hiking, beaches, crowds and cost compared honestly, with a clear verdict for every type of traveler.
Updated 22 April 2026
Rome or Florence: Which to Visit First
Rome or Florence for your first Italy trip? Ancient empire versus Renaissance art, size, food, day trips and cost, with a clear verdict for each traveler.
Updated 11 March 2026
Emergency Numbers in Italy: What to Dial and What to Know
The emergency numbers every visitor to Italy should save: 112 and the classic three, how pharmacies work, lost passports and ZTL driving fines.
Updated 14 January 2026
First Time in Italy: The Complete First-Timer Guide
Planning your first trip to Italy? When to go, where to base yourself, how to move between cities, what to book ahead, and which rookie mistakes to skip.