Italy

Italy packs a lot into a relatively small country, so a bit of planning goes a long way. For a first trip, many travellers link Rome, Florence, and Venice by high-speed train, spending at least 2–3 days in each to avoid rushing through museums and landmarks. Use a trip planning tool in Hello to map out your days and add reservations for big sights like the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Florence’s Duomo, and Venice’s Doge’s Palace.

To balance famous highlights with slower moments, mix cities with smaller spots like Cinque Terre, Siena, or Lake Como. Try to avoid scheduling more than one major attraction per day; use late afternoons for wandering neighbourhoods like Trastevere in Rome or Oltrarno in Florence.

Trains are generally the easiest way to move between major hubs, while a rental car is more practical for regions like Tuscany, Puglia, or the Dolomites. Book popular routes in advance, especially in summer. As you sketch your route, use Hello’s budget tracking to estimate daily costs in euros and adjust nights up or down in each place before you commit to hotels and tickets.

Italy’s train network is your best friend for covering distance. High-speed trains link Rome–Florence in about 1.5 hours and Florence–Venice in around 2 hours, while slower regional lines connect smaller towns. Book high-speed routes ahead of time, and arrive at the station 20–30 minutes early to find your platform and validate any paper regional tickets.

In cities, expect to walk a lot on cobblestones. Pack comfortable shoes and assume Google Maps may not always reflect tiny alleys or staircases, especially in Venice, Amalfi Coast towns, and hilltop villages. Buses and metros in Rome, Milan, and Naples are inexpensive, and contactless card payments work on many systems.

Staying online is extremely useful for train schedules, restaurant bookings, and translation. Activate a Hello eSIM before you land so your data is ready when the plane touches down, avoiding last‑minute airport SIM hunts and roaming surprises. Use it to pull up mobile tickets, navigate to your hotel, and check real-time ferry times in places like Cinque Terre or Lake Como. Screenshots are still wise backups in case of patchy reception in rural or mountain areas.

Eating in Italy is a highlight, but the rhythm may be different from what you’re used to. Breakfast is often quick: an espresso and a cornetto at the bar, usually standing. At lunch, look for trattorie and osterie with handwritten menus; these often serve regional dishes like cacio e pepe in Rome, ribollita in Florence, or pesto in Liguria at fair prices.

Dinner rarely starts early. Many kitchens open around 7:30–8:00 pm, especially outside big tourist areas. A classic meal might include:

• Antipasto (starter)
• Primo (pasta, risotto, or soup)
• Secondo (meat or fish) with contorno (side)
• Dolce (dessert) and an espresso

You don’t have to order every course; sharing is common. When dining with companions, you can use Hello’s expense splitting to divide the bill, including the coperto (cover charge) that many restaurants add. For casual bites, seek out pizza al taglio (by the slice), arancini in Sicily, or aperitivo in cities like Milan and Turin, where a drink comes with a generous snack buffet—great value if you’re watching your budget.

Italy uses the euro (€), and cards are increasingly accepted, though small cafés, market stalls, and rural guesthouses may prefer cash. ATMs are widely available; avoid currency exchange kiosks with poor rates. A simple espresso at the bar might cost around €1–1.50 (about $1–1.70), a sit‑down pizza €8–12 (about $9–13), and museum tickets for major sites roughly €15–25 (about $16–27).

Use Hello’s budget tracking to monitor what you spend in euros each day and spot when you’re creeping past your comfort zone. It’s handy for trips that hop between regions, where prices can shift—coastal hotspots like the Amalfi Coast or Capri often cost more than inland towns.

Tipping is modest: leaving small change or rounding up is usually sufficient unless service is exceptional. Remember that “service charge” and “coperto” are not the same; the latter is a per‑person cover fee for bread and table settings.

Keep a digital copy of your passport and travel documents stored securely, and save hotel addresses and key bookings in your Hello trip planner so you can access everything quickly—even when you’re navigating busy stations or crowded historic centers.