Discover 
Italy

Most travellers fly into Rome (FCO) or Milan (MXP) with one stop through the Middle East or Asia, on airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

• Total travel time: usually 22 to 26 hours from the east coast, including a connection

• From Perth: Qantas has run seasonal non-stop flights to Rome, about 16 hours

• Venice, Florence and Naples: reachable with one connection, or by fast train from Rome or Milan

Italy is eight to ten hours behind Australian eastern time, depending on daylight saving in each country.

Editor's note: confirm whether the Qantas Perth–Rome service is running before planning.


Getting Around Italy

• High-speed trains: Frecciarossa and Italo trains link Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and Naples in a few hours. Book ahead for the best fares.

• Hire car: best for Tuscany, Puglia, Sicily and the countryside. Avoid driving into historic centres, where restricted traffic zones (ZTL) bring heavy fines.

• Ferries: connect the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Sicily, Sardinia and the lakes.

• Domestic flights: useful for Sicily, Sardinia and Puglia.

Spring (April to June): warm weather, wildflowers and fewer crowds than summer. Ideal for cities and the countryside.

Summer (July to August): hot and busy, perfect for the coast and lakes. Many locals take holidays in August, so some city businesses close.

Autumn (September to October): warm seas, harvest season and food festivals. Many travellers' favourite time to go.

Winter (November to March): quieter cities, lower prices, Christmas markets and skiing in the Dolomites.

Rome

• Colosseum and Roman Forum: walk in the footsteps of gladiators and emperors. Book timed tickets in advance.

• Vatican City: the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica.

• Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon: go early in the morning to beat the crowds.

• Trastevere: cobbled lanes, ivy-covered trattorias and Rome's best evening atmosphere.
  

Florence and Tuscany

• Florence: Michelangelo's David, the Uffizi Gallery and the view from the Duomo.

• Chianti and Val d'Orcia: winery tours, cypress-lined roads and long lunches.

• Hill towns: Siena, San Gimignano and Montepulciano.
  

Venice and the North

• Venice: a gondola ride, St Mark's Square and getting lost among the canals.

• Lake Como: elegant villas, lakeside towns and boat trips between Bellagio and Varenna.

• Cinque Terre: five colourful fishing villages linked by coastal walking trails.

• The Dolomites: dramatic mountain hiking in summer and skiing in winter.
  

The South

• Amalfi Coast: Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, with boat trips to Capri.

• Naples and Pompeii: the birthplace of pizza and the ruins of the city buried by Vesuvius.

• Puglia: whitewashed towns, the trulli of Alberobello and beautiful beaches.

• Sicily: Mount Etna, Taormina and Greek temples.

Rome: boutique hotels near Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps, or charming guesthouses in Trastevere.

Florence and Tuscany: a city hotel in Florence, then a countryside agriturismo (working farm stay) or villa among the vineyards.

Venice: canal-side palazzo hotels, or stay on the Lido for a quieter, beachside base.

Amalfi Coast: clifftop hotels in Positano and Ravello with sea views from every terrace.

Lake Como: grand lakeside hotels and villas in Bellagio, Varenna and Tremezzo.

Italy can suit a range of budgets, though summer on the coast is pricey. As a rough guide per person, per day, excluding flights:

• Budget: around A$130–200 for guesthouses, trattorias and regional trains

• Mid-range: around A$300–500 for boutique hotels, restaurant meals, fast trains and museum entries

• Luxury: A$800+ for five-star hotels, Michelin dining and private tours

Travelling in spring or autumn, and eating where the locals eat, makes your money go much further.