A lot of tourists are choosing to have a multi-centred holiday, with sometimes having 2 or more towns or cities to visit.
A key part of your holiday will be planning how you are going to travel from place to place. There are different ways to travel Italy and we have written the transportation options.
Planes
Most if all tourists arrive in Italy by plane. If you are travelling from the States, it is likely you will fly directly into Rome or Milan, there are a few flights that stop in Venice, Florence and Pisa during the summer months.
All of the airports have their own options to get from the airport to the city centre, there are mainly trains, taxis and buses.
There are domestic flights around Italy, but most if all people (tourists and locals alike) tend to use trains or cars to get around the country.
Train
Italy have a very good national train system and it is by far the most popular way to get around the country. The national train company is Trenitalia, and on their website, you can look up schedules and purchase tickets.
It is often best to pre-purchase your train tickets, especially over the summer months, during holidays and on the weekend.
If you ticket doesn’t state a specific date and train on it, you must validate (or punch) it in the yellow box at the end of the track before getting on the train, otherwise you could be fined.
Car hire
Renting a car is another option for you to think of. We don’t often recommend this option if you are traveling between large cities, only because parking can cost a lot of money and inter-city driving often can include problems (no traffic zones, one-way streets, pedestrian only areas, permits).
Having said this, if you a staying in more rural areas, especially like Tuscany. It is often a great option. The roads in rural areas are quieter, you can take your time and enjoy the wonderful scenery and stop in little villages you would have missed on the train.
When thinking about driving in Italy, you must also think of the locals. We have written a little bit about driving in Italy. You can read it here: Driving in Italy
If you are stopped by the police, you will need to have your license and if you are from the US, a driving permit.
Also, remember some roads will be windy and if you are travelling near to the south coast (Amalfi) the roads are close to the cliff edge.
Vespa
The symbol of Italy and a scene from “Roman Holiday”, this is a way to explore Rome. Again, like the car, we wouldn’t recommend this is you are a little nervous. City driving is manic, and scooters and motorbikes are forever slotting into little gaps, but so are the cars!
A Vespa ride in the side street or open countryside and having a guide with you is a better option.
Boat
Italy has a lot of coast line, over 4000 miles. There is also lakes and islands to discover, so a boat is a great way to view the coast (especially in Amalfi). Also, we must not forget there is a whole city build on the water – Venice!
At some point during your holiday (depending on where you go) you are likely to be using a boat at some point.
Sicily and Sardinia can be reached by ferry from the mainland and is a popular alternative to flying.
If you visit the southern coast of Italy, you can take a ferry for a day trip to Capri, with a boat ride to see the Blue grotto.
Venice has its vaporetto boats, that are a floating equivalent to public buses. They also have water taxis and the famous gondolas.
Lake Como has islands that you can visit by ferry and there is the option of taking a boat along the wonderful coast line of Cinque Terre.
Leave a Reply