Travel in Italy
We’ve eaten our way through Palermo’s street markets, got motion sick on the Amalfi Coast (totally worth it), fallen in love with Verona, and eaten Naples pizza at midnight. Here’s everything we learned.
Currency
Euro (€)
Language
Italian
Best entry cities
Naples, Palermo, Verona
Plug type
Type F / Type L
Best season
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Visa (EU/US/UK)
Not required <90 days
Our coverage
14 articles
Honest guides from two people who've been there
Italy Travel Guides, as we lived them
We didn’t plan to fall this hard for southern Italy. The Amalfi Coast nearly broke us (those roads are genuinely terrifying) but the seafood pasta in a tiny Positano trattoria made up for it. Naples won us over in about four hours. And Palermo — chaotic, ancient, absurdly delicious Palermo — might be our favourite city in all of Italy.
We’ve been building this Italy guide since our first trip in 2023. It covers the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Verona and Palermo — 14 articles in total, all written from trips we’ve taken ourselves. Use it however helps you most.
Where we've been
Italy destinations we cover
Amalfi Coast
We drove the Amalfi Coast road, got motion sick, and would do it again tomorrow. Our guides cover the 5-day itinerary, the best food stops, and everything we wish we’d known before we went.
Naples
Naples is loud, chaotic and unlike anywhere else in Italy — and we mean that as the highest compliment. Our 4 guides cover everything from one-day itineraries to the best pizza you’ll ever eat.
Verona
Most people give Verona a half day. We stayed four nights and used it as a base for all of northern Italy — Lake Garda, Venice, the Dolomites. Our guides will show you why it deserves so much more of your time.
Palermo
Palermo hit us like a fist — in the best possible way. The street food alone is worth the flight. Our 4 guides cover what to do, where to eat, one perfect day, and 7 day trips we actually loved.
WHAT TOOLS WE USE
Book your Italy trip
All our Italy writing
Every Italy article
14 guides across the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Verona and Palermo. All written from real trips, updated for 2026.
Planning your trip
When to visit Italy
Our takes are informed by the specific places we’ve covered — the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Verona and Sicily all have different sweet spots.
Wildflowers on the Amalfi Coast, warm enough for the sea, fewer crowds in Palermo. The Amalfi road is manageable before peak summer. Book 2–3 months ahead.
The Amalfi Coast exhales in September — still warm, dramatically fewer people. Palermo's street food scene at its best. Verona harvest and Amarone season.
The Amalfi Coast is stunning but brutal — traffic, heat, crowds. Naples is intense. Sicily is actually the best pick in summer — embrace the heat and eat granita for breakfast.
Verona is lovely (Christmas markets, zero queues). Sicily and Naples are mild and practically tourist-free. Many Amalfi Coast restaurants close Nov–Feb.
MONEY & COSTS
Is Italy expensive? Here's the truth
Italy ranges from surprisingly affordable (street food in Palermo, espresso standing at a bar in Naples) to eye-wateringly expensive (Amalfi Coast accommodation in August). Here’s what to realistically budget for the places we cover.
EXPERIENCES
Tours worth booking in Italy
We don’t recommend tours we haven’t taken or researched properly. These are the experiences across our four destinations that genuinely add something you can’t easily do alone.
TRAVEL IN ITALY
What we wish we'd known before we went
Italy has unwritten rules that most tourists only learn the hard way. We learned most of these by breaking them — on the Amalfi Coast road, in a Naples pizzeria, at a church door in Palermo. Here’s the shortcut.
FOOD & DRINK
Must-try dishes in Italy
We’ve eaten our way through four very different corners of Italy. These are the 8 dishes we still think about — two from each destination we cover, all from meals we actually ate.
Common questions
Italy travel FAQ
Answered based on our actual experience in these specific places — not generic Italy advice.
How many days do you actually need in Italy?
Is Italy expensive to travel?
Is the Amalfi Coast actually worth the hype?
Is Naples safe for tourists?
Do you need cash in Italy?
Do you need to book things in advance in Italy?
Is Palermo worth visiting or is Sicily overrated?
We're Ru & Tiago — the two people behind The Nomadic Hearts. We drove the Amalfi Coast road and got genuinely motion sick. We ate pizza in Naples at midnight and it changed how we think about food. We spent days in Palermo's Ballarò market eating arancini over a bin like locals do. Every article on this page comes from a trip we actually took — no filler, no places we haven't been. Just honest guides from two people who keep going back.
More about us →Where we've been
Our Italy memories
