How to travel to Italy from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Mexico and Ireland

Travel to Italy from the USA

Flights

Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa receive most long-haul flights. Some airlines fly direct from several US cities to Rome and Milan at times, including New York, Newark, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami and others, and seasonal routes have also reached Venice, Naples and other cities. Check current schedules. Flight time from the East Coast to Rome is usually roughly 8.5–9.5 hours. From the West Coast, connecting through an East Coast city or a European hub, a total of roughly 14–18 hours is common.

Entry

Italy is in the Schengen area. US passport holders can usually visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across all Schengen countries. The EU Entry/Exit System registers non-EU travellers at the border, and ETIAS is planned; check travel-europe.europa.eu and travel.state.gov.

Time difference and jet lag

Italy is usually 6 hours ahead of New York and 9 hours ahead of the West Coast. Overnight flights land in the morning, so plan a gentle first day: a walk, a long lunch and an early night, rather than a timed museum entry.

Planning tip

An open-jaw ticket, for example into Venice and home from Rome, avoids backtracking. Italian trains connect the main cities quickly, so you can cover the classic route of Venice, Florence and Rome in a week or ten days.

Travel to Italy from the UK

Flights

Some airlines fly direct from London and many regional UK airports at times to most Italian cities, including Rome, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Pisa, Florence, Naples, Bari, Turin, Verona, Catania, Palermo, Cagliari and others. Many routes are seasonal, so check current schedules. Flight times are usually roughly 2–2.5 hours to northern Italy, roughly 2.5 hours to Rome and roughly 3 hours to Sicily.

Some airports used by budget routes are some distance from the city they are named after, so check the transfer time before booking.

Entry

British passport holders are treated as non-EU visitors and can usually stay in the Schengen area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180 days. You are registered under the EU Entry/Exit System on your first crossing. Check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy and travel-europe.europa.eu for ETIAS timing.

Time difference

Italy is one hour ahead of the UK all year, as both change their clocks on the same dates. There is no jet lag, which makes Italy a good choice for a short city break or a one-week group trip.

By train

Travelling by train from London through Paris, and then on to Turin or Milan, is possible in a long day or with a night on the way. It is slower and usually costs more than flying, but scenic, especially through the Alps.

Travel to Italy from Canada

Flights

Some airlines fly direct from Toronto and Montreal to Rome at times, and seasonal routes have also linked Canada with other Italian cities, such as Venice; check current schedules. Flight time from Toronto or Montreal to Rome is usually roughly 8.5–9.5 hours. From Vancouver, Calgary and other cities, most travellers connect through Toronto, Montreal or a European hub, with a total journey of roughly 14–19 hours.

Canada has a large Italian community, which helps explain the relatively good links, especially in summer.

Entry

Canadian passport holders can usually visit the Schengen area, including Italy, visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The EU Entry/Exit System applies at the border, and ETIAS is planned for visa-exempt visitors; check travel-europe.europa.eu for its timing and travel.gc.ca for official advice.

Time difference and jet lag

Italy is usually 6 hours ahead of Toronto and Montreal and 9 hours ahead of Vancouver. Shift your sleep earlier before you go, sleep on the overnight flight and get morning daylight on arrival. Book timed tickets for major sights from the second day onwards.

Planning tip

Italian hotels record guests' passport details at check-in, so keep yours handy. Many cities also charge a tourist tax per night, paid at the hotel.

Travel to Italy from Australia

Flights

Most travellers from Australia connect through a Middle Eastern hub such as Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi, or an Asian hub such as Singapore, and fly on to Rome or Milan. In some seasons, an airline has flown from Perth to Rome without a change, so check current schedules. Total journey times are usually roughly 22–28 hours from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane with connections, and less from Perth.

Many Australians include Italy in a longer European trip, flying into Rome or Milan and home from another city on a multi-city ticket.

Entry

Australian passport holders can usually visit the Schengen area, including Italy, visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across all Schengen countries together. Plan long European trips with this in mind. Check smartraveller.gov.au and travel-europe.europa.eu for EES and ETIAS.

Time difference and jet lag

Italy is usually 8–10 hours behind Sydney and Melbourne, depending on daylight saving in both countries, and 6–7 hours behind Perth. A stopover night on the way can help. On arrival, stay outdoors in daylight and keep to local meal times.

Seasons

Italy's best months, usually April to June and September to October, fall in the Australian autumn and spring. The Australian winter is the Italian summer, when it is hot and the main sights are crowded, though the Dolomites and the lakes are pleasant.

Travel to Italy from Mexico

Flights

Most routes from Mexico to Italy connect through Madrid or another European hub, such as Paris, Amsterdam or Frankfurt, or through a US city. Check whether any direct service between Mexico and Italy is running on your dates, as routes change. Mexico City to Madrid is usually roughly 10–12 hours, and Madrid to Rome roughly 2.5 hours, so plan on roughly 15–20 hours in total including the connection.

Connecting through Madrid makes it easy to add a few days in Spain at the start or end of the trip.

Entry

Mexican passport holders can usually visit the Schengen area, including Italy, visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Border officers may ask about your return ticket, accommodation and funds. The EU Entry/Exit System applies, and ETIAS is planned for visa-exempt visitors; check travel-europe.europa.eu and gob.mx/sre before booking.

Time difference

Italy is usually 7 hours ahead of Mexico City in the northern winter and 8 hours ahead in summer, because Mexico City no longer changes its clocks. It is 6–7 hours ahead of Cancún. Sleep on the overnight leg to Europe and follow local meal times on arrival.

Language

Italian and Spanish are close enough that many Spanish speakers can read signs and menus and follow simple conversations, especially if people speak slowly. English is common in tourist areas, but a few Italian phrases are appreciated.

Travel to Italy from Ireland

Flights

Some airlines fly direct from Dublin at times to many Italian cities, including Rome, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Pisa, Naples, Bari, Catania and others, and some routes run from Cork, Shannon, Knock and Belfast in some seasons. Check current schedules. Flight time from Dublin to Rome is usually roughly 2.5–3 hours, a little less to northern Italy and a little more to Sicily.

Entry

Irish citizens are EU citizens and can travel to Italy with a valid passport or Irish passport card. Ireland is not in the Schengen area, so you show your document on arrival, but the 90-day limit, EES and ETIAS do not apply to Irish citizens. Check dfa.ie/travel. Non-EU residents of Ireland follow the Schengen rules for their nationality.

Time difference

Italy is one hour ahead of Ireland all year. There is no jet lag, so a long weekend in Rome or a week touring Tuscany or Sicily works well.

Planning tip

Because there are direct flights to so many Italian cities, you can fly into the north and home from the south, for example into Venice and out of Naples, and use the train in between. Check the flight days first, as some routes do not run daily, then plan the trip around them. As in the rest of Italy, hotels record guests' passport details at check-in.

Arriving in Italy on your own

Airport to city

From Rome Fiumicino, the Leonardo Express train runs to Roma Termini station, and regional trains, buses and official taxis are available too. Milan Malpensa has the Malpensa Express train into the city, and buses. Venice Marco Polo is linked to the city by bus to Piazzale Roma and by water bus or water taxi across the lagoon. Florence and Naples airports have trams or buses into the centre.

Arriving at night

Airport trains stop running late at night, so check the last departure for your date. After that, use the official taxi rank; in Rome and some other cities taxis from the airport to the centre often have a set fare, so ask about it before you set off. In Venice, late arrivals may need a night bus or a water taxi, and finding your hotel in the alleys is easier with directions saved offline.

First hours

• Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for small cafés and markets.
• Validate paper regional train tickets in the machines before boarding.
• Keep your passport for hotel check-in, where your details are recorded.
• Allow extra time at passport control for your first EES registration.

Joining a group trip on arrival

Group trips in Italy often start in Rome, Milan, Venice or Naples. Arrive a day early after a long-haul flight, send your flight details to the organiser and check whether the airport transfer is included and where and when the welcome meeting takes place.

Best time to fly to Italy

Italy is usually most pleasant from April to June and in September and October. July and August are hot and crowded in the cities and on the coasts, and Easter and Ferragosto in mid-August are busy holiday periods.

From the northern hemisphere

From the UK and Ireland, short flights make Italy realistic all year: winter suits museums, opera and the Alps, and spring and autumn suit touring. From North America and Mexico, spring and early autumn give the best balance of weather and demand. Book early for Easter, Venice Carnival and the summer.

From the southern hemisphere

For Australians, Italy's spring and autumn are the Australian autumn and spring. Many build a longer European trip in those months, often combining Italy with Greece, Spain or France.

Booking tips

• Fly into one city and home from another, using trains in between.
• Count your Schengen days if you are combining several countries.
• Many Amalfi Coast and island hotels close in winter, so check before booking flights south.

Combine Italy with Morocco

Italy and Morocco are both on the Mediterranean, but far apart by land, so most travellers who combine them fly.

Flying

Some airlines fly between Italian cities, such as Rome, Milan, Bologna, Bergamo, Turin, Venice or Naples, and Moroccan cities, such as Marrakech, Casablanca, Fes and Tangier, at times. Flights usually take roughly 2.5–3.5 hours. Check current schedules, as many routes do not run daily. Otherwise, connect through a Spanish or Portuguese hub.

By sea and overland

Long-distance ferries have linked Italian ports such as Genoa with Tangier, taking more than a day; check current sailings if this interests you. Another option for slow travellers is to cross southern France and Spain by train and take a short ferry from Tarifa or Algeciras to Tangier.

Entry and timing

Days in Italy, France and Spain count towards the Schengen 90-day limit for many non-EU visitors, while days in Morocco do not. Check Morocco's entry rules for your passport separately. Spring and autumn suit both countries, which makes April, May, September and October good months for a combined trip.