Entry requirements:  

Italy is an EU country and is within the Schengen travel area.  Currently US citizens may enter Italy for up to 90 days (within any 180 day period) as a tourist without a visa.  However, sometime during 2026 the Schengen Area will be implementing the European Travel Information Authorization System, ETIAS.  The ETIAS will require citizens of visa exempt countries to the Schengen Area, like the US, to apply online before traveling.

From another country? Visit Schengenvisainfo.com to check for country specific Schengen Area visa requirements and updates about ETIAS or visit esteri.it for Italy specific information.

 Italy also has a declaration of presence requirement.  Non EU citizens are required to declare their presence within eight days of entering Italy.  If entering the Schengen zone in Italy this is simply done when your passport is stamped.  If entering the Schengen zone before arriving in Italy, (i.e. a connecting flight where you land in France first) then the declaration of  presence will usually be done automatically by the hotel you are staying at.  However if you are arriving in Italy from another Schengen Area country and do not stay in a hotel type accommodation you apparently must request the form from local police headquarters.

Currency: 

The currency in Italy is the euro €.  Conversion rates change minute by minute. Banks usually update their exchange rates daily.  Conversion between the US dollar and the euro over the last five years appears to have fluctuated somewhere between .81 euros to 1 dollar and 1.03 euros to 1 dollar.

Getting Around:  

Italy has some excellent high speed train lines running mostly north to south, as well as several slower regional trains connecting other areas throughout Italy.  The main operator is the state run Trenitalia www.trenitalia. There is also the private run company Italo www.italotreno, which only runs a few fast trains on a handful of select major routes. 

Taxis in bigger cities, especially Rome, are really useful and fairly inexpensive, but they can be either hard to come by or nonexistent in smaller towns. 
Using Taxis in Rome:  If you’re comfortable, there are apps for ‘hailing’ taxis. Currently the freenow app appears to be the app with the best reviews.  My only issue with apps is they always seem to be in a constant state of flux as to which is currently in favor.  
If in doubt or if apps aren’t your thing there’s always the tried and true methods  1. Know where the official taxi stands are located, either keep a lookout for them or google map them. 2. Have your hotel concierge call an official taxi for you. 3.  Call for an official taxi yourself 🙂

Then there are Buses, which in general are not ideal, but sometimes they are your only option, so here are some helpful tips to keep in mind…. Double check with the driver that you’re on the right bus by asking if this bus is going where you want to go. Be specific, locations often have names that either start or end the same so use the full name of your intended destination. Make sure you have a ticket, which usually has to be bought before getting on the bus.  Understand the ticket options when you buy yours. The options usually include different amounts of  time, like 60 minutes after you validate it on the bus, or a full day. Often a full day ticket may only cost a couple euros more and then you won’t need to worry about pre buying a return ticket, which can be the most problematic part of bus travel if you need to catch the bus at a stop where tickets aren’t sold.  

CDC recommendations: 

The official CDC Travelers Health website for Italy can be found at: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list

Average Weather:

Rome

Venice