If your Instagram feed is anything like mine at the moment, everyone you see on holiday is either in Italy or Greece. While I believe it is always a nice time to visit and travel in Italy, Italian summers (both mountain and sea) are pretty special. However, when traveling in the summertime in Italy you need to be aware of these 7 things to help you prepare for/enjoy your trip and travels through Italy.

Here are 7 things from me, a North American living in Italy, that I believe are crucial to know before you go to Italy in the summertime, especially this summer: 2022. 

1. The People Are Out

Like many places in the world the people are out and about! Tourists are everywhere. Anyone who is fortunate enough to be able to go traveling is traveling, foreigners and citizens alike. 

This has led to overcrowding on the autostrada (highway), the trains, and your favourite touristy locations. 

The autostrada are the paid highways that run throughout Italy. Even though they are paid, they are packed, so keep this in mind for your timeline, and choose your travel days carefully. 

Everyone traveling also means trains are congested as well. A first class ticket can help you avoid this, but other wise be prepared for few seating options, and again choose your train time wisely. 

If you have specific locations you’d like to visit in the cities (ruins in Rome or the Duomo of Florence for example), go early in the morning to avoid crowds as much as possible. Generally, Italy has had the feeling of people everywhere all the time lately, and the only way to at all begin to avoid that is doing things early in the morning. 

2. Pre-book Tickets & Make Reservations

If you really want to do something in particular, book your tickets ahead of time. Most places will have online booking. This goes for restaurants as well. If there are repcific places you really want to eat at – make a reservation. 

3. It is Hot 

This may seem obvious but Italy is hot hot hot all summer long (and all over Italy). This summer in particular there has been a heatwave all across Europe. Temperatures in Italy are way above average, it is hot and humid. 

Be prepared for places to not have air-conditioning, and have water with you. 

4. Covid Regulations

For the most part all Covid regulations have stopped. If you do get Covid-19 there is a 7 day quarantine regulation. The Green Pass is still required to enter hospitals, but no longer required for restaurants and museums. 

Covid tests are available in white tents around the cities (usually beside pharmacies) or you can buy tests to do yourself at the pharmacy for around 15 EURO.

5. If you plan to move around pack light 

A lot of Italian towns can be steep, or hilly, and cabs are expensive (or non-existent). There is no Uber and many places I’ve been the taxi’s have been extraordinarily overpriced. If you want to be sure arranging transportation with your hotel is often a good call. Packing light can help you avoid lugging too many things for too long.

Rooms tend to be on the smaller side so you will be more comfortable without a ton of stuff. It’s hot and there are clothes shops everywhere anyways. 

6. Places are Understaffed

The later in the season you go, the more stressed you will most likely find them. Try to be kind – working in the tourism industry can be very exhausting. They are not usually working in their native language and places are having a hard time with staffing during the pandemic. Now with this incredible influx of tourists after 2 years, the places where I have been lately seemed understaffed. 

7. August is the busiest time in Italy, but specifically the week of Ferragosto

Ferragosto falls on August 15th which this year is a Monday. Pretty much everyone in Italy has this week off. In all of August be prepared for many things to be closed (everyone is at the beach). Having said that, because this is peak tourism season things will be open in more touristy locations. 

There are many reasons to visit Italy in the summer, it is flanked with picturesque seas, dotted with islands, and home to some of the most famous food, wine, and culture in the world. Whether you’re finally getting back to Italy after a long 2 years of pandemic or visiting for the first time, I hope you take these 7 tips from my experience into consideration to help you have the best time. Happy traveling!