Italy
In the Middle of the Mediterranean Sea…
Italy has 53 cultural sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including:
- Historic Centre of Rome
- Historic Centre of Florence
- Piazza del Duomo, Pisa
- Venice and its Lagoon
- Historic Centre of Naples
- Historic Centre of Siena
- Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)
- Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli
- The Porticoes of Bologna
U.S. citizens may enter Italy for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. All non-residents must complete a declaration of presence (dichiarazione di presenza). The passport stamp received upon arrival is the equivalent of the declaration of presence.
Italy was the focus of our first year of full-time travel. We spent the late Winter and Spring in Cinque Terre, Genoa, Siena, and Venice. In the Fall, we enjoyed an extended stay in Florence before going to Trieste for some rest and relaxation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy.
The Porticoes of Bologna was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.
Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre (meaning “Five Lands”) is a coastal area within Liguria, located in northwest Italy. It comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.
The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
Florence
Florence (Firenze) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region.
UNESCO declared the Historic Centre of Florence a World Heritage Site in 1982.
Genoa
Genoa (Genova) has one of Europe’s largest and most densely populated old towns. Centro Storico di Genova is known for its narrow lanes and streets that the locals call “caruggi.”
Part of Genoa’s old town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006 as Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli.
Orvieto
Orvieto is a charming small town on top of a rocky cliff in Umbria, Italy. The city’s main attraction is the stunning Duomo di Orvieto, which dates back to 1290 and boasts a beautiful mosaic facade. Another must-see site is the Pozzo di San Patrizio, a 16th-century well shaft with a unique double spiral staircase.
Orvieto has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2006.
Rome
Coming Soon!
Siena
Siena is located in the central part of Tuscany among numerous major hills and valleys. It was one of the most important cities in medieval Europe and retains the character of a medieval city to this day.
The Historic Centre of Siena was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
Venice
Venice (Venezia), capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The islands lie in the Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay in the northern Adriatic Sea.
Venice and its Lagoon were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.
Future Destinations
After spending the winter in Croatia and Montenegro, we will be returning to Italy in the Spring of 2023.
Lucca
Spring 2024
Orvieto
Spring 2024
Turin
Spring 2024
Italy Food
The European Regulation describes the agricultural and food quality systems and defines PDO, PGI, and STG.
DOP – Protected Designation of Origin
The designation of origin is a name that identifies a product:
- originating in a certain place, region, or, in exceptional cases, a specific country;
- the quality or characteristics of which are essentially or exclusively due to a particular geographical environment and its intrinsic natural and human factors;
- whose production stages take place in the defined geographical area.
IGP – Protected Geographical Indication
A geographical indication is a name that identifies a product:
- originating in a certain place, region, or country;
- to whose geographical origin a given quality is essentially attributable; reputation or other characteristics;
- the production takes place for at least one of its stages in the defined geographical area.
STG – Traditional Specialty Guaranteed
The traditional specialty is a name that identifies a specific product or food:
- obtained with a production method, processing, or composition that corresponds to a traditional practice for that product or food;
- obtained from raw materials or ingredients used traditionally.
Italy has more protected foods than any other European country. These include:
- 83 Italian products have Protected geographical indication (PGI) or IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta)
- 39 Italian products have Geographical Indication (GI) or IG (Indicazione Geografica)
- 2 Italian products are Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG)
Emilia-Romagna Food
There are 19 PDO and 25 PGI products in the Emilia-Romagna region.
Friuli-Venezia Giulia Food
There are three PDO products in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region:
Also, there is one PGI product:
Liguria Food
There are two PDO products in the Liguria region:
Also, there is one PGI product:
Tuscany Food
There are ten PDO products in the Tuscany region:
- Chianti Classico PDO
- Farina di Neccio ofla Garfagnana PDO
- Lucca PDO
- Marrone di Caprese Michelangelo PDO
- Miele ofla Lunigiana PDO
- Prosciutto Toscano PDO
- Terre di Siena PDO
- Zafferano di San Gimignano PDO
- Pecorino Romano PDO
- Pecorino Toscano PDO
Also, there are seven PGI products:
- Toscano PGI
- Ricciarelli di Siena PGI
- Castagna of Monte Amiata PGI
- Farro ofla Garfagnana PGI
- Marrone of Mugello PGI
- Fagiolo di Sorana PGI
- Lardo di Colonnata PGI
Finally, there is one IGP product:
- Panforte IGP
Veneto Food
There are eight PDO products in the Veneto region:
- Veneto Valpolicella, Veneto Euganei e Berici, Veneto of Grappa
- Casatella Trevigiana
- Monte Veronese
- Piave
- Aglio Bianco Polesano
- Asparago Bianco di Bassano
- Marrone di San Zeno
- Prosciutto Veneto Berico-Euganeo
Also, there are fourteen PGI products:
- Asparago Bianco di Cimadolmo
- Asparago di Badoere
- Ciliegia di Marostica
- Fagiolo di Lamon ofla Vallata Bellunese
- Insalata di Lusia
- Marrone di Combai
- Marroni of Monfenera
- Pesca di Verona
- Radicchio di Chioggia
- Radicchio di Verona
- Radicchio Rosso di Treviso
- Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco
- Riso Nano Vialone Veronese
- Riso of ofta of Po
Italy Wine
Emilia-Romagna Wine
White Grapes
Red Grapes
Check out our Emilia-Romagna Wine page for more information about these wines.
Liguria Wine
Tuscany Wine
Red Wines
- Rosso di Montalcino
- Brunello di Montalcino
- Carmignano
- Chianti
- Chianti Classico
- Rosso di Montepulciano
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
- Bolgheri
White Wines
Check out our Tuscany Wine page for more information about these wines.
Umbria Wine
The Umbria wine region has 2 DOCG wines, 13 DOC wines, and 6 IGP areas. Umbria’s primary grape varieties are:
Red Grapes
- Sangiovese
- Sagrantino
- Merlot
- Barbera
White Grapes
- Trebbiano
- Grechetto
- Verdello
Check out our Umbria Wine page for more information about these wines.
Veneto Wine
Sparkling Wines
White Wines
Red Wines
Sweet Wines
Check out our Veneto Wine page for more information about these wines.
Italy Architecture
Italy has an extensive and diverse architectural style, which cannot be classified by period or region due to Italy’s division into numerous small states before its unification in 1861.
Ancient Roman
Influenced by Greek and Etruscan architecture, Roman architecture assumed its own characteristics.
Early Christian and Byzantine
Romanesque
The Romanesque movement, one of Italian architecture’s most fruitful and creative periods, spanned from approximately 800 AD to 1100 AD. The style was called “Roman”-esque because of its use of Roman arches, stained glass windows, and curved columns, commonly featured in cloisters.
Gothic
The Gothic architecture appeared in Italy in the 12th century. Italian Gothic always maintained a peculiar characteristic that differentiated it from its French counterpart. In particular, the bold architectural solutions and technical innovations used in France never appeared in Italy. Instead, Italian architects preferred to keep with traditions established in the previous centuries.
Renaissance and Mannerist
Italy of the 15th century, particularly Florence, was home to the Renaissance. The new architectural style of the period did not slowly evolve in the same way Gothic grew out of Romanesque but was consciously brought into being by prominent architects.
Baroque and Rococo
Italian Baroque (or Barocco) is a stylistic period in Italian architecture that spanned from the late 16th century to the early 18th century.
Neoclassical
The Neoclassical movement influenced Italian architecture in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
FAQs About Italy
What are the Regions of Italy?
There are 20 regions in Italy. Here’s a list:
- Abruzzo
- Basilicata
- Calabria
- Campania
- Emilia-Romagna
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia
- Lazio (Latium)
- Liguria
- Lombardia (Lombardy)
- Marche (The Marches)
- Molise
- Piemonte (Piedmont)
- Puglia (Apulia)
- Sardegna (Sardinia)
- Sicilia (Sicily)
- Toscana (Tuscany)
- Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (Trentino-South Tyrol)
- Umbria
- Valle d’Aosta (Aosta Valley)
- Veneto
What language is spoken in Italy?
Italian is the official language of Italy.
Do I Need to Speak Italian to Visit Italy?
No, if you stay in hotels and eat at restaurants, you don’t need to speak Italian to visit Italy. Most people who work in the tourist industry in Italy speak English.
What Currency is Used in Italy?
The currency of Italy is the Euro.
Do I Need a Visa for Italy?
Citizens from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia don’t need a visa to visit Italy if they stay 90 days or less. For more information on visa-free travel in Italy, check out our article on traveling visa-free.
Do I Need an Electrical Adapter for Visiting Italy?
Italy’s electrical outlets are Type C, F, and L. Travelers from the United States will need an adapter. It is the same adapter used for the rest of Europe.
If you have many items to plug in, we recommend a travel power strip with multiple USBs and standard plug-ins. Using a power strip, you will only need one adapter to plug the strip into the wall.
What do I Need on my Italian Packing List?
Your packing list should include breathable clothing for the heat, lots of sunscreen for the sun, and non-slip shoes for the slick cobblestones when they get wet.