The town of Amalfi seen from the sea, with its cathedral bell tower and the mountains behind
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Italy

From the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast to the palazzi of Venice: Italy's finest resorts, three-star tables, superyacht harbours and great events, the best of the Mediterranean chosen by one rule: first class or not at all.

Amalfi from the water, the Amalfi CoastPhotograph: Ken Shono

La cultura

The country that taught the world to travel

Italy holds more of the world's great art in a few cities than most countries hold in all their land: Rome's forums and churches, the Renaissance of Florence, Venice on its lagoon. The Grand Tour, the journey that first made travel a pleasure in itself, ended here, and travellers have followed it ever since.

Opera was born in Italy, and its great houses still set the standard: La Scala in Milan, La Fenice in Venice, the San Carlo in Naples, and summer opera under the stars in the Roman arena at Verona. The country's food is culture too, region by region, from Piedmont's white truffles to the lemons of the Amalfi Coast and the fish of Sicily.

This guide brings together only the first class: the hotels that hold Forbes Five-Star or MICHELIN Keys, the great three-star tables, the harbours that take superyachts, and the private doors that open for those who ask properly.

A few words of Italian
EnglishItalianSay it
HelloBuongiornobwohn-JOR-noh
PleasePer favorepehr fah-VOH-reh
Thank youGrazieGRAHT-see-eh
Good eveningBuonaserabwoh-nah-SEH-rah
The bill, pleaseIl conto, per favoreeel KOHN-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh
Positano climbing the cliffs above the sea on the Amalfi Coast
Positano, the Amalfi Coast

Where to go

The best places to visit in Italy

Seven great destinations: the best time to visit, the one best hotel, restaurant and beach club, and how to arrive by private jet, helicopter or yacht.

Amalfi Coast

Best time to visitLate May, June and September are ideal: hot dry days, a sea warm enough for swimming and fewer crowds than July and August. Many hotels and restaurants close from November to March.

  • Stay
    Il San Pietro di Positanothree MICHELIN Keys

    Built into the cliff outside Positano, with a lift through the rock to its private cove; its restaurant Zass has a MICHELIN star.

  • Dine
    Torre del Saracino

    Two-MICHELIN-star cooking near the coast: Gennaro Esposito's restaurant on the Sorrento peninsula, about 50 minutes by road from Positano.

  • Beach
    Le Sirenuse Mare

    Le Sirenuse's beach club at Marina del Cantone (Nerano), opened in 2026 and open to non-guests daily from April to October, 25 minutes by boat from Positano.

Arrive privately
By private jet
Naples International Airport, Capodichino (NAP / LIRN), about 1 hour 15 minutes by car to Positano, longer on summer weekends. Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport (QSR / LIRI), at Pontecagnano south of Salerno, is the closer option for the southern end of the coast, at about an hour by car to Amalfi.
By helicopter
Helicopter transfers from Naples and Salerno serve the coast; confirm the landing point near your hotel when booking.
By sea
Marina d'Arechi, Salerno, for yachts up to 100 metres; about 45 minutes by car to Amalfi, or by tender along the coast.

The full Positano guide ›

Capri

Best time to visitJune and September are best: warm sea for swimming off the rocks and boats, and the island is calmer than in July and August, when day-trippers crowd the Piazzetta. Most hotels close from November to March.

  • Stay
    J.K. Place Caprithree MICHELIN Keys and Forbes Five-Star

    A white villa on the water at Marina Grande, one of only four hotels in Italy with both.

  • Dine
    L'Olivo

    At the Capri Palace Jumeirah in Anacapri, Capri's only two-MICHELIN-star restaurant.

  • Beach
    La Fontelina

    The beach club and seafood restaurant at the foot of the Faraglioni, opened in 1949 and still run by the founding families.

Arrive privately
By private jet
Naples International Airport, Capodichino (NAP / LIRN), about 20 minutes by car to the port of Naples, then under an hour by fast ferry or private boat to Marina Grande.
By helicopter
The usual private arrival: Naples Capodichino to the Damecuta heliport at Anacapri takes less than 30 minutes, with taxis on to the hotels.
By sea
Porto Turistico di Capri, Marina Grande, for yachts up to 60 metres; a few minutes by funicular or taxi to Capri town.

The full Capri guide ›

Portofino

Best time to visitJune and September are ideal: the sea is warm (23°C, 74°F), the harbour is lively but not packed, and the hills are pleasant for walking. July and August are hottest and busiest.

  • Stay
    Splendido, A Belmond Hotelthree MICHELIN Keys

    The former Benedictine monastery above the harbour has been the benchmark of Portofino glamour since the 1950s.

  • Dine
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Beach
    Bagni Fiore, Paraggi

    Portofino's historic beach club on Paraggi Bay, an icon of the Ligurian dolce vita since 1927, revamped by the Parisian studio Festen, with Langosteria's restaurant on the sand.

Arrive privately
By private jet
Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA / LIMJ), about 50 minutes by car, longer at midday in summer when the A12 is busiest.
By helicopter
A regular option: BLADE offers flights to the Portofino–Rapallo heliport from Nice, Monaco and Saint-Tropez.
By sea
Marina di Portofino, 14 superyacht moorings on the village quay plus two in Cannone Bay, for yachts up to 55 metres, in the village itself.

The full Portofino guide ›

Venice

Best time to visitLate April to May and late September to October are best: mild days, fewer people than summer, and the Biennale is open. February belongs to Carnival; July and August are hot, humid and crowded.

  • Stay
    Aman Venicethree MICHELIN Keys

    A 16th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal.

  • Dine
    Glam

    Enrico Bartolini's restaurant in Palazzo Venart on the Grand Canal, Venice's two-MICHELIN-star table.

  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE / LIPZ), then about 30 to 40 minutes by private water taxi to St Mark's Square.
By helicopter
Not a regular option.
By sea
Venezia Certosa Marina, 320 moorings for yachts up to 60 metres; a few minutes by water to St Mark's Square.
Good to know
There are no cars in central Venice; the final leg from the airport or marina is always by boat.

The full Venice guide ›

Rome

Best time to visitApril to May and late September to October are best: warm, bright days without the heat of July and August, when highs reach 32°C (89°F). The sea at Ostia, Rome's nearest beach, is warmest from July to September.

  • Stay
    Bulgari Hotel Romathree MICHELIN Keys

    Set in a restored rationalist building on Piazza Augusto Imperatore, Rome's only three-Key hotel.

  • Dine
    La Pergola

    Heinz Beck's three-MICHELIN-star restaurant on the rooftop of the Rome Cavalieri, with views over the whole city.

  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Rome Ciampino Airport (CIA / LIRA), the city's business aviation airport with its own general aviation terminal and customs, about 30 to 40 minutes by car (up to an hour at peak times). Rome Fiumicino (FCO / LIRF) takes private jets only at night, when Ciampino is closed, and has no private terminal.
By helicopter
Not a regular option.
By sea
Porto Turistico di Roma at Ostia, 833 berths for yachts up to about 60 metres; about 10 minutes from Fiumicino Airport and about an hour by car to central Rome.

The full Rome guide ›

Costa Smeralda, Sardinia

Best time to visitJune and September are ideal: the sea is warm (23–24°C, 73–75°F), the hotels and beach clubs are open, and the coast is far calmer than in July and August. September also brings the great maxi-yacht racing at Porto Cervo.

  • Stay
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Dine
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Beach
    Phi Beach

    A clifftop beach club and restaurant inside the 19th-century Forte Cappellini at Baja Sardinia, with a summer programme of leading international DJs.

Arrive privately
By private jet
Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB / LIEO), about 35 minutes by car to Porto Cervo, up to 40 minutes in July and August.
By helicopter
Not needed from Olbia; Monacair flies direct from Monaco and Nice (about 100 minutes), landing at Olbia airport.
By sea
Marina di Porto Cervo, about 700 berths, 100 of them for megayachts, taking yachts up to 160 metres; in Porto Cervo itself.

The full Costa Smeralda guide ›

Taormina, Sicily

Best time to visitMay, June and September to early October are ideal: warm sea, long dry days and fewer people than in July and August. June brings film premieres in the ancient Greek theatre.

  • Stay
    San Domenico Palace, A Four Seasons Hotelthree MICHELIN Keys

    A 15th-century convent on the clifftops facing Etna, star of The White Lotus season two, with a MICHELIN-starred restaurant.

  • Dine
    St. George by Heinz Beck

    Taormina's two-MICHELIN-star restaurant, at The Ashbee Hotel, under the chef of Rome's three-star La Pergola.

  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA / LICC), about 1 hour by car.
By helicopter
Helicopter transfers from Catania airport take about 15 minutes.
By sea
No superyacht marina here yet meets our standard. Porto dell'Etna (Marina di Riposto), about 6 nautical miles south of Taormina, has a quay reserved for yachts over 15 metres; about 30 minutes by car to Taormina.

The full Taormina guide ›

Beyond the coast

Florence, Tuscany and Rome

Florence

The cradle of the Renaissance, with Brunelleschi's dome, the Uffizi and Michelangelo's David at the Accademia. Its historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982.

Best time to visitApril to June, and September to October.

  • Stay
    Four Seasons Hotel Firenze

    A Renaissance palace and a former convent set in a private park, rated Forbes Five-Star for 2026 and holding three MICHELIN Keys.

Val d'Orcia, Tuscany

The landscape of southern Tuscany most often painted and photographed: cypress-lined roads, hill towns such as Pienza and Montalcino, and the Brunello vineyards. The Val d'Orcia was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

Best time to visitApril to June, and September to October.

  • Stay
    Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco

    A 2,000-hectare estate near Montalcino with its own Brunello winery and private golf course, holding three MICHELIN Keys.

Rome

The Eternal City lies some 25 kilometres inland from the Tyrrhenian coast, with the Colosseum, the Forum, the Pantheon and the Vatican Museums. Its historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.

Best time to visitApril to May, and late September to October.

  • Stay
    Bulgari Hotel Roma

    Set in a restored rationalist building on Piazza Augusto Imperatore, it holds three MICHELIN Keys.

The pastel houses and church tower of Vernazza above a harbour of colourful boats in the Cinque Terre
Vernazza, the Cinque Terre

Stay

Luxury hotels and resorts in Italy

Ten of the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean are in Italy, more than in any other country. Each holds Forbes Five-Star or two or three MICHELIN Keys.

Venice

Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel

Giuseppe Cipriani of Harry's Bar opened the Cipriani in 1958 at the tip of Giudecca island, a few minutes by the hotel's own boat from St Mark's Square.

Visit website ↗
Montalcino, Tuscany

Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco

A medieval hamlet and its estate of vineyards, woods and fields in the Val d'Orcia, south of Siena, restored by Massimo Ferragamo into suites and private villas.

Capri

J.K. Place Capri

On the water's edge at Marina Grande, J.K. Place Capri describes itself as "more like a private home than a hotel": a white villa of bright rooms and terraces opening onto the Gulf of Naples.

Visit website ↗
Amalfi Coast

Il San Pietro di Positano

Built into the cliff just outside Positano and named for the small 17th-century chapel at its entrance, Il San Pietro has been run by the same family for more than half a century.

Visit website ↗
Amalfi

Borgo Santandrea

One of the Amalfi Coast's newest grand hotels, Borgo Santandrea opened in 2021 on the cliffs just outside Amalfi, with terraces stepping down to a private beach.

Visit website ↗
Ravello

Caruso, A Belmond Hotel

Caruso occupies an 11th-century palace on a cliff in Ravello, high above the Amalfi Coast, with an infinity pool that seems to pour straight into the sea far below.

Visit website ↗
Savelletri di Fasano, Puglia

Borgo Egnazia

Built in pale local stone in the manner of a Puglian village, Borgo Egnazia sits among olive groves near the Adriatic between Bari and Brindisi.

Taormina, Sicily

San Domenico Palace, A Four Seasons Hotel

This 15th-century Dominican convent on the clifftops of Taormina became a hotel in the 1890s. It reopened under Four Seasons in 2021 and a year later starred in the second season of The White Lotus.

Visit website ↗

The finest hotels

53 more city, coastal and country hotels, each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys, by region.

See all 53 hotels

Milan and the north

Portofino and Liguria

  • Splendido Mare, A Belmond HotelPortofino

    Belmond's small hotel on the piazzetta at Portofino's harbour, below its sister hotel Splendido, with two MICHELIN Keys.

Venice

Florence, Tuscany and Umbria

Rome and Lazio

Capri, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast

Puglia and Matera

  • La Fiermontina Palazzo Bozzi CorsoLecce

    A palazzo hotel in the Baroque old town of Lecce, with two MICHELIN Keys. Visit website ↗

  • Masseria Torre MaizzaSavelletri di Fasano

    Rocco Forte's restored masseria among the olive groves near the Puglian coast, with two MICHELIN Keys.

  • Vetera MateraMatera

    A hotel in the old town of Matera, the city of the Sassi in Basilicata, with two MICHELIN Keys.

Sicily and the islands

Private villas and estates

  • The Best in ItalyFlorence

    Founded in 1982 by Count Girolamo and Countess Simonetta Brandolini d'Adda, it rents staffed castles, palaces, villas and country houses across Tuscany, Umbria, Rome, northern and southern Italy and the islands, and is still family-run. Visit website ↗

  • Villa Cetinalenear Siena

    A Baroque villa built from 1651 for Fabio Chigi, later Pope Alexander VII, and redesigned by Carlo Fontana in 1680; restored by Lord Lambton from 1977, it is now available for private rental, with three further houses on the estate. Visit website ↗

  • ReschioUmbria

    A 1,500-hectare private estate around a thousand-year-old castle, where the Bolza family has restored farmhouses over three decades and rents them as private villas alongside its castle hotel. Visit website ↗

  • Rocca delle Tre ContradeEtna, Sicily

    An 1850s aristocratic country house and winery inside Etna National Park, restored over three years into a 12-bedroom villa with an infinity pool and estate gardens; it is let by the week only through The Thinking Traveller. Visit website ↗

The painted houses and bell tower of Portofino above its harbour, olive groves on the hill behind
The harbour of Portofino

Dine

The best restaurants in Italy

The great three-MICHELIN-star restaurants of Italy, the finest two-stars of the coast and islands, and the most celebrated beach clubs.

Three MICHELIN stars

See all 12

Two MICHELIN stars

Beach clubs

  • Bagni FioreParaggi (Portofino)

    Portofino's historic beach club on Paraggi Bay, an icon of the Ligurian dolce vita since 1927, revamped by the Parisian studio Festen, with Langosteria's restaurant on the sand.

  • La FontelinaCapri

    A beach club and seafood restaurant at the foot of the Faraglioni rocks, opened in 1949 and still run by the founding families. Visit website ↗

  • Il RiccioAnacapri (Capri)

    The beach club and restaurant of Capri Palace Jumeirah, on the rocks beside the Blue Grotto, known for its seafood and its dessert "Temptation Room". Open to non-residents.

  • Le Sirenuse MareMarina del Cantone (Nerano)

    Le Sirenuse's beach club on the bay of Nerano, on the Sorrento peninsula's southern shore, open to non-guests daily from April to October and 25 minutes by boat from Positano. Visit website ↗

  • Phi BeachBaja Sardinia (Sardinia)

    A clifftop beach club and restaurant at Forte Cappellini on the Costa Smeralda, known for its sunset and its summer programme of leading international DJs. Visit website ↗

Private chefs and catering

For a villa, a yacht or a wedding.

  • Da VittorioBrusaporto (Bergamo), serving Milan and northern Italy

    The Cerea family's restaurant holds three MICHELIN stars, and outside catering makes up a large share of the business. Visit website ↗

Cooking schools

Deep blue and turquoise sea below the cliffs and gardens of Capri, seen from above
The coast of Capri from above

Sail

Yachting in Italy

The marinas that take superyachts, the Italian yards that build them, and a seven-day route around Capri and the Amalfi Coast.

Superyacht marinas

  • Marina di Porto CervoSardinia

    About 700 berths, 100 of them for megayachts, taking yachts up to 160 metres on the Costa Smeralda; the new marina is open all year. Visit website ↗

  • Marina di PortofinoPortofino

    14 superyacht moorings on the quay of the village plus two in Cannone Bay, for yachts up to 55 metres, in one of the most sought-after small harbours in the world.

  • Porto Turistico di CapriMarina Grande

    300 berths for yachts up to 60 metres on Capri's north shore, reported to be among the most expensive marinas in the world and fully booked in high summer. Visit website ↗

A week at sea

The Amalfi Coast and the Bay of Naples: a seven-day round trip for yachts of about 30 to 80 metres, with Capri, Positano and the islands of the bay.

Read the itinerary

Yacht clubs

  • Yacht Club Costa SmeraldaPorto Cervo (members' club)

    Founded in 1967 by the Aga Khan with André Ardoin, Giuseppe Kerry Mentasti and Luigi Vietti, now presided over by Princess Zahra Aga Khan. Visit website ↗

Yacht services

  • Luise GroupNaples

    A registered yacht agency based in Naples, with teams along the Italian coast and islands (among them Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Rome, Tuscany, Sardinia, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands) handling clearances, berths, provisioning and concierge arrangements for large yachts. Visit website ↗

Shipyards

See all 8

Refit and maintenance

  • Amico & CoGenoa

    A Genoa refit and repair yard for super and megayachts, with a 4,000-tonne shiplift, a 170-metre dry dock and about 115 projects a year. Visit website ↗

  • LusbenLivorno, Viareggio and Varazze

    The Azimut-Benetti Group's refit division, working since 1956; its Livorno yard alone can berth up to 40 megayachts. Visit website ↗

  • Palumbo Upfit (formerly Palumbo Superyachts Refit)Naples, Malta and Marseille

    A Naples-based group with seven yards (Naples, Messina, Ancona, Savona, Malta's Grand Harbour, Marseille, and the Viktor Lenac yard at Rijeka in Croatia, mainly for commercial ships) and dry docks for vessels up to 268 metres; its Malta yard has a 160-metre dry dock, a covered 140-metre dry dock and a 420-tonne travelift. Visit website ↗

Cruises

Italy by sea

The cruise ports of Italy, and where the luxury lines call.

Civitavecchia for Rome is Italy's busiest cruise port; the ships also call at Naples, Livorno for Florence, Palermo and Messina, and the small luxury ships reach Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Portofino and the islands.

Where the luxury lines call

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea
A red Frecciarossa high-speed train under the iron and glass roof of Milano Centrale
The Frecciarossa at Milano Centrale

Travel

First-class travel in Italy

The great hotel trains, first-class rail and the chauffeurs at our standard. Private jet arrivals are covered in the questions below.

First-class rail

The top class on the scheduled high-speed trains, from city to city.

  • Trenitalia Frecciarossa, Executive

    The top class on Italy's high-speed Frecciarossa, in one carriage at the end of the train with only eight to ten leather seats that recline and swivel, a dedicated steward and a meeting room. Visit website ↗

  • Italo, Club Executive

    The top class of Italo, Italy's private high-speed operator, with leather armchairs in interiors by Giugiaro and a choice of seat. Visit website ↗

The hotel trains

Overnight journeys in restored carriages.

  • Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: Paris to Venice

    Belmond's restored 1920s and 1930s Art Deco carriages run the train's signature overnight route between Paris and Venice in both directions, with variants via Verona and via Florence, across a season that runs from March to December. Visit website ↗

  • Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: Paris to Venice via Cannes

    A Riviera routing of the same train, running Paris to Lyon, Cannes and on to Venice, offered in May. Visit website ↗

  • Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: Villeggiatura journeys to the Italian coast

    Multi-night itineraries that pair a night on the train with stays at Belmond hotels: Paris to Portofino with Belmond Hotel Splendido, and Paris to the Amalfi Coast via the French and Italian Rivieras, with a Pompeii visit and two nights at Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello. Visit website ↗

  • La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Rome-based journeys across Italy

    Italy's own luxury train, in service since 2025, with 1960s-inspired cabins and suites by Dimorestudio and dining overseen by chef Heinz Beck. Visit website ↗

  • La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Rome to Istanbul

    A four-night journey from Rome via Venice, Budapest and the Carpathian Mountains to Istanbul, first running in October 2026, with a return journey from Istanbul to Rome by way of Bulgaria and Vienna, also in October. Visit website ↗

  • Golden Eagle Danube Express: Balkan Explorer, Venice to Istanbul

    A 12-day journey eastbound from Venice through Trieste and Slovenia to Pula and Rijeka in Croatia, Sarajevo and Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, then Belgrade, Sofia and Istanbul, with seven nights on the train. Visit website ↗

Chauffeurs and self-drive

  • Carey InternationalFrance, Spain and Italy

    Founded in 1921, Carey is one of the oldest names in executive chauffeured transport, operating in more than 80 countries, with long-term franchise partners in France, Spain and Italy running Carey-branded vehicles. Visit website ↗

  • Cerrato LimoAmalfi Coast, Naples and Italy-wide

    A family chauffeur firm started by Umberto Cerrato in 1963 and now run by his grandson Andrea, registered in Campania as Cerrato Group Luxury Service S.r.l. with a licensed private-hire (NCC) fleet of Mercedes S-Class, E-Class and V-Class cars and larger vans. Visit website ↗

  • Elite Rent-a-CarMilan and Rome

    The Geneva-based firm's Italian agencies, in Milan and Rome, with delivery and collection across Italy, including Porto Cervo and Lake Como. The fleet includes Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Porsche. Visit website ↗

  • FTO RentMilan

    Supercar and luxury car hire from Piazza Indro Montanelli in Milan, with delivery in Italy and cars cleared to travel across Europe. The fleet includes Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche and Range Rover. Visit website ↗

  • Vintage Drive Como LakeLake Como

    Self-drive hire of classic Italian convertibles, among them a 1966 Fiat 1500 Cabriolet and a 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider, from its base on the lakefront at Abbadia Lariana, with delivery to hotels around the lake. Visit website ↗

  • Positano VintagePositano

    Self-drive hire of classic Fiat 500 convertibles, an Alfa Romeo Spider and a Volkswagen Beetle convertible, from Via Arienzo in Positano, for more than ten years. Visit website ↗

  • Dolcevita CarsSorrento

    Self-drive hire of vintage cars for the Sorrento peninsula and the Amalfi Coast, from Via San Renato in Sorrento, including an Alfa Romeo Spider and a Fiat 500 Spiaggina beach car. Visit website ↗

The triumphal arch entrance of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan

Shop

Luxury shopping in Italy

Milan, Rome, Florence, Venice, Capri, Portofino and Porto Cervo; the jewellers born here; and the ateliers that still cut, weave and blow glass by hand.

The great shopping streets

  • Via Montenapoleone and the Quadrilatero della ModaMilan

    The fashion district bounded by Via Montenapoleone, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia. Visit website ↗

  • Via dei CondottiRome

    Rome's most elegant street, running from Piazza di Spagna, home to Bulgari's historic flagship at No. 10, open since 1905, alongside Hermès, Cartier, Prada, Gucci and Valentino. Visit website ↗

  • Via de' TornabuoniFlorence

    The palace-lined street from Piazza Antinori to the Santa Trinita bridge, where Gucci has long had its Florence flagship and Ferragamo has kept its headquarters in Palazzo Spini Feroni since 1938, with Cartier, Hermès, Prada and Fendi nearby. Visit website ↗

  • The Piazzetta and the harbourPortofino

    The harbour village of the Ligurian Riviera, where the great houses keep boutiques around the Piazzetta and along Calata Marconi, Molo Umberto I and Via Roma: Dior on Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta, with Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Brunello Cucinelli.

  • The Promenade du Port and the PiazzettaPorto Cervo

    The harbour promenade and piazzetta at the heart of the Costa Smeralda, where Hermès keeps its boutique on the Piazza and Dior on La Passeggiata, alongside Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada and Valentino. Visit website ↗

  • Via Camerelle and Via Vittorio EmanueleCapri

    The lanes running from the Piazzetta towards the Quisisana, one of the densest rows of fashion boutiques anywhere, where Hermès (Nos. 9–13), Louis Vuitton (No. 16/A) and Dior (No. 19) stand on Via Camerelle and Chanel on Via Vittorio Emanuele.

  • Calle Larga XXII MarzoVenice

    The broad street running west from Piazza San Marco towards the Gritti, Venice's street of haute couture boutiques, with Chanel at No. 2070, Dolce & Gabbana, Tod's and Brunello Cucinelli in the former Venice Stock Exchange, Palazzo della Borsa. Visit website ↗

Jewellers and watchmakers

  • BulgariVia dei Condotti 10, Rome

    Founded in Rome in 1884 by Sotirios Voulgaris; its Via dei Condotti flagship opened in 1905 and was refurbished by Peter Marino for the house's 130th anniversary. Visit website ↗

  • BuccellatiVia Montenapoleone 23, Milan

    A Milanese goldsmith house founded in 1919 by Mario Buccellati, known for engraved, textured gold; now part of Richemont, with its flagship on Via Montenapoleone. Visit website ↗

  • DamianiValenza

    Founded in Valenza in 1924 by Enrico Grassi Damiani and run by the family's third generation, with its pieces still made at the Valenza headquarters. It has won 18 Diamonds International Awards. Visit website ↗

  • PomellatoMilan

    Founded in Milan in 1967 by Pino Rabolini, the house that introduced "prêt-à-porter" fine jewellery; part of Kering since 2013. Visit website ↗

  • PaneraiPiazza San Giovanni, Florence

    Founded in Florence in 1860 as a watch shop, workshop and school; its boutique facing the Baptistery has stood on Piazza San Giovanni since 1926 and keeps a working watchmaker's bench. Visit website ↗

  • ChanteclerCapri

    Founded on Capri in 1947 by Pietro Capuano, known to his friends as "Chantecler", and Salvatore Aprea, with its first shop on Via Camerelle; known for colourful jewellery in coral, turquoise and yellow gold drawn from the island's sea and the Faraglioni, and worn by Greta Garbo and Audrey Hepburn.

  • Van Cleef & ArpelsVia Camerelle 47, Capri

    The maison's boutique on Capri's main luxury street. Visit website ↗

Artisan ateliers

  • RubinacciNaples

    The Neapolitan tailoring house founded in 1932 by Gennaro Rubinacci as "London House", with a bespoke tailoring service. Visit website ↗

  • KitonArzano, Naples

    Founded in 1968 by Ciro Paone and still family-owned, making hand-cut, hand-basted tailoring at its Arzano headquarters, with a bespoke service. Visit website ↗

  • Cesare AttoliniCasalnuovo, Naples

    The tailoring house descended from Vincenzo Attolini, who in 1930 shaped the soft Neapolitan jacket; it makes handcrafted suits and shirts and offers bespoke. Visit website ↗

  • E. MarinellaNaples

    The Neapolitan tie maker working since 1914, with ties and accessories handmade in Naples and a made-to-measure service. Visit website ↗

  • CanforaVia Camerelle, Capri

    The Capri sandal maker founded in 1946 by Amedeo Canfora and now run by his grandson Costanzo, making sandals by hand and to measure, tracing each client's foot as it did for Jacqueline Kennedy.

  • Stefano BemerVia San Niccolò, Florence

    A Florentine shoemaker offering fully bespoke shoes with its own lasts and signature fiddleback waist; it also owns the Florentine tailoring house Sartoria Vestrucci. Visit website ↗

See all 14
  • Scuola del CuoioSanta Croce, Florence

    The leather school founded after the Second World War by the Franciscan friars of Santa Croce with the Gori and Casini leather families to teach war orphans a trade; it still makes leather goods by hand, including to order. Visit website ↗

  • Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria NovellaFlorence

    The historic pharmacy and perfumery of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria Novella, which dates its history to 1221. Visit website ↗

  • Ginori 1735 (Richard-Ginori)Sesto Fiorentino

    The porcelain manufactory founded in 1735 by Marchese Carlo Andrea Ginori at Doccia, on the family estate outside Florence.

  • VeniniMurano

    The glass house founded in 1921 by Paolo Venini and Giacomo Cappellin; all pieces are made by hand at its own Murano furnace, which also takes commissioned projects. Visit website ↗

  • Barovier & TosoFondamenta Vetrai, Murano

    A Murano glass and lighting house tracing its family glassmaking to 1295, making hand-blown pieces and bespoke lighting. Visit website ↗

  • FortunyGiudecca, Venice

    The textile house of Mariano Fortuny, whose factory on Giudecca, opened in the early 1920s, still prints its fabrics by its founder's methods; it is among the last working factories in Venice. Visit website ↗

  • Tessitura Luigi BevilacquaVenice

    A Venetian silk weaver established in 1875, weaving velvet, damask and lampas on 17th-century hand looms. Visit website ↗

  • RubelliSan Marco, Venice

    A Venetian family textile house of more than 130 years, making fabrics and wallcoverings for residences, with its headquarters in San Marco. Visit website ↗

Design galleries

  • NilufarVia della Spiga, Milan

    The design gallery founded in 1979 by Nina Yashar, showing rare vintage and contemporary collectible design, with its gallery on Via della Spiga and the larger Nilufar Depot. Visit website ↗

  • Rossana OrlandiVia Matteo Bandello, Milan

    A contemporary design gallery showing furniture, lighting and unique pieces by more than 60 international designers, with a summer space in Porto Cervo. Visit website ↗

Auction houses

  • Sotheby's MilanMilan

    Sotheby's Italian base holds its modern and contemporary art auctions in Milan at Palazzo Serbelloni, alongside previews of works bound for its international sales. Visit website ↗

  • Phillips MilanMilan

    Office and gallery space opened in 2023 on Via Lanzone, near Piazza Sant'Ambrogio, showing art, design, photographs, editions, jewels and watches ahead of Phillips sales in London, New York, Hong Kong and Geneva. Visit website ↗

  • Bonhams MilanMilan

    Bonhams' Italian office at Via Boccaccio 22 handles valuations and consignments for the house's international sales. Visit website ↗

  • Pandolfini Casa d'AsteFlorence

    Founded in 1924 and based in Palazzo Ramirez-Montalvo on Borgo degli Albizi, Pandolfini is one of Italy's leading auction houses, with sales of old masters, furniture, silver, fine wine and Asian art in Florence and modern and contemporary art and books in Milan. Visit website ↗

  • Il Ponte Casa d'AsteMilan

    Founded in 1974 and based in the historic Palazzo Crivelli on Via Pontaccio, Il Ponte holds sales of important jewels, old master paintings and furniture, silver, modern and contemporary art, and Asian and Islamic art. Visit website ↗

Art galleries

See all 6

The great marques

Official showrooms, most by appointment.

See all 12

The Great Marques: showrooms, factories and cars to hire ›

The gilded, painted ceiling of the Gallery of Maps in the Vatican Museums
The Gallery of Maps, the Vatican Museums

Experience

Events and things to do in Italy

The Italian year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

The great museums

Opera houses, concert halls and festivals

  • Teatro alla ScalaMilan

    Opened in 1778; Verdi's Otello and Puccini's Madama Butterfly and Turandot premiered here. Visit website ↗

  • Teatro dell'Opera di RomaRome

    Opened in 1880 as the Teatro Costanzi, where Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana and Puccini's Tosca premiered; each summer since 1937 the company has also staged opera in the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla; while the baths are restored, the summer season moved to the Circus Maximus in 2026.

  • Teatro di San CarloNaples

    Opened in 1737, the oldest continuously active opera house in the world. Visit website ↗

  • La FeniceVenice

    Opened in 1792 and rebuilt after fires in 1836 and 1996; Verdi's La traviata and Rigoletto premiered here. Visit website ↗

  • Teatro MassimoPalermo

    Italy's largest opera house, opened in 1897, where the final scenes of The Godfather Part III were filmed. Visit website ↗

  • Arena di Verona

    A Roman amphitheatre from about AD 30, home to a summer opera festival since a 1913 Aida. Visit website ↗

See all 10
  • Teatro RegioParma

    Opened in 1829; it has staged every Verdi opera and hosts the Festival Verdi each autumn. Visit website ↗

  • Villa RufoloRavello

    The gardens high above the Amalfi Coast that Wagner saw as Klingsor's garden in Parsifal in 1880, home of the Ravello Festival since 1953. Visit website ↗

  • Rossini Opera FestivalPesaro

    Rossini's hometown on the Adriatic has given his operas, many in new critical editions, each August since 1980, at the Teatro Rossini and the city's larger halls. Visit website ↗

  • Teatro AnticoTaormina

    A Greek theatre rebuilt by the Romans, with summer concerts, opera and ballet overlooking the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna.

Private access

Doors that open by arrangement.

  • Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican MuseumsVatican City (Rome)

    Patrons in good standing can request morning visits before public opening, covering the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms and the Borgia Apartments, plus afternoon visits to the restoration laboratories for groups of no more than ten. Visit website ↗

  • Vatican Necropolis and Tomb of St PeterVatican City (Rome)

    Guided visits to the Roman burial ground beneath the nave of St Peter's Basilica, leading to the apostle's tomb. Visits are by reservation request only, through the Basilica's own booking service. Visit website ↗

  • Secret Itineraries of the Doge's PalaceVenice

    A guided route through rooms closed to general visitors: the Council of Ten's offices, the Secret Chancellery, the Chamber of the Inquisitors, the torture chamber and the Piombi cells where Casanova was held. Visit website ↗

  • Truffle hunting with Savini TartufiForcoli (Pisa), Tuscany

    The truffle house takes guests into its own woods with its hunters and trained dogs, followed by a truffle menu with local wines at its headquarters; cooking classes and its Truffle Academy can be added. Visit website ↗

Wine estates that receive visitors

  • Antinori nel Chianti ClassicoBargino (Tuscany)

    The Antinori family's winery, designed by Marco Casamonti and ranked first in the World's Best Vineyards in 2022, offers three tasting tours, private experiences and the Rinuccio 1180 restaurant overlooking the vineyards. Visit website ↗

  • Tenuta dell'OrnellaiaBolgheri (Tuscany)

    One of the founding estates of the Bolgheri "Super Tuscan" reds, which receives visitors through its hospitality programme. Visit website ↗

  • DonnafugataMarsala, Contessa Entellina and Pantelleria (Sicily)

    Sicily's leading family house offers visits and tastings at its historic Marsala winery, Contessa Entellina and Pantelleria, booked through its own visit portal. Visit website ↗

  • PlanetaMenfi, Noto and Etna (Sicily)

    The Planeta family receives visitors at its Ulmo, Buonivini and Sciaranuova wineries and hosts guests at La Foresteria in Menfi. Visit website ↗

  • Tasca d'AlmeritaRegaleali (Sicily)

    The Tasca family's historic estate in the hills of central Sicily, home of Rosso del Conte since 1970, offers guided tours of the winery and cellar with tastings from all five of its estates, including Capofaro on the island of Salina, where the family also has a resort among the Malvasia vines. Visit website ↗

Golf

Health spas

Sport and motoring

  • Yacht Club ItalianoGenoa and Portofino, Italy

    Founded in 1879 and known as the oldest yacht club in the Mediterranean, with more than 1,000 members and a summer base in Portofino. Visit website ↗

  • Vele d'Epoca di ImperiaLiguria, Italy

    The classic-yacht regatta of the Italian Riviera, first sailed in 1986 and held every year since 2019, at the turn of August and September. Visit website ↗

  • Argentario Sailing WeekPorto Santo Stefano, Italy

    Yacht Club Santo Stefano's June regatta for classic and vintage yachts, which draws about 50 boats from around ten nations, several of them more than a century old.

  • Ferrari Corso PilotaFiorano and Monza, Italy

    Ferrari's own driving course. Visit website ↗

  • Porsche Experience Center FranciacortaCastrezzato, Italy

    Porsche's eighth Experience Center worldwide, opened in 2021, with track, drift, off-road and GT4 racing programmes and a combined Porsche and Ducati day. Visit website ↗

  • Targa Florio ClassicaSicily, Italy

    ACI Sport's revival of the Targa Florio, the Sicilian road race first run in 1906, with classic cars covering about 600 km of the island from Palermo. Visit website ↗

See all 16

Weddings and celebrations

  • Lanza & BaucinaLondon, Venice and Palermo

    Founded in 2000 by Counts Aleramo and Riccardo Lanza and Prince Antonio Licata di Baucina, the firm planned the Venice weddings of George and Amal Clooney and of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez. Visit website ↗

  • Enzo MiccioMilan

    Italy's best-known wedding designer and a television host, whose Milan studio plans weddings and private events in places such as Capri, Venice and Rome. Visit website ↗

  • Hotel Villa CimbroneRavello

    A hotel in a 12th-century residence high above the Amalfi Coast, known for its gardens and the Terrace of Infinity, run by the same family since the 1960s. It hosts weddings and events. Visit website ↗

  • Borgo EgnaziaSavelletri di Fasano, Puglia

    A five-star resort built like a Puglian village near the sea, with its own events and celebrations team. Visit website ↗

  • Castello OdescalchiBracciano

    A Renaissance castle on Lake Bracciano, northwest of Rome, still owned by the Odescalchi family, which hosts weddings and galas. Visit website ↗

After dark

Vineyards, woods and green hills rolling away to the horizon under a summer sky
Vineyards and hills in summer

Live

Luxury real estate in Italy

A home in Italy: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

  • Lionard Luxury Real EstateFlorence

    Italian luxury specialist with offices in Florence, Milan, Rome, Naples, Venice, Porto Cervo and Forte dei Marmi, handling villas, castles and estates in Tuscany, Liguria, Sardinia and Capri. Visit website ↗

  • Romolini ImmobiliareTuscany

    Exclusive Christie's International Real Estate affiliate since 2008, specialising in historic properties, wine estates and villas in Tuscany, Umbria, the Amalfi Coast, Monte Argentario and Sardinia. Visit website ↗

  • Italy Sotheby's International RealtyMilan

    The Sotheby's affiliate for Italy, with 15 offices including Porto Cervo, Genoa, Palermo and Noto, covering Portofino, the Amalfi Coast and Sardinia. Visit website ↗

Residency

  • Investor Visa for Italy

    Run by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, it grants a two-year residence for non-EU investors, renewable for three more, for €2 million in Italian government bonds, €500,000 in an Italian company, €250,000 in an innovative startup or a €1 million philanthropic donation. Visit website ↗

  • Flat Tax for New Residents (Article 24-bis)Italy

    A tax regime, not a residence permit, administered by the Agenzia delle Entrate.

Architects and designers

  • Antonio Citterio Patricia VielMilan, Italy

    The Milan practice behind the Bulgari hotels, including the Bulgari Hotel Roma, works on hotels and high-end residential projects. Visit website ↗

  • Studio PeregalliMilan, Italy

    Roberto Peregalli and Laura Sartori Rimini, both trained under Renzo Mongiardino, have designed historically informed interiors for collectors since 1992, including a residence in Sotogrande and houses in Tangier.

Private banks and advisers

See all 9
  • Rothschild & Co Wealth ManagementMonaco, France, Italy and Spain

    The family-controlled group's wealth management arm has Mediterranean offices in Monaco, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Milan and Madrid, the last opened in 2021. Visit website ↗

  • J.P. Morgan Private BankMadrid, Milan and Athens

    Named Europe's best international private bank for 2026 by Euromoney. Visit website ↗

  • Mediobanca Private BankingMilan

    Named best private bank in Italy for 2026 by Euromoney for its work with ultra-wealthy and entrepreneurial families. Visit website ↗

  • WithersMilan and Padua

    The international private-client law firm's Italian private client and tax team, about 25 professionals across Milan and Padua, was named European Private Client Team of the Year at the Chambers High Net Worth Awards 2026. Visit website ↗

  • Maisto e AssociatiMilan and Rome

    An independent Italian tax firm founded in 1991, with five lawyers ranked by Chambers High Net Worth 2026 for private wealth law in Italy, focused on succession, relocation and cross-border family wealth. Visit website ↗

Private healthcare

  • Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. GemelliRome

    The Catholic University's teaching hospital, a private foundation that also treats patients of the national health service; ranked first in Italy in the 2026 Newsweek ranking. Visit website ↗

  • Humanitas Research HospitalMilan

    A private research and teaching hospital at Rozzano, on the edge of Milan; ranked third in Italy in the 2026 Newsweek ranking.

  • Ospedale San RaffaeleMilan

    A private research and university hospital in the Gruppo San Donato; ranked fourth in Italy in the 2026 Newsweek ranking.

  • UPMC Salvator Mundi International HospitalRome

    Operating since 1951 and described as Rome's first private international hospital, with more than 40 specialties and services in English for the international community. Visit website ↗

International schools

  • St George's British International SchoolRome

    Founded in 1958 as the oldest British international school in Italy, it teaches the English curriculum to IGCSE, then the IB Diploma or A-levels, on a 6-hectare campus at La Storta with a second junior campus near the Vatican.

  • Marymount International School RomeRome

    Founded in 1946, it offers an American-based curriculum from early childhood to grade 12 with the IB Diploma (since 1985) and AP courses, and is accredited by CIS and the Middle States Association. Visit website ↗

  • American Overseas School of RomeRome

    Founded in 1947 on the Via Cassia, it teaches Pre-K to grade 12 with AP courses and the IB Diploma, and is accredited by the Middle States Association and CIS. Visit website ↗

  • International School of FlorenceFlorence

    An IB school for ages 3 to 18 offering the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes, serving families across Florence and Tuscany. Visit website ↗

A superyacht with a helicopter on its deck at anchor off the Amalfi Coast in deep blue water
A superyacht off the Amalfi Coast

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Italy and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

When is the best time to visit Italy?

Amalfi Coast: Late May, June and September are ideal: hot dry days, a sea warm enough for swimming and fewer crowds than July and August. Many hotels and restaurants close from November to March.

Capri: June and September are best: warm sea for swimming off the rocks and boats, and the island is calmer than in July and August, when day-trippers crowd the Piazzetta.

Portofino: June and September are ideal: the sea is warm (23°C, 74°F), the harbour is lively but not packed, and the hills are pleasant for walking. July and August are hottest and busiest.

Venice: Late April to May and late September to October are best: mild days, fewer people than summer, and the Biennale is open. February belongs to Carnival; July and August are hot, humid and crowded.

Rome: April to May and late September to October are best: warm, bright days without the heat of July and August, when highs reach 32°C (89°F).

Costa Smeralda, Sardinia: June and September are ideal: the sea is warm (23–24°C, 73–75°F), the hotels and beach clubs are open, and the coast is far calmer than in July and August.

Taormina, Sicily: May, June and September to early October are ideal: warm sea, long dry days and fewer people than in July and August. June brings film premieres in the ancient Greek theatre.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Italy?

Amalfi Coast: Il San Pietro di Positano (three MICHELIN Keys).

Capri: J.K. Place Capri (three MICHELIN Keys and Forbes Five-Star).

Portofino: Splendido, A Belmond Hotel (three MICHELIN Keys).

Venice: Aman Venice (three MICHELIN Keys).

Rome: Bulgari Hotel Roma (three MICHELIN Keys).

Taormina, Sicily: San Domenico Palace, A Four Seasons Hotel (three MICHELIN Keys).

Italy has 6 of the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean: Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel; Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco; Le Sirenuse; Borgo Santandrea; Caruso, A Belmond Hotel; Borgo Egnazia.

How do you arrive in Italy by private jet?

Amalfi Coast: Naples International Airport, Capodichino (NAP / LIRN), about 1 hour 15 minutes by car to Positano, longer on summer weekends.

Capri: Naples International Airport, Capodichino (NAP / LIRN), about 20 minutes by car to the port of Naples, then under an hour by fast ferry or private boat to Marina Grande.

Portofino: Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA / LIMJ), about 50 minutes by car, longer at midday in summer when the A12 is busiest.

Venice: Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE / LIPZ), then about 30 to 40 minutes by private water taxi to St Mark's Square.

Rome: Rome Ciampino Airport (CIA / LIRA), the city's business aviation airport with its own general aviation terminal and customs, about 30 to 40 minutes by car (up to an hour at peak times).

Costa Smeralda, Sardinia: Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB / LIEO), about 35 minutes by car to Porto Cervo, up to 40 minutes in July and August.

Taormina, Sicily: Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA / LICC), about 1 hour by car.

Which are the best restaurants in Italy?

Italy has 12 restaurants with three MICHELIN stars on our list: Piazza Duomo (Alba); La Rei Natura (Serralunga d'Alba); Enrico Bartolini al Mudec (Milan); Da Vittorio (Brusaporto); Dal Pescatore (Runate); Casa Perbellini 12 Apostoli (Verona); Le Calandre (Rubano); Osteria Francescana (Modena); Enoteca Pinchiorri (Florence); Uliassi (Senigallia); La Pergola (Rome); Reale (Castel di Sangro).

Do you tip in Italy?

Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.

What should you wear in Italy?

Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.

More of the Mediterranean

Luxury travel across the Mediterranean

PortugalLuxury Portugal Holidays: Lisbon & AlgarveExplore PortugalSpainLuxury Spain Holidays: Mallorca & IbizaExplore SpainGibraltarGibraltar Travel Guide: The Rock in LuxuryExplore GibraltarFranceLuxury French Riviera Holidays & HotelsExplore FranceMonacoLuxury Monaco Holidays: Monte-Carlo Hotels & the Grand PrixExplore MonacoMaltaMalta Luxury Holidays & Valletta HotelsExplore MaltaSloveniaSlovenia Travel: Piran & Lake BledExplore SloveniaCroatiaLuxury Croatia Holidays: Dubrovnik & HvarExplore CroatiaBosnia and HerzegovinaMostar & Bosnia and Herzegovina Travel GuideExplore Bosnia and HerzegovinaMontenegroLuxury Montenegro: Bay of Kotor TravelExplore MontenegroAlbaniaAlbanian Riviera Travel GuideExplore AlbaniaGreeceLuxury Greece Holidays: Mykonos & SantoriniExplore GreeceTürkiyeLuxury Türkiye Holidays: Istanbul & BodrumExplore TürkiyeCyprusCyprus Luxury Travel: Limassol & PaphosExplore CyprusSyriaSyria: Ancient History, Culture & HeritageExplore SyriaLebanonLebanon: Ancient History, Culture & HeritageExplore LebanonIsraelIsrael Travel Guide: Tel Aviv & JerusalemExplore IsraelEgyptLuxury Egypt Holidays: Cairo, the Pyramids & the NileExplore EgyptLibyaLibya: Ancient History, Culture & HeritageExplore LibyaTunisiaTunisia Travel: Sidi Bou Said & CarthageExplore TunisiaAlgeriaAlgiers & Algeria Travel: Culture & HistoryExplore AlgeriaMoroccoLuxury Morocco Holidays: Marrakech & TangierExplore Morocco
A driftwood bonfire on the shore at night, the dark sea behind it
A fire by the sea at night

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Italy

How Italy does things.

Language
Italian. English is widely spoken in luxury hotels and leading restaurants in Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and the main coastal resorts; less so in the countryside.
Greetings
A handshake on first meeting; cheek kisses among friends and family. Titles matter: dottore / dottoressa for anyone with a university degree, signore / signora otherwise.
Dress
Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.
Dining
Lunch about 1–3 pm; dinner from about 8 pm, often 9.30 pm or later in the big cities and in summer. Book ahead for good restaurants. A per-person cover charge (coperto) for bread and table setting is normal and is not a tip. Ask for the bill; it will not arrive until you do.
Tipping
Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.
Good to know
Smaller shops often close for a midday break and on Sunday. Many towns fine people for sitting on monument steps or eating and drinking beside major churches and monuments; entering or bathing in public fountains is an offence in many cities, including Rome and Florence, and swimming in Venice's canals is banned. Taking sand, shells or pebbles from the coast is illegal, and Capri bans disposable plastics.
Tourist tax
Venice charges day visitors an access fee on set days from April to July, from €5 booked in advance; guests staying overnight in the city are exempt but must register online.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.