Of course, escorted tours to Italy are important. It's a great way to learn about Italy's past, to follow the traces of ancient civilizations, and to admire the artworks of geniuses of the past. But there is no better way to dive into the local culture than taking some time to explore less known places of the city on your own and getting to know the locals. But navigating in a foreign country is always a challenge, especially if you've never been to sunny Italy before. To help you a bit, we decided to put together this small travel guide, exploring the different ways you can get around in Italy, that hopefully, you'll find useful.
Getting Around Italy
Public Transport System in Italy
Luckily, all the major tourist cities in Italy boast a developed transport system, making it very easy to travel between the different parts of the cities.
Taking an in-city bus is always an option in Italy, but keep in mind that a bus ticket has to be purchased beforehand as it's impossible to get one from the driver upon boarding. You can buy a ticket in any newspaper or tobacco kiosk, and it's always better to get it beforehand. Plus, most of the stalls don't work on Sundays, so if you are planning to travel by bus, make sure to buy a couple of extra tickets the day before. We advise not to try your luck as the fines for taking a bus without paying a fare are high.
Getting around Venice has its specificities, such as an opportunity to take a water bus, locally known as the Vaporetto, operating from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m (the time may vary, depending on the route, so it's better to check beforehand). A 24-hour ticket will cost you 25€.
Trains in Italy
If the subject of traveling around the cities is more or less clear now, how to travel between the different cities of Italy is another topic. As in any other part of the world, it's possible to travel Italy on a plane or a bus, but due to the high costs in the first case, and the long travel times and poor onboard amenities in the second, the high-speed trains remain one of the most popular connections in Italy. Pros of taking a high-speed train include fast travel times, extensive departure schedule, great onboard amenities, city-center-to-city-center link, and easy check-in procedures. For instance, Rome to Venice high speed train allows you to travel from the bustling capital to the City of Canals in just a few hours! However, it also means that rail tickets for the most popular Italy train routes get sold-out rather quickly, so it's better to purchase one in advance.
