Expert Advice from the Italy Specialists at ItalianTourism.us
By Lorena Basualdo, last updated January 1, 2026
Planning a vacation to Italy in 2026 can feel overwhelming, with so many destinations, attractions, and travel options to consider. Backed by our years of experience designing Italy vacations, and our most recent experience in 2024, 2025, and into 2026, these 10 expert tips reflect how we are advising our travelers to plan smarter for 2026 and into 2027 — helping you avoid common pitfalls and create a memorable, stress-free Italian journey.
While most travelers are planning Italy trips for 2026, these expert tips also apply to early planners looking ahead to 2027, especially as demand remains high.
Whether you plan to travel independently, join an escorted tour, or combine both approaches, these insights from ItalianTourism.us cover everything from timing and accommodations to sightseeing, food, and cultural experiences — ensuring your 2026 Italy trip is seamless and enjoyable.
With demand remaining high and most travelers now planning 9–12 months in advance, careful planning is more important than ever.
Why trust our advice?
The team at ItalianTourism.us plans Italy vacations every day — from escorted tours to custom itineraries — working directly with licensed local guides, hotels, and regional partners throughout Italy. The insights below reflect real-world planning decisions, firsthand travel experience across multiple regions and seasons, and feedback from travelers planning Italy trips in 2025–2026 — not generic travel advice.
1. Start Planning Earlier Than You Think
Italy remains one of the world’s most sought-after travel destinations. Flights, centrally located hotels, licensed local guides, and timed-entry tickets to major attractions often sell out well in advance.
For 2026 travel, planning a vacation to Italy 9–12 months ahead is essential. Waiting too long can limit your options, increase costs, and add unnecessary stress.
When we were making bookings late into 2025 for the second half of the year we found preferred hotels sold out. And the same for the main attactions. We found tickets unavailable, of if available, at undesireable times.
At popular hotels in Rome and Florence, rooms for peak 2026 dates are already 70% booked, highlighting the need to plan early.
Why escorted tours help:
Escorted programs secure hotels, transportation, and sightseeing early, taking the guesswork out of planning and ensuring a smoother, more relaxed experience.
Based on our 2024 and 2025 Italy vacation planning, we found that the planning process beaks down into the following timeline:
- 18 Months Out: Researching regions.
- 12 months Out: Booking escorted tour packages.
- 10 Months Out: Booking flights.
- 6 Months Out: Securing private guides when traveling independently.
2. Choose the Right Time of Year
Timing can dramatically affect your Italy experience.
- Best overall months: April–June and September–October
- More challenging periods: Peak summer heat and major holiday weeks
When we plan trips for our travelers we factor in weather, crowd levels, and seasonal events when designing itineraries — an increasingly valuable advantage as Italy continues to manage visitor access in busy destinations.
Traveling in shoulder seasons also helps avoid crowds at top attractions, making for a calmer, more immersive experience.
For example, we’ve intentionally planned visits to Venice during the Christmas season, when crowds are lighter and the city feels more intimate. Cooler weather and fewer visitors allow travelers to experience Venice without the usual congestion.
We also take into account traveler’s interests so we can suggest authentic seasonal experiences. For example, Italy’s regions celebrate festivals year-round. Planning your trip to coincide with a local festival can enhance the experience and provide a more authentic glimpse of Italian culture.
Pro Tip: If you don’t mind shorter days and cool weather, winter is a viable season to visit Venice, Florence, and Rome. During winter crowds are significantly lighter and hotel rates are more competitive.
3. Decide: Independent Travel, Escorted Tour, or a Hybrid Approach
Italy can be traveled independently, but it can also be complex — especially for first-time visitors.
- Independent travel: Offers flexibility but requires detailed planning
- Escorted Italy tours: Provide structure, expert guidance, and seamless logistics
- Hybrid trips: Combine escorted touring with leisure stays and free time
We our finding that for 2026 many of our travelers are choosing a hybrid approach — escorted touring in major cities like Rome and Florence, followed by leisure time in regions such as Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, or the Italian Lakes.
For example, spend 3 days on an escorted tour in Florence with a licensed guide, then 2 days independently exploring the Tuscan countryside at your own pace.
Our travelers are also adding a cruise or extension. The benefits of all travel coordinated through one trusted advisor cannot be overstated.
Pro Tip: When you coordinate all your planning with one advisor be sure to have the advisor have your travel insurance cover the entire trip, start to finish, all pieces. This will save money. And more importantly there will be no conflict between providers regarding coverage if a claim has to be filed.
For those who prefer everything arranged from start to finish, with a tour director allways on call, exploring all-inclusive Italy vacation options can be an excellent solution.
4. Focus on Fewer Destinations — Travel Slower
One of the strongest trends shaping Italy travel is slow travel.
Rather than rushing through multiple cities:
- Choose a few key regions
- Stay longer in each destination
- Allow time to experience daily Italian life
Well-designed escorted tours reflect this philosophy, minimizing hotel changes while still covering Italy’s most important highlights. Many of our small-group Italy tours are intentionally designed with a more relaxed pace.
Slower travel also gives you time to interact with locals, discover hidden gems, and appreciate regional culinary traditions. You may also find yourself a regular at the evening passagiatta.
For example, a classic Italy itinerary featuring Rome, Florence, and Venice includes three nights in each city to allow for deeper exploration.
Pro Tip: When traveling independently consider longer stays in one place with day trips to nearby towns. Alternatively, travel one direction to avoid wasting time backtracking. Traveling independently by train means travel days are not sightseeing days.
5. Reserve Major Attractions Well in Advance
Italy’s most iconic sights now require advance reservations, including:
- Rome: Colosseum and Vatican Museums
- Florence: Uffizi Gallery and Accademia
- Pompeii and other archaeological sites
- Milan: The Last Supper
For instance, skip-the-line access at the Vatican Museums can save up to 2 hours — time better spent wandering piazzas or enjoying local cafes.
Escorted tours typically include pre-reserved skip-the-line entry and licensed local guides, ensuring access while providing historical context and storytelling you won’t get on your own.
The tickets on the official websites become available typically within 90 days. We have found it very hard to secure tickets for the Last Supper on its official website. Therefore, to guarantee you are not disappointed we suggest booking Last Supper tickets through a local tour operator.
During the Jubilee the Vatican Museum Tickets were tight. Into 2026 and 2027 we expect this demand to sustain.
Pro Tip: Schedule visits to crowded attractions with the first entry of the day. We always book this time so we can find our way to the Sistine Chapel before the crowds arrive.
6. Make Food and Wine Central to Your Italy Experience
Italian cuisine is officially recognized as cultural heritage, and food remains one of the most powerful ways to understand the country.
Consider incorporating:
- Wine tastings in Tuscany or Piedmont
- Cooking classes
- Farm-to-table meals
- Regional specialties unique to each destination
Many escorted tours thoughtfully include culinary experiences, helping travelers avoid tourist traps while enjoying authentic local flavors.
Choosing culinary experiences curated by locals ensures you taste authentic dishes rather than tourist-standard meals.
Cooking classes, for example, are social, hands-on experiences where you meet like-minded travelers while learning to prepare dishes such as pizza, ravioli, fettuccine, gelato, and tiramisu — followed by enjoying the meal you’ve created together.
Pro Tip: When you schedule a cooking class keep in mind the cuisine of the region and stick to learning that. For example, don’t go to Emilia Romagna to learn Cacio e Pepe. And don’t go to Rome to learn Bolognese…
7. Use Trains — But Know When a Coach or Driver Is Better
Italy’s high-speed rail system is excellent between major cities like Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan.
However:
- Hill towns
- Wine regions
- Rural countryside
…are often better explored by private coach, rental car, or with a driver. Escorted tours simplify these transitions — no luggage transfers, station navigation, or worries about missed connections.
For hill towns like Montepulciano or Montalcino, private transfers or a driver are far more efficient than relying on regional trains.
We recently spend two weeks in Puglia. We rented a car in order to visit all the towns at our leisure. There is no easy and efficient way to explore Puglia by train.
8. Understand Crowd Management in Italy for 2026
Italy continues to manage overtourism with timed entries, capacity limits, and regulated access in major destinations.
What this means for travelers: Poor planning can result in long waits or missed experiences.
Escorted tours adapt easily, using pre-reserved tickets, alternate sightseeing times, and expert guides who know how to navigate busy periods.
Experienced guides often schedule visits to major sites early morning or late afternoon to avoid peak crowds — something most travelers don’t know.
Even the Trevi Fountain now requires a timed entry to get close. And even with that you won’t be able to take a picture like the one here.
Pro Tip: To get a photo like this one without a crowd at a popular Rome monument like the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Four Rivers Fountain in Piazza Navona, etc. set your alarm and go out for a sunrise walk around.
9. Build in Free Time — Even on a Tour
Today’s escorted tours are not rushed or rigid.
Look for itineraries that include:
- Free afternoons
- Optional excursions
- Leisure stays in scenic destinations
This balance allows you to enjoy expert guidance while still having time to wander piazzas, shop local markets, or enjoy a long Italian lunch.
Escorted tours aren’t about giving up freedom — they’re about traveling with confidence.
Pro Tip: Have ideas, or even reservations, for where you’ll eat before you go. Avoiding bad meals and rushed decisions will reduce stress and result in a more fulfilling vacation when you avoid bad meals.
10. Work With Specialists Who Know Italy
Italy rewards experience. Small planning mistakes — such as poorly located hotels, inefficient routing, or unrealistic pacing — can impact the entire trip.
Working with Italy specialists provides:
- Carefully vetted accommodations
- Experienced tour directors and licensed local guides
- Well-balanced itineraries
- One point of contact throughout the planning process
For many travelers, this results in less stress, better value, and a richer overall experience.
Final Thought
Planning an Italy vacation is about more than checking off famous sights — it’s about understanding how Italy works.
At ItalianTourism.us, our escorted tours and custom itineraries are designed to remove the guesswork and help you travel confidently and comfortably.
If you’re beginning to plan your 2026 Italy vacation, start by exploring your options with Italy specialists who know how to make every detail work together.
Frequently Asked Questions: Planning a Vacation to Italy in 2026
For travel in 2026, we recommend planning your Italy vacation 9–12 months in advance to secure preferred hotels, licensed guides, and timed-entry access to popular attractions.
Yes. Escorted tours provide expert planning, local insight, and seamless logistics — especially helpful for first-time travelers navigating busy cities and complex regions.
Absolutely. Many travelers choose escorted touring with added free days or leisure extensions, providing a balanced experience of guided exploration and personal discovery.
First-time visitors should outline priorities (cities, sties, experiences), then begin booking escorted tours or custom planning with Italy specialists 9–12 months ahead to lock in preferred hotels and guided sightseeing.
For the best combination of pleasant weather and manageable crowds, we recommend visiting between April–June or September–October.
Most escorted tours include pre-reserved entry and licensed local guides at key attractions such as the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Uffizi Gallery, and Pompeii, saving time and enhancing your experience.
Luxury Travel Advisor & Co-Founder of ItalianTourism.us
Lorena Basualdo is a luxury travel advisor and co-founder of ItalianTourism.us, specializing exclusively in Italy vacations. With years of hands-on experience designing escorted tours and custom itineraries, she helps travelers navigate Italy’s complex logistics, seasonal crowds, and cultural nuances with confidence.
Her travel insights have been featured in Express.co.uk and The Independent, where she shares expert perspectives on planning meaningful, well-paced trips to Italy. Lorena travels to Italy regularly, experiencing destinations across different regions and seasons to ensure her advice reflects real-world conditions — not theory.
ItalianTourism.us is a proud member of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) and is licensed and bonded in Florida (DBPR ST41458), providing travelers with added peace of mind and professional accountability.
Lorena also writes about art, culture, and travel experiences on Substack, offering a more personal perspective on Italy beyond the itinerary.
Lorena personally oversees itinerary design and traveler support, ensuring clients work directly with an experienced advisor — not a call center.