Italy
Italian Republic
Southern Europe · ITA
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Italy
Italy is a high-hit-rate destination for travelers who want landmark cities, world-class food, and dense cultural sightseeing in a relatively compact footprint. It suits first-time Europe trips, slower regional itineraries, and repeat visits built around a single city or coast.
Popular For
Things To See
- Rome
- Florence
- Venice
- Amalfi Coast
- Colosseum
- Pompeii
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- Spring and early fall usually offer the best balance of weather and crowds.
- Major-ticket sights often reward advance booking, especially in Rome, Florence, and Venice.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Italy.
Guidebooks
Rick Steves Italy
Rick Steves
Expert-guided Italy itineraries with insider tips, practical advice, and cultural insights.
View on Amazon →
Fodor's Essential Italy
Fodor's Travel Guides
Full-color guide to Italy's top destinations with maps and curated recommendations.
View on Amazon →
DK Eyewitness Italy
DK Eyewitness
Illustrated guide with detailed maps and photography for Italian regions and attractions.
View on Amazon →Tours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Italy.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Rome
- Population
- 58,927,633
- Area
- 301,336 km²
- Region
- Southern Europe
Languages
- Catalan
- Italian
Currency
euro (€)
EUR
1 USD = 0.85 EUR
Cost of Living (World Bank)
64.9
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 62.7
- Restaurants
- 64.7
- Rent
- 20.5
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Rome (41.90°N, 12.48°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
62/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 57/100
- Lived safety
- 70/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionCivil union
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.915
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.013
- 10-year change
- +0.028
- Trend
- improving
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.975
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.043
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.801
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (61)
- 🏛️
Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia – The domus de janas
Inscribed 2025
- 🏛️
Via Appia. Regina Viarum
Inscribed 2024
- 🌿
Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
The Great Spa Towns of Europe
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
The Porticoes of Bologna
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Padua’s fourteenth-century fresco cycles
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene
Inscribed 2019
- 🏛️
Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century
Inscribed 2018
- 🏛️
Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries: Stato da Terra – Western Stato da Mar
Inscribed 2017
- 🏛️
Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato
Inscribed 2014
- 🏛️
Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany
Inscribed 2013
- 🌿
Mount Etna
Inscribed 2013
- 🏛️
Longobards in Italy. Places of the Power (568-774 A.D.)
Inscribed 2011
- 🏛️
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
Inscribed 2011
- 🌿
The Dolomites
Inscribed 2009
- 🏛️
Mantua and Sabbioneta
Inscribed 2008
- 🏛️
Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes
Inscribed 2008
- 🌿
Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
Inscribed 2007
- 🏛️
Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli
Inscribed 2006
- 🏛️
Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica
Inscribed 2005
- 🏛️
Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia
Inscribed 2004
- 🏛️
Val d'Orcia
Inscribed 2004
- 🏛️
Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy
Inscribed 2003
- 🌿
Monte San Giorgio
Inscribed 2003
- 🏛️
Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily)
Inscribed 2002
- 🏛️
Villa d'Este, Tivoli
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites
Inscribed 2000
- 🌿
Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands)
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
City of Verona
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Villa Adriana (Tivoli)
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of Urbino
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
Villa Romana del Casale
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Archaeological Area of Agrigento
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Su Nuraxi di Barumini
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Costiera Amalfitana
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Residences of the Royal House of Savoy
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio Complex
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
The Trulli of Alberobello
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of the City of Pienza
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Castel del Monte
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Crespi d'Adda
Inscribed 1995
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of Naples
Inscribed 1995
- 🏛️
Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta
Inscribed 1995
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of Siena
Inscribed 1995
- 🏛️
City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto
Inscribed 1994
- 🏛️
The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera
Inscribed 1993
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of San Gimignano
Inscribed 1990
- 🏛️
Venice and its Lagoon
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Piazza del Duomo, Pisa
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of Florence
Inscribed 1982
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura
Inscribed 1980
- 🏛️
Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci
Inscribed 1980
- 🏛️
Rock Drawings in Valcamonica
Inscribed 1979
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 21.6%
- Forest cover
- 32.9%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 9
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 19
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
78/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
68/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
94/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Exercise increased cautionin Italy due to terrorism. There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Italy. Visit the U.S. Department of State's country reports on terrorism to learn more. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. Common targets include: Tourist spots Transportation centers Shopping malls and markets Local government buildings Hotels, clubs and restaurants Religious sites Parks Sporting and cultural events Schools Airports Public areas
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data