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Italy Travel Tales & Tips, Piazzale degli Uffizi, Florence (2026)

24/06/2026

The Italy Summer Packing List Nobody Gives You

Everyone tells you to pack linen, sunglasses and comfortable shoes for Italy in summer.

Nobody tells you about the small things that become essential after a full day walking through Rome, Florence, Pompeii or the Amalfi Coast in 35°C heat — or after sitting outside for dinner while mosquitoes and pappataci are out.

This is the real summer kit I would put in my suitcase.

1. High-protection sunscreen
Bring SPF 30 or 50, especially for your face, shoulders, chest and legs. Italian cities are beautiful, but many of the places you will spend hours visiting have very little shade.

2. After-sun cream or aloe gel
This is the thing people forget. After walking outside all day, a cooling after-sun lotion can feel much better than a normal body cream, especially on your shoulders, arms and legs.

3. A refreshing leg gel or anti-fatigue leg cream
After ten or fifteen kilometres of walking on hot pavement, your legs can feel heavy, swollen and exhausted. A cooling menthol-style leg gel is one of those small things that feels amazing after a shower.

4. A real insect repellent
For summer evenings, gardens, terraces, outdoor restaurants, countryside stays and apartments with open windows, bring something effective. Look for DEET, icaridin/picaridin or IR3535 on the label.

5. After-bite cream or gel
Mosquito and pappataci bites may look small at first, then become very itchy later. A small after-bite gel can save you from scratching all night.

6. A light long-sleeve shirt
Not for the daytime heat. For sunset, dinner outside and countryside evenings, it protects your arms from bites without making you feel too warm.

7. Loose long trousers
You may not need them every day, but they are useful for vineyards, agriturismi, lake towns, beach evenings and outdoor dinners.

8. Electrolyte tablets or sachets
When it is very hot, drinking only water is not always enough after hours of sweating and walking. These take up almost no space and can be very useful on long sightseeing days.

9. Blister plasters
Do not wait until your shoes have already destroyed your feet. Keep a few in your bag from day one.

10. Anti-chafing balm
Heat, walking and summer clothes can create a problem very quickly. This is especially useful for long city days, hikes and beach walks.

11. A refillable water bottle
Italy has many public fountains, especially in Rome and Florence. Refill whenever you can instead of buying a new bottle every hour.

12. A small foldable fan
It sounds unnecessary until you are standing in an exposed queue at 2:00 PM with no shade. Then it becomes one of the smartest things in your bag.

13. A plug-in mosquito repellent for your room
You may not need it in every hotel, but it is worth having for apartments, countryside stays, rooms with terraces or places where you sleep with windows open.

Italian summer is wonderful, but it is not only about packing nice clothes. A few practical things can make the difference between enjoying your evenings and spending the whole trip dealing with sunburn, tired legs, blisters and itchy bites.

24/06/2026

I’m Italian. These 10 Places Are Not Day Trips

One of the biggest mistakes I see in Italy travel planning is this: people look at a map, see that a place is “only” two hours away, and decide it can be a day trip.

But Italy does not work like that.

A place can be possible in one day and still be a bad day trip. Too much travel, too many connections, too much walking, too much heat, too many hills, or simply too much to understand in a few rushed hours.

These are the places I would not treat as easy day trips.

1. Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is the classic example. Yes, people do it from Florence. But by the time you take trains, change connections, move between villages, fight the crowds, climb steps, eat something and return, the day becomes more about logistics than beauty.

If you really want to enjoy it, stay one night. See the villages early, stay for sunset, and do not treat five coastal towns like one quick stop.

2. Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is not a simple day trip, especially in summer. Roads are slow, buses are crowded, ferries depend on the season, and moving between Positano, Amalfi and Ravello takes much longer than people imagine.

If you only have one day, choose one town and keep the plan simple. But if you want the coast properly, sleep there.

3. Volterra

Volterra looks close enough from Florence or Siena, but it is not the kind of place you should rush. It sits high on a hill, transport takes time, and the beauty is in walking slowly through the stone streets, Etruscan walls, viewpoints and quiet corners.

San Gimignano is easier as a day trip. Volterra deserves more time.

4. Siena

People often do Siena as a quick day trip from Florence, and yes, it can be done. But Siena is not a “see the main square and leave” place.

The station is below the historic centre, the streets climb, the city has layers, contrade, churches, views, food and an atmosphere that appears slowly. Give Siena at least a full day, and if you can, stay overnight.

5. Rome

Rome is absolutely not a day trip from Florence, Naples or anywhere else if it is your first time.

You cannot “do Rome” between two trains. The Colosseum, Vatican, Pantheon, Trevi, Trastevere, Roman Forum and old streets are not one checklist. Rome needs time, patience, and evenings.

If you only give Rome one day, you will see monuments, but you will not feel the city.

6. Florence

Florence is not a day trip either if you actually care about it.

Many people arrive from Rome or Venice, walk to the Duomo, see Ponte Vecchio, maybe rush the Uffizi or Accademia, and leave thinking they saw Florence.

But Florence is not only three famous sights. It is early morning streets, Oltrarno, small churches, artisan workshops, viewpoints, food markets, quiet museums and sunset over the Arno. Stay at least two nights if you can.

7. Matera

Matera is not built for rushing. The Sassi are full of steps, slopes, cave churches, viewpoints and narrow lanes. The best part of Matera often comes at sunset and after dark, when the stone begins to glow.

A few hours are not enough. Matera deserves at least one night.

8. Ravenna

Ravenna is often underestimated because it is not as loud as Venice, Florence or Rome. But this is one of the most important mosaic cities in Europe, and you do not want to run from one monument to another just to say you went.

The beauty is inside the churches and baptisteries, and it needs time. Ravenna can be a day trip from Bologna, but not a rushed one. Give it a proper full day or stay overnight.

9. Orvieto

Orvieto looks easy by train, especially from Rome, but the mistake is treating it like a quick stop. You still need to go up into the town, walk the old centre, see the Duomo, enjoy the viewpoints, maybe visit the underground caves or the well.

It is much better when you slow down. Orvieto is not just a photo of the cathedral.

10. Lucca

Lucca can be visited from Florence or Pisa, but it is not a place to sprint through. The whole point is the rhythm: walking or cycling the city walls, wandering the streets, sitting in a piazza, eating slowly, and letting the city feel calm.

If you rush Lucca, you miss what makes it special.

My advice is simple: stop asking only “Can I get there?”

Ask “Will I actually enjoy it?”

24/06/2026

Rome fans

24/06/2026

Not Positano. Not Amalfi. Not Cinque Terre. Here’s Where We Actually Go

When Italy gets too hot, most of us are not fighting for a photo in Positano or trying to hike Cinque Terre at midday.

We go where we can breathe.

From Rome, many escape to the Lazio coast: Santa Marinella, Anzio, Nettuno, Sperlonga, Gaeta, San Felice Circeo and Sabaudia.

From Naples and Campania, many go to Ischia and Procida, especially when they want sea, food, evening walks and a slower rhythm without the Amalfi Coast chaos.

Then there is Cilento, which deserves much more attention: Acciaroli, Castellabate, Palinuro and Marina di Camerota. Beautiful sea, small towns, good food, and a summer that feels much more local.

In Puglia, it is Gallipoli, Porto Cesareo, Torre Lapillo, Otranto, Monopoli, Polignano and the Gargano.

In Calabria, Tropea, Scilla, Pizzo, Capo Vaticano, Soverato and Diamante.

In Sicily, Favignana, Cefalù, San Vito Lo Capo, the Aeolian Islands, Ortigia in the evening, and coastal towns where life slows down.

In Sardinia, Villasimius, Chia, Costa Rei, San Teodoro, Cala Gonone, La Maddalena and Alghero.

And when we do not want the sea, we go to the mountains: Abruzzo, Trentino, South Tyrol, Valle d’Aosta, the Dolomites, or any place where the evening air finally feels fresh.

That is the real Italian summer.

Not always famous. Not always easy. Not always the place you saw on Instagram.

But when the cities become too hot, this is where we actually go.

24/06/2026

Rome Is Extremely Hot Right Now: 10 Places I Would Avoid at Midday

Rome is beautiful in summer, but when the temperature gets close to 40°C, some places become much harder than people expect. It is not only the heat. It is the stone, the crowds, the long walks, the lack of shade, and the fact that many famous places were not built for modern tourists standing there under the sun at 1 p.m.

Here are 10 places I would avoid at midday, and what I would do instead.

1. Colosseum

The Colosseum is unforgettable, but the area around it is very exposed. There is stone everywhere, very little shade, and long security checks can feel brutal in the middle of the day.

Better idea: Check if there is an evening or night tour available. The lights are beautiful, the stone looks completely different, and honestly it is 100% a better time than standing there under the midday sun.

2. Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

This is one of the hardest places in Rome during extreme heat. It is open, archaeological, uneven, and there are long stretches without proper shade.

Better idea: Visit first thing in the morning. At midday, choose the Capitoline Museums instead. You still get ancient Rome, views over the Forum, and air-conditioning.

3. Piazza Venezia

It looks easy on a map, but Piazza Venezia is hot, loud, busy, and surrounded by traffic. Standing there at midday is not pleasant.

Better idea: Go inside the Vittoriano or move toward the Capitoline Museums nearby. You can still enjoy the history without standing in the heat.

4. Spanish Steps

Beautiful, but the stone absorbs heat, the crowd is heavy, and there is almost no comfort in the middle of the day.

Better idea: Go early morning or after sunset. During the hottest hours, walk toward Via Margutta or choose an indoor stop nearby.

5. Trevi Fountain

At midday, Trevi can feel like a small oven packed with people. The space is tight, the sun hits hard, and everyone is pushing for the same photo.

Better idea: Instead of fighting the crowd at the fountain, visit Vicus Caprarius, the underground “City of Water.” You can see the ancient Roman water system connected to the Aqua Virgo, the aqueduct that still feeds the Trevi Fountain today.

6. Piazza Navona

It is one of Rome’s most beautiful squares, but it is also wide, open, and very exposed when the sun is high.

Better idea: Visit in the evening when the square becomes alive again. At midday, step inside Sant’Agnese in Agone or escape into the narrow shaded streets behind the square.

7. Campo de’ Fiori

The market can be nice in the morning, but by midday the area becomes hot, crowded, and not very comfortable.

Better idea: Go earlier if you want to see the market. Later, move toward the Jewish Ghetto or find a proper lunch place in the shaded side streets.

8. Castel Sant’Angelo Bridge and Lungotevere

The view is beautiful, but walking along the river at midday can be exhausting because the sun reflects off the stone and pavement.

Better idea: Visit Castel Sant’Angelo itself, or save the bridge walk for sunset when the light is beautiful and the heat becomes easier.

9. Vatican Square

St. Peter’s Square is huge, open, and extremely exposed. If there is a line, the heat can become a serious problem very quickly.

Better idea: Book an early entry when possible. If you are in the area at midday, go inside the basilica, take a proper break, or visit the Vatican Museums with a timed plan.

10. Via del Corso

People think shopping streets are easy, but Via del Corso in extreme heat can be tiring because of the crowds, pavement, and long straight walk.

Better idea: Walk it early or late. At midday, choose shaded side streets, indoor shops, a long lunch, or simply rest before going out again in the evening.

My honest advice for Rome in this heat: do not plan your day like it is spring. Do the exposed monuments early, rest during the hottest hours, and come back outside when the city becomes breathable again.

Rome is still wonderful in summer, but you need to move with the heat, not fight against it.

23/06/2026

The Italy Train Trip: 20 Places You Can Actually Visit Without Driving

Start in Turin, where grand piazzas, old cafés and the Alps in the distance make a beautiful first stop.

From there, take the train east to Milan. You can spend a day around the Duomo, Brera and the Navigli, then continue north for Varenna, one of the easiest Lake Como towns to reach without a car. Step out of the station and the lake is already waiting below you.

After Lake Como, return through Milan and continue to Verona. Walk from the station into a city of Roman stones, river views and quiet streets that feel completely different from Venice, even though it is only one train ride away.

Then comes Venice. No car, no parking garage, no trying to understand where you are allowed to drive. You arrive at Santa Lucia station, walk outside, and the Grand Canal is directly in front of you.

From Venice, the route moves down to Bologna, then Modena and Parma. These three stops are close enough to build into one slow food section of the journey: porticoes and markets in Bologna, balsamic vinegar and old lanes in Modena, and Parma’s food, music and elegant centre.

Next, turn west toward the Ligurian coast and Cinque Terre. This is one of the best places in Italy to leave the car behind because the local train connects the villages far more easily than driving ever could.

From there, continue into Tuscany. Lucca is a calm stop with its wide city walls and quiet streets. Pisa is close enough for a simple visit, then Florence gives you the full Renaissance chapter of the trip. After Florence, take the local connection to Siena, where the station sits below the historic centre and the final climb reminds you that this is still Tuscany, not a perfectly flat city break.

Then the route takes you south to Rome. Give yourself time here. Rome is not a place to rush through between trains. Walk, eat late, sit in the piazzas, and let the city slow the journey down.

From Rome, continue to Naples, where the train brings you directly into one of Italy’s loudest, busiest and most unforgettable cities. From Naples, you can reach Pompeii, continue toward Sorrento, and then travel along to Salerno.

After Salerno, go south again to Paestum for its Greek temples, standing in open countryside far from the noise of the big cities.

The final stop is Matera.

It is not the easiest part of the route, and that is exactly why it feels like an ending. You usually continue from Salerno with a train-and-bus connection, but you arrive in a city unlike anywhere else in Italy: stone houses, cave churches, narrow lanes and the Sassi glowing at sunset.

Turin to Matera.

20 places. One journey. No rental car, no motorway stress, no searching for parking in places built centuries before cars existed.

23/06/2026

20 Better Ways to Spend a 40°C Day in Italy

When Italy is this hot, do not spend the whole day forcing yourself through another walking itinerary just because that was the original plan.

And this is not a list telling you to stay in your hotel or spend six hours inside museums. Italy has plenty of better ways to use the hottest hours, then come back outside when the country becomes enjoyable again.

1. Take a ferry instead of the coastal bus

On the Amalfi Coast, in Cinque Terre, Venice, Lake Como, Capri, Ischia or around Sicily, use the water when you can. A ferry gives you a seat, a breeze and a view, instead of traffic, hot pavement and standing at a bus stop with no shade.

2. Book a proper beach umbrella, not just “a beach day”

Do not arrive at 1 PM hoping there will be shade. Book a lido with an umbrella, sunbeds, showers and somewhere to leave your bag. In this heat, shade is the whole plan.

3. Find a municipal pool or buy a hotel day pass

Italian public pools are one of the most overlooked summer options, and some hotels sell access to their pool or spa without requiring you to stay there. A few hours in water can completely reset the day.

4. Go underground

Rome has catacombs and the Basilica of San Clemente. Naples has Napoli Sotterranea and the Galleria Borbonica. These are far more memorable than hiding in a shopping centre, and they take you out of the direct sun.

5. Visit a cave instead of another hilltop town

If you are near them, places like Frasassi, Castellana or Pertosa-Auletta are a brilliant heatwave alternative. You still get a real Italian experience, but without spending the afternoon on burning stone streets.

6. Take a cooking class

Make pasta, pizza, tiramisù or regional dishes instead of taking another walking tour. You get a proper activity, a meal, somewhere to sit down, and a better memory than trying to see one more piazza while overheated.

7. Do an artisan workshop

Italy is full of skills visitors usually only look at through shop windows: ceramics, leather, paper marbling, mosaics, perfume, jewellery and bookbinding. An afternoon workshop is more interesting than shopping and far better than wandering with no plan.

8. Taste wine in a cellar, not on a vineyard terrace at 2 PM

Wine country is beautiful, but an unshaded vineyard tasting in full heat is not always the dream. Look for tastings held indoors, in historic cellars or proper enoteche where you can sit comfortably and learn something useful.

9. Have a real two-hour lunch

This is the moment to use Italy properly. Choose somewhere with indoor seating or serious shade, order slowly, eat well, and let the worst part of the day pass without rushing back outside after twenty minutes.

10. Go to a covered food market

Mercato Centrale in Florence, Mercato di Testaccio in Rome, Porta Palazzo in Turin, Mercato del Capo in Palermo and similar markets around Italy are much better than standing in line for a panino on a hot pavement.

11. Walk under porticoes instead of in open streets

Bologna is the obvious example, but Turin, Padua and several northern cities have long covered arcades too. You still get to explore, eat, shop and move through the city without being under direct sun every second.

12. Pick one extraordinary church and stay longer

Do not rush through five churches as part of a checklist. Choose one, sit down, look at it properly, and give yourself time to recover. In Italy, some of the best art in the country is sitting inside churches for free.

13. Visit a historic pharmacy, perfumery or artisan shop

Places like Santa Maria Novella in Florence, old apothecaries, paper shops, leather schools and family workshops are part of Italy’s real craft tradition. They are far more interesting than buying another tourist souvenir.

14. Watch a film at an Italian cinema

It may not sound romantic until you have walked three hours in 40°C heat. A cinema break can save the day, especially if you find an English-language film, a classic screening or a local festival programme.

15. Use the afternoon for your train journey

If you are changing cities, do not waste a cool morning sitting on a train and then arrive in a new place at the hottest hour. Sightsee early, travel when the heat is at its worst, then check in and go out again later.

16. Escape to altitude, not just another nearby city

Do not take a day trip from Florence to another hot Tuscan town and expect relief. Look for hills, lakes, mountains or places with higher elevation. Sometimes a short train or drive can make the evening feel completely different.

17. Take a second shower and change clothes before dinner

This sounds small, but it changes everything. Go back, cool down, put on dry clothes, and leave your hotel feeling fresh again instead of carrying the whole day on your body into the evening.

18. Book a sunset boat trip

Do this at the end of the day, not at noon. Around Venice, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Lake Como, Liguria, Sicily and Sardinia, the water becomes the best place to be once the sun starts dropping.

19. Look for outdoor cinema, concerts or evening opera

Italian summer really begins after dark. Courtyards, piazzas, gardens, ancient arenas and terraces often host films, concerts or performances. You get the atmosphere you came for without fighting the midday sun.

20. Eat dinner late and walk afterwards

Do not finish dinner at 7 PM because you are already exhausted. Rest first, then book a table at 8:30 or 9 PM, and walk afterwards when the streets are alive, the light is softer and Italy finally feels like Italy again.

The best Italy trips in this heat are not the ones where you manage to see the most.

They are the ones where you stop fighting the sun and start using the country differently.

23/06/2026

Too Hot to Walk Around Florence? Try These 20 Things Instead

Florence is made for walking, but not every hour of the day is made for walking Florence.

When the stone streets are burning, the queues are in full sun and even the shade feels hot, do not force yourself through another “perfect itinerary.” Save the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and long city walks for later. Here are 20 better ways to spend the hottest hours.

1. Go swimming at Piscina Costoli

Florence has a proper public pool in Campo di Marte. This is the kind of local solution visitors rarely consider, but a few hours in the water can save the whole day.

2. Book a hotel pool or spa day

Some hotels sell day passes, especially in summer. It may feel like an unnecessary expense until you have spent three days walking on hot stone in 38°C heat.

3. Have a long lunch at Mercato Centrale

Do not grab a sandwich and rush back outside. Go upstairs, choose a proper meal, sit down, take your time and let the hottest hours pass indoors.

4. Book a pasta-making class

Instead of doing another two-hour walking tour, learn to make fresh pasta, ravioli or tiramisù. You eat, you sit down, and you leave with a skill rather than another heat headache.

5. Take a gelato-making class

This is much better than standing in line for gelato, eating it in three minutes and continuing to sweat through your shirt.

6. Do a Tuscan wine tasting in Florence

You do not need to drive into Chianti in the middle of the afternoon. Find a good wine bar or tasting room in the centre, sit down and learn what you are drinking.

7. Visit Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

It is one of Florence’s oldest and most beautiful historic shops. Go inside, take your time with the perfumes, soaps and old-world atmosphere, and enjoy being out of the sun for a while.

8. Visit the Scuola del Cuoio behind Santa Croce

This is a much better use of your afternoon than wandering around San Lorenzo in the heat looking at tourist leather. You can see real Florentine leather craftsmanship and find something worth taking home.

9. Try a Florentine paper-marbling workshop

Florence has a long tradition of decorated paper, bookbinding and stationery. It is hands-on, local, and far more memorable than another hour walking around Piazza della Signoria.

10. Take an artisan workshop

Leather, perfume, mosaics, jewellery, paper, cooking or ceramics. Florence is full of things that people once made by hand, and the hottest part of the day is the perfect time to try one.

11. Sit inside Santissima Annunziata

This church is one of the best places to stop when the city feels overwhelming. Step inside, sit quietly for twenty minutes, look up properly, and let your body cool down before doing anything else.

12. Visit Santa Trinita

Most visitors rush past it on the way to Ponte Vecchio. Go inside instead. It is calm, beautiful and usually far less hectic than the streets outside.

13. Spend time in Santo Spirito

Cross the river, step into the basilica, then sit in the square later when the sun begins to drop. This is one of the best ways to enjoy Oltrarno without trying to conquer it at midday.

14. Go into Santa Maria Novella Church

You do not need another museum to see extraordinary art in Florence. The churches are part of the city’s real life, and they can give you a meaningful pause from the heat.

15. Visit San Lorenzo Basilica

It is right near the market, so it is an easy place to combine with lunch. Take the quiet indoor visit instead of continuing around the crowded streets outside.

16. Go to Biblioteca delle Oblate

This is one of the best quiet places in central Florence. Sit down, charge your phone, read, write, use the time to plan the evening, and only go back outside when you have recovered.

17. Watch a film at Cinema La Compagnia

A cinema break is one of the smartest things you can do in a heatwave. It is in the centre, it has a bistro, and it is far more enjoyable than trying to walk another five kilometres.

18. See Florence after dark on screen, then go outside

La Compagnia currently shows a short Florence film at 6 PM with English subtitles. Watch the city in the evening light, then walk outside when the real Florence is finally cooling down.

19. Go to Apriti Cinema in Piazza Pitti

Florence has outdoor films in Piazza Pitti during the summer. This is how you use the heat properly: rest during the afternoon, eat later, then sit outside under the night sky instead of fighting the sun.

20. Have dinner at 9 PM and walk afterwards

Do not rush to eat at 6 PM because you are exhausted. Go back to your hotel, shower, change clothes, rest, then come out again after 8:30. Florence at night feels completely different, and you will enjoy it far more when you are not overheated.

The best Florence days in a heatwave are not the ones where you walk the furthest.

They are the ones where you know when to stop, cool down, and come back out when the city becomes enjoyable again.

23/06/2026

It’s 40°C in Italy Right Now: 20 Mistakes to Avoid

Everyone already knows it is hot. The mistakes that ruin a trip are usually not about forgetting a bottle of water. They are about planning Italy as if it were April, booking the wrong hotel, getting trapped in queues, and leaving yourself no way to cool down when the day becomes too much.

1. Trying to copy an itinerary made for spring

A “perfect day in Rome” or “one day in Florence” itinerary can work beautifully in April. In this heat, trying to see ten places between breakfast and dinner will leave you exhausted before sunset. Cut the list in half and choose what actually matters to you.

2. Assuming a museum queue will have shade

Many visitors imagine that once they have a timed ticket, they will walk straight inside. Often there is still security, crowd control, or a queue outside the entrance. Some of the most famous museum entrances have very little shade, so do not arrive dressed for an air-conditioned gallery and expect the whole experience to begin indoors.

3. Treating Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Roman Forum or Paestum like indoor museums

These are huge outdoor archaeological sites. There is hot stone under your feet, long distances between the main areas, limited shade, and often nowhere comfortable to pause once you are deep inside. They are incredible, but they need to be planned as a serious outdoor activity.

4. Ignoring a headache, nausea, dizziness or unusual weakness

Do not decide that you will “push through” because you have a ticket, a tour, or only one day in the city. Stop, get somewhere cool, sit down, and change the plan. One missed stop is better than losing the rest of the trip.

5. Climbing a dome or tower in the middle of the afternoon

Brunelleschi’s Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower, St Peter’s Dome, Torre del Mangia, Torre Guinigi and the Leaning Tower are all worth doing. But climbing narrow staircases with no air, after standing in the sun, is very different at 2 PM than it is at 8 AM.

6. Taking the Cinque Terre hiking trail at midday

The views are spectacular, but the trails are steep, exposed and far harder than photos make them look. This is not the moment to start a long hike between villages after lunch because it looks easy on Instagram.

7. Doing the Amalfi Coast by bus without a realistic plan

The Amalfi Coast is not just a pretty road with a bus every few minutes. In extreme heat, you can be waiting in direct sun, squeezed onto a crowded bus, stuck in traffic, then walking uphill with no shade at the other end. Keep the day simple and do not build it around tight connections.

8. Trying to do Rome all on foot

Rome is walkable, but that does not mean you need to walk from the Vatican to the Colosseum because someone online said it was possible. Use the metro, bus, tram or taxi between areas. Save your energy for the places you actually came to see.

9. Relying on your phone for everything without a power bank

Your tickets, maps, train details, hotel address, restaurant reservations and audio guides are usually all on one phone. Heat drains batteries quickly, and direct sun can make a phone overheat. Download tickets before leaving the hotel, take screenshots, and carry a power bank.

10. Wearing clothes that leave you completely exposed

Sunscreen helps, but it cannot do everything after hours outside. Bring a proper hat, sunglasses, and one loose lightweight shirt that covers your shoulders and arms. It protects you from the sun, helps with mosquitoes in the evening, and lets you enter churches without stress.

11. Booking a hotel far away just to save money

In this heat, being able to return at midday matters. You need somewhere close enough to shower, cool down, change clothes and rest before going out again. A cheaper hotel 40 minutes away may look like a good deal until you realise you are trapped outside all day.

12. Refusing to use the metro, bus, tram or taxi

There is no prize for walking every metre of Italy in 40°C. Public transport is there for a reason. Take it between neighbourhoods, use a taxi when the route is uphill or exposed, and keep your walking for the streets and places you actually want to enjoy.

13. Thinking “skip the line” means no waiting outside

Skip-the-line normally means you avoid the ticket office. It does not mean you avoid security checks, entrance queues, delays, or being held outside while groups enter. Plan for it, especially at the Vatican, Colosseum, Uffizi, Accademia and major churches.

14. Changing hotels in the middle of the day

Dragging luggage through Venice, Rome, Florence, Naples or Amalfi at 1 PM is one of the quickest ways to ruin a day. Move early, leave your bags with reception, take a taxi when needed, and do not plan a major activity immediately after check-in.

15. Using the cool morning for indoor museums and leaving outdoor sites for after lunch

Do the opposite. Use the early hours for ruins, domes, viewpoints, city walks and exposed streets. Save museums, churches, galleries, shopping and a long lunch for the hottest part of the day.

16. Underestimating hills, steps and stone streets

A map might say ten minutes, but it does not show the climb through Positano, Matera, Siena, Assisi, Bergamo Alta or a Tuscan hill town. In this heat, a short uphill route can change the entire day.

17. Booking a beach day without arranging shade

A beach is not automatically easier than a city. Popular beach clubs can sell out, umbrellas can be expensive, and arriving late may leave you sitting in full sun with nowhere to escape. In this weather, shade is not a luxury.

18. Booking a beautiful historic apartment without checking the bedroom air conditioning

Do not rely on one line in the listing. Read recent reviews carefully. Does the AC actually work? Is it in the bedroom? Is it a portable unit? Is the apartment on the top floor under an old roof? A beautiful room is useless if you cannot sleep.

19. Treating a hotel break as wasted time

In this heat, the afternoon break is what saves the evening. Go back, shower, lie down, change clothes, and come out again when the city is alive. Italy at 9 PM is often the best part of the day. Do not arrive there already finished.

20. Choosing an unshaded terrace for lunch because it looks romantic

A terrace can be perfect at sunset. At 1 PM, with hot pavement, no breeze and full sun, it can be unbearable. Choose indoor seating or proper shade for lunch, then save the beautiful outdoor table for aperitivo or dinner.

Italy is still beautiful in this heat.

You just need to stop planning it like a normal summer day.

Italy Travel Tales & Tips

24/06/2026

24/06/2026

24/06/2026

24/06/2026

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Martedì	09:00 - 17:30
Mercoledì	09:00 - 17:30
Giovedì	09:00 - 17:30
Venerdì	09:00 - 17:30
Sabato	09:00 - 17:30
Domenica	09:00 - 17:30