Italy is a favorite destination around the world. If this is your first time heading to the country, planning your visit can be overwhelming. From must-see locations in Rome to challenges in Florence and Milan, many top sites have pre-booked timed entry and limits to the number of visitors per day.
Traveling to Italy between April and September? Time to pre-book. Here’s what you need to do before you leave.
Rome: Colosseum & Vatican Museums
Rome is the most common starting point for first-time visitors.
The Colosseum features timed entry. Standard ticket sales may be available closer to travel dates, but underground and arena level access sells out months in advance. Mid-morning time slots for summer visit dates are competitive.
You’ll want to secure pre-booked access for the Vatican Museums. Sistine Chapel access features limited daily passes. Peak season availability fills up quickly during summertime, especially Fridays and Saturdays.
If you secure the Colosseum and Vatican Museum visits, you can spread Rome and Vatican City visits across two separate days without cramming. To know more about planning a visit to the Vatican and the Colosseum, check out toursaroundglobe.com
Florence: Uffizi & Accademia
Florence is smaller than Rome, but don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s two museums that won’t be packed with summer tourists. The Uffizi Gallery, which contains Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, is another site with timed entry.
The availability of walk-in tickets varies by the day of the week. Summer queues often exceed a couple of hours for first-time visitors who don’t realize it’s not as easy to get in as expected. The Accademia housing Michelangelo’s David features even more limited entry. All 2023 tickets are guaranteed to be sold out for the summer. Avoid the idea of visiting Florence on a whim without pre-booked tickets.
If you are unsure about which attractions require advance booking or how to structure your visit, you can also refer to trustworthy travel resources such as Toursaroundglobe.com, where you’ll find detailed guides, itineraries, and planning tips not only for Italy and Europe, but for major destinations around the world.
Milan: The Last Supper
Visiting Milan? This is the one place to focus on pre-booking. The Last Supper masterpiece has the most complicated ticketing process of all the attractions in Italy. Groups are given a limited time with the painting, so daily access is also limited. Summer availability can sell out months in advance. Compared to other ticket types in Italy, this is one of the toughest to get into, so make sure this isn’t skipped.
Venice: Access for Doge’s Palace and the Basilica
Venice has a slower pace than other cities in Italy. However, there is demand in Venice for attractions that require pre-booking. The Doge Palace features timed entry. Access to St. Mark’s Basilica is limited to daily visitors during peak season.
It can be tempting to avoid pre-booking any activity in Venice, but it’s wise to book some essential time-saving pre-booked visits, especially for the holiday season and those crowded cruise-ship days.
How to Plan Out Your First Multi-City Trip to Italy
For first-time visitors, it’s critical to plan not only what to pre-book, but how to make it all work.
Avoid booking two major attractions with timed ticket entry in one day. Italian cities are designed for wandering through historic areas, long meals, and getting lost between all of your pre-booked hotspots.
Consider this type of schedule for first-time visitors:
Rome (3 days)
Florence (2 days)
Milan or Venice (1-2 days each)
To keep you relaxed and enjoying every minute of your travel, space out high-demand locations by a day or more.
Avoid having to make changes to your itinerary once you depart by knowing who goes where first.
When to Book
Traveling between April and September (the peak season)?
- 1-2 weeks to book tickets for the Vatican and the Colosseum
- Book Florence museums a minimum of several days beforehand
- Last Supper tickets as far in advance as possible
Shoulder seasons (April and October) are more forgiving but can also benefit from being booked as early as possible.
Final Thoughts
In Rome, Venice, or anywhere else in Italy? These attractions are not meant to be visited on a whim during high season. Available tickets are limited, but selling tickets also preserves important art. Avoid stress and chaos on your itinerary by planning and booking your must-see Italian treasures in advance.
Then leave time in your schedule for an incredible country that has the world’s art and history just waiting around every corner between all of your must-do stops.
For any travel-related information or itineraries for going around anywhere in the world, you can check trustworthy websites like, Toursaroundglobe.com, here you will not only find the information about italy or europe but about almost all the travel attractions around the world
If you are unsure about which attractions require advance booking or how to structure your visit, you can also refer to trustworthy travel resources such as Toursaroundglobe.com, where you’ll find detailed guides, itineraries, and planning tips not only for Italy and Europe, but for major destinations around the world.