Italy
Rome's ancient sites, Florence's art, Venice's canals and the Amalfi Coast's cliffs, with food worth planning every day around.
In this guide
When to go
April to June and September to October bring warm days of around 20 to 27°C and long evenings. July and August are hot, often above 33°C in Rome and Florence, and the busiest months, as European holidays coincide with UAE summer travel; many family-run restaurants close in August. The Amalfi Coast season runs from roughly April to October, and outside it ferries are limited and many hotels shut.
Italy is three hours behind Dubai in winter and two hours behind in summer. Winter suits city breaks and Christmas markets, and the Dolomites offer excellent skiing.
Where to stay and how to plan the route
Our Rome, Florence and Venice holiday gives three nights in Rome, three in Florence and two in Venice, connected by fast trains of under two hours each. The Amalfi Coast honeymoon combines Positano or Ravello with a boat day to Capri.
Book the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum and the Uffizi well in advance, as good slots sell out weeks ahead. Venice charges an access fee to day visitors on peak days, and overnight guests are exempt. Elena Volkova and Layla Haddad plan our Italy trips; start early with our Schengen visa service.
Things to do
- The Colosseum and Roman Forum with a licensed guide
- The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel at opening time
- Climb Brunelleschi's dome in Florence
- The Uffizi Gallery for Botticelli and Leonardo
- A day in Tuscany, in Chianti or the Val d'Orcia
- Venice by gondola and an island trip to colourful Burano
- Pompeii with Vesuvius above
- A boat along the Amalfi Coast to Capri
Food, money and practical tips
Halal restaurants are found in Rome, Milan and Florence, and Italian cooking makes it easy to eat well with seafood, vegetables, pasta and pizza; ask about pork-based stocks and pancetta. Many restaurants add a coperto, a small cover charge, so tipping is optional. Cover shoulders and knees for churches, including St Peter's. Keep wallets close on busy trams and at major sights. Avoid driving in historic centres, where ZTL zones bring automatic fines, and validate regional train tickets before boarding.
Rules change; we confirm the current requirements before you apply.
Italy holidays from Dubai
Three nights in Rome, three in Florence and two in Venice, with timed-entry guided visits to the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Uffizi and St Mark's, a Tuscan day out and fast trains between cities.
Four nights in a sea-view room in Positano and two in clifftop Ravello, with private transfers, a private boat to Capri, the Path of the Gods walk and a lemon-grove cooking class for two.
Visa services for Italy
Italy: questions we are asked
Do UAE residents need a visa for Italy?
What is the best month to visit Italy?
How many days do we need in Italy?
Is Italy good for families?
Is halal food available in Italy?
What is the weather like in Italy in March?
Travellers back from Italy
The paperwork was handled well and the cover letter was excellent. However, the earliest appointment slot was five weeks away in peak season, and we were not told about it until after paying the service fee. We got the visa with two days to spare, but earlier warning would have been better.
Eight nights, three cities, fast trains between them all. Colosseum with an early-entry guide, the Uffizi without a queue and a gondola in Venice at dusk. The hotels were within walking distance of the main sights, which made all the difference with our step counts.
Positano, Ravello and a day on Capri. Sea-view room with lemon trees on the terrace and a private boat to the Blue Grotto. Elena even arranged a photographer for an hour in Positano, and those pictures are now on every wall of our flat.
