Should you add another country?
Italy borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, sits a night's sail from Greece, Croatia and Albania, and is under two hours by fast ferry from Malta. Americans crossing an ocean understandably want to see as much as possible, and Europe's trains, ferries and budget airlines make it easy to add a second country.
The honest advice from someone who has done it many ways: on a first trip of 10 days or less, stay in Italy, or add one easy neighbor connected by train. Every border crossing costs you most of a day once you add checkout, transfers, the journey and check-in. Two weeks or more makes a second country comfortable, and certain pairings are so natural they barely count as extra travel: Lake Como and Lugano, Venice and Istria, Sicily and Malta, Puglia and Corfu.
Most of the countries you are likely to combine with Italy are in the Schengen area, so there is no passport check between them. The flip side is that every day in all of them counts toward one shared 90-day limit, covered at the end of this page and on our entry rules page. For planning the Italian part, start with plan your trip.
Trains to France
Milan and Turin to Paris
The main rail link between Italy and France runs from Milan through Turin, under the Alps at the Fréjus tunnel to Modane, then on to Chambéry, Lyon and Paris. A rockslide in the French Maurienne valley in August 2023 cut the line for well over a year. Direct trains came back on April 1, 2025, and Trenitalia's Frecciarossa now runs Milan to Paris Gare de Lyon again, stopping at Torino Porta Susa, Modane, Chambéry and Lyon Part-Dieu, with some trains also calling at Bardonecchia. The trip takes roughly 6 hours 50 minutes end to end.
France's SNCF also runs TGV trains between Milan and Paris on the same line. Between the two operators there are only a handful of direct trains a day, so they fill up in summer and around holidays. Book on the Trenitalia app or site for the Frecciarossa, or on SNCF Connect for the TGV. Both sell cheaper non-refundable fares that rise as departure approaches.
Insider tip
The Alpine section between Turin and Chambéry is the scenic part, with mountain valleys and forts above the tracks. Take a morning train and sit on the right-hand side heading toward France for the best views. Turin to Lyon is a manageable four hours or so, which makes Lyon a great food stop on the way to Paris.
Is the train better than flying to Paris?
From Milan or Turin, the train is competitive once you count the trip to Malpensa or Linate, security and the ride in from Charles de Gaulle or Orly. From Rome, Florence or Venice, flying is faster: you would need a connection in Milan plus seven hours on the Frecciarossa. Nonstop flights from Rome to Paris take about two hours, and you can fly home from Paris on an open-jaw ticket (see flights).
Along the Riviera to Nice and Monaco
The coast route is slower and more fun. From Genoa, regional and Intercity trains run west along the Ligurian Riviera to Ventimiglia, the last Italian station. There you change to a French regional TER train for Menton, Monaco and Nice, about an hour along one of the prettiest rail lines in Europe. This pairs naturally with the Cinque Terre and Genoa.
Regional trains on both sides do not need advance booking. Buy the Italian leg on the Trenitalia app and the French leg on the SNCF Connect app or at the machine in Ventimiglia. Strikes are common in both countries; the Italian word is sciopero and the French one is grève, and either can cancel the connection.
Corsica by ferry
The French island of Corsica is closer to Tuscany than to France. Ferries run from Livorno, Piombino, Genoa and Savona to Bastia and other Corsican ports, and a short crossing links Santa Teresa Gallura in northern Sardinia with Bonifacio on Corsica's southern tip.
Trains to Switzerland
Switzerland is the easiest add-on of all. EuroCity trains run by the Swiss and Italian railways leave Milan Centrale for Zurich about every hour or two, take roughly 3 hours 20 minutes through the Gotthard and Ceneri base tunnels, and stop in Lugano in about an hour and a quarter. The Gotthard Base Tunnel was damaged by a freight derailment in August 2023 and returned to full operation on September 2, 2024.
Other EuroCity routes cross the Simplon pass to Brig, Lausanne and Geneva, or the Lötschberg to Bern and Basel. Through trains to Germany continue from Zurich and Basel, and the Frankfurt–Milan EuroCity Express runs via Lucerne.
Lake Como to Lugano
Lugano is Italian-speaking, sits on its own lake and is a short hop from Como. It feels like a tidy, expensive cousin of the Italian lakes. Stay on Lake Como and visit for a day, or sleep in Lugano and continue to Zurich and Lucerne. See Milan and the lakes.
The Bernina Express
The Rhaetian Railway's Bernina line climbs from Tirano in Lombardy over the Bernina Pass to St. Moritz, part of a UNESCO-listed route. Reach Tirano from Milan Centrale on a Trenord regional train in about two and a half hours. The panoramic Bernina Express cars need a seat reservation; ordinary trains on the same tracks do not and have windows that open for photos.
The Centovalli
A narrow-gauge railway through a hundred valleys, linking Domodossola in Piedmont with Locarno on Lake Maggiore. Combine it with a stay on the Italian side of Lake Maggiore for a loop by train and boat.
Different from home
Switzerland belongs to the Schengen area and sits outside the EU and its customs union. There is no passport check on the train. Swiss and Italian customs officers do walk through cross-border trains, though, and can ask what you are carrying. Switzerland also uses its own currency, the Swiss franc (CHF), and prices for meals and hotels run noticeably higher than in northern Italy.
Watch out
EU "roam like at home" rules do not cover Switzerland. If you bought an Italian SIM or a Europe eSIM, check whether Switzerland is included before you cross, or you may pay steep roaming rates. Our staying connected page covers phone plans.
Driving into Switzerland requires a motorway vignette, sold as an e-vignette online, and rental companies may charge extra for taking an Italian car across. See driving in Italy.
Austria, Germany and night trains
Austria sits outside the main pairings on this page, though its routes are useful. EuroCity trains cross the Brenner Pass from Verona and Bologna to Innsbruck and Munich, a beautiful way to link the Dolomites or Verona with Bavaria. Austrian Railways' Nightjet sleeper trains connect Italian cities including Rome, Milan and Venice with Vienna and Munich; check the ÖBB site for the current routes and days, since the network changes with each timetable.
Ferries to Greece
Ferries across the Adriatic and Ionian seas are one of the great old-fashioned ways to travel in Europe: you board in the evening, eat dinner on deck, sleep in a cabin and wake up to the mountains of Epirus or the green hills of Corfu.
| Italian port | Greek ports | Main operators | Typical crossing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bari | Corfu, Igoumenitsa, Patras | Superfast Ferries, Ventouris | Overnight to Corfu and Igoumenitsa; most of a day to Patras |
| Brindisi | Corfu, Igoumenitsa, Patras | Grimaldi Lines and others | The shortest crossing to Corfu and Igoumenitsa |
| Ancona | Igoumenitsa, Patras | Superfast, Anek, Minoan Lines | Roughly a day and a night to Patras |
| Venice | Igoumenitsa, Patras | Anek-Superfast | The longest route, more than a day at sea |
Schedules and journey times vary by season and ship, so treat the table as a guide and check the operator's current timetable. Summer brings the most sailings; in winter some routes drop to a few a week.
Which route to choose
- For Corfu and the Ionian islands: sail from Bari or Brindisi, which pairs well with a trip through Puglia.
- For Athens: sail to Patras, then continue by bus, or bus and suburban train, to Athens in about three hours. Honestly, a direct flight from Rome or Milan to Athens is far quicker and often cheaper if you are not bringing a car.
- With a rental car: most Italian rental contracts forbid taking the car on a ferry or out of Italy, or charge heavily for it. Plan to drop the car in Italy and rent again in Greece.
Cabins and deck class
A "deck" ticket gets you on board with a place in the lounges or on deck. For an overnight crossing, book an airline-style reserved seat at minimum, or a cabin with a private bathroom. Cabins sell out first in July and August. Some lines offer "camping on board" for travelers with campervans, which is popular with Europeans.
Insider tip
Ferry ports in Bari and Brindisi are a taxi ride from the train stations, and check-in typically closes well before departure. Arrive at least two hours early in summer, longer with a vehicle, and bring food: onboard restaurants are expensive and close early.
Ferries to Croatia
Croatia joined the Schengen area and switched to the euro on January 1, 2023, so crossing from Italy now feels much like a domestic trip. There is no passport check on Adriatic ferries between the two countries.
Ancona to Split
The classic crossing. Croatia's state ferry line Jadrolinija and the Italian operator SNAV run car ferries between Ancona and Split, mostly overnight, with cabins. Jadrolinija also links Ancona with Zadar and Bari with Dubrovnik. These international lines are seasonal: in late October 2026 Jadrolinija announced that its international routes are suspended until January 5, 2027, so winter travelers should fly.
Venice to Istria
Seasonal fast boats connect Venice with Istrian towns such as Rovinj, Poreč and Pula, plus Piran in Slovenia. It is an easy way to add a few days of Croatian coast to a Venice trip without backtracking. Check the current season dates early, since sailings typically run only from late spring to early fall.
Trieste by bus
From Trieste, buses run year-round to Istria, Rijeka and Ljubljana in Slovenia. This is the most reliable option outside the summer season.
For Dubrovnik and Split in the off-season, a direct flight from Rome is usually the simplest choice; Croatia Airlines and several low-cost carriers fly between the two countries, with more routes in summer.
Sicily to Malta
Malta is the easiest island add-on from Sicily. Virtu Ferries runs a fast catamaran from Pozzallo, on Sicily's southeast coast, to Valletta in about 1 hour 45 minutes. In late fall 2026 the timetable shows two or three sailings a day in each direction, with more in summer. Virtu also runs coach transfers between Catania and the Pozzallo port, timed to the sailings, so you do not need a car.
Pair it with a stay in Syracuse, Noto or Ragusa, which are all close to Pozzallo. The crossing can be rough in winter; if you get seasick, sit low and toward the middle of the boat, and know that sailings are cancelled in bad weather.
Different from home
Malta is in the Schengen area and uses the euro, but it was a British colony until 1964: people speak English, they drive on the left, and outlets take the British three-pin Type G plug. Your Italian plug adapter will not fit, so pack a UK adapter too.
Flights also link Malta with Rome, Milan, Catania and other Italian cities, run by KM Malta Airlines, ITA Airways and low-cost carriers.
Budget flights
For anything farther than a few hours by train, flying is usually the fastest way between Italy and its neighbors. Low-cost airlines have huge networks out of Italy: Ryanair is the biggest carrier in the country by far, followed by easyJet, Wizz Air and the Spanish airline Volotea, which flies many routes from smaller Italian cities. ITA Airways, now partly owned by Lufthansa, along with Aegean, Air France and SWISS, fly the main routes with more generous baggage rules.
Airports to know
- Rome: Ciampino handles much of Ryanair's Rome traffic; Fiumicino has everything else.
- Milan: Bergamo Orio al Serio, about 30 miles (50 km) from Milan, is a huge Ryanair base; easyJet is big at Malpensa; Linate is closest to the city.
- Venice: Marco Polo, plus Treviso for some low-cost flights, a bus ride from Venice.
- Elsewhere: Naples, Bari, Brindisi, Catania, Palermo, Bologna, Pisa and Cagliari all have wide low-cost networks.
How low-cost fares catch Americans
- Bags: the base fare usually includes only a small under-seat bag. A roller bag in the cabin and a checked bag both cost extra, and the price is much higher at the airport than when you book. Measure your bag against the airline's limits.
- Check-in: check in online before you go. Ryanair has moved to app-based boarding passes, and some carriers charge to check you in at the desk.
- Seats: seats are assigned at random unless you pay, so families should pay to sit together.
- Distance: "Milan" may mean Bergamo, and the bus to town costs time and money. Count the transfer when comparing fares.
- Liquids: assume the 100 ml (3.4 oz) rule for carry-on liquids unless your airport clearly says otherwise.
Save money
Search the low-cost carriers' own sites as well as Google Flights, and book directly. If the cheapest fare plus a checked bag ends up close to the ITA, SWISS or Aegean fare, the full-service flight from the main airport usually wins.
Sample pairings
- Italy and Switzerland
12 days
Venice (3 nights), Milan (1), Lake Como (3), then the EuroCity via Lugano to Lucerne or Zurich (3), and fly home from Zurich. Add the Bernina Express as a day from Como via Tirano if you love trains.
- Italy and the Riviera
12 days
Rome (3), Florence (3), the Cinque Terre (3), then trains along the coast via Genoa and Ventimiglia to Nice (3), and fly home from Nice or connect through Paris.
- Italy and Paris
14 days
Rome (4), Florence (3), Venice (3), a train from Venice to Milan, then the Frecciarossa to Paris (4). Book the Milan–Paris leg as soon as you know your dates, and fly home from Paris on an open-jaw ticket.
- Puglia and Corfu
10 days
Bari and Polignano (2), Alberobello and Lecce (4), then a ferry from Bari or Brindisi to Corfu (4). Fly home via Athens or a hub such as Rome.
- Sicily and Malta
10 days
Palermo (3), Agrigento (1), Syracuse and Ortigia (3), then the Pozzallo fast ferry to Valletta (3).
How the Schengen clock works across countries
As a US passport holder you can spend up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period in the Schengen area. The key point for multi-country trips: the 90 days cover all 29 Schengen countries together, so you cannot spend 90 days in Italy and then another 90 in France or Croatia.
Who is in and who is out
| In Schengen (days count) | Outside Schengen (days do not count) |
|---|---|
| Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Malta, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czechia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania | United Kingdom, Ireland, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Turkey, Cyprus, Tunisia, Morocco |
The tiny states inside or next to Italy, San Marino and Vatican City, have no border controls with Italy, and neither does Monaco with France, so time there is treated as Schengen time in practice.
A worked example
You land in Rome on May 1, spend time in Rome and Florence, take the EuroCity to Zurich on May 10, go to Paris on May 13, take the Eurostar to London on May 17, and fly home from London on May 21.
- May 1 through May 17 counts as 17 Schengen days. The day you travel from Paris to London counts as a Schengen day, because you were in the area for part of it.
- The four days in London do not count.
- You entered the Schengen area in Rome, where your entry was recorded in the Entry/Exit System, and left it at the Eurostar terminal in Paris, where your exit was recorded. Switzerland did not create a separate entry, because it is inside Schengen.
Using non-Schengen countries to stretch a long trip
If you are planning several months in Europe, time in the UK, Ireland, Albania, Montenegro or Turkey stops the Schengen clock. A ferry from Bari to Albania or Montenegro and back is a legitimate way to break up a long stay. It does not reset your 90 days, though; when you return, the system still counts every Schengen day in the previous 180. Use the European Commission's short-stay calculator before you commit.
Watch out
The Entry/Exit System has been fully running since April 10, 2026, and records every entry and exit at the outer Schengen border electronically. Overstays are now flagged automatically when you leave, wherever you leave from. Leaving through a different country than the one you entered does not hide extra days.
ETIAS, the EU's planned online travel authorization, is still not required as of October 2026, and its start has slipped into 2027. When it arrives, one ETIAS will cover all the Schengen countries on your trip. Full details are on our entry page.
Money and phones across borders
- Currency: France, Greece, Croatia, Malta, Slovenia, Austria and Montenegro use the euro. Switzerland uses the Swiss franc, and most Swiss shops and stations take cards, so you rarely need cash. Albania uses the lek.
- Cards: the same advice as in Italy applies: when a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in dollars, choose euros or the local currency. See money.
- Phones: an Italian SIM or EU eSIM works at no extra charge across the EU, plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Switzerland, the UK and the Balkan countries outside the EU are not automatically included.
- Plugs: France, Switzerland, Greece and Croatia use European two-pin plugs that fit Italian adapters, although Swiss sockets are recessed and take only slim two-pin plugs. Malta uses British Type G.
Add it to a route in the trip builder, or ask us to plan the hotels, trains and guides for you.