Flights from Madrid to Italy from 66USD*

Flights to Italy from Madrid

From Madrid, Vueling flies direct to 9 Italian cities: Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples, Bologna, Turin, Catania and Olbia. Rome is around 2 and a half hours away and Milan a little under 2.

Flights this short leave one real decision: where to land. The centre, the north, the south and the islands make for completely different trips, and the airport you pick shapes everything that follows.

What documents you need to travel to Italy

Italy and Spain are both in the European Union and the Schengen Area, so Spanish citizens only need a valid Spanish ID card (DNI) or passport, with no visa or extra formalities.

On Schengen flights you need the physical DNI: the digital version is only valid on flights within Spain, and that detail catches people out at the check-in desk. Check the expiry date before you book, because you cannot board with an expired document. If you are travelling with children, each one needs their own. If you hold another nationality, check your situation on the travel documents page.

What to know when you land in Italy

High-speed rail. This is what turns 9 airports into a whole country. Rome and Milan are about 3 hours apart, with Florence halfway between them, and Bologna works as the hub for the north and the Adriatic. The stations sit right in the city centres, so flying into one city and home from another beats a simple return trip.

The coperto. Many restaurants add a cover charge to the bill. It is neither a mistake nor a hidden tip. It is standard practice, and worth knowing before you query it with the waiter. Outside the big cities, cash still comes in handy.

Mealtimes. Kitchens open around 19:30 for dinner and many close at 22:00. Turn up at 22:30 and you may not get a table. Plenty of shops close at midday and reopen in the afternoon.

Climate by latitude. The north has cold, damp winters, with fog in the Po Valley. The south and the islands are already warm in spring and very hot in August, which is also when half of Italy shuts up shop and heads for the beach.

Italy uses plug types C, F and L, at 230V. Type L has three round pins in a row.

What to do in Italy

Rome and central Italy

Rome packs centuries of history into its streets, with essentials such as the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, plus neighbourhoods like Trastevere and Pigneto for its more local side. Florence is an hour and a half away by train, home to the Uffizi and the Duomo, and makes a good base for exploring Tuscany.

The north

Milan blends design and fashion with sights such as the Duomo and the Pinacoteca di Brera, and it is a good starting point for Lake Como and Lake Garda. Turin stands out for its stately architecture and for one of the most important Egyptian museums outside Cairo. Venice draws visitors with its canals and heritage, Bologna with its food.

The south

Naples is Italy at its most intense, with Vesuvius, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast all within a day trip, and Capri and Ischia a ferry ride from the port. It is also the birthplace of the pizza now eaten all over the world.

Sicily and Sardinia

For Sicily, you fly into Catania, with Etna right next door and Taormina half an hour away. For Sardinia, it is Olbia, close to the Costa Smeralda and the La Maddalena archipelago. On both islands a car is practically essential.

Luggage for your flight to Italy

What you can take depends on the fare you choose when booking. The simplest fare includes a personal item that fits under the seat in front, and from there you can add cabin or checked luggage.

For a city break, cabin luggage is usually enough. If your plan strings together several stops by train, deciding on your luggage when you book saves you hauling too much between stations. Check the current conditions in Vueling’s luggage policy.