✦ Num in Italy

A concierge that already knows Italy

Over 109,000 places Num knows across Rome, Milan, Florence and Venice, from Trastevere trattorie and Navigli aperitivo bars to Murano workshops.

Italy is a country of cities that each behave like a small nation, and Num covers four of them: Rome at 50,558 places, Milan at 37,198, Florence at 15,081 and Venice at 6,354, including Murano and the Lido. Rome and Milan each hold over 3,400 restaurants and 2,300 cafés, and Rome adds 3,265 hotels. Venice is smaller but dense: 727 restaurants, 346 bars and 805 hotels in a city you cross on foot.

The questions Num is good at here are the ones a guidebook cannot answer at nine on a Tuesday night. A trattoria in Testaccio with a table for two now. A Navigli bar where the aperitivo buffet is generous. A bakery in Florence open before the Uffizi queue forms. A bacaro near the Rialto with cicchetti left at six. A pharmacy open on a Sunday, a step-free route from Termini to your hotel. It gives one place and tells you how to reach it.

Where Num is in Italy

Every destination Num covers here, with how many places it holds in each. Open one for the full picture.

The essentials

CurrencyEuro (EUR)
LanguagesItalian; English common in hotels and tourist areas, less so in small trattorie
PlugsTypes C, F, L · 230 V
Emergency112 for all emergencies · 113 police · 118 ambulance · 115 fire
TippingNot expected; a coperto or service charge is usually already on the bill, and leaving a euro or two is plenty

What to know before you land

Coperto, not a scam

Most restaurants add a per-person cover charge, the coperto, for bread and the table. It is legal and normal, and it should be printed on the menu. What is not normal is a service charge on top plus pressure to tip.

Validate your ticket

On buses, trams and regional trains you must stamp or tap your ticket before or on boarding. Inspectors fine on the spot, and not knowing is not a defense. High-speed trains need a seat reservation.

Cash and cards

Cards are accepted almost everywhere now, including for small amounts, but some family bars and market stalls still prefer cash. Carry a little.

Church dress and closures

Shoulders and knees covered in churches, including St Peter's and the Duomo in Florence, where staff turn people away. Many churches close from around noon to mid-afternoon.

Riposo and Monday closures

Shops outside the tourist core close for a few hours after lunch. Many museums close on Mondays and the Vatican Museums on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month when entry is free and the queue enormous.

How Num works in Italy

Message Num the way you would message a friend who lives here, in any language. It answers with one real place that fits, open now, and how to get there. It is free for travelers. Businesses list free and pay only when Num completes a booking for them, so nothing here is ranked by who paid.

Ask Num about Italy

Questions about Italy

Is Italy safe for tourists?

Yes. Violent crime against visitors is rare. The real risk is pickpocketing on crowded transport, Rome's 64 bus and the Termini area, Milan's metro and the Venice vaporetti, plus overpriced tourist-trap menus near major sights.

Can I use Num in Italy in my own language?

Yes. Message it in any language and it answers in yours, with one place that fits and how to get there, in any of the four cities.

Do I need to book museums in advance?

For the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Uffizi and Accademia, yes, and often weeks ahead in high season. Smaller museums and most churches can be walked into.