Sydney and the Opera House, the Blue Mountains, Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road, the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree and the Whitsundays
In the outback: Adelaide, the wildlife of Kangaroo Island, the sacred monolith of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Alice Springs
Explore itineraries grouped by geographic area
Planning a trip to Australia? Here you'll find our 2 day-by-day itineraries (Sydney and NSW, Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, Whitsundays, Red Centre (Uluru, Alice Springs), Adelaide and Kangaroo Island), plus all the practical info to organise your journey: currency, visa, e-SIM, health, plugs and useful numbers.
Reversed seasons: the Australian summer is December-February, winter June-August. The climate varies enormously: scorching desert in the centre, tropical and humid in the north (Cairns, with a rainy season and cyclones Nov-Apr), temperate on the south-east coast (Sydney, Melbourne). Best times: spring and autumn for the east coast, the dry season (May-Oct) for the tropical north and the Red Centre.
Updated: June 2026
You need a valid passport AND a visa, mandatory even for tourism. EU/Italian citizens apply online for the eVisitor visa (free, valid for stays up to 90 days, multiple entries within a year) before departure. Young people up to 35 can get the Working Holiday Visa (12 months). Citizens of other countries should check the visa type on the Australian government website (homeaffairs.gov.au).
The currency is the Australian dollar (AUD): about 1.65 to 1 euro. Australia is almost entirely cashless: cards and contactless accepted everywhere, even for tiny amounts. Cash over 10,000 Australian dollars must be declared on entry and exit. The country is fairly expensive.
The language is English, with a very characteristic slang and accent (the 'Strine') and many abbreviations. Communicating is of course easy throughout the country.
No mandatory vaccines. Healthcare is excellent in the cities (less reliable in remote areas). There is an Italy-Australia agreement (Medicare) granting Italian tourists basic public care for the first 180 days of stay: bring your health card and passport. Health insurance covering medical expenses and repatriation is still strongly recommended, essential for remote areas and for stays beyond 180 days (private care is very expensive).
Mobile coverage is excellent in cities but poor or absent in the interior and the desert (Telstra has the best regional coverage). Australia is outside the EU, so EU roaming is NOT included: a local eSIM or SIM (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone) is best. If you travel in the outback, consider a satellite phone.
Power is 230V/50Hz with type I sockets (two angled flat pins in a V plus earth): different from European ones, you need an adapter for Australia (the same used in New Zealand).
Australia has several time zones and is well ahead of Europe: generally between +8 and +10 hours (the east coast, Sydney/Melbourne, is +8/+10 depending on daylight saving). The southern hemisphere has reversed seasons. Account for the big jet lag.
💡 Apply online for the (free) eVisitor visa before leaving and bring your health card: the Medicare agreement covers basic care for 180 days. On the beach always swim between the red and yellow flags, and in the North never go near rivers and estuaries (crocodiles). Finally, on arrival declare any food: Australian biosecurity is unforgiving.