Do Canada passport holders need a visa to visit Italy (Schengen)?

Canadian passport holders do NOT need a visa to visit Italy for tourism. You can enter visa-free and stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the Schengen area. As of May 2026, Canadian ordinary passport holders are visa-exempt for short tourist or business stays in Italy, which is part of the Schengen area. The allowance is up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period, and this limit is cumulative across all Schengen countries you visit, not Italy alone. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure date from the Schengen zone (and ideally issued within the last 10 years). Since 12 October 2025, the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records non-EU travellers at the border using facial images and fingerprints — no action is needed before you travel, but expect biometric registration on arrival. The ETIAS travel authorization is NOT yet live; the EU expects it to launch in the last quarter of 2026 with a transitional grace period, after which Canadians will need an approved ETIAS (EUR 20, valid 3 years) before boarding. Until ETIAS is operational, no pre-travel authorization is required. For stays under 90 days you must register your presence: an entry stamp (or EES record) on arrival from outside Schengen suffices, otherwise file a declaration of presence at a local police office within 8 days (hotels usually do this for you).