Location and destination
In English, we usually choose our prepositions based on the action: we go to a place, but we live in a place. In Italian, the preposition you use depends primarily on the type of place, rather than the verb. You will use the same preposition whether you are traveling to a location or already there.
Countries and regions (in)
When talking about countries, continents, or large regions, always use the preposition in. This means "in" when talking about location, and "to" when talking about destination.
| Are you taking a vacation in Spain? | Fai una vacanza in Spagna? |
| Are we going to Germany or to England? | Andiamo in Germania o in Inghilterra? |
| My brother is staying in Japan for a month. | Mio fratello sta in Giappone per un mese. |
Cities and towns (a)
When talking about cities, towns, or small islands, use the preposition a. Just like in, it covers both location ("in" or "at") and destination ("to").
| We are going to Venice tomorrow. | Noi andiamo a Venezia domani. |
| We are staying in Venice for the weekend. | Stiamo a Venezia per il fine settimana. |
| Are you going out in London tonight? | Uscite a Londra stasera? |
Combining cities and countries
When specifying exactly where a city is, or narrowing down a country to a specific city, simply apply the correct preposition to each place name. Use in before the country and a before the city.
| I live in Italy, in Florence. | Abito in Italia, a Firenze. |
| They are going to France, to Paris. | Vanno in Francia, a Parigi. |
| Marco is going to Rome, in Italy. | Marco va a Roma, in Italia. |
