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How to watch Italian TV in the USA in 2026


Missing Italian TV while you’re in the US? Whether you’re traveling, studying, or living abroad, it’s frustrating when RaiPlay, Mediaset Infinity, Sky Italia, or your usual shows suddenly stop working. Most of the time, this happens because streaming platforms can see your IP address and limit your access outside Italy.

A VPN is the easiest way around that. It lets you connect to a server in Italy, which gives you an Italian IP address. That way, streaming sites are more likely to show the same content you’d get back home. In this guide, I’ll show you how to watch Italian TV in the USA with a VPN, how to set it up, and what to look for when choosing a VPN service.

How to watch Italian TV with a VPN

how-to-italian-tv
  1. Choose a VPN with solid servers based in Italy – I recommend NordVPN, now 75% OFF
  2. Download and install the software on your device
  3. Choose an Italian server, set up your preferences, and create an account
  4. Go to your chosen streaming app or platform, such as RaiPlay, and sign in to your account or create one
  5. Start watching and streaming your favorite online Italian TV shows

Why do you need a VPN to watch Italian TV online?

Italian streaming and online TV services aren’t accessible from the US because of geo-restrictions, licensing agreements, copyright laws, and distribution rights. But you can simply bypass these restrictions by getting a reliable VPN service that has servers in Italy.

Access Italian TV with NordVPN
NordVPN is the best solution for accessing Italian TV from the US or anywhere else. Thanks to over 60 servers in Italy and excellent speeds, you can access Italian content without issues.
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4.9 /5

Once you connect to a server in the country, you’ll be assigned an Italian IP address and be able to access the country’s content. Otherwise, if you attempt to watch Italian TV in the US without a VPN, you’ll get an error message saying the content is blocked or unavailable.

raiplay-error
Error message on Rai stating that the content is only available for streaming in Italy

That’s why it’s important to choose a high-quality VPN with servers located in Italy. To make things easier, I compiled a list of the best options. Below are my top VPN recommendations for streaming Italian TV shows from the US.

Best VPNs to watch Italian TV online in 2026

You might think any VPN service will help you navigate around geo-restrictions so you can watch Italian TV in the USA. The truth is, you need a VPN provider that has reliable and high-quality servers in Italy.

You don’t have to worry, though. Together with our research team, I reviewed 41 VPNs, and our recommendations reflect the top 3 providers. These VPN services are the best for reliability and consistently bypassing geo-restrictions.

I also double-checked each service for strong security and robust speeds. Most of all, I made sure each VPN provider lets you access online content from Italy in the US.

How to watch Italian TV in the USA

Ready to learn how to watch Italian TV in the USA or from anywhere? Get started with this step-by-step guide. I use NordVPN as an example.

1. Subscribe to a VPN service

You won’t get far if you try to watch Italian TV from the US without a good VPN. Your initial step is to sign up for the service.NordVPN offers the most reliable server network, with 60+ servers available for connections in Italy. I recommend installing the software and signing up for an account. You can always try it risk-free for 30 days to see how good it is at unblocking Italian TV.

2. Connect to an Italian server

This is how you use a VPN to connect to an Italian server:

  1. Navigate to your VPN provider’s site – for this case, I recommend NordVPN, now 75% OFF
  2. Download and install the software on your device
    nordvpn-installation
  3. Open the software and log in with your account
  4. Select Italy from the selection of countries
    NordVPN connected to Italy

3. Open your Italian streaming service

Whether you prefer to watch content with Netflix Italia or RaiPlay, your next step is to access your streaming service:

  1. Open the streaming service on a web browser or with an app
  2. Sign in to your account
  3. Select the content you want to watch and enjoy
    raiplay content

Italian TV channels you can watch with a VPN

Here’s a list of the most popular Italian TV channels and streaming services you can watch with a VPN:

  1. RAI 1, RAI 2, RAI 3 (RAI Play)
  2. Canale 5
  3. Italia 1
  4. Mediaset Infinity
  5. Rete 4
  6. La7
  7. Telecinco
  8. Netflix Italia
  9. Prime Video Italia
  10. NOW TV Italia

You can also get Mediaset Infinity, which features several popular Italian TV channels.

What Italian TV shows can I watch online?

ShowTypeYearStreaming platform
My Brilliant Friend (L’Amica Geniale)Series2018–2024RaiPlay, HBO Max, Prime Video
A Doctor in the Family (Un Medico in Famiglia)Series1998–2016RaiPlay
SuburraMovie2015Netflix
CuronSeries2020Netflix
The Pupil (L’allieva)Series2016–2020RaiPlay
CatturandiMini series2015–2016RaiPlay
Viola (Viola Come Il Mare)Series2022–presentMediaset Infinity
Buongiorno, mamma!Series2021–2023Mediaset Infinity
We Still Talk (Lei mi parla ancora)Movie2021Prime Video
Wild RepublicSeries2021RaiPlay

How to watch Italian TV on your device

Using a VPN with servers based in Italy makes it possible to watch Italian TV on a variety of devices. Potential devices include computers, laptops, smartphones, Amazon Fire TV Sticks, Kodi, and smart TVs. That said, the process can be different for each type of device.

To make things simple, I’ve broken it all down for you. My step-by-step guides walk you through how to use a VPN to watch Italian TV on your preferred device – whether you're in the USA or anywhere else in the world:

How to watch Italian TV on a PC

As long as your VPN is compatible with Windows or a Mac, you can use it to get around geo-restrictions. Just follow these simple steps:

  1. Download and install your VPN software on your computer – I highly recommend NordVPN
  2. Sign in to your account
  3. Connect to a server in Italy
  4. Pull up your favorite Italian streaming service in a web browser
  5. Sign in to the streaming service and start watching

How to watch Italian TV on a smartphone

Sometimes you’re not at home and want to watch your Italian TV shows on your smartphone. Whether you have an Android or an iPhone, the process is mostly the same. The only difference is the version of the app you’ll install. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Download and install your VPN’s app or software on your smartphone from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store – NordVPN is the best choice
  2. Once you install the VPN app, sign in to your account
  3. If you have an Apple ID or Google account, create a new one and select Italy as your country
  4. Go to your VPN and select a server based in Italy
  5. Open or download your Italian streaming service’s app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store
  6. Sign in to your streaming account and select the content you want to watch

Watch Italian TV on Amazon Fire TV Stick

Watching Italian TV on the Amazon Fire TV Stick is similar to watching it on other devices. However, you might need to restart your device or clear its cache memory if you’re not successful on the first try. Follow these steps to start watching:

  1. Download your VPN app onto an Amazon Fire TV Stick – I suggest using NordVPN
  2. Open and sign in to the VPN app
  3. Set your location to Italy or choose a server based in Italy
  4. Download your Italian streaming service’s app onto the Amazon Fire TV Stick if it’s not there already
  5. Open the streaming service app, sign in, and enjoy

Watch Italian TV on Kodi

Kodi is a media player software, if you’re unfamiliar with the name. So, if you have a media player or smart TV device, you might want to use it to watch Italian TV. The process is somewhat different because it involves an add-on. Here’s how to set up a VPN on Kodi:

  1. Download and install a VPN on your media player – my recommendation is NordVPN
  2. Access your account and connect to a server in Italy
  3. Go to your Kodi home screen and choose Add-ons
  4. From this menu, select Video add-ons and then Rai On Demand. This lets you watch content from RaiPlay
  5. Open the add-on, sign in to your RaiPlay account, and get ready to be entertained

Watch Italian TV from your country

You can watch Italian TV whether you live in the US, the UK, Australia, or somewhere else. The process is the same with a VPN:

  1. Download and install VPN software on your device – NordVPN works amazingly
  2. Register for an account and sign in
  3. Connect to a server based in Italy
  4. Open your Italian TV or streaming service
  5. Choose and enjoy your shows

Watch Italian TV online for free

If you want to watch Italian TV online for free from the US, you can use a free service like RaiPlay. Other options include accessing Italian broadcast channels, such as LA7 and DMAX Italia, online. But you need a strong VPN with servers based in Italy to do this.

Be aware that many free VPN services don’t have servers based in major Italian cities like Milan or Rome. You’re also risking the security and privacy of your personal data. In exchange for free service, many of these providers sell your information.

Instead, try a freemium VPN service, such as Proton VPN. You can also use NordVPN’s, Surfshark’s, and PureVPN’s free trials. Here’s how much they cost you once the trial period is over:

  1. NordVPN – easily unblocks Italian streaming services for only $3.49/month
  2. Surfshark – just $2.49/month to watch your favorite Italian content online
  3. PureVPN – super affordable solutions for just $2.15/month after the trial is over

The final word

When you travel or live abroad, you miss your favorite shows. But watching Italian TV in the US or anywhere outside Italy means you need to bypass location restrictions. The simplest way to do this is to use a secure VPN with servers based in Italy.

NordVPN is the best solution because it has over 60 servers in Milan and Rome that you can use. Plus, the security and capacity are top-notch.

Once your VPN is ready to go, all you have to do is log in or access your Italian TV channels or streaming services online. Your IP address will be from Italy, so you won’t get any geo-restriction error messages.

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