Over the course of our travels, we have spent about half a year traveling in Italy. Over our trips, we’ve tried to act like temporary locals and assimilate into the sweet life—la dolce vita. This article covers the essential Italy travel tips we’ve gathered over our Italy vacations.
Italy Logistics/Cultural Norms
- Be aware of daily closures at lunch and Sunday closures. Some businesses and many churches close for lunch in the early afternoon; Sunday closures are also quite normal. Some museums, even “big” ones might only be open for half a day, so check ahead of time. I try to balance one or two “big” attractions a day with smaller activities, such as exploring shops, wandering down lanes, going on city walks, visiting parks, and piazza sitting. Restaurants, too, open for lunch then close and reopen for dinner at 7 or 7:30.
- Many Italians that I’ve met use WhatsApp for texting and calling—even many businesses list their WhatsApp number on their business card. Since international phone plans can be expensive, you might want to follow their lead and upload this app. WhatsApp runs on wi-fi or data, so as long as you have connectivity you can call or text anyone with the app—including back home.
- Buy one bottle of water and carry with you. Some places, like Rome, have amazing water flowing from fountains all over. Get a disposable bottle of water when you’re there so you can just refill.
- Don’t be surprised if a bathroom doesn’t have toilet paper (I generally carry some tissues in my purse) or if a public toilet doesn’t have a toilet seat. Some free public toilets might not have toilet seats, more true in Rome, so prepare to squat.
- Don’t go in August. Not only is Italy very hot in August, but it is also a popular month for Italians to vacation, which means restaurants, shops, and other venues may be closed.
- Be safe. Italy is generally quite safe, but pick-pocketing seems to be an art in the bigger cities. Use a cross-body bag that zips and you keep in front of you. Men should keep their wallets in their front pockets and secure them. You may want to consider a money belt that goes under your clothes. Also, avoid scams. In the bigger cities, people will try to sell you “art” that they lay on the ground—if you step on it, they demand a fee. They might also try to put (quite aggressively by the way) a “free friendship” bracelet on you, generally while shaking hands with you. They will then demand payment. Or, they may try to get you to sign a petition and then have you pay. There are many more scams, so check them out before you go.
Italy General Travel Tips
- Don’t miss out on the major sites and experiences—reserve tickets and tours ahead of time. You don’t want to spend your limited time standing in line waiting to get in. And for some popular sites, you just cannot book on site. Reserving ahead saves time, money, and ensures that you will have a spot to see what you traveled to Italy to see. Many attractions can be booked via Liv Tours, Tour Guy, or Viator.
- Go on a small group tour. Italy tours with reputable tour companies can be a good value because you have a local expert guiding you around the city and giving you insight that no guide book can provide. You can find small group tours from Liv Tours, Tour Guy, and Viator.
- Have cash on you and use debit and credit cards with no foreign transaction fees/no currency exchange fees. Take money out of the ATM when you get to Europe (deny the currency conversion feature). You will want cash for small purchases, public toilets, and because cash is generally king in Italy. Some banks, like Charles Schwab, will even reimburse your ATM fees. Let your banking companies know you’ll be traveling, so they don’t accidentally freeze your accounts. I recommend bringing two credit cards and two debit cards that draw on two different banking systems, so you can leave one at your lodging when traveling. Italy is generally safe, but pickpockets abound and it’s good to have a backup in place.
- Pick a hotel/lodging in an area that fits you and your needs. I always recommend city center so that you can rely less on transportation and are able to walk out your door and experience the charms of the city you have chosen to visit.
- Free museum tickets—the first Sunday of the month is free state museum day in Italy. But even if you’re not there at that time, I’ve found that Italian attractions generally have modest fees. There are also free attractions—many Italian churches have awesome artworks and, better yet, they are in situ meaning that they are in the spot that they were commissioned for. You can also just enjoy traveling through the back lanes of a picturesque Italian neighborhood, visit artisan shops, enjoy street performers in a piazza, sit in a public park, or find a lookout point that gives you a stunning view of the city.
- As soon as you reserve the first aspect of the trip, even if it’s making a hotel reservation that you later cancel, get travel insurance. If you get your travel insurance right away (usually within a week of making the first vacation deposit), then pre-existing conditions are generally covered. I recommend Travel Insurance dot Com because it lets you compare a bunch of policies and order straight from its website with no markup. Your policy is emailed within minutes. I’ve said a lot of money this way while protecting my travel investment.
Italy Transportation Tips
- Plan for delays—busses will not be on time, trains will arrive late, there might be a strike. I find that trains and busses are often off their timetable, so plan a little leeway in your itinerary to compensate. There are many nuisance strikes in Italy—check the government strike to see if a strike is planned for the transportation system you’re planning on using. By knowing ahead of time, you can plan accordingly. Regardless of potential punctuality issues, I highly recommend you use Italy’s public transportation. By the way, for the fast (freccia) trains, you will get a better price if you book ahead of time.
- Validate your train and bus tickets! If you buy online and/or have an assigned seat, you probably don’t need to validate, but if you have a paper ticket you need to get it stamped with the date/time (there will be a validation machine to do this) when you enter a bus or before you board a train.
- If you’re staying in a big city, don’t rent a car. Many cities in Italy have limited access and you can get a big fine if you drive into a ZTL (zono traffico limitato). If you do have to rent a car, make sure to get an international driving permit from AAA/CAA.
Italy Food Tips
- Act like a local and order coffee to drink standing at the bar. Italians eat their breakfast at the counter, which saves a lot of money since taking a seat can cost multiple times the amount. Usually you go to the cashier and pay. You tell them what you plan to order and if you will sit a table or stand at the counter. Choose to stand with the Italians and drink your itty-bitty espresso (caffe) at the counter. Prices can double, triple, or quadruple if you sit down. Once you get your receipt, you take it to the coffee maestro behind the counter and enjoy the delightful drink he puts in front of you. I usually pay around 1€ for an espresso; even in the swankiest places, I don’t think I’ve paid more than 1.50€.
- Order your cappuccino before noon. This drink is seen as a breakfast one. Although places will likely serve you one at any time of the day, Italians generally just drink it in the morning. They don’t have it as a dessert drink, like North Americans do. Speaking of coffee drinks—it’s caffè latte, not just a latte. If you order a latte, you will get a glass of milk.
- You will have to ask for your bill. Generally, a restaurant won’t bring your check. You have to ask for it. Just say: il conto, per favore. Speaking of the bill, you might see words like coperto and servizio. Coperto is a cover charge that will be assigned to each person at your table. Occasionally, you may see servizio on the bill, which is a service charge. You shouldn’t see both charges at the same time. If there is servizio or coperto charged, it should be written down on the menu or somewhere noticeable.
- Tipping is not expected. A server’s wage isn’t dependent on tips. If you want to leave something, you can round up a little or leave a few euro, but don’t leave a percentage of the bill.
- Do eat after 7. Most good Italian restaurants don’t open until at least 7, many at 7:30 or later. The further south one goes, the later people seem to eat. To fit in and dine at the restaurants that locals do, eat later.
- Try aperitivo. You may be getting a little munchy if you aren’t used to dining as late as Italians, so take advantage of the pre-dinner drink and snack time known as aperitivo. Many places offer an assortment of snacks (chips, olives, bruschetta, etc.) to accompany a pre-dinner cocktail.
- Don’t fill up on the bread while waiting for your meal. Italians don’t snack on bread like Americans tend to do when waiting for their dish to arrive. Instead, they use the bread to sop up the sauce after they have finished their pasta—it’s called fare la Scarpetta—and it’s delicious! Also, don’t ask for oil or vinegar to accompany your bread. It is served the way it is supposed to be eaten.
- Avoid places where hawkers are out front trying to drag you in. If the restaurant has good food, it will speak for itself and there won’t be a need to beg strangers to eat there. Find eateries that are filled with people who look local (or just don’t look like tourists). A line out the door is a great sign (but note that some restaurants seat a lot of people so this isn’t always a defining factor). Also, listen for the local language, dialect, or accent. While you’re there, try the local specialty—it’s pretty much guaranteed to be delicious.
- They won’t just put tap water down in front of you when you sit down at a restaurant. You have to order and pay for water—still or gas. The house wine is also likely very good—many restaurants get their house wine from a local vineyard.
- Consider a culinary walking tour. Many big cities now have tour companies offering food & drink tours that allow participants to sample the local cuisine while learning about the food culture of the area. We recommend Liv Tours or The Tour Guy.
Italy Packing Tips
- You might want to bring a washcloth. I’ve found that most places only have bath and hand towels, so I always bring one with me. While you’re preparing your packing list, pack lighter by creating a capsule wardrobe of clothes that all “go” with one another. But make sure you pack appropriate clothing for the places you plan to go. Respectful dress is required in most Italian churches; you are required to have your shoulders and knees covered, so plan appropriately.
- Bring electrical adapters. Also, make sure your electrical devices will convert to European voltage. Speaking of energy, if you get to your hotel room and can’t figure out how to turn on the lights, you may need to put the key card in the light-switch or slot near the door. Some rooms, in order to be more energy-efficient, have you put the key card in so that you don’t leave the lights on when you’re gone.
I hope these tips help you as you prepare for your Italian adventure. If you’ve been to Italy before, what tips do you have share—put them in the comment section below.
Happy travels! Amy
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