Travel Tips for Bella Italia
Ciao a tutti! - Hello everyone! Our first travel tip is simple - DO NOT TRAVEL DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. We highly recommend you travel when the crowds are at a minimum, the heat doesn’t paralyze you with exhaustion, long lines are inevitable for meals and most activities, and the cost is much higher for everything! AVOID late May through the end of September. Be prepared for a less than optimal experience if you opt for the summer months.
Tip # 1: We begin with something practical: PACK LIGHT and HIRE LOCAL, LICENSED GUIDES. One, small to medium bag on four sturdy wheels is usually enough space. The less you have to tote, the better.
Hire local guides. They have been out of work for over two years as of May 2022. Support these local treasures. You will have much richer and memorable experiences with the locals. Check the Guide tab for our list of outstanding guides we have hired repeatedly.
Tip #2: RESERVE MUSEUM Tickets in advance. You will skip the lines and enjoy more space and fewer visitors in the now more controlled museums.
Tip #3: MAKE TIME FOR AT LEAST ONE FULL DAY & NIGHT IN A SMALL TOWN or VILLAGE. This is an example of a charming town in Tuscany, one hour outside of Florence, Montefollonico. Meet Louree and Niccolo at Borgo di Sotto https://www.borgodisotto.com/
Tip #4: LOOK FOR SPECIAL OFFERS. In this age of Covid, Italians are getting creative with offers to bring you to Italy to enjoy la dolce vita. Most hotels and B&B's have not seen or had many customers, if any, for 16 months. The region of Lazio, as an example, home to Rome, has allocated $10M Euro to pay for two free nights of lodging when you book and pay for 3 consecutive nights, making the 4th and 5th nights complimentary. https://www.italymagazine.com/.../italys-lazio-region...
Tip #5: LEARN THE BASICS. It is a sign of respect to learn the basic greetings in the language of the culture you are visiting. (Good morning. Good evening. Please. Thank you. Pleased to meet you. Excuse me.)
Italians speak Italian. Yes, English is spoken but typically in touristy areas and rarely elsewhere. Your attempt to use Italian words like "prego," (pronounced - pray go....and translates to "please" and “you are welcome,” shows that you care about the culture you are visiting. Bonding through language will enrich your experience. Don't worry about getting the pronunciation exact. But DO TRY! You can learn the basics on YouTube from fabulous native speakers like Francesco at Vaparetto, or have a virtual private or semi-private lesson for a small sum with a native speaker like Cinzia Ferri. Email: cinzia@instantlyitaly.com
Tip #6: BUY "VINO DELLA CASA" - i.e., “house wine” when dining at local trattorias. It is ALWAYS delicious and great for your budgets.
Tip #7: BRING YOUR VISA CARD or ATM/DEBIT card to get EURO - Use only cards that do NOT charge a transaction fee or a conversion fee. ATM machines are the most convenient way to get Euros into your pocket while in Italy.
Do NOT get cash advances inside a bank.
Do NOT exchange money at a money exchange booth or business. The rates are a rip off.
Do NOT bring traveler's cheques.
Keep just enough cash with you for your day's expenses and leave the rest in your room in a safe place. Separate your cash from your cards while in your wallets. Most hotel rooms have safes. If not, ask at the front desk to use the hotel's safe.
Italy's machines only accept 4 digit PINs.
Be sure to call your credit card company in advance or go online and provide them with the dates you will be out of the country so that holds are not placed on your card(s).
Leave a photocopy of the front and back of your credit cards at home with a loved one, just in case.
Tip #8: BRING A WATER BOTTLE - a non-disposable one, of course. Check out the water bottles that collapse and are therefore easy to carry. Summers in Italia are HOT. Stay hydrated. Water from public spickets with running, cool, fresh, clean, drinkable, refreshing water are common in Italian cities and villages. It's clean! It's safe. Avoid drinking from places where a sign is posted that reads "non potabile..." = undrinkable.
Tip #9: SKIP THE LINES AND EITHER BUY YOUR TRAIN TICKETS FROM A KIOSK IN THE STATION OR AT A TRAVEL AGENCY. In the main train terminals in Roma, Torino, Napoli, Milano, Bologna and Firenze, the kiosks are in multiple languages, easy to operate and often less expensive than booking online or waiting in line at the station. Rarely do tickets sell out for a train ride, even during crowded summers. But, if you want to travel in assigned seats in 1st or 2nd class or book on a special train, like the Frecciarossa (the "Red Arrow" a fast and luxurious bullet train), buy your tickets in advance - a day or two prior to your train trip. Book the Frecciarossa when you need to travel in a hurry. This is Italy’s version of a bullet train - modern, bright red, very comfortable. It is worth the extra cost and a huge time savings when TIME is so precious on your holidays. Be sure to validate your ticket at a validation machines. Look for them as they are in different locations in each train station. If you can’t find one, as someone for help BEFORE you board. You may be fined by the conductor if you do not validate your ticket(s).
Tip #10: LEARN THE ITALIAN NAMES OF THE CITIES YOU PLAN TO VISIT. Signage is in Italian of course, not English.
Florence is FIRENZE;
Rome is ROMA;
Milan is MILANO;
Turin is TORINO;
Venice is VENEZIA;
Naples is NAPOLI;
Sardenia is SARDEGNA.
This is important to know so that you book your trip to the right city and avoid any confusion or angst. Look up the names of all of your points of interest. And if you are leaving Italy for another city in another European country, look it/them up. You’ll need to know the Italian name to ensure you are buying a ticket to your destination and can find the correct name on the signage identifying the destinations of trains, gates in airports, etc. For example, Paris is Parigi, London is Londra, Munich is Monaco, Frankfurt is Francoforte. Do your homework.
Tip #11: BRING TWO-PRONGED PLUG-INS. Italy works on a round, two-prong plug-in. Two-pronged plugs without the converter are $2.00 US.
Tip #12: BRING A WASHCLOTH. Yes, a washcloth. Most Americans find it odd, but true, that most Italian hotels do not provide washcloths with towel sets. So, if you are accustomed to using a washcloth, pop one in your suitcase.
Tip #13: DO NOT PACK A HAIR DRYER. Nearly every hotel, B&B’s and apartments, will provide one.
Tip #14: MAKE A COPY OF YOUR VACCINATION CARD. Just in case….Keep it with you at all times. Save it as a “note” on your phone or in another area on your phone that does not require wifi to access. You will need proof of vaccination to enter trains, buses, museums, libraries, restaurants, and many more places. Italy is taking the virus seriously and taking measures to protect residents and visitors. Of course, the rules might change by the times you are in Italy so check the Italian Embassy online for Covid rules before you leave.
Tip #15: BE PREPARED WITH THE UP TO THE MINUTE COVID GUIDELINES. Consult the US Embassy and Italy's government site to get organized long before you leave.
1). www.salute.gov.it- Go to the Travellers page.
Tip #16: FIND A TOILET IN BARS. When in need of a toilet, go into a Bar, buy something to eat or drink, and ask to use the toilet. Bars are common in Italy where they serve fresh squeezed juice, coffee, wine, bottled drinks for beverages and many other items like candy, chewing gum, breakfast brioche, “panini” - sandwiches, tickets for the “autobus” - bus and “vaparetti” - water taxis.
Use one of these phrases to ask for toilet. (“Mi scusi. Dov'e la toilette per favore?” or “Dov’e il gabinetto?”)
Tip #17: USE APPS FOR NO COST TEXTS AND TELEPHONE CALLS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. Download an app like WhattsApp to use to call or to text fellow travelers and friends on your trip at NO COST. Most likely all parties need whatever app you use. The other alternative is to buy a SIM card for your smart phone and buy a one week to one month (or more) telephone plan. Check with your service provider to check if they offer an international plan that might meet your needs. Or .... simply disconnect and ENJOY the sights, sounds, and tastes of your adventures.
Tip #18: LEAVE YOUR FINE JEWELRY AT HOME
Tip #19: Plan your day around a “pisolino” - (a nap). Most of Italy shuts down from 12 to 3 to eat lunch and to nap before resuming work at 3 and closing at 7 or 8 pm. The exceptions are museums, churches and large stores in tourist towns which often remain open.
Tip #20: Bring a swimsuit! You WILL want to dip your toes in the water during the HOT summer days. REALLY! Splurge and Dive in! One life. One Chance.
Tip #21: Do NOT ask for butter for your bread in restaurants or trattorias. Use olive oil and salt.
Tip #22: Bring shoes that you have “broken in.”
Tip# 23: Line your suitcase with bubble wrap which you can use for your breakable gifts. Clothes are also great for protecting and wrapping your fragile items.
Tip # 24: Dine Italian style. Dinner is typically served all over Italy starting at 8. Larger cities are accustomed to opening as early as 6:30 or 7:00 for Americans.
Tip #25: PURSE MANAGEMENT - Do not place your purses on the sides or back of chairs in restaurants, even for a moment.
Tip #26: TAXIS - Take a taxi ONLY from a designated taxi stand. Stand in the long line and wait your turn at the airports and train stations in the areas clearly marked for taxis. The lines move quickly. It’s probably one of the only lines in Italy that do move quickly. Do not be cajoled to hop in a taxi by a person offering you a taxi. There are fixed fees from most major airports in Italy to the city center. For example, in Florence it is around 22 Euro plus one Euro for each suitcase. In Rome it is 38 Euro plus one Euro for each suitcase.
Tip #27: Bring a microfiber, quick drying towel. Great for all types of uses when traveling.
Tip #28: When approached by adults or children asking for money, LEAVE. If you engage, you will be allowing yourself to be scammed or robbed.
Tip #29: If you don’t want to feel bloated on the plane….Don’t drink sodas.
Tip #30: Check on your insurance coverage applicable for rental cars, if/when you rent a car. NOTE: Typically, insurance coverage lasts for just 30 days.