What are some tips for traveling to Italy?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around tips and advice for traveling to Italy, covering various aspects such as cultural norms, safety precautions, dining etiquette, and language considerations. Participants share personal experiences and insights related to different regions of Italy, including Malta, Sicily, and mainland cities like Naples, Rome, and Florence.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that coffee in cafes is typically consumed on-site, with additional charges for sitting down.
  • There is a mention that leftovers from meals are generally not taken home in Italy.
  • Travelers are advised to expect shops to be closed between 1 PM and 4 PM, with some uncertainty about reopening times.
  • Concerns are raised about pickpocketing, particularly in cities like Bologna and Naples, with recommendations to use moneybelts.
  • Participants note that English may not be widely understood, especially in southern Italy, and suggest learning basic Italian phrases.
  • There are warnings about bogus tour guides at major tourist attractions like the Vatican and the Colosseum.
  • Some participants express frustration about late dining hours, with dinner often starting around 10 PM.
  • Advice is given to be polite and courteous when interacting with locals, including using greetings in Italian.
  • Travelers are encouraged to take their time and enjoy the experience rather than rushing to see all sights.
  • There are humorous warnings about potential unwanted attention from individuals in Italy.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of cultural awareness and safety while traveling in Italy, but there are varying opinions on specific customs, such as dining times and language barriers. The discussion remains unresolved on some points, particularly regarding the nuances of dining etiquette and safety practices.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the exact hours of shop operations and the cultural significance of dining times. There are also varying experiences regarding interactions with locals and the prevalence of pickpocketing.

Who May Find This Useful

Travelers planning a trip to Italy, particularly those interested in cultural norms, safety tips, and language preparation.

  • #31


Andre said:
Anyway, don't forget in Rome to do as the Romans do. And many Romans take the bus, but apparently very few actually pay for that. So if you don't forget to pay, you can actually stay in a rather empty bus, after it was raided by auditors.

Though of course you wouldn't. :smile: Wouldn't want to give a bad impression of foreigners ripping Italians off. :biggrin: Especially in this moment where there is a surge of national pride and facing sacrifices - not without some slight doubts here or there that these sacrifices and conditions are being imposed by foreigners. (It is so desperate that a short time ago Members of Parliament who scrape an existence on just €6,000 a month, plus €4,000 if they turn up to Parliamentary sessions plus expenses, voted themselves a reduction in pension. And there are people even worse off than them! Lots worse believe it or not.)

The bus ticket is just 1€ and lasts for 90 min which is a reasonable price for Europe - London will cost you minimum around £5 a day. I am sure you will be happy to contribute to sound public finances. :smile:
 
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  • #32


These are some great hints!

Don't drive in Palermo! Eat the pastries, OMG, best pastries, better than Paris.
 
  • #33


This is the sort of traffic in mind-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ERezCg2CQU

Monique said:
I had that happen in Portugal at a sandwich counter. After waiting in line for 10 minutes I found out I had to pay first, I then joined the line at the cashier, but had no clue what I wanted to order, went back over to the sandwich counter and tried to remember the names, which was impossible. Finally I resorted to taking pictures of the display :smile:

By then the person behind the counter jumped in and offered to give the sandwiches to the cashier, so I could pay for them. I was very grateful :biggrin:

A little like neutrino notions- paying before you’ve selected! :)

Evo said:
These are some great hints!

Don't drive in Palermo! Eat the pastries, OMG, best pastries, better than Paris.

Mmmm..., and the delicious, seeming misnomer, Sicilian red orange juice!
 
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  • #34


In Palermo now!

Great advice here thanks! Not driving, but crossing the road is certainly interesting! I've seen much worse driving in Ghana, so it's not so much a shock. Hope to post pics in photo forum upon return. 15 more days! 2 more till my first birthday out of the country!
 
  • #35


Saladsamurai said:
In Palermo now!

Great advice here thanks! Not driving, but crossing the road is certainly interesting! I've seen much worse driving in Ghana, so it's not so much a shock. Hope to post pics in photo forum upon return. 15 more days! 2 more till my first birthday out of the country!

Don't know how I missed this thread, I was just in Rome for 3 days back in April.


Subways seem to be safe even when they don't feel like it.

Open air markets are unsafe even when they don't feel like it.

Watch your wallet!

Don't hand a street vendor extra cash and expect change. I got into a big fight and caused quite a scene! (Gave him 20 Euros for a 5 Euro product and had to fight for my change!)
 
  • #36


In Palermo do not miss eating a Cassata Siciliana in one of the best places.

Do not know from personal experience but here http://www.dissapore.com/mangiare-f...-trovare-solo-quelle-estremamente-risolutive/ they say these are good

Pasticceria Irrera, Piazza Cairoli, 12 – Messina, "probably today the best pasticciaria siciliana". Pasticceria Scimone, Via Imera, 8 – Palermo. Pasticceria Costa, Via D’Annunzio, 15 – Palermo. La Gubana, Via G. Pitrè, 141 – Palermo.
 
  • #37
  • #38


If you look like a tourist, you are treated as such.

Dont wear your money pouch like a fanny pack. When I was there people were very friendly even though we didnt speak any italian. The vatican is a must see. Go in the afternoon, the lines will be shorter and the tour will probably be more personal.
 
  • #39


My favorite cities: Firenze (Florence), Siena
 
  • #40


Hey guys and gals! Just saying hi from Rome! Anyone know where Da Vinci , Michelangelo, and all the other ninja turtle's stuff is located? I think some if not most is in Florence. But is thereby in Rome? Googling from my phone is not proving much use and is killing my data plan! Thanks!
 
  • #41


Saladsamurai said:
Hey guys and gals! Just saying hi from Rome! Anyone know where Da Vinci , Michelangelo, and all the other ninja turtle's stuff is located? I think some if not most is in Florence. But is thereby in Rome? Googling from my phone is not proving much use and is killing my data plan! Thanks!

Having got there all the way from America, damn the expense I say and lash out another 10€ for a city guide book!

However there are supposed to be the ruins of a place where they used to have games that were quite rough and then there is a cute little god-box with stuff inside called St. Peters. If you have a professional guide there ask where is the tomb of King James III of England? They probably don’t know; nor do most English people, not knowing there ever was such a King. Well, he was only pretending.

Do not miss Moses by one, er - I forget his name but his first name was Michelangelo. It is in a fairly obscure, in more ways than one, Church called San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in chains – which you can also see there). It might take to some faith to believe they are the real ones, while Moses is a miracle you can hardly believe even when it is before your eyes, you have to see it to know what a man can do with a block of marble. To be equally amazed at what a woman can do with concrete on the other hand I strongly recommend the extraordinary Maxi gallery. Not to be confused with the Macro which you can take in if you choose also to visit Villa Torlonia, a place made famous by the outstandingly popular and highly acclaimed ‘Where’s that Landmark?’ feature on this very site.

I have mentioned some places slightly off the very beaten tourist track to which the guidebook is a guide. The trouble with extremely famous antiquities is they are old and very well known. But then I always think one profits from giving the 1-star places, like the small towns, their place when touring. Also you will not have enough time even for all the beaten-track ones. A compromise between ancient and modern would be a new antique, the Domus Romana in Palazzo Valentini, seat of the Province of Rome which not everyone has seen as it was not excavated when they came nor will it be in a non-updated guidebook (nor will the Maxi), and which will give you in modern fashion the best idea about how prosperous and powerful ancient Romans lived.

Wherever for museums etc. check beforehand opening or visiting times; this is all much better than it used to be but tomorrow Monday, had always been the worst day. Also check out which places need booking ahead, e.g. the Galleria Borghese and Domus Romana probably do.

For other entertainment check out the programmes at the Auditorium which can claim to be the best in Europe, there is all sorts of music to every taste.

For eating you can hardly go wrong, but ask around for recommendations or use a Michelin or Gambero Rosso guide if u are into that, or just internet see below. I recommend dinner one evening in the Ghetto where the Michelangelos of artichokes are; here don’t worry, I could almost say the crummier a place in the ghetto looks the better it is, there is one great place on a corner of the main piazza you might not even realize is there… but they are all good.

• 10 Restaurants not to be missed in Rome | Tavole Romane Food ...
www.tavoleromane.it/foodtours/en/?p=288
1 Nov 2011 – For higher priced restaurants you can find also ratings from some Italian gastronomic guides: Michelin 2011 between 1 and 3 *, Gambero ...
• An Expert's Opinionated Guide to Italy's Best Restaurants | Food ...
www.foodandwine.com/.../an-experts-opinionated-guide-to-italys-be...
The Gambero Rosso guides arbitrate everything from Italy's top wines to its finest ... today it's Italy's most powerful gastronomic empire and includes cookbooks, ...
• Rome best top restaurants guide, Best Roma Ristorante, reviews ...
www.toprestaurants.com/rome.htm
It also received important awards from the celebrated Italian gastronomic guides “Gambero Rosso” and L'Espresso. Ristorante Mirabelle - Located on the 7th ...
• Rome Cavalieri | La Pergola Restaurant | Rome Dining
www.romecavalieri.com/lapergola.php
In the last decade the major Italian gastronomic guides such as L'Espresso, Gambero Rosso, Bibenda have consistently voted La Pergola the "Best Restaurant ...
• Vivendo Restaurant Rome ¦ Official Website ¦ Chef Francesco ...
www.restaurantvivendo.com/en/aboutus
... Vivendo, 2 forks by Gambero Rosso, 15/20 by the Espresso Guide and Best ... the celebrated Italian gastronomic guides "Gambero Rosso" and L'Espresso. ...
 
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