Gio's Top Ten Italian Travel Tips

"Italy is far from hellish. Its got too much style. Neither is it heaven because it's too unruly. Italy is an offbeat purgatory full of proud, tormented souls, each of whom is convinced he has a hotline to the boss. It can have you fuming and then purring in the space of a hundred meters, the course of ten minutes. People who live in Italy say they want to get out, but those who do want to come back. This is not the sort of country that is easy to explain." Beppe Severgnini, 2006

After three excursions to Italy in the last 18 months--and a fair measure of reading and research before and after each trip--Dana Marie and I have picked up a few lessons about Italian travel that might come in handy for Americans making their their first journey across the pond.

Here, then, are our Top Ten Italian Travel Tips. Among the places in Italy we've visited--the locales in which we learned these travel lessons--is Milano (twice), Venezia (twice), Firenze (twice), Siena, Cortona, Roma, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Paestum, Cinque Terre (twice), Genova, and Stresa. We've only scratched the surface of this wonderful country, its rich and varied culture, its intriguing people, and its long, complex history. But that's okay--because we'll be back the first chance we get.

Buon viaggio!

GIO'S TOP 10 ITALIAN TRAVEL TIPS

10. Italian trains: buy tickets as you go at the station, not in advance of your trip; don't pay for 1st Class, go with 2nd; try to schedule Eurostar or Intercity, and avoid Regionale if you can: Italian regional and local trains are often brutally warm in the summer...and unreliable (arriving late, leaving early, or canceled). That being said, take the train, anyway--a great way to connect with Italians and other travelers!

9. Try to speak Italian as much as possible, in restaurants, at the hotel, on the beach, in museums, at a bar (which in Italy is what Americans would call a cafe). Doing so, even if referring to a book frequently and struggling with proper pronunciation, is appreciated by the Italian people...and can lead to great laughter and fun conversations (in both English and Italian).

8. Drink red AND white wine! I know, I know..."I only like red," or "I drink white." Time to get over that. Italy is home to hundreds upon hundreds of amazing grape varietals--not to mention the countless tastes produced by blending grapes--and trying new things, expanding your palette, is an important part of any wine drinker's Italian travel. The Chianti produced in Tuscano, the dry white wine produced in Liguria, the prosecco in Veneto...drink local. You'll be surprised at what you discover, and how it opens new doors to wine enjoyment at home, too. Italy is the world's largest wine producer. Don't be afraid to try something new.

7. Do not carry cash, credit/debit cards, or travel documents in your pockets, purse, day bag, or backpack. Violent crime is rare in Italy, but pick-pockets and scam artists abound...and are highly professional (sometimes even in their dress). Men, women, children, anyone can be 'on the job,' in search of the unsuspecting and unprepared tourist. Understandably, these people focus their attention on areas known to draw large number of international tourists, those with their guard down, those lost or confused. Do your best to blend in with the locals (maybe leave the Yankees jersey at home!), and carry your valuables in a money belt worn around your waist or around your neck, under your clothing. Just keep a small amount of pocket money in your pocket. That way, if you get nabbed while exiting a crowded train in Rome after a 10 hour overnight flight, struggling to drag your bag off the train with you...the loss of cash won't ruin your day (or your trip).

6. Force yourself to learn how to use the public transport (trains, buses, boats) in the cities you visit. Taxis are fine when exhausted or drenched or in a rush, but they do have three major drawbacks: it can be hard to tell if the route taken by the driver is a direct and reasonable one; taxis cost more than public transport; and, finally, while a friendly driver can provide some pleasant conversation, to really interact with Italian locals every day, go where they go...on the buses, train, and boats.

5. Take advantage of the siesta anywhere you go in Italy (even if it is a southern Italian tradition, and one that may be dying out). Soaking up all the Italian culture you can every day for two or three weeks can be physically and mentally grueling, even if you do build in some chill days at the beach, or in a small town, or at an agriturismo. To ensure that you have the energy and desire to enjoy both the early mornings in Italy and some night life, set aside two to three hours every day between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM to read, sleep, enjoy a drink on a veranda overlooking the sea or in an interesting piazza. You can also use this down time to phone home, edit and label your photos, or watch some Italian television (The Flintstones in Italiano is my personal favorite). We've found that this daily siesta can help us keep going at night, and still get an early start each day. And Italians really don't eat dinner until after 7:00 PM, anyway!

4. Hotels: select hotels owned by families, not chains, and base your selections on location and what you can learn about their cleanliness and comfort--not their amenities (we use www.tripadvisor.com and www.ricksteves.com, along with Rick Steves' guidebooks, to identify and research our hotels). When it comes right down to it, staying right where you want to wake up every morning and go to bed each night--whether you prefer the city center, near a favorite vista, close to public transport, or situated with easy access to day trips--is THE key factor, since location is what enables you to spend more time each day enjoying your locale, looking for those unplanned and memorable experiences...and less time finding your way from one sight to another. Cleanliness, of course, is the other key factor, without which one cannot really relax and re-charge after long days and nights of adventure. Give up room size, give up a pool, a weight room, even a bar (go local, just down the street!), give up room service, an elevator, and give up digital cable television. Enjoy Italy's light continental breakfast and a cappuccino in a humble little breakfast room, served by the owners themselves. If you're looking for a Holiday Inn or Marriot-style hotel experience...go to Disney World or the Grand Canyon. You're in Italy, for God's sake: the less time you spend in your hotel, the better! NOTE: These days, nearly all hotels, even small, family-owned establishments, offer WI-FI Internet access, either free or for a small charge. Many of these hotels also provide a small common area inside or outside the hotel, perfect for a late-night drink (often BYOB) or your afternoon siesta.

3. Mangiere! This is Italy, after all! Breakfasts in Italy are light, including a pastry, perhaps a few slices of ham and cheese, and espresso or juice. Breakfast is included in the cost of your hotel room. Cappuccino is popular, but Italians don't drink cappuccino after about 11:00 AM...in fact, it's seen as a faux pas to do so, showing poor taste, or misunderstanding one's digestive system, mixing cappuccino with meals that typically include tomatoes or tomatoes sauce, pasta, fish or meat. Lattes are more popular in the afternoon. As for lunch, travelers can save some money if they opt for a larger lunch (can be pizza or a panino or focacia at a bar, with a drink, or a full-blown restaurant meal, pasta, meat, or fish), and then share a primo piatto or second plate at dinner, sometime around 8:00 PM. Simply put, the lunch specials are cheaper than the dinner specials, and with a large lunch, come 8:00 PM, a shared snack may be all that's needed. Another approach to dinner is to have one guest order a primo piati (such as a pasta or risotto), and another a main course (meat or fish), and then share. In general, portions are generous, and prices can be high. We've found sharing to be perfect. And be sure to save room afterwards for fresh gelato: wow.

2. Get off the beach. This is not to say that part of your Italian holiday should not include quality time at the sea side...so beautiful, so relaxing, so much fun. But if one travels to Italy to spend every day at the beach, you have to ask, "Why not just go to Florida or California?" and save yourself a ton of money and time? Make time to do things you might not ordinarily do at home. Explore art, music, architecture, shops, small piazzas, castles, bars. Take walking tours. Find a cooking class. And find a way, especially on a second or third trip to Italy, to see, safely, Italy's gritty, urban side. Go beyond picturesque Italy, and strive to understand the country's diversity and prejudices and problems, too (political corruption, regionalism, organized crime, apathy, racism/xenophobia). Observe, read, think, and talk with those around you.

1. Our favorite three-week Italian itinerary: fly to Naples; bus, train, boat or taxi to Sorrento; 4 nights in Sorrento, including day trips to Isola Capri and the Amalfi Coast; train to Roma (visiting Pompeii en route); 3 nights in Roma, including the ancient sites and a day at the Vatican & St. Peters; bus to Siena; 3 nights in Siena, including day trips to smaller Tuscan hill towns nearby; bus to Firenze; 3 nights in Firenze; train to Cinque Terre; 3 nights in Cinque Terre; train to Milano; visit Milano as a day trip; train to Stresa; 2 nights in Stresa, in the foothills of the Italian Alps; train to Venezia; 3 nights in Venezia; fly home from Venezia. Specific details about each locale, along with our favorite hotels, restaurants, and tours, are available in the archive section of Molto Gentile, Italia.

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"To put up a show becomes the only pathetic way to revolt against destiny, to face life's injustices with one of the few weapons available to a desperate and brave people, their imagination." Luigi Barzini on the Roots of Italian Culture, 1964