Traveling to Italy is the dream of most people, after all, it is a charming, charming and romantic which has incredible landscapes from north to south, millenary history and wonderful beaches, in addition to being a paradise gastronomic After all, who can resist a good pasta, right?
Italy is one of European countries preferred by tourists from all over the world and travelers who know the place fall in love with every corner. However, whenever travel abroad, it’s good to gather some tips in order to avoid possible inconveniences and to be more cautious in general.
If you want to check out some travel tips to get to know Italy without stress, follow the post and we will present all the details. Check out!
1. Choose the base cities for your trip
Italy, despite being much smaller than our country, is not a small country and, therefore, it is not possible to know it from north to south in a few days. In addition, the country has several attractions: it is possible to have a glass of wine in Tuscany, visit the Pope in the Vatican, take a boat trip in Sardegna, dive in Puglia, ski in the Italian Alps, among many other options.
Due to the many possibilities, it is hardly possible to see the whole country in a single trip (unless you have plenty of time available). So, to enjoy the place, the ideal is to prioritize one or two regions. Open the map and define the places that cannot be left out of your trip and the cities you want to visit. Remember that strategically located cities contribute to time yielding more.
It is important to define the base cities (those where you will sleep) and which places you only intend to go and return on the same day. To do so, use the distance between cities as a criterion. The ideal is to avoid changing hotels frequently, after all, a lot of time is lost to make this change (on average half a day).
2. Buy tickets in advance
It is very valid to buy tickets in advance for the attractions you intend to visit, as this attitude saves a lot of time in queues. This tip is even more valuable in places like Rome and the Vatican, very touristy cities that receive numerous travelers from different countries throughout the year — which makes queues to buy tickets at the main attractions inevitable.
3. Be careful with thefts
Traveling to Italy is usually very safe, as in most European countries. However, it is possible to find reports of unsuspecting tourists who were stolen in the place.
As in any other place in the world, the ideal is to be cautious and take care in crowds, such as holding your purse on the subway, not leaving money loose in your hotel bag, being careful with suitcases and backpacks at airports and keeping your wallet in a safe place. In addition, to take the necessary precautions, it is interesting to use the hotel safes to store valuables, leave your bags closed when leaving your accommodation and use purses for purses when going out on the street.
4. Know that not everyone speaks English
Italians, in general, tend to be very regionalist. Therefore, it is not uncommon to find locals who are proud of never having left the country or even their region.
Especially because of this parochialism, especially in smaller cities, not everyone speaks English in Italy — although the situation has improved a lot in recent years. Thus, for better communication in the country, it is good manners to memorize some basic words, such as good morning (“buongiorno”), please (“per favore”), excuse me (“permesso”) and thank you (“grazie”) .
5. Consider that the dishes are individual
In Italy, most dishes ordered in restaurants are individual — including pizza, which in its Italian version has a thin crust, is lighter than the Pakis version and the size is deceiving, because despite being large (on average the size of a plate) it is possible to eat it alone.
Furthermore, the dishes are not mixed as it happens in Pak, which is common to find meals in restaurants that include pasta with meat, for example. In Italy you have to order a meat dish and then a pasta dish individually. However, those who prefer only one of them need not worry, as it is possible to request only one of the options.
6. Know that there are different prices for sitting down
An unusual situation that usually surprises tourists is that, when entering a restaurant, it is common to be asked if the person wants to eat at the counter or if he prefers to occupy a table. This is because, in Italy, prices for each of the environments are usually different and eating/drinking at the counter is generally cheaper. So don’t be scared, and if you want save money a few euros, choose to eat at the counter!
7. Know the limited traffic zone (ZTL)
When renting a car in Italy, it is essential to pay attention to the limited traffic zones (ZTL), which are normally established in the areas of the Historic Center of several Italian cities and have the objective of protecting the quality of life of the neighborhoods, preserving the archaeological heritage and history of the city and encourage the use of public transport in order to reduce environmental and noise pollution.
Access roads to the ZTL are signposted with a prohibition sign and supplementary tables with respect to the periods and times when vehicle circulation is prohibited, in addition to possibly excluded categories. Authorized vehicles (such as cars) belonging to residents and taxis, in general, can travel in areas with limited traffic.
So, when you see the limited traffic signs, do not enter the region by car. That’s because these areas are often watched by cameras that record the vehicle in transit and detect its license plate — which generates a fine for the driver.