Tips for exploring Italian cities like Venice and Rome
Italy is an amazing country to visit, offering distinct sceneries like the extraordinary Tuscany, astonishing ruins like the Colosseum, museums, churches, wine and a lots and lots of amazing food. Along with the famous cities like Rome and Venice these are the lesser well known destinations; the Lake District in the North of Italy, Tuscany & Umbria, the Amalfi Coast or the stunning islands of Capri and Sicily all the way south of Italy.
Before you go on that long deserved holiday, you could do a little research about the destination, like its culture and the people. This way you will not have any surprises when you are there. Here is a little fact: If you go to Italy, it is very important to know how to drink your coffee. In the morning, you should only drink cappuccino to wake up and to be gentle to the digestion, then after 12 you can only drink espresso or café Americano. The locals will definitely know you are a tourist if you order a cappuccino after 12. Maybe even learn a few sentences in the language like good morning, how are you and thank you. An attempt to understand and respect another culture and its tradition is appreciated by the locals and will make your holiday more enjoyable.
There are many things to consider when you go to Italy. Besides the eating and drinking habits of the Italians, you should also look into dress codes. I am not talking about having to wear designer clothing but more what kind of clothing. If you like to visit churches then you should know that in most churches dress codes and rules are mandatory. If you have bare shoulders or knees, some churches will not let you enter, especially in Rome at St. Peter's and the Vatican Museums and at the Basilica di San Marco in Venice. If it is to hot outside then just bring something to cover up with you.
Depending on what you would like to do and when you would like to go, the weather in Italy is something to think about when you are booking your holiday. Up north in the Alps, it can be cold and snowing during winter, springtime in Tuscany is cool at night and soft during daytime. The summer months, June until September, can be very hot from Venice all the way down to Sicily. Light clothing, sunglasses, hat and sun cream are inevitable as it is easy to get sunburn if you are sightseeing all day long.
If you are leaving some of your family members behind and you would like to call them once in a while just to let them know what a good time you’re having, it might be a good idea to or buy a telephone card and use public phones. If you are bringing your mobile with you, you can also buy an Italian pre-paid card + top-up and call your family via the Italian Mobile network. Italy’s country code is 39. Some of you might even bring the laptop along. Skype is one of the easiest ways to call people from all over the world for very little amount and if you call someone on their laptop it is for free.
As with any city in any country, be wary of bag snatchers and pickpockets. If you are traveling with public transport, be extra weary, as thief’s can smell you being a tourist. The purse of a friend of mine was cut with a knife on the bottom of the bag. The thief snatched everything while walking next to her and never noticed it. Leave your passport and credit cards in a safe at the hotel, put your money in a money belt and hide them under your clothes.
Choosing Italy as your holiday destination is a great choice and now you know in which part and city of Italy you would like to explore, like Rome or Venice the next step is which kind of accommodation you would like to stay. The types of accommodation are endless, from luxury Rome hotels and hostels to bed and breakfasts, apartments and guesthouses. If you are looking for something different then know that Italy has a type of accommodation called “Agriturismo”. These are definitely different from any other hotel. For example, all meals usually are prepared from freshly grown produce from the farm itself. Regardless of the country surroundings, the accommodation isn’t always basic, many Agriturismo resorts offer a high standard of lodging, and some even have swimming pools. Most of the Agriturismo resorts are located outside of the cities.
If you love to stay in the cities, like Venice, of Italy then the choices of hotels are ranking from one to five stars but slightly different from other countries. It is a good thing to do some research and read reviews. If you have enough money to spend and you need some luxury do not go any lower then a 3 star Venice hotel, but still check out the facilities carefully because standards differ. Three-star hotels should provide TV, telephone and a bathroom including the bidet. Some might have minimal amenities, whilst others will have large rooms with an elegant furnishings and a full breakfast. Rooms in four-star hotels should be quite large and include telephone, satellite TV and bathroom. You can expect plenty of choice at breakfast and on site facilities such as a bar and free ADSL. The five-star hotels should have everything you expect from a luxury hotel, but again check facilities and reviews.
Whether you are intending to visit a popular Italian city such as Rome, Venice, Milan or Venice or heading to the country, like Tuscany, for a quieter break you will meet the friendly people of Italy and a belissima experience.
