Italy – a great place to relax, but to make your holiday even better, it is worth to take into account some features of this country. O-Travels.com compiled a list of popular errors tourists in Italy and tips on how to avoid them.
1. Do not plan anything
Even if you have made for themselves a clear timetable, in Italy, be prepared to deviate from it. Take time to walk around the area, visiting the bar, festival or any other event where you can accidentally end. According to the stories of travelers, the best thing that happened to them on the trip was unplanned, so do not make the mistake of trying to catch everywhere in a short time. Moving to another city and the hotel every day is tedious, while leaving plenty of time, which could be carried out with pleasure, without going anywhere, and learn all about this place.
2. Do not stand in queues
In high season the tourists spend hours standing in line trying to buy a ticket to a museum or an exhibition. It is much easier to buy tickets online and in advance.
3. Travel light
In the Italian cities is not everywhere has smooth sidewalks and hotels with elevators, so you should not take a huge suitcase on wheels, unless you dwell in a five star hotel, where you will help with your luggage. With regard to small hotels, they often are located in historic buildings, which are not allowed to rebuild. Especially hard to have with suitcases in Venice, where it is necessary to cross humpback bridges with steps. In addition, with a large suitcase inconvenient to travel by train. So take it with a light 1-2 bags or a backpack that will not be difficult to bear.
4. Do not drive in the ZTL zone by car
ZTL – limited traffic zone, entering vehicles here is only allowed with special permits. In most cities, it is called a pedestrian zone. Sentro storico (historic center) is also an area of restricted traffic. For each sign ZTL installed a video camera, which captures the number of vehicles entering. It is unlikely that you will be punished immediately, but you will probably have a fine in the mail six months or a year (you will send his company, where you have a car). Observe the speed limit on the roads also installed cameras everywhere.
5. Composting ticket
Tickets for the train, which is not specified place and time (local trains, for example) need to be composted. Tickets to train local areas can be used for two months, so the compost ticket when boarding, to avoid a penalty.
6. Beware of thieves
In Rome and Florence are often steal wallets, passports and cameras. Keep an eye on your belongings, do not carry valuables in a backpack behind, do not wear expensive jewelry. Passport out of the reach of pickpockets and purse put only the amount you plan to spend during the day.
7. Bring a cash
In many places in Italy still does not accept payment cards. This is especially true of small family restaurants, stores, hotels with Bed & Breakfast and the markets, and if you are traveling outside of the tourist areas. Your card can not make the payment and on the point of the toll highway. Traveler’s checks are rarely cashed in Italy, in addition, you have to pay high tax. The best way to cash out the money – to use an ATM.
8. Do not order Latte
Latte – “milk” in Italian, so if you order a latte at a restaurant, you will surely bring a glass of milk. If you want to drink coffee, visit a bar, but in many places you have to pay for the service. It is better to make coffee and drink it at the bar. In restaurants, coffee (usually espresso) served after the meal (dessert). The Italians do not wash down a meal of coffee and do not drink cappuccino after dinner, although you can order it at any time.
9. Observe the church etiquette
Italian churches and cathedrals are of particular interest to tourists, they collected many works of art. But the church is unacceptable to enter in shorts or bare shoulders (women can throw a scarf on the shoulders). Especially strictly to this approach in the Vatican. Therefore, pre-think over your outfit.
10. Do not trust a GPS navigator
Undoubtedly, GPS navigators often come to the rescue of drivers, but do not rely on them always and everywhere. Sometimes they can refer you to the pedestrian zone ZTL, on a one-way street or alley that ends in steps. In addition, navigators often contain incorrect information about the speed limit. It should be remembered that in Italy a lot of settlements with the same name. Therefore, always refer to the map.
