I've traveled to Italy once alone many moons ago, way before I met my Italian husband. Now, with my husband and toddler, we've traveled together multiple times together over the last 8ish years. Most years, we visit twice a year for summer and Christmas, during Covid, zero times, but probably around 10ish times give or take now. I honestly lost count. :)
I'm currently in Rome at my sister-in-law's home and it's raining! We are in Italy for a month this time and it's been really sweet to have quality time with family and also travel to new cities. So far on this trip we've visited: Monopoli, Sicily, Tropea, Battipaglia, Positano, Amalfi, Pompei, Vietre Sul Mare, Napoli and Rome. It's been a lot more than usual but given the extra time we have this time, we've been lucky to see such beautiful new places.
Earlier today we drove from Naples, and we had a delish pizza in the heart of the city while Gio napped in his stroller. Next, we hopped on the road and headed here to spend a couple more days before we head back down to Monopoli, Southern Italy with Vito's mom, Gio's nonna.
I'm not a pro but I do feel like I've experienced enough as an American to know a thing or two when it comes to traveling to Italy. And, if you've been craving to explore the world like I did as a single woman in her twenties, here are some reminders or maybe new thoughts to consider before your very first trip. In any case, I hope these are helpful for you or someone you know that is traveling to Italy soon! If so, be sure to share this blog with them!
Here are 10 Things To Know Before Visiting Italy
Pack an adaptor or two - Europe does not use the same electrical wall plugs we do back home and without it you're out of luck charging your phone/laptop//hairdryer and any other electrical devices you would normally use. If you forget one, don't worry, almost all major airports sell them but probably for much more than what you can find on amazon. Here's a good one.
Bring Hand Sanitizer and Portable Tissues/Wipes- this is something that drives me nuts when I walk down a long alleyways to use the restroom, but unlike the US, Italy and other European countries do not always provide toilet paper when you've got to go, so don't leave home or your hotel without it! Don't be surprised if some places even charge to use their restroom. It's a whole new world. Here's a flushable travel wipe you can buy in advance before your trip. I've also been to Thailand and China and the same applies there unfortunately. Come prepared. P R E G O! :)
Wear Comfortable Walking Shoes - This for me has always been the most important! I have always suffered terribly from blisters and I've tried all kinds of shoes/sandals/boots etc and the fact is that when you travel, you walk so much more than usual, and if you're here during summer, it's very hot - very hot, sometimes a bit humid and walking in uncomfortable shoes for miles is a recipe for disaster. This year I FINALLY found a pair of easy slip on sandals (from TJ Max mind you, so they were not expensive at all! Literally a $20 pair!! Way less than what I've paid for before) that are so comfy and don't rub my toes or heels. Everyone is different so go for a long walk in your shoes to test them out or just pack your not-so-cute-but-very-trusty comfy pair of tennis shoes. Trust me. You don't want to be in misery watching every step you take on uneven slippery cobblestones, up and down slippery hills, which are just about everywhere throughout Italy!
Farmacia's Are Everywhere - Consider yourself saved because these are everywhere. They're like an American Walgreens/CVS. The pharmacists can recommend many needed items. My usual go-to's are: mosquito repellant, bandaids, contact solution, diapers, wipes and even fruit pouches for my little hungry traveling tot! I just developed a sore throat so we picked up lozenges which have helped too.
Order a Cappuccino or Anything With Milk BEFORE 11am - You will guaranteed at some point get a confused, rude or downright pissed-off look by a waiter/waitress if you do. Some places will even refuse to serve it to you. It's just a known fact that it's a huge no-no. I know back home you can drink these whenever with whatever you want, but here it's downright... illegal almost. They take this seriously lol. Save yourself the shame and check your iPhone time or watch before ordering. Espresso's are always welcome and encouraged after a meal as a digestive.
Prebook your Tickets - Planning to do some epic sightseeing or dying to see a Castle or the Colosseum? Always book as far out in advance as you can, at least a couple weeks. Some places will be booked up and you don't want to miss out on visiting a special landmark. Also, while we're on the topic of tickets, if you take a train anywhere- be sure to validate all your tickets FIRST. This will save you so much time because validating is always required.
Elevators Are Tiny & Not Always Available - This one was shocking to me. At first it was eye opening when I visited as a single woman, and once I had my son and had to travel with all the baby things including his stroller, I found this unbelievably frustrating. You're damned if you use it because you're a sardine, unable to turn or breathe lol if you're packed in with everything else, and you're damned if you don't and have to lug around your suitcase/stroller/carseat! Some elevators especially those in boutique hotels/airbnbs will be very small (picture a slightly larger coffin lol) and unfortunately will not accommodate too much, so pack light if you can in case you have to walk up and down a ton of flights! And wear those comfy breathable shoes too!
Learn Some Italian - Common sense I know but knowing at least a few basic phrases will come in handy along with using some hand signals. Italians can't help but speak with their hands so learn to do the same. :) Most places you'll visit will be run by Italians with very little to zero English. The only places I've visited that had more English speaking Italians were Milan and Rome and even then, you'll come across mostly Italian speaking people. If you're interested in learning some Italian, check out my friend Barbara Bassi's company, https://onlineitalianclasses.com/ where you can book a very affordable class with a Native Italian teacher to help you prepare for your trip!
Family Friendly- One thing I now appreciate more than ever before is how welcoming most restaurants, shops and general places are with young families. Back home in the US it's common to see young children at restaurants for breakfast or lunch, but not so much for dinner. In Italy, babies and young children are a part of the culture. They are family and wherever parents go, their little ones join too. Every dinner we've gone to with exception to very few have had multiple families with children. I wish the US was more like this and more welcoming or embraced having more kids for dinners.
Meals Are Meaningful - This was something that was a huge culture shock to me and still is sometimes although over the years I've gotten used to it. It's a beautiful concept I wish we had more of back home in the US. Meals here especially lunch are very s l o w and take 3-4 times as long as they do back home. It is not something to be rushed - at all. Part of me is always antsy to just wrap it up already but I think it's just the American in me to want to hurry up and be productive and move on to the next thing. Also, this is obviously only the case if you're staying with an Italian family like we do with Vito's family. Another thing, expect special events like Christmas dinners to last even longer as there are more dishes and drinks to share and enjoy together. Although not always the case, a full Italian meal consists of the following.
Antipasto: Depending where you go this can be an appetizer of cheese, meats or fresh vegetablesÂ
Primo: This is the first main course, usually pasta like gnocchi, a risotto or soup
Secondo: This is the second main course, usually protein like chicken, beef or fishÂ
Contorno: A side dish of veggies that comes with the secondoÂ
Frutta: Seasonal fruit (in the summer it's always a huge juicy slice of watermelon)
Dolce: Dessert which is always delish like tiramisù, gelato, sorbetto, or cannoliÂ
Caffè: Coffee (but don't think of coffee like we do, it's more of a shot of espresso
Digestivo: This is an after-dinner liqueur, like limoncello or grappa, served in a like a shot. Grappa can be really intense, so start with something light like limoncello if you prefer something lighter/sweeter.
There are many more tips I can share but these are the ones that come to mind. If you have questions you can always message me on IG here at @violet_ventures or comment below.
And whenever you're ready to book your trip and visit beautiful Italia, I wish you the safest, happiest travels!!
Venture a Life you Love,
Violet
PS: Want to read a bit about my first trip to Italy/love story? Click here to read:
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