Now, is a short introduction to Italy possible? Italy is a wonderful country. We have toured many parts over the past 18+ years. Bella! Here are some of our thoughts on getting to, touring and living a wonderful experience in Italy.
Is there ever time not to go to Italy? No, but certain months may provide you a better experience. First of all if poissible do not go in August. That is the main vacation month for the country. You will find many places closed and resorts completely jammed. Places that serve tourists will be open, but avoid the crowds and pick another time if possible. We have always found May, June and even July, September and the first part of October to be good months.
For a first visit to Italy, many concentrate on the three cities of Rome, Florence and Venice. If this is to be your holiday then there is no need to consider a car. Train travel between the cities is fast and inexpensive.
Expanding travels further, Tuscany and Umbria become the next broad area that seem to rank high on lists of itineraries. For travel in these areas we would suggest you do need a car. Train travel is too infrequent and those trains just do not go to the top of the hills where the best old villages are found.
The Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terra are two areas that should not be missed. The east coast of Italy is a mixed experience. While the beaches in most areas have been over-run with tourist development, the Marche and Pulia Regions have a lot to offer. We bet you will be reading more about Pulia or Apulia in the travel articles with increasing frequency.
Sicily, well we think this is one area where you can really experience Italy. Great good, spectacular sights and it is about 10% cheaper than the rest of the country.
Scroll through the journals of the various Regions to get a feel of what would be of primary interest to you.
To travel in Italy - if you are concentrating on cities to visit museums and see momuments, then you do not need a car. Train travel will be fine. Once you expand your travels outside of the major cities then the only way to see the country is to have a car.
For many years our best option is to use a plan such as Renault TT. You get a new car, insurance is included, and if there are repairs needed just visit any of Renault dealer. A toll-free number is available for assistance helps you when you need it. Just fill up the car with gas. No surprise charges on your credit card statement. We have found it be less expensive than normal rentals. You must have the car for a minimum of 17 days to qualify and you must make arrangements for the car outside of the country.
Driving in Italy is not as bad as one may think. There are different catagories of roads.
While you need confidence to drive in Italy, also use your sense and take necessary caution. From about 2009 and on there are have been more and more reports of tourists receiving speeding tickets or traffic violations. It can take up to a year before you are tracked down. Its through rental companies but the ticket arrives. Usually hefty. The Washington Post ran an article in March 2010 about the practice.
There are two common ways to get caught. One is by speeding past an Autovelox box, or enforcement camera. The other is by driving in a "limited traffic zone," or zona traffico limitato, without an authorized license plate.
Tickets were being received for parking in restricted zones of speeding past stationary radar cameras. A friend of ours received his ticket almost a year later for driving in a part of Orvieto with restricted status. I would walk past one of the photo radar boxes set up on the road just outside our villa in the Chianti Region and see the police come and take out the camera. Boy did I slow down every time I approached the radar camera after that!
So use caution and be careful, especially in the cities, where you drive and park you car.
Trains in Italy are a great way to get around. They run on time and are reasonably priced. When in any major city check the name and location of the train station as many citities have more than one station. Always make sure you know the final destination of the train and that is the location that is referenced on the schedules. If you are taking a train that is part of the city's transportation network and you will be using one of the pre-purchased tickets, make sure you validate your ticket before the conductor asks for your ticket on the train. Learned the hard way. Too late.
Drive with conviction and remember you have a right to be on the road. Pause or hesitate and you may be finished. Somehow the Italian drivers can sense your fear!
Fill up with gas in the morning especially when driving on a Saturday. Unless you are in a tourist area, or on an Autostrade, the majority of gas stations will be closed from 12:30 - 4:30 every day and also closed on Sunday.
Saturday is a cycle day! If you are driving in the country on a Saturday be patient and watchful for cyclists. Every Italian is on his bike Saturday monring and you will be amazed at how they climb hills.
There are bank machines showing up everywhere. On our last trips to Italy we have stopped taking Traveler Cheques. Take enough cash for the first couple of days and then get money as needed.
Make sure you Bank Card PIN number has four digits.... some banks in North American allow you to use longer number or a numeric alpha blends. There can be problems in Italy with anything other than a four-digit PIN number.
Take more than one credit card. The magnetic strip on the back of your credit card, if damaged, reduces the use of the card.
If you lose your card you will get a replacement card in a day or so. We have learned to take the following steps: notify your credit card of the lost card, book a hotel in a large city nearby as you will need an address to which the card can be delivered by courier. Write down the numbers to dial as numbers. Some of the Italian phones do not have the letters along the dialer, so 1-800-CARDLOST will be quite the challenge when you flustered to figure out the correct number.
You will get a new credit card but it will not have all the function of your old card. For example, it will not have your PIN number embedded in the magnetic strip. so, you will not be able to use it access all that money you left in your account -- good thing you brought a second card! In fact, in many stores and small hotels you will have to show the proprietor how to use that old-fashioned card imprint machine... if they will even try to use it. You may be greeted with a "this card is no good message". We travel with two credit cards as protection as the replaced card actually is hard to use. It is not uncommon to have a card deemed unusable in one hotel, but work fine in another. Two cards. Sleep better.
Call your credit card company before you leave on your holiday. That way, when you are stopped for a security cheque you don't have to recount every transaction. Security with credit cards has increased.
Over the years we thinkg that dressing is more casual but there are some differences.
In cities Italian men just don't wear shorts no matter how hot it gets. So have some casual cotton slacks that you can wear out for dinner. Of course, at resort town everyone wear shorts.
Ssome churches not not allow men to enter wearing shorts. Now there are gym shorts (a real no-no) and walking shorts (sometimes okay). Depending on the church any shorts will mean you will not be allowed in. Especially at the Vatican in Rome.You can buy paper pants to get in. Similar experiences in Pisa and a number of larger towns. For women, it is the bare shoulders that have to be considered. Tank tops in churches do not go over very well.
We typically are the ad hoc travelers and do not make all our reservations in advance with some exceptions. While you can always find "a" room, when traveling with others which means more than a room, call a head or reserve. Some cities require advance registration. Arriving in Rome, Florence or Venice without a hotel room waiting for you is asking for a "new experience".
Use the tourist office as many of them will make a booking for you or provide you with information of what is available. Go into the office with an idea of a couple of hotels you have researched. They will tell you what is available, call the hotel, and then you arrive and check-in. It is less conducive to "can I see the room" check-in processes.
Saturday and Sundays in a resort location during the summer will require a call in advance. Expect any waterfront location in the summer to be just jammed on the weekends.