When you travel to another country with a different culture, it’s easy to make mistakes as often the subtleties and nuances of actions and words differ significantly. Here are some tips that are are good to know before you go so that you can avoid the common tourist mistakes.
Let’s begin with luggage
Trust me, “I might need this” means you won’t need it. Overpacking that results in luggage being too heavy for you to lift on your own becomes the bane of all travel in Italy. It is also important that your luggage is reliable and strong enough to traverse cobblestones. No matter where you travel, Italy is hilly at the very least and there are steps. A lot. Everywhere.
Centuries old accommodation means there is no lift. Medieval hilltop towns surrounded by walls don’t allow vehicular access unless you are local. Visiting islands means dragging your luggage across narrow planks onto ferries. Google maps doesn’t always work in Italy and neglects to tell you about the 100 steps to climb before reaching your accommodation.
There are a lot of tips on the best luggage and how to pack in previous newsletters:
Clever Packing - Less is more (30 January 2024)
Packing for Italy - Best tips (4 February 2025)
The view from our gorgeous villa in Siena
Waking up in Italy
When in Italy, feel like you’re in Italy from the moment you wake up. Avoid booking hotels near train stations, particularly Termini Station in Rome because it won’t be your best experience. Don’t be influenced by a star rating because it doesn’t always mean beautiful, authentic accommodation. If a lift, concierge, big buffet breakfast and a white fluffy bathrobe is important, book a 4-5 star hotel.
If waking up to frescoed ceilings, exposed wooden beams, dreamy views, flaky cornetti with nonna’s home-made jam and freshly squeezed orange juice is more your style, then small 3 star rated boutique hotels and B&B’s in the heart of the historic centre are perfect.
Spanish Steps, Rome
When in Rome
Of course you have to see the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona . . . it’s all amazing! But don’t let your first experience be a bad experience. Can you imagine arriving at the Trevi Fountain and not being able to see anything but shoulder to shoulder people, or seeing it in all its glory early in the morning whilst Rome still sleeps? Choose your timing well for treasured memories, especially in popular tourist destinations. You can always avoid the crowds.
The impression you create
Far better to blend than scream ‘tourist’. Dress is important as a sign of respect and acknowledgement of place. Italy is not a place to wear your activewear/leggings/revealing clothing walking the streets of towns and cities sightseeing. Of course it’s different if you are walking trails in the countryside, on a boat or any sporty activities.
Looking like an obvious tourist with a big backpack and “I love Italy” t-shirt also makes you a target for pickpockets in busy tourist areas.
There are now many places in Italy that have introduced a strict dress code:
No flipflops/thongs or sandals walking the Cinque Terre.
No walking the streets of Sorrento and Vietri Sul Mare on the Amalfi Coast in swimwear (includes men without a shirt on)
Gallipoli in Puglia has banned “unbecoming clothing”.
Lipari, Aeolian Islands, will fine anyone walking the streets in a bikini.
Rapallo, Italian Riviera, has banned scantily clad dress.
Generally, the rule-of-thumb is to cover up when leaving the beach or a pool because the ‘dress police’ will happily fine you.
More rules
For 300 years you could sit on the Spanish Steps, but in 2019 a new rule banned people from sitting. People who are oblivious to this rule still sit, until the ‘step police’ arrive blowing their whistles. I don’t mind this rule because over the years, it has become difficult walking up and down with so many people sitting.
Other popular cities including Florence will issue a fine if you are sitting and eating on the steps of a popular monument. In fact, it is considered disrespectful to walk and eat anywhere in Italy with one exception. Gelato!
Tourist traps people still fall for
To many an experienced traveller, these are obvious, but for the uniniated avoid the following:
Anyone who hands you a red rose, or anything for that matter, and says it is free is lying. It’s not free.
Street art where the artist is sitting painting is often not genuine. He’s not an artist and he’s not really painting the picture. More prevalent in busy tourist areas.
Buying a leather handbag from a seller on the street is fake and you’re the one who can be fined because the seller is harder to catch when he runs away.
Forgetting to validate your train ticket or bus ticket will result in a hefty fine. You need to validate a train ticket at the small green validating machine on the platform before you board the train and validate your bus ticket when you hop on the bus. Ensure you hear a clicking sound when you validate your ticket.
A five kilometre stunning walk in Anacapri
Start training for the best local experiences
Why? Because one of the greatest joys of discovering Italy is to walk. The Italy that you will want to see is found by walking the streets of Rome away from tourists; exploring the labyrinth of alleyways in ancient villages; walking paths less explored on Capri; navigating the nine layers of the Sassi of Matera; taking the winding white road past vineyards and olive groves from one Tuscan town to the next.
Everywhere there is so much beauty and magic and moments that take your breath away. Experience has taught me that people over-estimate their level of fitness and under-estimate the difference between walking on flat ground compared to cobblestones, hills and steps. It doesn’t have to be hard, but start walking small hills and include steps. It will make a world of difference!
Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.
Deb