I adore Italy! Venice, Amalfi, Rome and Florence plus lesser-known Emilia-Romagna, Basilicata and the backroads of Lombardy and Sardinia. Let me take you there with these travel tips for Italy and my behind-the-scenes small-group Italian Food & Wine Tours.
Italians eat dinner later than in many countries. Many restaurants don’t open until 7:30/8pm; earlier opening times are often for tourists.
While Italians often share food (such as antipasti), pizza is usually ordered one per person. Especially at lunchtime, pizza al trancio (by the slice) is popular.
It’s a compliment to the chef if you mop up the sauce on your plate with a piece of bread. This is called scarpetta.
It’s easy to eat well and cheaply in Italy – even in towns with lots of tourists – if you follow a few simple rules.
Avoid restaurants with a tourist menu (‘menu turistico’) or a waiter standing out front asking passers-by to come in.
Get away from the main thoroughfares and explore smaller laneways and piazzas.
Look for casual restaurants (osteria or trattoria) where locals are eating. Especially at lunchtime, many offer a great value ‘menu of the day’ (menù del giorno), usually 2 or 3 courses often including water, coffee and a glass of wine.
Cucina casalinga (home cooking) or cucina tipica (regional dishes) are good words to look out for on a menu.
Short, hand-written menus are a great sign too as they indicate frequent changes to feature whatever ingredients are fresh and best on the day.
Join the locals standing at the bar for coffee. Coffee often costs more if you sit at a table rather than stand at the bar.
Cappuccino is a breakfast drink. Locals never order a milk coffee after mid-morning. After lunch or dinner you drink ‘un caffè’, an espresso (short black). If you can’t live without a little milk in your coffee, ‘un caffè macchiato’ (coffee with a little milk foam) is acceptable.
Some of the best coffee in Italy (and often good casual food too) can be found at petrol stops on the autostrada.
Italian restaurants list a cover charge (coperto) on their menus and bills, which includes oil and other condiments placed on the table and usually bread.
You don’t need to tip in Italian restaurants as a service charge is included in the bill. If you have great service, you can always round up to the nearest euro as a sign of appreciation.
Italy has a wide range of topography and climates, from the Alps in the north to the sunny Mediterranean islands of the south. So when is the best time to travel in Italy depends largely on where you’re going and what you’re doing. I like to travel in autumn (September/October) and spring (March/April) when it’s neither very hot nor very cold. It’s also less crowded, therefore cheaper, in these shoulder seasons.
Italian public transport is comprehensive and reliable. Trains criss-cross the country and local buses and ferries can be a fun way to get among the inhabitants.
Before boarding a bus in Italy, buy a ticket from a Tabacchi (cigarette shop that also sells bus tickets, stamps, recharge cards for mobile phones, lottery tickets etc…).
If you want to be completely independent – and are confident driving on the righthand side of the road – hire a car. A small car is best as many Italian towns and villages have very narrow streets.
Italian’s look smart even when they’re just going to the shops or for a walk.
To avoid looking like a tourist in Italy, don’t wear flip-flop (thongs) except on the beach; wear clean, smart-casual clothes that aren’t wrinkled; and don’t carry an obvious bum bag/fanny pack.
When visiting churches, ensure your shoulders and knees are covered as a sign of respect.
