*These tips were gleaned during a December 2019-January 2020 Italy trip.
✈ First, Italian cross-country trains have fast lines, which are an excellent and easy way to move about the country’s regions; plus, large cities have well-organized metro transit.
✈ Pre-purchase tickets to major tourist sights, for example, the Colosseum, the Duomo, etc., as long wait times and lines can bottleneck the entrances.
✈ Book food and/or walking tours with a local guide. I’ve had good luck booking through Viator and Airbnb.
✈ Travel in Italy often includes miles of walking, sometimes on cobblestones. Pack light because you may be hauling your luggage more than you thought, and some accommodations do not have an elevator.
✈ The major Italian airports have ATMs, and they are convenient locations to get currency.
✈ Learn a little Italian, especially how to order coffee.
✈ For a delicious, and cheaper, cup of coffee consider drinking it at the bar. If you want a glass of wine, sit at a table.
✈ Eat local foods and drink local wines.
✈ Italians eat supper later, generally after 7 p.m.
✈ Free Wi-Fi was hard to locate, so for your traveling situation, compare prices for provider’s international data service plans or a sim card. Many lodgings include free Wi-Fi.
✈ When taking a taxi, make sure the driver starts the meter before driving and consider asking what the fare will be before getting into the vehicle.
✈ When visiting churches, make sure your shoulders and legs are covered before entering.
✈ An Aperol Spritz cocktail is a fantastic afternoon adult treat.
✈ Someone described Italian history as a lasagna. Layers of events are built upon the previous ones, and sometimes it makes for a complex story.
✈ Last, feast on the earthly pleasures of architecture, art, clothing, food, and drink.
*Ciao and grazie to the McCormack sisters for their gracious tutoring. Happy Travels!
