Feeling the chill in Melbourne? Considering a getaway to sunny Italy? Here are five useful tips to make your next trip a success!
2. Make sure you’ve learnt a few phrases to be able to interact on a day-to-day basis. Not just greetings and niceties, but also something funny and relatable that will help you truly connect with locals. Ma va’! Si figuri! Vabbè su…
3. Book your train tickets well in advance and shop around. Trenitalia may have upgraded their high-speed network, but don’t forget to check the new kid on the block. Created by the former chairman of Ferrari, Italo trains are usually cheaper, much more reliable and stylish.
4. Pick your restaurants carefully. It’s easy to end up in one of those tourist traps on the main square, but you haven’t travelled half way around the world for average food! A couple of steps out of the main tourist areas will take you a long way. And another thing – Italians like to eat late. Have an aperitivo at 6pm and plan for a late dinner – good restaurants will be easier to spot, buzzing with locals by 8:30 every night.
5. Don’t forget the smaller towns. Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice are surely not to be missed, but remember that real country life is only an hour or so out of any big city. Local train and buses will quickly take you there and back, and it’s always refreshing to get out of the hustle and bustle. Sit at a café, practice your people-watching skills and use your Italian to chat up the local barista!
This was good information, especially about the trains. Recently I took trains in Italy and I found out a few things: sometimes there are strikes so if you have your tickets all booked ahead of time, if there is a strike sometimes you can get a refund, sometimes not. Also, if you have luggage, there is no one to help you so it’s best to only take what you can manage to lift up onto the train. Storing luggage on the train is tricky. Usually the luggage racks are full but I found that luggage can be stored in the spaces between the seats. I love the Italian trains – it is good to get to the station in time to find your platform because the trains don’t wait for late comers.