We leave next week for Italy!! We are returning to Venice which we visited four years ago in August. We took mosquito repellent but did not use it. Should we bring again? We also are going to Padua, Ortisei, Lake Garda, and Bologna.
We plan to have lunches at Refugios while hiking in the Dolomites. Do we need cash? How much should we plan on for lunch? And are there ATMs in Ortisei?
You can always buy some, but I'd think you would also need it for mountain hiking (thinking ticks as well), so might as well bring it if you have one you like.
Maps shows several bancomats in Ortisei--have a great trip!
Mosquitoes in Venice last month were bad at night. Stupidly we left the windows open and I could hear them through the night. I had welts for days. (Moral of the story is really close the windows. But next time I'm packing DEET.)
Beth, I can't answer your mosquito questions, but I learned years ago, after waking up during the night with sand fleas bites in St. Lucia, to always bring a small container of cortisone cream just in case.
We were in Ortisei last Sept and did a few hikes. We used credit cards at refugios, but if you'd prefer to pay cash many refugios have websites (because they sell lodging as well) that lists their menu. Ortisei has several ATMs.
The regional tourist bureau runs guided hikes, free if your hotel is a member of Val Gardena Active which many are. We did two of them and they included a lunch stop at a refugio. You can find the hikes and other activities on the calendar at https://www.val-gardena.com/en/events-calendar/
Thanks for the feedback. And the reason for the cash questions is that the only country we haven’t needed cash post pandemic is England. We have been caught several times without enough too and had to scramble.
I figured that mosquitos might be an issue. They like my husband much more than me so will let him decide if he wants to bring repellent. I do have a 3 oz can.
Pack the repellent, cortisone, and calamine.
None of the northern Italian pharmacies I visited had strong enough repellent (DEET) or calamine. Plus, products sold at Italian pharmacies generally are expensive. Fortunately, I brought cortisone.
The insects feasted on my wife and me! A pharmacist joked they can ID tourists.
Just returned last week from our trip which included a short stay in Venice. I always pack bug repellent wipes just in case; the mosquitoes love my blood. Surprisingly didn’t need them. We didn’t open our windows, though we spent a good amount of time on our hotel rooftop terrace in the mornings and evenings. A couple of wipes on hand are good to pack in case they are needed.
About cash in Refugios: is true that in Italy a seller can refuse to accept payment by credit card. Is even true that if you reach a secluded refugio is possibile that there is no internet connection, so no way to use a credit card. Bring with you 30/40€ cash per person and you should be fine.
ATM in Italy are usually always present where there is a bank, so in Ortisei you will find several ones.
The repellent wipes are easier to pack and to use.
We do have some euros so will bring them with us hiking! I have really been looking forward to the Refugios and would not want to miss out. We went on a very warm hike with our dog this morning and remarked as we made our way back to our car that “now would be the time for the Refugio.”
I offered to order some wipes from Amazon but my husband thought there was no point if we already had mosquito spray. So next time.
