Something you wished someone had told you before your visit

I was given some advice by a friend about the bathrooms in Italy. It was to take pocket size tissues in your purse as most restrooms did not seems to have tissue.... Thought this was a good idea.

"Did someone give you advice that you found particularly helpful or useful?" Ron in Rome. Www.roninrome.com Read every word - the most accurate and detailed info you will find. Study his site, bookmark it, and if that's not enough, ask him directly or book a consultation. He was very helpful to me, though we ended up in the Veneto and never made it to Rome that trip. Ron's da bomb, in a phrase borrowed from my teenagers!

That despite the well-intentioned comments of travelers who apparently have very selective memories, it is not only possible but it's actually very easy to have a bad meal in Italy. :-)

Never order a "latte". You will get a glass of milk. If you want coffee with that milk, you need to order a caffe latte Only made that mistake once :)

After 16 summers in the south as a child (my mother is from Maratea/Scalea) when I first traveled to Rome, I wish someone would of told me that I would fall in love as a 16 year old child with a city and now as a 33 year old find myself living, breathing and carrying out my life in Rome in pursuit of knowing as much as I can about her! ps. For practical purposes, I wish someone would of told me directions to the Protestant Cemetery prior to 2008. Just so I could have gone sooner.

Remember to validate your bus and train tickets (regional trains). Bus: little boxes near the driver and neara the back door. Trains: little yellow boxes at the railhead of the train station.

Before I went, my father warned me to "get ready to see a lot of laundry, and bring your own toilet paper." He was right.

My cousin went to Pompeii from a cruise ship stop and even though he had his guide book along and got all the information and maps available at the site, he told us that the area is so large that he felt lost at times and a bit cheated as he didn't get as much out if it as he wanted. He regretted not having a personal guide. We made sure to hire one of the accredited guides at the entrance to guide us through and those 2 hours were really well worth every cent we spent - and it was actually quite affordable.

Many Italians don't respect your space in the way we are accustomed to. Lines are disorganized. Signposts rare or misleading. So, don't make assumptions. Keep asking. Motorcyclists and vehicles will not hesitate to take your right of way from you. Subway trains can be too crowded. Wait for the next one. Even get off if it gets too crowded and wait for the next one. Better yet, walk or take a taxi or bus. Sitting down at a table for coffee can be quite expensive in many cafes. Stand at the "bar." Just a few thoughts. I just got back from my first visit to the eternal city.

The free day at the Vatican Museum -- last Sunday of the month. FORGET ABOUT IT! The line went on and on and on and on and on. Have I made the point! Spend the money. Make a reservation. I would guess that Rick's info in the book is better than most of the English-speaking tours. Mary and I definitely enjoyed going through at our own pace.

Was totally surprised by the amount of graffiti and I live in LA where gangs graffiti everything. Small kleenex packets are useful. Never touch fruit at a market, point at what you want and have the vendor pick it up and bag it for you. How priests are not behind closed doors in church confessionals but sit out in the open. Lastly, how enjoyable walking in Rome is, especially when you get "lost", find a tiny cafe where you're the only yank and have one of the best meals of your life.

I agree with John! Anything that's free is terrible! I tried to get into a free symphony concert and people were pushing to just to get by and this could have been dangerous! It could have been just as dangerous as running of the bulls in Spain! lol! I'm all for saving money, but sometimes free is not what it's cracked up to be!

Echoing the above....Keep small packs of kleenix in your day pack. It was not unusual to have no paper in the restrooms. Best advice I was given. Second best advice: Never pass up a restroom. You don't know when you will see the next one or what condition it will be in.

I had read about buses being "crowded", but believe me when I say that "crowded" is an understatement! How even a pickpocket could move was beyond me. Next time I'll walk or take a taxi instead. On the flip side....no one could have told me in advance how absolutely fascinated I would be by the history. Just seeing and standing near the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Forum. Nothing could possibly compare! Christine

For a very reasonable price you can hear really good opera musicians perform at Saint Paul's Anglican (Episcopal) Church near the Termini train station on many evenings. The Prayer book and hymnal in the pews are the US editions but that's not what you are there for, is it? http://www.imusiciveneziani.com/
phone: +39 064826296 Facebook too > imusici veneziani Roma Church > http://www.stpaulsrome.it/

In Italy, don't expect anything to be on time. Things continually run 15-20 minutes late and you just have to prepare for that.

{Many Italians don't respect your space in the way we are accustomed to. Lines are disorganized. } LOL!! You saw Italians standing in something that resembled a line? Where? I need a picture of that!!

I wish someone had told that when in Rome and Florence stay away from the touristy type resturants. I found the food to be much better in the local places.

Also, use Google Maps Streetview to take a look around any neighborhood you're considering for lodging. That saved us from booking in a hotel that was literally on top of a McDonalds. And do be prepared for being in a different culture. One big difference - In Italy, the customer is NOT always right. I've seen a hotel manager yelling at one English guest in front of other guests. The guest was claiming that the reservation she had made included breakfast, but he said it did not and did not back down.

I wished someone had told me that I would need small bills to pay for things. the problem is that Italian ATMS give 50-100 euro bills. No one wanted to take our higher bills. Even the grocery store, which posted a sign that it would not take 50 euro bills. Our bill total was close to 20 euros and they would not take our high currency. the vatican would not take our 50 euro bills, we had to pay with credit card. It was a pain.

I'll second the comment about graffiti EVERYWHERE. Italians were writing graffiti on the walls of Pompeii 2000 years ago and they haven't stopped. But it really surprises some people. Best case scenario is that you stop noticing it and maybe even appreciate it. Here's a photo of one of the trains to Ostia from Rome to make my point. Notice how much of it is actually in English. Here's one in the Janiculum gardens that shows clever use of Italian. And here's some love graffiti from Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. Venice was one of the few places with surprisingly little graffiti.

quote: "I wished someone had told me that I would need small bills to pay for things. the problem is that Italian ATMS give 50-100 euro bills. No one wanted to take our higher bills. Even the grocery store, which posted a sign that it would not take 50 euro bills. Our bill total was close to 20 euros and they would not take our high currency. the vatican would not take our 50 euro bills, we had to pay with credit card. It was a pain." We spent three months in Venice over this past holidays and withdrew well over $15,000 from various ATMs. We never got any 100 euro bill, in fact I haven't gotten a 100 euro bill from any ATM in years. Half of the time we get all 50s; the other half a combination of 50s, 20s, and 10s. And we have never experienced having a 50 euro refused by a vendor. However if my purchase is very small, I would ask the vendor first if he would accept a big bill.

The refusal of my 50 euro bill took place in Milan (at the Brera Art Gallery, our first sight after arriving, fresh with a bunch of 50 euro bills, had to pay with credit card), Florence (at a market, our purchase was 15 euro, would not take my 50) and in the indoor food market (if I could break my 50, I would have gone back to the leather market and bought my trinket I was trying to buy before), and in Rome (grocery store, Vatican). Venice, Siena, Assisi did not have a problem taking my big money. I tried to not have to take out too many transaction on the ATM to avoid my transatlantic charges, so I took out as much as I could take out in one pop. Someone told me that if I took out 380 euro instead of 400 euro, I would get some smaller bills; but I found out after I got home, wishing someone had told me this before my visit. My last trip, it worked out for me in Belgium; plus their ATMs give you a chance to choose 20s or 50s, no matter what you were trying to take out; I opted for all 20s most of the time. Did not have that option in Italy.

@Kelly... the same thing happened to me repeatedly. Even at the colosseum where there were tons of people in line ahead of us paying with cash and they would not take my 50... it got to where if I had anything smaller than a 50 I would not spend it because I didn't know when we would be refused again... at first it was funny, but it really became a problem.

I've had the same experience that Kelly has had, in Italy and also in other countries. I have had vendors refuse to take a 50 and I do recall at least one occasion where I got a 100 from an ATM. I've basically learned to try to use 50s anywhere I can, to hoard the smaller bills anytime I get them and always requesting amounts not divisible by 50. I recall being at the Orsay in Paris where the cashier asked me for a smaller bill after I presented a 50. There were at least 100 people in the line and I had just watched at least a dozen people pay cash in front of me. I knew well that she could make change 10 times over. I said I did not have a smaller bill and I just pushed my bill back through the window. She gave in and sold me the ticket and gave me the change, although she looked as though she was pained to do this. It is one of the great cultural mysteries ... why do ATMs spit out 50s and vendors seem so put out when they have to give you more than 5 EUR back in change?

I am grateful a friend insisted we visit the Borghese Gallery. It is exquisite. If you decide to visit, check their web site. You must have reservations.

Apparently 50 euro notes are considered especially prone to counterfeiting. We used them to pay for lodging and other large amounts but not in shops or bars. We always ed an odd amount like 240 euros to withdraw from an ATM so we would get some smaller bills.

I wish I had known to always confirm a reservation a few days ahead. The very first place we showed up in Italy had screwed up our reservation and didn't have our room. From that point on, we would always confirm in advance.

1. Book just a few nights in Florence and do a few in places like Sienna and Orvieto. We spent 5 in Florence...too much. 2. As others said about lines: even at the most famous and visited tourist attractions, it's surprisingly disorganized and info is unclear. Don't be shy about continuing to check that you are in the right line, or you could waste lots of time. And whatever happens, try to laugh...there are many surprises, and if you are lucky, most will be good ones. 3. Wish we'd known to do more homework on the Roman forum and environs, or buy a guide to that area. The Colliseum, itself, is loaded with good display and signage. We thought the RS Italy book had way too little on rest of the area. 4. If your carry-on is not great (mine was an old and inexpensive handme down with poorly-spaced wheels) you'll wear out manhandling it on all the cobblestones. I actually gave it away for a stage prop to the local theater when I returned. Invest in a good suitcase or pack! I've used a high-quality one for recent travels, and it really makes a difference. 5. Most importantly, research the archived stuff on this site. I have learned SO much on this blog that I wish we knew before we went! The people who post are incredibly knowledgeable and generous with their good advice.
We had a great time, of course, but we missed out on some things we would have preferred to do and did other things that weren't as good a fit. Just have to go back someday...

From the introduction to The Smiles of Rome - A Literary Companion for Readers and Travelers (Susan Cahill, ed.): ...Rome has the power to blow your mind and heart, delivering man, woman, and child from small mindedness, bestowing a much larger capacity for the beauty of the world than you started out with....it's the accumulation of pasts in Rome and one's consciousness of those layers - in the city and in one's self - that can make Rome a life-changing experience. Once Rome enters your consciousness, your perspective on human time may change, deepen, mellow....the whole city seems to pulsate with hidden presences, a register of the human psyche and of 28 centuries of history striated by horror, by thrilling legends, and anonymous kindness...Getting to know Rome, we come home to ourselves...

If something goes wrong, don't let it ruin your trip. Think of it as material for a great story when you get home. Did I ever tell you the story about when the pigeon pooped on me at the train station in Assisi? It's hilarious. :-)

It has been many years since my first visit to Rome, but my first surprise bears repeating because it's still true today: Don't be surprised if you use a public restroom or a restroom in a restaurant and it is a porcelain framed hole in the floor. I have even been to new restaurants that have this type of restroom. And don't forget your own toilet paper.

If possible, plan your visit to Rome during the week. This may depend on the time of the year, but I have noticed during the "off" season, that major tourist destinations like Rome are much more crowded on weekends - filled with Italians and other Europeans enjoying their weekends.

No two restrooms are the same...be creative when trying to figure out how to flush, LOL! Also, don't be surprised when you run into persons of the opposite gender in the toilets! Many, many are unisex. And don't ask where's the bathroom, that's where you take a bath. Ask the location of the toilets. If you go anywhere on a train, make sure you validate your ticket before getting on. If you go anywhere on a bus with luggage, have half your party jump to stow it underneath, and the other half get on and grab seats. Don't be shy, or you'll end up with your luggage in your lap, seated half a bus away from your travel companion. Believe what Rick says about packing light. We are going to Italy again this year, planning to take half what we did last time! Ciao!

I have to disagree about "bathroom" being where you take a bath. Everywhere in Italy that I've been, they say "bagno" for restroom, even in restaurants. (Pronounced BAHN-yoh.) That said, they'll certainly know what you mean whether you ask for the bagno or the toilet. Happy travels.

Bring old face cloths from home and dispose of them after using them in Italy. Europeans do not use face cloths.

Bob,
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