Things I should know

Sorry James but it would be helpful for you to tell us what you don't know. And also what you like and dislike. Reading Rick's, Europe Through the Back Door would be my strongest suggestion. And his Italy book.

James,

It would help to know which cities you'll be visiting in Italy? I'd highly recommend taking the Italy book along with you, as it's a great source for reference.

A few things that come to mind are:

• Wear a Money Belt, especially in Rome, Florence and when you're on crowded public transport (bus, metro).

• Learn a few words of the local language. You don't have to be fluent, but it's the polite way to travel.

• Just enjoy Italy!

Happy travels!

Take a carryon and a backpack. I have Rick's 22" carryon(with wheels) and a lightweight daypack. Lots of people overpack on the first trip and it's a real burden. I learned the hard way.
Don't stick to the main streets in Rome, Florence & Venice, walk the back streets and find some great churches and restaurants. The best food we ate was at some small Mom and Pop places where they spoke just a little English.

Take a look at some of Rick's phrases in the book that are conversation starters. We were being served by the owner/chef's wife in a great place and when she asked us "okay?" and pointed at our empty plates my husband told her "It was better than my Mama's kitchen" in Italian, straight from Rick's book, he got hugs & kisses. I bought one of their dinner plates with their logo as a momento, after using the phrase book many times to explain what I wanted & she was thrilled and wrapped it with a bow!
Have a great time! Mimi

James,

"Does his "Through the Back Door" book offer that much more that it's worth buying as well"

If you haven't travelled in Europe before, reading Europe Through The Back Door would be a very good idea. Pay special attention to the "Rail Skills" chapter. I consider it more of a "pre-read" book rather than one to pack along. It covers a lot of topics such as money issues, avoiding "theft" problems, languages, cultural differences, etc. You might be able to find a copy at your local Library, so you could have a look and decide whether you want to buy it.

You might also find it useful to download the free PDF Rail Guide from this website. Click the "Railpasses" tab at the top of the page.

Cheers!

James,

and miss out you will, unless you're staying for a year. Just wander, look (don't forget to SEE) eat, drink and enjoy.

Mimi,

I'm dying to know the name and location of your special restaurant. Please tell!

Google Earth the places you want to see and take the print outs. Particularly Street View Printouts.

Write down your Passport number somewhere safe.

Remember that the Streets usually change names every block.

Get use to ambivalence. Let it roll and be ready to adapt to a new situation. Have a back up plan.

Every Italian that approaches you is a scam. This of course, isn't true, but hold this as your mind set. No Italian ever needs help from a tourist. Tell them all to go away. Don't let the gypsies mob you.

Watch to see if an ATM works for someone else before using it.

Keep and always work to have small one to five Euro bills and change. Pack sunscreen and eye wash. Put a 100 Euro note in your sock, just in case everything goes odd.

Look out for young women pickpockets.

You ARE going to miss out on something.
Just come to terms with that. You will be be right next to something that you will later read about that was interesting.
You will be back, so it doesn't really matter.

For the most part, Italians are Bi-Lingual and their English is good. Pointing and making hand gestures actually works most of the time for anything else. If you don't know the language, have a script card with the basic questions.

Compliment them allot no matter how trivial. They like that.

Bring your own big bar of soap.

Don't buy anything from the Counterfeit sellers.

Use the Bus system. Its cheaper than the trains sometimes.

Never use a dryer at a laundry mat. Hang stuff up.

Relax. The country is set up for tourism.

Pack light, you will be really glad you did.

Here's a visual pack list, adjust to taste:

http://www.polyvore.com/mens_travel_pack_list/set?id=1440268

I pack it in an Ebags weekender and carry a Rick Steves Civita day pack inside to use on non-travel days.

Learn at least a little Italian. Polite words and menu items are a good place to start. Asking directions and booking a room are the next best things to pick up.

You can get a free online course from BBC by googleing BBC languages. I'm also doing livemocha.com (another free online course) that seems reasonably good so far.

You are better off repeating a handful of lessons several times than trying to get through as many lessons as possible before your trip. Repitition is the mother of learning (Latin proverb).

You will get finically taken advantage of at least once on your trip. Plan on it being in Venice. What I mean is there is going to be at least once in your trip where you get hit with a bill that is way more than you planned. It could be a 50 euro bottle of wine at a innocent looking bar, or ordering what the waiter recomends at a restraunt, or missing your stop on a train and getting hit with a fine. It happens to us all, just don't get too upset with it. Other than that don't try and jam pack every day of your trip. Take time to slow down and enjoy the country.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and tips. I'll be visiting Rome for sure. I've also got a friend who lives in Switzerland and I plan on meeting him somewhere in Italy. My girlfriend and I will take a train north while he and his girlfriend take a train south and we will meet somewhere and spend the day together. Since he's more familiar with the country I'm going to let him pick where we meet. So as of right now Rome is the only major city we have on the itinerary.

I do own Rick's Italy and Rome books and his Italian phrase book as well. Does his "Through the Back Door" book offer that much more that it's worth buying as well?

I also have been doing Rosetta Stone Italian to try to learn at least a little bit of Italiano.

Always validate your ticket when riding on trains or buses.

If you walk into a gelato place or a sandwich place (where the sandwiches are premade and displayed for purchase) and no one waits on you it means you probably have to pay the cashier first for what you want and then present the receipt to the person behind the counter.

In small towns many things are closed in the afternoon.

Thanks Ken. I'll head out today and see if I can find a copy.

Rome. Okay.
Buy a Roma Pass for two reasons:
1. Unlimited three days of using the City Buses and Subways - but not to the airport.
2. Pass all the lines at the Colosseum.

Dress respectfully for the major churches and don't bring backpacks for the Vatican or St. Peter's.

Follow Rick's directions for the Appian Way exactly.

Go to Ostia Antica.

Buy a really good pair of shoes and break them in before going.

Keep everything important in your money belt, and just use your near empty wallet to hold spending money for that day.

Bring one really nice, light, suit and the GF one really nice dress. This is for the Passeggiata and the Dolce Vita Stroll. You walk SLOWLY, cause you are not really going anywhere.

Italy is wonderful. It'll improve your view on life if you let it. Try to experience it with an open mind and definitely interact with the locals. I read a lot about Italy before I went and I believe it really helped me connect with them. I recommend a couple of fun, easy books that give you a sense of how Italians live life.

Robert Hutchinson, When In Rome , &
Alan Epstein, As the Romans Do.

Make two copies of your passport, leave one home with a close relative, and another in your suitcase in your room. Carry the original with you. Had friends whose passports were stolen last summer when their carry-ons were grabbed! Probably won't happen, but smart.

Make sure you see the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. I would recommend booking an English speaking guide through your hotel, but if you go on your own go in the afternoon There are no lines, and very long lines when it opens in the morning.If you don't go with a guide, at least get the earphones -- well worth the $ I've been several times, and never tire. The food is fantastico in Rome but avoid eating in the Vatican unless you absolutely have to. If you leave the Vatican in the evening there's a wonderful restaurant called Piacere Molise via candia 60 Roma! The gnocci is awesome. We usually ordered one meat dish and shared and a pasta dish and shared -- basically everywhere we went. Have made numerous trips to Italy from Rome, always north because we have fam there. First trip South next year! Any questions, contact personally HAVE FUN!

Pack light, light, light! Do read "Europe Through the Backdoor" and read up on the train travel section if you will be traveling by train. Recently returned from Italy and used trains for first time (usually have a rental car). I read as much as I could re. train travel, studied sample tickets, printed out train schedules from www.trenitalia.com and brought along for ease in purchasing our tickets over there. www.roninrome.com has lots of good info. on train travel in Italy too. All of our train travels went very smoothly and it really is not difficult at all. Have a great trip!

If using a taxi, make sure there is a meter and that it is running. When you hand the taxi driver payment, state to him what denomination bill you are handing him. We got taken on arrival in Rome last year....and we had been there before and knew better. Too big of a hurry trying to get out of taxi with luggage in middle of street at bed and breakfast. Had another driver try again a few days later, but hubby was ready for him that time.

Remember that you're a guest and act appropriately. The often true cliche about Americans is that we TALK REALLY LOUD. Try to keep your voice at an appropriately low level wherever you are. It's just common courtesy.

Don't assume that an Italian who speaks some English to you is fluent. They may know only enough for basic tourist transactions necessary for their job. Keep your English simple and slow and avoid contractions and complicated sentence structure.

Enjoy where you are and don't obsess about what you might be missing someplace else. Even bad experiences make for great stories when you get home.

Take a printout of your itinerary and lodging confirmation emails with you, preferably in a little notebook. Use the back of those pages to jot notes of your experiences from the day. It becomes a little journal of your trip that you can look back over when you get home.

Confirm each of your lodging arrangements a few days before you arrive. When you arrive at one place, ask them to call ahead and confirm your lodging at your next place.

Ask at the front desk for a recommendation for a restaurant that the desk worker goes to for good food. ("Where do you and your friends go for good food?") Emphasize that you want local food and "non-tourist" and not expensive (assuming that's what you're looking for).

Always validate your train tickets before you board. That is so easy to forget in the rush to find the right train. If you do forget and the train has already started, make a bee-line for the front of the train, looking for the conductor/ticket puncher. Hand him your tickets and throw yourself on his mercy pleading stupidity. He'll likely endorse it by hand and give you a little lecture, but you won't get the 100 euro fine.

You're going to have a wonderful time.