We've been back 3 nights and it feels like the trip was so long ago! People keep asking what our favorite part was, and we can't pick one. It was a great balance of small town, big city, sea side, mountains,tourist places, and off the beaten path. Lou did a great job of planning it all out with the help of his friend Eddie. It was all we expected and more. We traveled by plane, car, train, bus, boat, taxis, and on foot. We got lost and had lots of fun finding our way. We did not have a single problem along the way. I was very uncertain about the choice not to take a tour but we are very happy with our decision. The language was not a problem. Many people spoke English. I understood the dialects in Bologna, Ferrara, and Cinque Terra. It was a little difficult for me to follow the dialect in Venice and Verona but luckily those two places are very touristy and there was a lot of English. Once we hit Sicily there was no English but I understood all and we were with family so it was not a problem. All of our hotels were great. The food and wine was fantastic! The weather was unexpectedly cold in the first few cities but warmed up to be summer again for the second part of the trip as we made our way south. We had some rain but it didn't stop us.
If you are planning to take a trip like this, here are some tips from us:
1.Packing- (and this one is hard for me to admit!) Pack light! We were jumping on and off trains, buses and boats and lugging a big suitcase can be rough! We loved the heated towel racks in the hotels, we washed out clothes and hung them every night. It was amazing how quickly they dried! Why don't we have heated towel racks! What a pleasure to get out of the shower and have a warm towel to dry yourself with!! The packing bags were great!! We both loved them. They kept us organized especially because we changed hotels every 2-3 days. At each place all you had to do was take out one of the bags. The dress throughout Italy was very casual in spite of what we read. Jeans and sneakers are very acceptable. Scarves were big for men and women. Man purses are in! Keep your wallet in your front pocket and keep a good hold on your purse. A small umbrella is a must! Sturdy walking shoes are essential as most of the streets are cobblestone and uneven.
2. Trains-When buying train tickets from the kiosk, look for the British flag. That's a sign to have it switched to English. Once you get to your platform you have to validate your ticket. If you don't, you could be red lined!! If someone tries to help you with your bag, don't let them. They do not work for the train and are either looking to pick your pocket or or looking for tips.
3. Food. Most menus will have some English or if not the waiter will explain. Water isn't free and they will ask you if you want "still" (plain) or "gas". (carbonated) Either way it will be bottled and you will pay of it. There is no tipping but many places include a service fee. Prices weren't bad in smaller towns. All the hotels included breakfast which put our continental breakfasts to shame! Homemade pastries to die for, cheese, hard boiled eggs, kiwi, cold cuts, and lots of homemade breads, Their midday meal is their largest and is eaten about 2:00. We are early risers so it was hard to wait until then but we frequently stopped for coffee and that came with a snack of bread sticks, olives, chips,or cheese. The evening meal is also a late one. Most restaurants do not even open until 7. The offerings are in "plates". First plate is appetizers, second is pasta and third plates are your meats or main course. We typically ordered one "plate" and they would look at us and say, "what else?" We had some great seafood,(loved the mussels!) homemade pastas, (ravioli!!) pizza (very thin crusts) and wine. We frequently stopped for a glass of wine later in the day before dinner and that too came with "snacks". We didn't have dessert often but when we did, they were delish!
4. Coffee. Strong, bitter, and tiny cups. Cappuccino is just for the morning and espresso is for later in the day. Some places had "american coffee" but it did not resemble our coffee, which now tastes like water to me!
5. People. They stare. We are used to quick glances and if we catch some one's eye, we smile and look away. They stare right at you, look you up and down, and you won't see a smile. Buongiorno is until noon and then it's Buonasera. Ciao is not to be said to strangers. It's informal and just for friends. People will call you "signore" (sir) or "signora" (madame) and generally everyone is very polite and helpful. If you need help, it's best to ask a police officer (Carabineri) They are always friendly and willing to help and most have some English. The police were always present. (Although it was a little disconcerting to see them in full camouflage carrying machine guns in the airport.) It's amazing how people asses that you are american as soon as they see you. I would have thought that, having two Italian parents would make me look a little like a native!
If you plan to travel to Italy, call us and we'd be glad to share more tips and memories! Buon Viaggio!!
Giovanna and Luigi! :)
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