Italy

Italy is a country that will capture your heart in more ways than one; proud, inspirational and very unique. Offering vibrant cities, amazing coastlines, culture and of course my favourite food. Italy is often referred to as Eataly. You will enjoy meals that the recipes have been handed down through generations. The population is 60million which s 3 times the amount of Australia and yet Italy as a country could fit into Australia 5 times.

Italy is one of the most popular destinations in Europe with so many amazing places to discover. Experience the canals of Venice, the crystal clear lakes, the colourful coastlines of the Amalfi coast aka Cinque Terre, the culture soaked city of Florence and of course the Eternal city of ancient Rome. The main sights most defiantly require a visit; however, you will be pleasantly surprised by the places off the beaten track.

Italy is one of the most unique, breathtaking, entertaining and just downright amazing countries in Europe. The landscape is diverse, the people are friendly and the food is incredible. Immerse yourself in the culture, be sure to tour from one end of the country to the other and be simply blown away. Give yourself enough time to really get the most out of your trip, don’t just do the big tourist places. Jump on a train or bus, head out to the countryside and you will find the Italian charm.

The continent of Europe holds a very special place in my heart; each country has its own unique identity yet is so welcoming (most times) even to foreigners. The continent has seen and been through it all and yet they live in unity; so proud of their background. The rest of the world has a lot to learn from the history books, taking a trip to Europe is like stepping into the pages of a history book. Everywhere you look you can see fragments of the past that have been preserved; to learn and grow from. Open your eyes and your heart; Europe will change your way of thinking.

The price of Accommodation in Italy varies due to location, city and quality. There is something to suit every type of traveller, Booking.com and Expedia have a large selection of hotels to choose from although they can get to be quite expensive. Airbnb is widely spread throughout Italy and offer some fantastic prices for either a room in a house or an entire house to yourself. Be sure to shop around and just make sure you pick somewhere that is close to public transport.

Food glorious Food, Italy is most certainly Eataly and not a place for a diet. Traditional Italian food is absolutely amazing, most recipes have been handed down generations and are made with passion and pride. Food is the essential central aspect of Italian family and culture. It brings people together and it is a way of showing love. The ingredients are always fresh and everything is made from scratch!

Pizza – A traditional Italian pizza should only consist of about 3 main ingredients, everything is usually homemade including the paste on the base. Simple, light and mouth-watering taste.

Pasta – When it comes to cooking pasta the Italians just get it to spot on every time, apparently the trick is not to cook it too long, if it goes too soft it releases all the carby toxins and is quite heavy. Again everything is homemade and from the freshest ingredients.

Pesto: Garlic, Olive oil, Basil blended up

Risotto: A rice dish generally served as an appetizer in Italy. It can come in many different varieties such as pumpkin or mushroom.

Minestrone: A vegetable and bean soup made with a variety of vegetables and rice.

Italian cuisine is characterized by its simplicity, with many dishes having only four to eight ingredients. Italian cooks rely chiefly on the quality of the ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation.

Gelato – This is not your average sweet treat, Gelato is soft, creamy and full of flavour. A traditional gelato will be hand made with fresh ingredients. It should be dull in colour not bright, this is how you tell the difference between traditional gelato and processed “ice cream”

Tiramisù: Italy’s most famous dessert made of coffee-soaked sponge cake and mascarpone cheese.

Italian Coffee – Coffee is taken very seriously by the Italians when ordering a coffee you must stand at the bar, order an espresso and enjoy it there. They do not like adding milk to their coffee and you will get dirty looks if you ask for it with milk.

Alcohol

Limoncello: Popular lemon liqueur produced in Southern Italy, mainly around the Gulf of Naples and Islands of Ischia and Capri, but also in Sicily and Sardinia. It is made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water, and sugar.

Amaretto: Amaretto is a very sweet liqueur that smells and tastes like almonds but in facts is made from a basic infusion of the stones of drupe fruits, for example, peaches.

Sambuca:  Sambuca is a strong liqueur of high alcoholic content, owes its specific sweet and strong taste to star anise.

Prosecco: This internationally known Italian sparkling wine is produced from the white grapes grown in the north of Venice. Usually served on its own, it also appears in several mixed drinks, such as the very popular Bellini cocktail.

The train network throughout the country is fantastic and very affordable, you can literally get to every major city in Italy on the train network. The tickets can be booked online via Italia Rails Website or The Train Line is a fantastic website for train tickets all over Europe and the UK.

Flixbus is another fantastic way to get around Europe and Italy, they run buses long and short distances and you can get some really cheap fares. If you are trying to cut costs choose an overnight bus, this will save you 1 nights accommodation and you are not wasting a day travelling.

Hire a car – If you are brave enough you could hire a car or camper and driver yourself, be warned the Italians like to eat, smoke and drink their coffee while changing lanes at high speeds. If you are brave and wish to hire a car check out rentalcars.com they have a great selection of vehicles.

What can I expect from Italy?

Currency:   

Euro (EUR) in the major cities credit cards are widely accepted; however, if you’re in a smaller town of the boutique shop; they do not appreciate you paying small amounts on your card. Cash is king, like anywhere it is best to carry small amounts of cash with you for those smaller purchases. Please do not carry large lump sums; what we usually do is take a Cash Passport for more information check out our post Travelling With your Money. Every 2 days go and withdraw 2-4 days worth of money and stash it in different pockets of your backpack; handbag and suitcase. Only keep small amounts of actual cash in your wallet at a time.

Electricity:

230volts – The plugs are 2 round pins

Best time of year to go:

Summer June to September but it can be very crowded especially in the main cities like Rome, Florence and Venice.

Language       

The main language spoken is Italian, try and learn some simple words to speak with the locals.

Hello – Bongiorno

Goodbye – Caio

Please – Per Favore

Thank you – Grazie

How much does this cost –  Quanta Costa?

Yes – Si

No – No

Visa

Italy is a part of the European Union and works under the Schengen Agreement. EU nationals can travel visa-free. There are a number of countries that have been given permission for 90 days of visa-free travel. Some of those include Australia and Canada. Visa’s Change so regularly that we strongly recommend you check the current situation at your local countries  Embassy.

Safety

You have to be careful where ever you are in the world, especially in big cities. This is usually where you could become the target of “tourist” crimes such as scams, pickpocketing, or mugging. Italy is relatively safe as long as your street smart; don’t go down dark allies by yourself, have someone who knows where you are, all of the usual stuff. In the big cities like Rome never, ever put your bag behind you, it will be gone before you know it. Carry all of your belongings in front and close to your body.

 Public Toilets

Finding a bathroom in Europe is NOT always easy, trust me I have had some close calls. So where do you find a toilet…big shopping malls will have toilets you can use they will usually be marked with WC or toilettes. You can go into a café or restaurant; order yourself a coffee and use their facilities, if you’re really bold you can pick a busy café…locate the toilet sign and make a break for it and hope no one notice. McDonald’s and fast food chains usually have a bathroom you can use. Although they have started putting codes on the doors; still buy yourself an ice cream and get that code for the bathroom…..or wait outside the bathroom door until the person comes out.

Toilets in Europe

Throughout Europe, you will come across something that you may not be used to. You actually have to pay to use a public toilet or service stop toilet. It ranges from about 0.35c – 0.75c please make sure you have some small change with you. You don’t want to be close to exploding; find a bathroom and then not be allowed in because you haven’t paid. It is the worst!! Some of the restrooms are manned by an attendant and some are automatic machines with a turnstile. Check out our mini-guide to Paying for Public Toilets In Europe!