Guest Post: Eleven Italian Travel Tips

When Jessica asked me if I would mind guest blogging for her, I told her I’d
love to do it. I’ve been reading Jessica’s blog for the last couple of years
and it’s one of my favorites daily reads. Jessica has such a way with words and
takes great pictures too, so you can’t help but love reading her blog.

Italy is a top destination in Europe for travelers from all over the world.
Often, people who I know through blogs or in real life ask me for some travel
tips for Italy. I lived there for more than three years and although I’m
not an expert, I do have some tips for those that are traveling to Italy or
plan to in the near future.

Melissa, New Girl on Post

1. Don’t come in August. For starters, it’s pretty steamy in Italy in
August. Secondly, August is when Italians typically go on vacation. That means
lots and lots of people at the beaches and it also means that if you’re
visiting some of the smaller towns and even some of the larger cities, that
restaurants and hotels are likely to be closed for most of the month.

2. Choose one or two of the larger cities in Italy and then choose a few
smaller areas to visit too. You get more of the “real” Italy when you
do that and not just the “touristy” version of Italy.

Melissa, New Girl on Post

3. If I had to rank the big cities of Italy it would go like this:

To be honest I was not impressed with Milan at all. The Last Supper is there
and the Duomo is beautiful, but to me it lacks a lot in the way of things to
see.

Melissa, New Girl on Post

4. My favorite place in Italy is Cinque Terre, followed closely by the
Amalfi Coast. I happen to like the west coast of Italy more than the east. The
seafood on the west coast tastes better to me as well.

5.  If you can, steer clear of places in the big cities that have an
English menu and never, ever eat near a tourist sight like the Coliseum,
Vatican, etc.  Often it is way overpriced and the food is
subpar. That’s true in all of Europe though.

6. I know a lot of people like to use trains while traveling Europe, but you
can find a cheap plane ticket with EasyJet (if you book enough in advance) from
Rome to Venice for 19.99 euro. Much, much cheaper than taking the train and
much faster too.

7. Pack lots of black clothes. For real. Even in the summer the Italians love
wearing black clothing. If you would rather look like a tourist then by all
means pack those hideous white American sneakers.

8. Learn a few words of Italian before you come. Yes, in most of the big
cities they will switch over to English, but it’s always good to know a few
words to be polite. Also, if you want to order a sandwich or pizza and you
want it to go, just say Da portar via. It means for the road. Very helpful!

Melissa, New Girl on Post

9. Unless you are driving someplace that isn’t very populated, like Tuscany,
I wouldn’t drive in Italy if you never have before. I get frustrated every
single day by the ridiculous driving that I see. Driving in Italy can be very
nerve-wracking if you don’t know what you are doing.

10. Set realistic goals for yourself. Do not try to see Venice, Naples,
Rome, Tuscany and Cinque Terre in one trip. Ask someone who lives here or has
visited here if your itinerary sounds doable. You will not enjoy yourself if
you’re running all over Italy and not stopping to enjoy la bella vita.

11. Lastly, if you are traveling here and have any questions on where to
stay, what to do, transportation, etc. Feel free to ask me or one of the other
lovely mil-spouses stationed in Italy. We’d love to help!