Category: 15 Things to Know to Rock Your Trip to Italy

Italian women stride on cobblestones in stilettos but you lack that skill. Save your ankles and wear comfortable walking shoes.

Italians dress like it’s their job. Leave your shorts and sweatpants home.

Dress modestly to enter churches. Your knees and shoulders should be covered; shorts and baseball caps are not allowed, and no stilettos on the marble please.

Please, seriously, use your inside voice. Don’t be that loud American. You’ll make us all look bad. If you think I’m silly, listen to the Americans at any restaurant in Italy.

Expect everything to take a little longer. You’ll be pleasantly surprised if it does not. I have twice waited for more than an hour to get our pre-reserved rental car. It averages at least 15 minutes. They don’t do the “Gold Canopy” walk to your car and drive away.

Be careful when crossing streets in big cities. Pedestrian crosswalks are just decoration. Make eye contact with drivers before walking into the street.

Trains are generally reliable, clean, and a great way to get between cities. Check schedules and buy tickets at Trenitalia.com.

Pack washcloths if you use them. Try E-Z Towels that expand with water. B & Bs and some hotels probably won’t have them.

Check the opening hours of museums you plan to visit. Most of them close one day a week. Buy advance tickets online to avoid lines. For the Last Supper, get a guide. You’ll only have 15 minutes there and the guide will make the most of that time.

Go to a market! But don’t buy scarves or handbags there thinking they are Made in Italy. More likely, Made in China. Get almonds or pistachios instead!

Go to the grocery store for snacks and souvenirs. Pick up Italian olives, sea salt, pasta, cheeses, coffee, wines, chocolate, candy, nuts, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Pocket Coffee (trust me), spice mixes, limoncello, risotto, pesto, honey, and tomatoes.

You’ll see a cord hanging in bathrooms. I’ve been told it’s in case of emergency, so don’t pull it unless you’ve fallen and can’t get up. Just in case…

You’ll probably see a towel warmer in the bathroom too. Not only is having a warm towel the best thing ever, it’s also great to dry your laundry on.

Download a translation app. I’ve used Collins Italian-English for years.

I’ll cover Food in Italy separately but you’ll definitely want the Italian Food Decoder so you know what you’re ordering.