Italy is a popular destination, but also quite expensive. We’ve put together a pack of life hacks to make your trip less expensive and more enjoyable. There are no tips on how to use couchsurfing or hitchhiking (both are difficult in Italy) – there are only 34 practical life hacks.
1. If you constantly take any medications, be sure to take them with you. Italian pharmacies won’t sell potent drugs without a prescription, but they will sell ordinary ones. Remember that Italian medicines will cost many times more. Just in case, an ambulance in Italy is called by calling 118.
2. The Italian outlet has three holes, so you may need an adapter. Hotels probably already have them – just ask the receptionist for an adattatore. You can also buy an adapter at an electrical or hardware store.
3. The most convenient way to travel is with a Mastercard, since with Visa, the money will first be converted into dollars, and only then into euros. Also, do not travel to Italy with hryvnia, otherwise you will have to face a disadvantageous exchange rate. It’s best to get a currency card or travel with dollars/euros.
4. If you don’t like walking in the heat in a crowd of tourists, then plan your trip for spring (April-May) or fall (September-November). But if you want to devote your vacation to skiing, then go to Italy in late November or early March (the weather in Italy is difficult to predict now, so follow the forecast).
5. The historical center of Italian cities is often covered with cobblestones, so take comfortable shoes with you rather than heels.
6. If you want to feel comfortable and always be in touch, buy a local SIM card. There are three main operators in Italy: Vodafone, TIM, Wind, and you will need a passport to buy a SIM card. The cost of the package is from €10 to €20, and for this money you will have from 4 to 20 gigabytes. You can top up your account not only in the operators’ stores, but also in supermarkets, newspaper and tobacco kiosks.
7. In Italy, smoking is prohibited in public places, and the fine for violation of this law will be from €250 to €500. You can smoke in special rooms and halls for smokers. Of course, it will come as a surprise that this law is violated everywhere, but it is better not to risk it!
8. More than 100 dialects are spoken in the country, so if you think you know Italian but don’t understand what the couple at the next table in a Venetian bar is talking about, it’s okay! They just have their own Venetian dialect.
9. Italians, like Spaniards, like to sleep in the afternoon, so get ready that from 13.00 to 16.00 (in all places differently) supermarkets and shops will be closed. At the same time, in tourist areas, the establishments work without interruption.
10. Advice from the locals: do not show Italians your stereotypical knowledge of their culture, for example, how they gesture when talking. Firstly, not all Italians are like this, and secondly, they have probably already been told about their peculiarities by 100 tourists before you.
11. As in any other country, it is better not to take valuables with you on a walk around the city, but leave them in the hotel safe. It is also better not to take your original passport with you, but to make a copy of the first page and visa beforehand. This will be enough for the police if they stop you.
12. Few people know that in early November, Italy annually holds Settimana del Barato (barter week). Thus, in 2019, it was held from November 19 to 25. At this time, you can stay for free in Italian hotels or b&b in exchange for a service: whether it is massage or foreign language courses, babysitting or gardening services. Some hotel owners conduct such barter in their establishments almost all year round.
13. If you decide to eat pizza with tea in a restaurant, the waiter will look at you very strangely. The fact is that tea in Italy is drunk only in the morning and only in cafes. Ordering it in a restaurant in the afternoon in addition to some dish will be very eccentric, so it’s better to watch what the locals drink and order the same.
14. The news that you can drink water from the tap in Italy will save your wallet, so be sure to bring a bottle with you before you go. Often in the south of Italy this rule does not apply, so ask the locals.
15. A popular mistake of Ukrainian tourists is to order a latte in a cafe. Latte means “milk” in Italian, so this order will be served with a glass of hot milk. It is better to order “coffee latte” or “coffee macchiato”.
16. Speaking of coffee, it’s best to drink it right at the bar, otherwise you’ll be charged extra for the opportunity to sit at a table.
17. Tipping will often already be included in the bill (approximately 10%). The bill also includes table setting (another 10%, called coperto). At the same time, it is not forbidden to leave a tip at all, if you liked the waiter and want to make him happy, then please!
18. To eat on a budget, you should get off the beaten path. Get lost in the narrow streets where there is no one but the locals, where you can surely enjoy a meal without extra charges for tourists and in a cozy atmosphere.
19. If you don’t have enough for dinner, there is a way out: order an aperitif. You can come to any bar after 18.00 and order beer, wine or an aperol syringe, to which you will be brought generous snacks: chips, nuts, olives, bruschetta. For €4 you can get a drink and a light dinner.
20. If you don’t have money for such a dinner, go to the supermarket. There you can always buy nutritious food inexpensively. When picking up fruits and vegetables, remember that in Italy it is considered bad form to check the ripeness of fruits or vegetables with your bare hands. To avoid meeting the contemptuous glances of Italians, be sure to wear special gloves that are lying near the trays.
21. The supermarket can be your salvation in terms of alcohol: there is a large selection of good and inexpensive wine (from € 3).
22. Almost every region of Italy has its own specialty dish that it can boast of. For example, in Bologna it is pasta bolognese, in Milan – Milanese risotto, in Sicily – arancini and cannoli, in Treviso – tiramisu.
23. Many tourists claim that there is no need to buy tickets for public transport in Italy, because allegedly controllers are rare. But this is not something to joke about. It is better to buy a ticket in advance – at a newsstand or tobacco shop, because inside the cabin you often cannot do this, and you will also face a fine for fare evasion.
24. And one more important rule: be sure to compost the ticket, otherwise you will face a fine of € 50.
25. In general, you should rely on Italian transport with a reservation (especially depending on the region), because strikes are very common in this country and then train traffic can be canceled for the whole day. Simple transportation cancelations or delays are also common. If you plan to take the last train, it is better to be safe and take the penultimate train.
26. Museums in Italy are not cheap (the average cost is about €10). But if you don’t really want to spend money, then it is better to choose the dates of your trip so that you get there on the first Sunday of the month, when admission to all state museums in the country is free.
27. Another option is to buy a tourist card, which will give you free entry to some tourist attractions, discounts in museums, as well as free public transportation.
28. If you want to learn about the city from the locals, book a free walking tour. You can find similar ones by typing “free walking tour city name” into Google.
29. The discount season in Italy starts in early January and ends in February – early March, and summer sales begin in July and last until the end of August.
30. Remember, if you buy a lot of goods in Italy, you can count on Tax Free – a refund of 22% of the cost of all purchases. In order to take advantage of this offer, you will need to ask the seller for a tax-free form every time you purchase goods worth more than €155, which will need to be stamped at the airport. The money can be refunded either in cash at the airport or to a bank card later. You can also cash out VAT through intermediaries directly in the city – you will need to contact one of these companies: Global Blue, Premier Tax Free or Tax Refund S.p.a.
31. If you are an antique connoisseur, you will be interested in local markets that are open on Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday (in each city differently). Here you can buy second-hand clothes or some household items that are special to the area.
32. HotelTonight. It’s no secret that hotels in Italy are very expensive. Thanks to this application, you can save on hotel reservations if you do it at the last minute.
33. AppGelato. This app allows you to search for places that sell Italian ice cream (which is considered one of the most delicious in the world). In addition, you can also find ice cream according to certain flavors, for example, if you have an unbearable craving for bubble gum gelato, the app will tell you where you can find it.
34. Vivino is a wine scanner. Through user ratings and reviews, it allows you to learn more about the wine you are about to buy.
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