Are you about to travel to Italy for the first time? If so, you’re probably very excited to see all the historic sites, eat crazy amounts of pasta, and relax in wine country.
But, before you travel to this amazing country for the first time, there are some things you need to know to make sure your experience goes off without a hitch. Check out this guide to learn the top tips for traveling to Italy for the first time.
5Book Ahead of Time
Italy is one of the most visited countries in the world. They’re pretty much isn’t a tourist attraction in this country that hasn’t been discovered. Even the “off the beaten path” excursions you read about on niche travel blogs are still going to be popular among tourists.
Therefore, it’s important that you book your excursions, accommodation, and museum passes ahead of time. The last thing you want is to spend your trip waiting in line or to miss out on an excursion because everything was booked up. If you’re looking for great accommodation options, explore more here. You can check out Parkon, and see some of the options how to save money while traveling.
However, train tickets are one thing you don’t need to worry about booking ahead of time. Italy has a very developed train system, and although it can run behind schedule, there are always multiple trains to each city per day.
Check out Italy’s best excursions
4Avoid Going in the Summer
Believe it or not, summer is actually the worst time to visit this country. This is because summer is when Italians leave the country. If you go during the summer, a lot of restaurants, stores, and tour agencies will be closed. And, summer is usually when other Europeans flock to Italy to travel. This means you’ll still have to deal with large crowds.
Instead, go there in the spring or autumn. This is when prices are cheaper and the places aren’t overcrowded.
3Enjoy an Aperitivo
It’s no secret that Italians love food. In Italy, three meals a day simply isn’t enough to enjoy all the tasty cuisine that the country has to offer.
That’s why Italians decided to add a meal in between lunch and dinner, known as the aperitivo. Meant to serve as a “pre-dinner”, this meal usually involves sipping on Aperols while nibbling on various appetizers such as chips, olives, and bread.
A lot of times, the aperitivo ends up evolving into a full-on dinner. If you really want to fit in when visiting Italy, embrace this type of social hangout.
2Drink Your Coffee at the Counter
In Italy, if you order coffee at the counter, it’ll likely never cost you more than 1.50 euro. However, if you sit down and order one, they’ll pretty much charge you whatever they want because of the “cost of service” of bringing it to the table.
This is especially the case in prime tourist spots, where you could easily end up paying 5 euro for a coffee if you order at the table. So, be like Italians and save some cash by ordering at the counter.
1Dress Up
It’s no secret that Italians dress well. Even when going to the grocery store, most Italians are well dressed. And, because they’re a hotspot for fashion, Italians also aren’t afraid to push boundaries with fashion.
So, leave the yoga pants at home and bring your best outfits with you to Italy. And, if you have an outrageous dress that you’ve been looking for an excuse to wear, be sure to pack it.
By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll definitely have a great vacation in Italy. If you have any questions about traveling to Italy, drop us a comment below.
