Don’t visit Italy without reading this first

10 things to know before you go

Italy is and always will be a place close to my heart. It is where my husband and I honeymooned and where I daydream about visiting again everyday (find my honeymoon itinerary here).

If you are planning on visiting Italy and large cities like Rome and Florence are on the list, be sure to read these tips first so you can ensure you have the best trip ever!

1. Don’t purchase water bottles from people selling on the street

When you are close to main attractions that tourists typically visit (think Colosseum), there will be people trying to sell you a bottle of water for as cheap as one euro. On a hot day when you have been walking miles touring the city, a cold bottle of water probably sounds amazing. BUT purchasing water from unlicensed street vendors is actually ILLEGAL! If you are caught by Police, you can face a hefty fine.

The good news is, you don’t need to purchase bottles of water while out walking. Which brings me to my next point…

2. The water is safe to drink

All over Rome, you will find fountains where you can take a sip of water or fill up your reusable water bottle for FREE. The water is safe to drink and it tastes good!

However, when dining in restaurants, always order a bottle of water. These are normally large bottles of water (enough to get a few glasses out of) and they only cost a few euros. If you ask for tap water you will be looked at very strange.

Remember when ordering water to specify if you want still or sparkling, or naturale or gassata (pronounced gah-zha-tah).

3. Don’t allow street vendors to give you anything

Unlicensed street vendors are known for placing things like a bracelet or necklace on tourists and then demanding payment. They may try to get your attention and then ask to see your hand and next thing you know you are wearing a cheap bracelet and they are requesting money from you or threatening to call the cops if you don’t pay.

When in Rome, I actually witnessed someone do this to a woman while she was walking.

Don’t be afraid of being rude, just say no and keep walking. If you act interested to be polite, you may end up paying money for something you don’t actually want.

4. Don’t become distracted while in crowded public places

Another thing to make sure of when near street vendors, is that you are always aware of your belongings. This isn’t something that only happens in Italy. It happens everywhere. This is a safe practice while traveling in general.

In Italy, my husband and I wore these money belts under our clothing that kept all of our stuff safe. We kept our money, passports, phones, anything important in them.

If you decide to carry a purse, keep in close to at all times and try not to wear a purse with straps that someone can cut.

Don’t carry anything in your back pockets, especially your cell phone! When we were in the piazza in Florence, we saw a guy stealing the cellphone of a poor tourist who was too preoccupied looking up at the Duomo to realize someone was taking his cellphone right out of his pocket. Immediately, a Police officer began to chase to man.

You don’t need to be afraid to travel, just be smart. Don’t leave your purse open. Don’t flaunt around large bundles of cash. Just be smart.

Speaking of the Police officer being on the scene quickly, it brings up another good thing to know…

5. Expect to see armed forces walking the city streets

When you think of places of Rome you imagine pasta, wine, historical architecture, the list goes on. One thing you don’t plan on seeing— armed military patrolling the city. If you don’t know about it, it can kind of take you by surprise.

But don’t be alarmed, it is normal to see them in busy areas in places like Rome. They are there to make sure there are no terrorist attacks.

6. Don’t leave a big tip

Like most of Europe, Italians don’t expect tips and can sometimes find it offensive.

Unlike the US, restaurant servers are paid a livable wage and don’t rely on tips. If you had exceptional service, just round up the euro and ask for no change.

Feel free to tip hotel staff as you see fit. For example, at our Tuscan hotel, one of their workers helped us take our luggage up many, many steps. I gave him two euros for helping and he was grateful.

7. Taking the train is easy

I grew up in a small, Appalachian town with no public transportation. I would be lying if I said I’m totally comfortable taking trains and subways. They kind of stress me out. How do I know if I am on the right train? When do I get off??

Luckily, taking the train in Italy is easy, safe, and can be pretty cheap. We took the train all over Italy.

We purchased our tickets from RailEurope way in advance so we had an easy time. Depending on the kind of train and where you are going, tickets become available about 2-3 months early. The longer you wait to purchase, the more expensive it becomes, so book as early as possible!

Unlike flying, you don’t have to show up super early to get on your train. There is no security, no checked baggage, no running from terminal to terminal. I suggest arriving about 30 mins early so that you can get yourself a coffee and relax while you wait for your train to arrive.

There are plenty of signs and employees to help point you in the right direction.

Be careful, though, that who you are speaking to is an actual employee. There are scammers waiting for confused tourists (like me) at the entrance.

When scratching my head in the front entrance of the Rome train station, a girl who looked like an employee (this girl had on a lanyard and wore red like employees, she was gooood) approached me and asked if I needed help. I was so relieved and asked her to help me find my train. She pointed me in the right direction and then requested money for her time. That is when I realized I got scammed…ugh. I gave her a euro and she asked for more. I said I had no more and just walked away.

So, moral of the story, walk straight back to the main station and find an actual employee to help you and never be afraid to be “rude” and walk away from scammers.

8. Be prepared to walk… a lot

While Italy has great transportation with many bus and train systems in place, you will still be walking A LOT.

When you are in the actual cities like Rome and Florence, you can’t just drive a car around. In fact, I highly recommend you DON’T rent a car while in those places! The streets are narrow, the signs don’t make sense, Italians drive crazy, tourists don’t pay attention, I could go on and on. Just don’t do it.

I had to drive our rental car out of Florence and to Sienna and thought I might actually have a heart attack driving out of Florence. Road lines? Don’t exist. Speed limit? No one follows it.

Make sure you bring some comfy white sneakers like these and get ready to rack up the steps.

9. Don’t just eat anywhere

I could go on and on all day about the food in Italy. How delicious it is, the best food to order, where to eat, and where not to eat. I actually have an entire blog post dedicated to dining in Italy here.

In the meantime, beware of restaurants that a lot of tourists are at. You don’t want to eat where they are eating, you want to eat where the Italians are eating.

You didn’t travel all the way to Italy to eat something you could order at your local Italian chain restaurant.

If you see signs like “English menu available” or pictures on the menu, MOVE ON. The authentic and actually good places don’t need to convince you to eat there.

10. Don’t rush—enjoy la dolce vida!

My last piece of advice, don’t rush while in Italy. I admire Italians for their slow paced live style and when I travel, I try to adapt to the culture around me.

If you show up to a restaurant expecting to be in and out in less than an hour, think again. Meals are meant to be enjoyed not rushed. When dining, you will actually need to ask for the check when you are ready to leave. They will never assume and rush you out of the restaurant. Expect to spend a couple hours dining.

In the morning, don’t rush out the door and to your next attraction. Get a cappuccino and a pastry and sit on a bench while people watching. There is no other way to start your day.

Always leave time for a glass of wine midday.

And most importantly, embrace la dolce vida life and just enjoy the world around you!