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Travel Italy without a leash
Some people like to be lead around on tours when they travel and feed at the local troughs in groups of like-minded travelers. We on the other hand, prefer to travel like dogs without a leash; in small packs, sniff our surroundings and every once in a while, let our tongues hang out. It’s not as glamorous but who are we trying to impress? Besides, it allows us the freedom to experience things as they are and have a whole lot of fun doing it. It allows time to enjoy the local people and discover how they live and what they like to do. We highly recommend roaming free and leaving the leash at home. The first thing you want to do is plan your trip around the amount of time you will be traveling. This seems kinda obvious, but really, Italy is a big place and you could actually spend a year just in Rome and feel like you were short changed in time. So start with researching stuff on the internet, finding all the sights you would like to see and then cross out the majority of them. More will be crossed out during your trip, as you discover your body isn’t as interested in the stuff as much as you are (especially your feet). Keep to the “must sees” and add as time permits. Getting to the sights is pretty easy. All of the cities we visited had a great public transportation system, and getting around town was a breeze. It also lets you be a part of the local culture and mingle with the residents of the city. I especially liked seeing the cities from a different perspective, riding through parts of town that aren’t geared for the tourists. If you are feeling flush with cash, you can also rent a car and tour the countryside. There are many wineries and small villages that are quite a treat, and the scenery is spectacular...I mean, it is Italy after all. Spend a lot of time researching on the internet before your trip, then spend a lot more time, then about a couple more hours after that. You will find that all the research will really enhance your trip. Now this is the important thing, once you arrive in Italy, don’t wory about doing all the things you planned on. Some really cool unexpected opportunities will arise that you simply must do. These are the things that will really make your trip unique, and will create memories for a lifetime. Be flexible, adventurous, keep your sense of humor, and every once in a while let your tongue hang out. To give you a head start, here are some websites we recommend: |
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Airline tickets
kayak.com |
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In my humble opinion, this is the best site to get the best fares. |
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Apartment in Florence
florencehousing.it |
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Great people and reasonable rates for wonderful accommodations. |
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Family House Hostel
Rome
familyhouse.com |
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Funky, but safe, neighborhood. About 5 blocks south west of the Termini. If walking from Termini, keep a good map handy – the streets get a little confusing in this area. Friendly staff. |
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Locanda Conterie
Murano Island / Venice
locandaconterie.com |
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VERY affordable, incredible value for beautiful hotel, excellent service. As nice in person as it is on their website. 5 minutes to Venice via vaparetto. Get a vaparetto pass! |
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Hostel Rome des Artistes
Rome
hoteldesartistes.com |
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Great hostel! Their website is a bit strange, but don’t let that put you off. Superb staff; they were very helpful with airport transportation. Good location near the Termini. Try Mama Angela’s restaurant around the corner. |
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Hotel des Artistes
hoteldesartistes.com |
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The hotel portion of the hostel listed above. Higher rates, but you have a private room. We did not see these rooms in person, but they look nice on their website. |
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GoRome website
gorome.it |
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Decent website to start with. Not a lot of detail (e.g., links to just a few museums), but a good place to get an overview. |
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Rick Steves
ricksteves.com |
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Browse the site for really, really useful information. Buy his “Rick Steves’ Italy” book. Carry it with you at all times. |
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Our Lessons Learned Here’s some stuff we learned that will help prevent hernias and other sources of discomfort. We also tossed in some helpful hints to help you save your money, sanity and dignity. All three of which we wish we still had.
- Pack your bags with only the bare essentials, then take out 3/4 of them. Put the remaining stuff in a much smaller bag. Then carry the bag for about a mile. When you return home, take out some more stuff. Repeat until you can comfortably carry everything you packed for an entire mile with ease. Once you have accomplished this, you will discover that the savvy traveler can get by with just some change of underwear, some socks, a lightweight t-shirt and what they are wearing. If you need much else, you can buy it there.
- Don’t count on wheeled luggage. Wheels on luggage can break and jam. You will encounter walking surfaces where wheels are your worst nightmare. You will have to lift your own bags onto trains and buses. Unless you are staying at a 5-star hotel, you will lug your bags up stairs or cram them into tiny elevators. If you cannot comfortably carry your bags for one full mile without using the wheels, then you have overpacked.
- Upgrade! When we first checked in at the airline counter, we were offered an upgrade to Business Class with luxury recliners and private movie screen for $50 per person, ROUND-TRIP! We were boneheads and said no. After about 2 hours into the flight, the reality of the fact that we are boneheads sunk in. In fact, we agreed that it was one of the most boneheaded decisions we have made in our lives. For those of you who enjoy sitting with your knees jammed up under your chin for 9 hours, do what we did. Everyone else, upgrade.
- When attempting to cross any busy city street in Italy, stick to the locals. Like glue.
- Use the umbrella can. It rains in Italy…a lot, and you will more than likely pick up an umbrella to shelter your soggy head. One such rainy day, we stopped into a tabbachi to buy a couple bottles of water. As I walked toward the counter, two people behind the counter started yelling at me…In Italian. Joy turned to me and said, “John, it’s your umbrella!” I looked at my umbrella, and realized it was wet and dripping water on the floor. I shook it. Arms waved. The yelling intensified. And the people started coming at me from behind the counter. I didn’t understand their words, but I could tell I was in trouble. I thought, “wait, do I know these people? Is my picture on a “wanted” poster?” No. Apparently, when entering a shop, you are supposed to leave your wet umbrella in a can by the front door so you don’t drip water all over the place. Shaking a wet umbrella inside the store is highly frowned upon. Hey, I’m from Arizona – what do I know about umbrellas? Luckily, at subsequent stores I found that each of them had an umbrella can right next to the front door. I used them. I felt like a native.
- When riding in a taxi, don’t hesitate to protest when you realize you have seen the same park four times. Some friendly taxi drivers love to take tourists on a grand tour of their city. If that’s not what you want, let them know. Give them your destination address, then say, “diretto” (which means: “Hey, I’m not looking for a tour and I am not a naïve tourist baffoon.”).
- Ask about price before buying. Especially for the little things where an outrageous price for the item would be simply outrageous. This helps you avoid purchasing a single cone of gelato ice cream that cost more than last night’s dinner.
- While we were warned about pickpockets multiple times, we never had any problems. Part of the reason was probably because we were careful and followed all the anti-pickpocketing advice in Rick Steves’ book and part of the reason was probably because we looked like planted tourists used by police to entrap pickpocketers. Read Rick Steves’ book (and follow his advice), carry your day pack in front of you while on public transportation, and keep your passport and money in a money belt or neck wallet, and you should foil their dastardly plans.
- Expect the unexpected. Then stop, drop and roll with it. The unexpected is what makes your trip unique. It’s the pleasant memories of the unavoidable.
- Watch where you step. We had a couple doggy poo incidents. The Italians are pretty lax in their doggy duties.
- Treat tickets like money. I didn’t and I made a few people pretty happy. When you buy a ticket, especially one that is relatively expensive or difficult to replace, put it away safely (e.g., in your neck wallet), and remember where you put it.
- Going to be in town a while? Rent an apartment! It’s a great alternative to a hotel and you can sometimes get one for just a couple nights. It will most likely cost you the same, or less, than a hotel room and there are multiple benefits. You have a convenient place to do your laundry, you save money on food, you get a peak into how Italians live, and you will have more room. It’s fun going the the grocery store - such a different experience than in the US! It was also really interesting to live in a part of town that isn’t touristy.
- Before you go on your trip, buy a good pair of shoes. Walk at least 2 miles (5-7 miles is ideal) in those shoes every day for 2 weeks before your trip so you are somewhat prepared for long days on your feet. Believe me, your feet WILL conspire and start a revolution. Sometimes even the toes join in. They win every time.
- When you first arrive at your destination, do not allow your body to tell you that it is bedtime. Follow the clock in Italy. If your normal bedtime is 10 pm, then don’t go to sleep until 10 pm Italy time – no matter what time it is back home. Splash your face with cold water, go for a walk, sip some Italian slingshot thunderbolt power-drive coffee – whatever you need to do to stay up until bedtime. This will help you avoid a bad case of jetlag and allow you more groggy-free days on your trip.
- If you are going to be in Rome for at least 2-3 days, get a Roma Pass from the Tourist Information booth at Termini. It includes a 3-day (maybe 2-day, I can't remember exactly) bus/metro pass and free and discounted entry to several different sights. You'll see more for less money using the Roma Pass. Keep in mind that the Forum doesn’t accept the Roma Pass. They used to, but they changed their policy the day before we visited…nothing personal I’m sure.
- Talk to the locals. Many of them are not sure about their English speaking abilities, but most talked like they were natives of New York’s Little Italy. They have the most information and the best ideas on where to go, what to see, how to travel and where to eat. You will get more from one Italian than you will from a mountain of guide books, and you will meet some great people too!
- Get reservations to major museums. Especially if you go during the high season. We did, and we very rarely stood in lines.
- If you have four or more people in your group, take a taxi instead of the train from Fiumicino Airport to Rome. It will be less expensive and a lot less stressful.
- Take a travel journal with you or blog online as much as possible. You’ll be surprised at how many details a trip entails and are great fun to reminisce about. Plus it’s fun to amaze people a couple years after your trip with your uncanny memory skills.
- When visiting a museum, share the experience with a nice tour group you can eavesdrop in on. They are everywhere, and you will learn a lot, but will still be able to tour the museum at your own pace. One group will move along, and another will come and take its place. Pick a tour group of at least 20 people. Smaller groups tend to frown upon your interest in the information they paid an arm, knee, and maybe a big toe for. If you really don’t need your appendages, they will happily take them and give you your own personal tour. I would have paid for a tour but I’ve grown fond of my knee.
- Drink lots of wine, eat the cheese, be adventurous, and have a great time!
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