Erin Miller

I am spending part of my Christmas break trying to decrease the number of emails in my gmail inbox to below 3000. Anyway, I ran into this old email about traveling in Italy. Since I still get asked for Italian travel tips occasionally, I thought I would post it here. If you are planning your trip to Italy, check it out. Be warned that all of the advice on where to stay is from spring 2005, so things might have changed some, I cannot guarantee how many of the contacts are still good.

I don’t have a record of all of the amazing places I stayed, but here are a few stops I would recommend, and when I had info on where to stay, I added that too. I strongly recommend the LET’S GO guide book. It has great recommendations on where to sleep and a few hints as to what to see. It is updated every year, unlike Lonely Planet, so the info tends to be a bit better. It is written by Harvard students — so take that as you will. It has recommendations for lots of budgets from hostels to nice hotels.

HOW TO TRAVEL AND WHERE TO PEE
Arriving by plane — be sure you have enough for at least several days in your carry-on. Planes to Italy often arrive senza luggage. My friend’s family came to visit while we were there, and of their 10 bags, all got lost. So pack light and carry-on.

The train website (www.trenitalia.it) — molto importante. And you can get it ‘sort of’ translated to English. Even if you plan to rent a car for part of your trip — trains can often be a convenient and cheap option for some journeys — and they are most definitely a cultural experience. A few words of wisdom though –WRITE DOWN YOUR WHOLE ITINERARY. You will need to know the times and locations of all transfers. The train employees will not speak English and they will most likely not know the answer to your question, even if you can communicate. The tickets will not have this type of helpful information on them. Also BUY YOUR TICKETS FROM AN ACTUAL PERSON IN A TICKET WINDOW. There are machines at the stations too, but I strongly discourage their use as they are prone to mistakes. i. e. giving you a ticket to somewhere completely other than the place you requested, often even in a different direction. (However, you can use these machines to double check your itinerary.) YOU MUST VALIDATE YOUR TICKET BY STICKING IT IN A MACHINE TO GET STAMPED BEFORE YOU GET ON THE TRAIN. Fines for being caught on a train without a validated ticket are very large. I always bought second class and rarely reserved a seat.
Eurostars tend to be the most user-friendly and fastest trains in Italy. But they are also the most expensive and least valuable as far as a cultural experience goes.
As I have said, the trains are cheap — esp. compared to anywhere else in western Europe. However, the infrastructure is leftover from fascism, and little has been updated since, though they system has been ‘sort of’ privatized. DO NOT USE THE RESTROOM WHILE THE TRAIN IS IN THE STATION (or on a ferry if you are lucky/smart enough to get to Sicily). (The Italians will be very upset and make fun of you — just guess about where the waste goes.) Be sure you have water/food/wine with you before you get on the train, because the water on-board is not potable. Most stations have free public restrooms, and they are an adventure. Some bigger stations have pay-per-pee restrooms as well. All cafes in Italy are required by law to have restrooms, but you must purchase something to use them — but hey, who doesn’t like cappuccino?
SCIOPERO — the Italian word for strike. If you see lots of signs with this word on them, opt not to take the train. When strikes start (and there is at least one a month) the train operators just take the train to the next station and stop. However, this is a good way to see lesser-traveled areas in Italy, just be sure to have a good guidebook with you. As far as carrying money goes — fanny packs make you a target. Other than that, you should be good. Keep your money and credit cards divided into two places, like in a purse/pocket on your front and buried deep into a pack or suitcase that is behind you. The best way to get money is from an ATM with your American card that has a pin — you will get the best exchange rate, but bring like a 100 euros for when you arrive, just in case the Rome ATMs are out of money, or the bankers go on strike or something. Be sure you have at least two cards with pins, because in Italia, sometimes things just don’t work. And no one really knows why, but they can usually suggest an excellent bar and a fantastic glass of wine. Money belts are basically unnecessary (and dorky)–but perhaps helpful if you plan to stay in Naples (one of the most crowded cities in the world but also the birthplace of pizza, which makes it worth the stop.)

WHERE TO GO/WHAT TO SEE/WHERE TO SLEEP

I say, GO TO SICILY if you can swing it. Sicily won my heart. Trains do travel there; the whole train is loaded onto a ferry and lugged across the strait of Messina. You can get out of the train and watch the crossing and that is AMAZING. The islands of Lipari — off the north coast of the island — make an excellent tourist destination. You can take an aliscarfi (boat with wings..i.e. ferry) from Milazzo to the islands. You can take a train from Rome to Milazzo. Cheap planes also make the puddle jump across to the island — just check the web.

ALSO GO TO PERUGIA. It’s amazing and it will also steal your heart. It is where I lived while I was there. It’s a fairly short train ride from Rome and Florence, but it will probably require a transfer. It is a very short drive from either city. Stay as close as you can afford to the center of town, up on the top of the hill. There are some hostels and hotels in town. Very few of the shop owners/workers speak English. However, there is a huge university for foreigners (Galileo once attended) right in the center of town, so everyone is very use to speaking through gestures.
The museum of the city walls is RIDICULOUSLY cool. It is located in the old papal fort that now holds escalators that lead down to the bus station (there are escalators all over the city because it was built on such a steep hill.) The fort is at one end of the main road in town, Corso Venucci, which is pedestrians only. The fountain and the duomo (the main church of the city) are at the other end. The duomo is fun to see too. It’s dome is not actually finished because the town ran out of money during the plague and never really finished constructing it. It is also fun because it holds the Cristo de Sale, the Christ of salt, which the townspeople erected during the salt war in an attempt to protect themselves against the papal army. There is also a 3000 year-old Etruscan well (etrusco) in Italian. You can actually walk down into it and see the spring water filling it — crazy. Also, one of Rafaello’s first frescoes is in a church at near the fountain, he couldn’t draw feet. The Etruscan Arch is also cool — partly because it was built by the Etruscans but when the Romans took over the city they scribed ‘Agosto was here” across the top of it, and partly because the best ice cream IN THE WORLD is located near the arch, at the bottom of the hill, in PERUGINA — amazing stuff. The chocolate gelato with the red peppers will change your life in ways that I cannot describe. La Botte has amazing 3 euro pizzas. Some of the best food in town is at La Cambusa (via di priori, 78) which is owned and operated by one incredibly friendly family. They don’t speak English, but pizza is an Italian word. Lastly, drinking a glass of red wine on le scale, the steps of the duomo, is an amazing experience. There is a movie theater on Corso Venucci that used to be an Opera house, and inside it, there are “Little Blue Books,” guides to Perugia written by an American who never left.

FIRENZE (Florence)
Where to sleep — I strongly recommend SOGGIORNO PEZZATI as a place to stay. It is the best price in the center of the city for a pretty nice place to sleep. The bathrooms are in the rooms, but the toilets are in the shower — just to be warned. But it makes for an excellent Italian cultural experience. www.soggioropezzati.it tel: 055.291660.
Where to eat — Good food can be sort of hard to come by in Florence, because the place is full of tourist traps. However, I was very happy with Ristorante da Mimmo. Via S. Gallo, 57-59 r – 50129.
Things to see —
1. The uffizi (you have to go because you are in Florence — it’s hugemongous, so study up and aim for things that you actually want to see.)
2. Museo del Bargello — there are the competition panels made by ghiberti and Brunelsci when they competed for the commission to design the panels on the baptistery — fairly easy to analyze. Donetello’s David, and Michelangelo’s Bacchus are there, as well as other cool works by the duo.
3. Galleria dell’Accademia (again, you have to go, because you are there) The only big thing to see is THE DAVID — but it is big, and its worth the cost.
4. The CUPOLA — designed by Brunelleschi — the architecture is amazing. The painting on the interior –mmm not so much, the commission was given as a favor. The view from the top is breathtaking. It is worth the 6 euro fee and the tremendous hike up to the top.

PISA (worth the stop if it is along a train route)
The Cathedral has amazing artwork and entrance is free during the off-season. Pisano’s pulpit (in the Cathedral) is worth a look. The famous tower is fun for pictures, but I have never regretted not paying the ridiculous fee to climb it.

CINQUE TERRE (if you read Rick Steves, you know what I am talking about.)
It’s a fun place. It’s the only national park in Italy right now. Great hikes along the coast between the five towns. Use the boats, not the trains, to get between the towns. It is very touristy, but seeing all of the Germans with their big boots and walking sticks is pretty fun. Stay with Ingrid, in Vernazza — hands down, the best. Via Carattino, 2, 19018 Vernazza. tel — 0187- 812183. Her first language is actually German (fell in love with an Italian, it happens all the time), and Italian and English are next best. So she does pretty well in English, just be sure that you say the month, don’t use numbers, because they do their dates in a different order. Spend the extra money for the room con una vista. Tell her that I sent you and that I wish her well and loved the room.

BOLOGNA — Also worth the stop. The Torre (towers) are impressive and fun to climb (worth the relatively low 3 euro charge). EAT TORTELLINI WHILE IN BOLOGNA, IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND. It’s just about the only place in the world that hand-makes tortellini.

VENEZIA (VENICE) It’s amazing just to walk around and marvel. Buy the Museums of St. Mark’s Square Museum Card (I musei di Piazza S. Marco) It is a good deal for your money and you can go to a bunch of the museums. The prison is neat to see. However, when in Venice — BE SURE TO GO BY PADOVA.

PADOVA — It’s about 15 minutes by train from Venice and considered the birthplace of the renaissance. Go see Scrovegni’s Chapel — a fresco from 1305. There is a great 15 minute movie that explains the history of the art while you wait in a room designed to stabilize the air before you enter the chapel.

NAPOLI AND CAPRI (NAPLES) An interesting stop — Naples is crowded and not as safe-feeling as most of the rest of Italy. THE PIZZA IS AMAZING. Bill Clinton ate at the first pizzaria in Naples, and the line for the restaurant stretches down the block and around the corner EVERY night still today. Well worth the wait.

Pompeii is a short train trip from Naples and it is amazing, and fun to see if you are really into LOTS of ruins. It is huge and overwhelming, so see a few things and then lay on the grass for awhile. Capri is a short ferry ride away from the center of Naples and well-worth a walk and a look in the off-season. I would guess the prices get too high during the on-season to be worth your time.

ROME (when in Rome…)
See the Coliseum, and the Vatican museum. The Sistine chapel really is worth a look. As with everywhere else — stay in the city center.

The good news is that I didn’t ever travel anywhere in Italy I didn’t like — so you are bound to love anywhere you go. These are just the places that particularly stick out in my mind and left prints in my journal.
Other than that — BE SURE TO EAT PASTA, PIZZA, AND GELATO. AND TO DRINK CAPPUCCINI AND WINE. The house wine is almost always locally made and wonderful.

Here is the packing list I sent my family before they came to visit for 1-2 weeks in early May:
PACK LIGHT PACK LIGHT PACK LIGHT
I think a good rule of thumb is not to bring anything you won’t use at least three times. Another way to go is to figure out how big a bag you will comfortably be able to carry up and down stairs, and maneuver down cobblestone streets, and get on and off trains and buses, and pack that until its full… *layering and rain gear are important*
**** Remember to either bring everything carry-on or at least enough for a few days. **
Basically the weather in Italy is completely unpredictable. Worse weather does equal fewer tourists and lower prices though, so that is sort of nice…

PACKING LIST (IDEAS) modify it for guys:
*debit card, passport, camera, underwear, toothbrush, all you really need
*2 pairs of jeans
*2 tank tops that work as an under layer or a shirt for really warm days
*3 casual-ish long sleeve over shirts, that go over the tank tops, works for nice-ish dinners
*1 medium weight shirt that can still fit under a jacket, works as long sleeve hiking shirt
*1 short sleeve shirt that works for hikes
*1 pair of black pants (if you own them) Italians dress a little nicer than us.
*bathing suit
*1 skirt, doesn’t take up much room, and you never know if we will want to look nice
*1 pr shorts
*1 pr work out pants
*2 bras
*1 sports bra for hiking
*week worth of undies
*week worth of socks, plus two pairs (socks go quick)
*polar tech jacket
*rain jacket that can go over polar tech
*umbrella
*Really good walking shoes you can wear in the rain
*Sandals that maybe double as nice shoes
*minimal toiletries, incl. toothbrush, medications, sunscreen, can always buy shampoo and toothpaste here, plus Italians don’t tend to shower as often a we do.
*sunglasses, Italians don’t wear hats
*A REALLY good book for relaxin’ and on trains. Perhaps portable music for trains.
*wine glasses (just kidding)
Other things to bring that you might forget:
*a mix of disposable cameras with flash and nice digital ones between the family. You may not always want to have an expensive camera on you — like at a beach or in the rain or in Naples. Do not plan on buying film or cameras in Italy, they are REALLY expensive.
*Gum, Italian gum is expensive and it sucks, bring enough from home.
*batteries, if you will need them, bring them, Italian batteries don’t so much work, and the ones that do are REALLY expensive.