TIPS FOR VISITING ITALY - WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE OUR TRIP
This summer my teen and I spent two weeks traveling around Italy. We had a fantastic time. I spent months researching and planning and this guide is based on everything we learned and experienced during our trip. Hope some of these tips are useful and make your trip planning a little smoother!
GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS:
Bring a carry-on size suitcase - Even if you check your bag, I always recommend bringing a carry-on size suitcase. You’ll be walking up and down lots of stairs in train stations, hotels and mountain towns. You have to lift your bag up onto the train and onto the luggage racks or overhead bins in the trains. Don’t forget there is uneven cobblestone everywhere in Italy to make things just a little more interesting.
Getting cash - I needed to use cash in Italy more than I ever have any other country (versus using a credit card). We always get cash at the airport right after we land from the ATM. You can always find an ATM machine near baggage claim or after customs. This way we can hit the ground running and not have to worry about looking a bank on the first day. We never get cash from a cash exchange office, their exchange rates are usually terrible. If you need to get cash as you’re traveling, always make sure that you are using an ATM that is attached to a bank. Pro Tip: When you are getting cash out of the ATM, always decline their conversion rate, it’s usually very high.
Always decline the conversion when getting cash out of an ATM in Europe
Carry your passport at all times - We heard from dozens of people in our Italy Travel Facebook page that they were stopped by the Polizia in Italy and asked for their passports so we made sure to carry ours and sure enough on our third day we were stopped in the Milan train station and asked for our passports. While some recommend only carrying a copy of your passport, we read many stories from people that said the police would not accept a copy.
Book tickets in advance - Make your life easier. Book tickets to all museums in advance. Many require a timed reservation. If you are visiting a place that does not sell tickets, be the first person in line, especially if you’re visiting during peak season.
Dining Out- In Italy (and Europe) dining out is an experience.Your server will not bring a check unless you ask for it. Also, there is no tipping culture in Europe but we found that when we ate in touristy restaurants they always asked for a tip. It’s ok to say no or leave a 10% tip. Keep an eye on dining hours as well. We found that usually we could only get a drink (apertivo) from 6p-7p and then we could order food thereafter.
Cover Charge - restaurants in Italy charge a “coperto” or a cover tax. This is typically €1-€2 per person including children and could be higher at more expensive restaurants. The fee is listed on the bottom of the menu and on your receipt.
Tourist Tax - Hotels and Airbnbs charge a tourist tax. The amount is based on the category of hotel and occupancy. We paid anywhere from €2-€4 a day per person. All but one hotel required it to be paid in cash at check out so make sure that you have plenty of cash.
Hotel key - We received a real key at all but one hotel we checked into. The key we got in Venice was so big it felt like it weighed five pounds. It’s standard to just leave the key at the front desk when you leave for the day and pick it up when you return.
Download Whatsapp - Most of the hotels we stayed at messaged us before and during our stay on the free messaging app. It’s super easy to set up.
Validate your ticket - If you choose to purchase your train ticket in person or from a kiosk or newspaper stand, you must validate it at the platform before you board (this includes all train, Metro, bus or vaporetto tickets in Venice). If you fail to do so and get asked for your ticket you can be fined a hefty amount. Tickets purchased online do not have to be validated.
If you have a paper ticket you must validate it in this machine before you get on the train
Bathrooms - Most public bathrooms in Italy (and Europe) require payment to use. Even in train stations. So make sure that you always carry Euros for the bathroom. Most are around €.50 - €1 per person. Also, we came across some bathrooms that did not have toilet seats on them or toilet paper. So I recommend carrying a travel size tissue packet and handi wipes to clean your hands. We made sure to use the restroom before we left museums and restaurants.
Church dress code- If you plan to visit St. Peter’s Basilica and other churches in Italy, understand that there is a strict dress code to enter a church there. Shoulders and knees must be covered, no cleavage showing and hats must be removed. Some churches sell paper cover ups that you will have to wear. Plan accordingly. We saw many people that had to fork over extra money for the cover ups because they were not dressed appropriately.
Safety and scams to avoid:
Pickpockets work in groups and are very good at what they do. Carry a crossbody bag in front of you always. Never put your wallet or phone in your pocket. When dining out, never put your phone on the table and never put your purse on the floor or hang it on the chair. Metros and crowded places (like around the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps are high risk areas)
Never accept help from someone at the train station trying to help you buy tickets unless they are wearing an official uniform.
Never accept a rose, bracelet or trinket from anyone. They are very charming and will ask where you're from, but they will demand money for the item they gave you. They are very persistent. Just say no, or “basta!” and walk away. Don’t be taken in by their friendly ways. Never accept anything that is “free”.
In Florence, we saw scammers laying large artwork down on the ground in busy areas. If you step one, they will demand money. Don’t pay, just walk away.
In Florence, scammers will lay down art in busy areas and demand money if you step on it
TRAIN TRAVEL
There are two main train companies in Italy: Trenitalia and Italo. Before you book train travel, make sure to create an account and log in. This will ensure when you download the app that all your reservations are accessible.
Pre-book - I recommend pre-booking all long distance train travel and paying extra for a reserved seat (usually just a few euros for seat selection), especially if you’re traveling during peak season. Trains were packed this summer and we had peace of mind knowing we wouldn’t have to scramble to find a seat (although we did have to politely kick people out of our seats a few times).
Download the app - Downloading the Trenitalia and/or Italo app gives you access to current train information, delays, tickets and platform updates. I also recommend taking a screenshot of your ticket(s) before you board. You may find that you do not have service in tunnels and in the mountains.
Upgrade your ticket - Second class coach cars on Italian trains are very comfortable. If you book early enough you may be able to upgrade to a business class or premium car for less than €10. We chose to upgrade on the train rides that were longer than two hours and were so glad we did!
At the train station - When you arrive at the train station, be aware that Platform numbers are not displayed until 20 minutes before train arrival. Because of this, there’s really no reason to show up to the train station super early. We found that the platform number showed up in our train app 10-15 minutes before it showed up on the big displays. This is another reason to download the train app. When you are searching for your train on the display, you are only looking at two things: the time of departure and the train number. Do not look at the destination. Most trains travel beyond your destination and there could be two 11am trains to Rome. Just look for the train number and head to that platform.
On the train: There are luggage racks at the end of every regional train but they fill up very quickly. There are overhead racks for carry-on size luggage and even space for luggage under some seats (so if you have a larger suitcase, check out floor space). It’s ok to stack your luggage on the racks on top of other bags. This happened to us on every train ride.
Getting off the train - Exiting the train can be pretty hectic on a super crowded train. You’re trying to get off and passengers are trying to get on, and you only have several minutes to do it all. If you have kids or several pieces of luggage to manage, you’ll want to start getting ready to exit early. As your train is approaching the station, get up, get your luggage and try to stand by the doors. We found some platforms so, so busy with people getting on before letting everyone off that we really had to fight our way off the trains before the doors closed again. It’s not stressful if you just plan ahead a little bit.
TIPS FOR VISITING MILAN:
Add Duomo Rooftop tickets to your list - be sure to add lift access to avoid a lot of climbing
Metro - You can use your credit card to tap to pay or purchase individual tickets from a kiosk or from the newspaper stands in the subway stations. Each person needs their own credit card to use tap to pay and make sure your card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Don’t forget to validate your ticket if you buy it on site.
The Last Supper tickets go on sale three months in advance for the preceding three months. For example: Starting on June 27th - tickets go on sale for August, September and October. Set your reminder for Italy time as these tickets are gone in minutes for peak season travel. More information and to buy tickets, click here.
Duomo rooftop tickets - I recommend booking a ticket to visit the rooftop with lift access. But keep in mind that at the end of the tour, you have to walk 256 stairs down a very small, steep staircase. Leave your heels at home for this one.
TIPS FOR VISITING CINQUE TERRE:
Stay the night - The best way to avoid heavy crowds (from cruisers and daytrippers) is to stay the night in one of the five villages. You’ll have the towns to yourself in the morning and in the evenings if you stay the night. We stayed two nights in Cinque Terre which was enough time to see all the towns, but if you plan to hike I’d recommend staying at least three nights.
Best town to sleep in - While we stayed in Manarola, the town was very small and we had a hard time finding places to eat in the morning and options for grocery store. If we were to do it again, we would choose Monterosso. It’s much bigger, it’s flat and it has many more choices for breakfast and dinner. Plus, one of the funnest things we did was swim and this would have given us more time to spend in the ocean.
Train pass - If you plan to go town hopping, I highly recommend purchasing the Cinque Terre train pass. It gives you unlimited rides, free wifi and free use of the bathroom (€1 for others) at the train station. The ticket kiosk lines got very long as the day went on, it was so nice to have our pass and just get on the train. To purchase your train pass online before you arrive click here. Trains arrive every 30 minutes and after 8pm, they run on an hourly schedule.
Hiking - If you plan to hike between each town, you need to purchase a Trekking pass. You can also purchase that before you arrive here.
Corniglia - This is the only town that does not sit on a harbor. There are two ways to get into town from the train station. Hike up a very, very steep set of switchback stairs (382 stairs to be exact). Or, ride the shuttle. The shuttle is €5 for adults, €2.50 for children (worth every cent). You can find the shuttle right as you exit the train station. Cross the road and get in line. Cash only. Make note of where the shuttle pick up is in town so you know where to line up on your way out.
The steep hike into Cornigilia if you don’t take the shuttle at the train station
Swimming - It’s possible to swim in every town except Corniglia. Vernazza has a little sandy harbor, Riomaggiore has a small beach entry harbor and Manarola has a boat ramp or rocks to jump off of. Monterosso has a combination of sandy beach and rocky beach. You can pay €30 for two umbrellas and a table for the day. This gives you access to a changing room and concessions depending on what area of the beach you want to visit. There are free beaches too, just look for the areas that have no umbrellas. We purchased inexpensive towels and sunscreen at one of the many souvenir shops in front of the beach. No reservations required, just go sit in a chair or pay at the table near the entry to each beach area.
If you want a beach day in Cinque Terre, Monterosso is the town to do it in!
TIPS FOR VISITING PISA:
It’s completely possible to visit Pisa on your own without paying for a tour. Our train stopped in Pisa from Cinque Terre to Florence. We got off, stored our bags at the Pisa train station storage facility and walked 25 minutes to the Tower of Pisa. If you are short on time, just grab a taxi from right in front of the train station. There is a McDonald’s in the train station where we grabbed fries and a drink. With our receipt we could use the bathroom for free. We saved our receipt and used the bathroom again for free before hopping on the train on our return.
Pro Tip: There is a sweet little cafe on a terrace in the Opera del Duomo Museum to the right of the Tower of Pisa. Just walk in and head up the stairs. You do not need to purchase museum tickets to access the cafe. You can just order drinks or ice cream and get out of the heat for a little bit (there’s also a bathroom in there too you can use)
This was the perfect place to escape the heat and cool down with a perfect view!
TIPS FOR VISITING FLORENCE:
Statue of David - This was the highlight of our trip. You want to book a timed entry online before you arrive. We arrived within an hour of opening and almost had David to ourselves. By the time we left, there was a huge crowd around him. Early bird gets the worm. You’ll save money by booking direct here. Once you arrive at the Accademia, look for the line that has your booking time on it. Prepare to go through a security line once you enter the museum.
Where to stay: Florence is very walkable. The Duomo is a ten minute walk from the train station so anywhere in that circle will be central. We did not need public transportation here (unless you’re heading to Piazza Michelangelo for sunset views which is further and a bit of a climb).
The Duomo - It’s free to enter which means everyone wants to go inside. My best advice is to line up early. We saw the line wrap around the building by 0830 and it did not move fast. Be warned that the inside is rather plain compared to other cathedrals.
Cooking class - One of the funnest things we did was take a pizza and gelato cooking class. It was a great break from sightseeing and we really enjoyed meeting other families. Why have we never done this before?
TIPS FOR VISITING ROME:
Getting around - Download Uber and FreeNow app for taxis. There is Uber in Rome but it was very hit and miss and only Uber Black showed up for us. It is possible to order a taxi on the Uber app too, but we found no one ever accepted our ride. Even using the FreeNow app was hit and miss. The easiest way to find a taxi is to stand in an official Taxi line (big orange sign). We always ask if they take credit cards and make sure the meter is running.
Colosseum - The best way to purchase tickets is from the Official Colosseum site. Rome gets extremely hot in the summer (think Orlando hot). Most of the tour is outside without any shade. I highly recommend booking the first tour of the day and bringing a water bottle (there are fill stations in various places). I wish I would have brought an umbrella for shade.
The Colosseum is the one place where you want to book a guided tour. We learned so much on our tour, there is no way we would have known what we were looking at if we were on our own. Inside the Colosseum there are a lot of stairs. If you have knee problems, make sure to take the elevator up and down. The stairs are very steep. Both of our knees were aching after going down (and we don’t have knee problems).
Vatican - To avoid crowds and heat (there is no air conditioning inside the museum) I recommend booking the earliest tour possible. You’ll save money by booking directly from the Vatican website. Tours were sold out for us, so we ended up booking an early morning VIP breakfast tour from Viator. This got us into the museum about half an hour before general admission. I highly recommend spending the money for an early morning tour. The lines were wrapped across the road when we exited.
The Pantheon: As of July 3, 2023, tickets are now required to enter The Pantheon. You can purchase tickets in advance, online for €5. Persons ages 18-15 have a reduced rate of €3 and under 18 are free but still require a ticket (bring form of identification for proof of age). You can purchase tickets on site, but that will require you to stand in a ticket line, then you’ll have to get in the queue to enter. Before you purchase tickets, you must create an account first. This is the official website.
Trevi Fountain - If you want the Trevi fountain to yourself you’ll have to get there around 0500. We arrived at 0630 and there were probably 100 people there. We were able to get up close. If you’re not staying nearby where that is feasible, you can head to the second floor of the Benetton store for great views or just work your way down.
Golf cart tour - I think one of the best ways to see Rome is via golf cart. Especially if you have kids. Tours during prime hours (morning and sunset) sell out months in advance.
TIPS FOR VISITING VENICE:
If you are arriving by train, you’ll see the ticket booth as you exit the train station on the left by the water. It is cheaper to purchase a 24 hour vaporetto pass than buying an individual ticket only if you plan to ride the vaporetto numerous times. Don’t forget that you must validate your vaporetto ticket before getting on.
Water taxi - Fast and is over €100+ each way
Vaporetto - Slow and cheap (€9.50 one way) - it took around 45 minutes to get from the train station to the San Marcos stop
Gondola Ride - €80 for 30 min for up to five people. The price goes up close to sunset and you can add musicians to your ride for an additional cost. If you are at St. Mark’s Square, google the Hard Rock Cafe. There is a gondola ride queue right in front that takes you through the smaller canals.
Airport Transfers:
Aliluguna - less expensive, but can take over 1.5 hours depending on your hotel location
Water Taxi - fast (30 minutes) and expensive. We paid €150 for hotel pickup and airport dropoff. Our hotel arranged our pickup.
Airport Express - it’s possible to take a bus from the airport to the train station. From there, you could purchase your vaporetto ticket to get your hotel. This option could take close to two hours depending on where your hotel is.
Free rooftop views: For fantastic views of Venice, book a timed reservation to visit the rooftop of the DFS department store. Tickets are bookable 21 days in advance and sell out quickly because they are free! Click here for tickets.
Happy Travels!
