A little piece of advice for you: try to avoid restaurant with photo of the dishes exposed outside, usuallly their food is “ for tourists”. Ciao from Italy
@@lecutter9382 not exactly 😭 in my country, usually in malls, restaurants put their menu book in the front door just in case people want to see what they’re selling. But I usually see that in malls. In other places it may vary :-)
Speaking a little Italian does go a long way. I did my best when I visited Italy years ago to learn some words and phrases. Once, I was in a place ordering gelato, and I tried to use the Italian word for strawberry. The man that served corrected me in a helpful, good natured way. When he handed my order to me I said grazie. He looked at me with a big smile and said,” Awe, prego bella.” He was very sweet. I noticed that when I tried to speak a little Italian, I was rewarded!
There is a lot of awesome stuff to see in Italy, the problem is just that there is so many tourists already, and filled with people trying to scam you. Last time I was in Italy I thought it was a bit crazy how much police and military (and garbage) there is all over the big cities. Italy could maybe have been my favorite european country, but as it is right now I prefer a lot of other places over Italy.
@@TheBarser If the problem is that it's too overcrowded, we are full of places less touristy but beautiful. I suppose you were talking about Rome, but other places in Italy don't have the same problems as Rome, it depends on which place you're visiting.
Italy and Europe in general need to have more tourists like you and your family buddy, amazing attitude, willing to learn and openness to differences! Awesome videos dude!
Speaking Italian goes a long way. I was with 4 friends in college visiting. The waitress was not having it that day. They ordered in English and I tried to order Italain. Then she cracked a smile, went back to the kitchen and then the owner came out with a huge smile and just started chatting with us.
Good video Mark. I would add that the reason Italians are generally slimmer than US Americans is due to the ancient culinary traditions that have evolved and ensure good digestion and a balanced diet. They certainly eat less processed food and less sugar and corn syrup. Alcoholic drinks are used as appetisers and to aid digestion as well as to help with conviviality, not to get smashed out of their brains.
as an Italian I drank many years at dinner to digest, then after dinner I went out with friends and went to get drunk. The 2 methods can be applied simultaneously
Good tips. Also, always, always, always *VALIDATE* the local/regional train tickets (i.e. non-reserved seats) right before getting on a train in the little machine on the platform (big stations) or in the station building (small stations). Otherwise, you may get a hefty fine.
I'm Italian. An important tthing is be careful to buy something on the street (like museum ticket, metro ticket etc.)if you think "it's too good to be true"... probably is not true! I saw "skip the line ticket" sold for double (or triple) of the real price, or ticket sold for 25 or 50 euro when the museum is free! Buy ticket only on official website or in the official tourism office! Be careful with taxi (specially in airport) ask first the price (ask to more than one) and if on arrival it is much higher, you say "no problem, i call the police"! And do not forget "if it's too good to be true... Probably is not true!" The last advice is "ask to Italian people" , you can stop one person on street and you can ask anything! For example "a good restaurant" I'm sure he (or she) show you a restaurant to eat a very good Italian food at the right price. The same if you don't know the real price of something, ask to Italian person! The 99% of us are happy to help tourists so don't hesitate to ask!
Hi Mark! As an Italian that travels a lot, in Italy or abroad, I 100% agree with everything you've said! I'm especially happy that someone finally explains "aperitivo" to foreigners :)
Fantastic video, my wife and I are leaving Florence now. You are 100 percent correct- if you speak a little Italian ( hello, how are you, sir ma’am) it will get you a better reception.
We do eat coffee, milk, cereal or biscuits (cookies) for breakfast (some people even bread with butter and jam). AT HOME. Espresso and croissant is by no means a typical breakfast. Most of the people you see having breakfast like this are in a hurry - OR already enjoying their mid-morning snack! Tadah!
I think 90% of people I know have espresso and croissant (or just cappuccino or espresso, no croissant) I only see people have milk, cereal and biscuits at home if they have kids, no adult I know has that kind of breakfast.... so I would say the one you mention IS a typical breakfast. Opinions, I suppose :)
@@jonkbaby I personally have a couple cookies and milk with coffee. A lot of people have a cappuccino for breakfast with a croissant. We usually have something sweet and easily to digest in the morning.
Well, i usually eat croissants for my breakfast only when i have the time to go to a near-by bar to satisfy my sweet tooth. Otherwise, i just make a cappuccino with a couple of biscuits
One thing people always forget to mention in these sorts of vids is that it's a good idea to let your bank and CC company know you're traveling, for where, and how long, so your accounts/cards don't get flagged for fraud and frozen because the bank can't get a hold of you and sees use in places it normally wouldn't.
Loved this! I just moved back home to the US after living in Italy for the past 4 months and I miss it so much already. These were great tips that many people may not think about! Another one I thought of when you mentioned bathrooms was that, public restrooms are almost non-existent. If you need the bathroom, buy a water or cappuccino then use the restroom. Also in the warmer months, make sure to bring something to cover your shoulders or knees when going into some of the basilicas or cathedrals, otherwise you may be turned away. Great video as always!
sdlpsi252 no no don’t worry, but in Italy in general people try to dress well in any occasion, specially in Milan, since it’s the fashion capital of the world
My partner and I went to Rome in 2015 and we were told by so many people to save up our euros as it was going to be expensive, seeing as we were staying about a 5 minute walk from the Colosseum (we could see it from our hotel room). We ended up going with approx 1300 euros. The side restaurants, tours and shopping set us back about 600 euros for the week we were there. We spent most of our money, or a good portion of it, drinking at our hotel and having food there too. We came back home (UK) with about 400 euros left over, totally over budgeted too. The tourist tax caught us out but thankfully we had money to cover it. Such a beautiful place which is drenched in history, fantastic food and people. Would love to go back one day.
I'm leaving to go to Italy and Greece in 3 days. This will be my first ever trip overseas and I just wanted to let you know how helpful your videos have been, they have taken a huge worry off of me. Now all I have to worry about is making all of my connecting flights lol. Thank you Mark
We were just in Venice a week ago. It was such a great time and we would love to go back. Walking though the city with the bridges and the canals was such a cool experience.
My wife and I are going to Rome for the 1st time!!! This week we've totally been checking out and enjoying all your videos... MUCH appreciated!!! You tha man...Thanks! =D
11:15 as a roman yes you have been told right. The secret to crossing the road is the eye contact from that you understand if the driver is going to let you pass or not. Also don't expect cars to stop completely at the crosswalk most drivers just tend to slow down to let you cross. You are expected to start crossing before the car has stopped otherwise it's interpreted as you don't want to cross.
I love visiting my mom's family in Roma. Dinner starts at 8pm. They serve 5 entrés, desert, salad, soup, wine, expresso......oh. Mio Dio.....we finish dinner at 11pm. Then we have spaghetti with olive oil at midnight.....yummmmmmy.......💕
tip: dont tip in luxury restaurants. Tip is generally considered mildly rude in italy, and its ok for a tourist doing it on "casual" restaurants, but dont do that on luxury ones, it is actually offensive to the waiter (just like being paternalistic to someone you believe being poor or in disadvantage, and maybe that just could not be the case).
No. we NEVER leave tip in italy. we simply don't have this culture. that's why we usually don't do it when we are in the US. It's not offensive for nobody.
@@fransisco8787 Please do tip when you go to the US. Servers there are not paid a full, living wage like in Italy. It is expected that it will be made up for in tips. If you can, and the service is really good, be generous. Minimum 20% of the total bill. It's a lousy system, but don't penalize the poor workers who are trapped in it. Servers in luxury restaurants like it because they usually get big tips, but in more modest places it can really hurt to not receive a tip.
Other tips: Public bathrooms are not usually cheap and are used only by tourist. It's way cheaper to enter a bar and take a coffee ( 1€ in the north, around half in the south) or a bottle of water and ask for the toilette, than to search for the, rares, public bathrooms ( always over 1€). Try to always validate your tickets on train or buses to avoid fines. Also, a non-written rule is that the best restaurants are often the less visible ones, the ones that you must ask locals to find them. Those are often ignored by tourist, at least in my city (Ravenna), and survive only because locals know that those are good. Also always search for regional or city's food ( trust me there is a difference) like you search for monuments: some art is better tasted than seen. The eye contact between pedestrians and driver it's a very very true thing, but the driving skills are not everywhere so stereotypical. The light breakfast is quite common, but hotels will always exceed the normal Italian standard for breakfast. So much so that even Italians use to do overabundant breakfast during holydays.
In italy Spaghetti with meatballs do exist but are typical of the extreme south, but they are not very common. meatballs with pasta are more common in timballo a sort of "pasta pie"
I’m traveling to Italy sometime in December. Starting in Pisa and ending in Venice, this is also my first time traveling abroad and I will be solo. I am feeling slightly overwhelmed with the planning, but your videos are helping me tremendously lol.
Usually at petrol stations in the EU you will pay 50 cents. In Poland, the toilet are free at gas stations and shopping centers. But nothing will beat with the Japanese toilet.
Private toilets are usually free for customers, gas stations, malls are always free. In public buildings, museums they are free. The only time they cost .50-1 € is when the door is on the street. So, in Italy, use the toilet when you stay somewhere. If suddenly you need one and you don't know where to find it, try asking to use theirs in a cafè-bar. Then buy something to be polite.
I'm going to backpack around Italy starting from September all the way to the end of May. Can't wait to experience the amazing history, the beautiful architecture, the stunning landscapes, and the fascinating and elegant culture!
Thanks, Venice is my first stop when I go to Italy. My grandfather is from just outside Venice. I'm learning Italian now. I can't wait to visit Venice. Thanks for the great information.
The three contact plug is not the old one, it is the one with ground contact! Many low power and double insulated appliances just have 2 plugs, but ANY wall socket must have 3 contact for safety, when you connect an appliance with the need to be grounded.
I wanted to visit Europe since I was a little kid , Visiting Europe was one of my dreams ,Now that dream seems impossible , I don't have money for that , I want to go to italy (Rome )and see the coliseum, because I love history , If that happens, it will be a real miracle😂, because I am now writing my comment from my home in the high Atlas Mountains in Algeria , I am isolated from all the world.
Love your video! One thing my husband was really good at was just researching all the places we were visiting. It made all of the sites a lot more impactful.
I just adore your channel. You make me want to go everywhere. Our next trips in order are Ireland 2019, then Danube Cruise and your around before and after by car hopefully in 2020. Then Italy and the following year the south of France. We usually go for 25 to 35 days at a time and concentrate on a region. Last year was 35 days in the UK and 2015 was northern France and Paris for 26 days. Europe to me is heaven. I want to see it all.
Planning on going for the first time. I can't wait. I'm planning on going Fall 2020(for my 30th birthday). I'm debating on planning my own trip or book a tour. I also have a few food allergies and am going to carry a list of them in Italian so I can let restaurants know.
There are the typical taxi scams in Italy, especially in Rome where they claim that their meter is broke or something and want to give you a fixed rate. Or the scam they do in Prague where they have a hidden button that accellerates the meter.
Good tip - dont pay with 50 or more EURO bills. No shop in Italy accepts them. However if you get one, try paying with it in Mcdonalds, they have a special scanner to check if its not fake.
It's not that shops don't accept them at all, it's that it's sometimes difficult to have enough change for the really big bills so the shopkeepers grumble. 5,10,20 and 50 are the common ones, but 100 and 200 are very rare. I've never seen a 500 bill in person outside of a bank. You can use 50 euro bills to pay for most things, just carry smaller denominations for your everyday transactions.
Slashplite but, look out with the newest €50 bill, I am a cashier at a supermarket, and I must use a scanner, but it doesn't recognize the new bill's properly, so they might refuse.
Mark, come here in Turin! It's wonderful, and oftend understimate, but i love living here and i think it's one of the best cities, full of culture and museum, and beautiful palaces!
When I was in northern Italy, most restaurants were closed from 3/4 until 8/9. Was a big shock when leaving work at 5 and having to wait 2-4 hours until restaurants open.
Omgsh I can't wait EDIT - Wow I forgot I commented this 2 years ago after I postponed my trip twice (because of the pandemic) and then a 3rd time because my aunt who was coming still didn't feel comfortable traveling. It's now 2023 & FINALLY we leave in 2 weeks 😁
Guys, just a little tip for you.Eat local tipical food non the same menus for tourist try something particulary from the place,like "pasta con le sarde" in my city Palermo(Sicily) i reccomend you to visit Sicily! Have fun and enjoy Italy
Certain areas in various towns and cities in the US have no sidewalks and is often illegal for pedestrians to walk or bike (so much for home of the free) and you wouldn't want to anyway with vehicle the traffic and distance from stores, work, and home. Some cities are developing bike ways and walk ways... but that's focused now in what's being called gentrified areas: areas where only wealthy affluent people or people who think they're such until they eventually go bust; why many of these so called gentrified areas end up vacant condos, apartments, and retail shops... does make for a nice place to bike or walk if you live near an attempted gentrified area...no foot or vehicle traffic even if some shops are still in business trying to hang on to the last. Outside the major city and into the rural areas where most people live, often no sidewalks exist... depending on the vehicle traffic and way the highways and roads and freeways come together, they're unsafe for bicycling or walking even if legal. And thus you have lots of overweight people in the states... no exercise, high stress, over eating, forced to live far from work and often from the next big box store, and poor eating (highly processed foods and often "fast food" aka fried food) which causes people to be way overweight. Even the so called jock or athletic types, after high school, they almost always turn out bloated blobs shortly into adulthood as that's the end of their exercise, and many never ate well in the first place. So yes. Many of us Americans need to learn to walk.... longer distances than what most of us do. And maybe you can tell, it's something I dislike about our country, I dislike having to always drive everywhere... and you have to make time for exercise... something we Americans have very little since work takes most of it up. Enjoy being Italian or anything other... it sucks to be American... and as time goes on, more and more. :(
I was shocked to see teenagers rolling their own smokes in the market in Florence. Weirdly, since the cigarettes in Italy are not filled with chemicals like ours are, they didn't bother me as much as here at home (this from an ex smoker). No big deal, just realize it's part of daily life there. Aperitivos rock!!! "Dov' e di toilette" was one of the first phrases I made a point to learn. Love your videos!
My wife and I have just returned from Europe and spent our last couple of days in Verona. We had a lovely meal at a restaurant and my wife ate some pasta, but not enough for the waitress.....’you eat nothing’ she said to my wife (reminded me of Shultz from Hogan’s Heroes)! Classic stuff and all in fun. It was our best meal in Italy.
Italian power sockets, along with shape differencies, also have TWICE THE TENSION as in USA or Japan. This would be not a problem with modern "switching" devices, like phone charger or laptop psu, but is DANGEROUS if you plug your hair dryer or something similar.
If you visit Rome, check out the coast of Fregene, right next to the Fiumicino airport. There are beautiful beaches and restaurants where the locals spend their time. Hotels and food have a good price too. That way you can have the non-touristy experience and still easily get to the Colosseum etc. by local trains.
Taxi fares vary by city, i.e. Florence and Milan taxis are more expensive than in Rome. Also they will charge extra for each bag they put in the trunk so if you have a backpack just keep it on your lap to save a euro or two.
I love you and your family. :) I enjoyed the last few years all due to your advice and your videos. Please keep up the great work. Grazie Mille e' a presto.
Best!! travel video about Italy. I had been meaning to watch it since you post it but i finally got to it today because my son saw the photo on youtube and saw the pizza and he just kept saying pizza mama pizza! lol! lets just say he enjoyed all the photo and videos of the food.
Grazie per questo video. Sono un italiano vivo in canada. Le informazione autiare mia per una giornata quando andando italia da vacanza. Never been to italy woukd love to go through. Rome looks like such a beautiful city
nice video! =) wanna just add a little note: the third tip ( the middle one ) on Italian power plugs is not ''the old one''. It' just the ''ground'' tip. it's a safety solution.
Remember: here we have 230V AC, so take care if you come from US and have 110V tools! PS: Italian dinner at 9/10PM in the south. In the north 8PM is the norm.
more about bags and not getting things stolen: Wear around your neck and under your shirt a pouch all your valuables (passport, bank cards, cash, etc.); only carry minimal cash in your wallet! Also, if you can fit your phone in the neck pouch, do it. Carry a bag, but a small one, nothing screams tourist more than a big bag. As for camera, use a small one that can fit in a small bag; if you want to take quality shots, buy a high-end point-and-shoot/SLR hybrid (I use the Canon G7X Mark II, which goes for $600-700). Also, for wide angle shots, you can buy a little lens that clips to the back of your phone. Minimal photo equipment means you will stand out much less..thieves want that big expensive looking camera! Additionally, but not relating to not getting things stolen; to save some cash, buy a Brita water filter bottle, you'll be surprised how fast your euros fly out your hand paying for water! Fountains are everywhere around Italy, just fill up and go. Clip it to your belt buckle with a carabiner. I'm off to Roma in a few days, enjoy your travels. Ciao!
Regarding bathrooms, I stayed at a hotel in northern Italy where the shower was located above the toilet. The sink, toilet and shower were all within a few feet of each other.
Mentions public lavs. They gotta hit S Korea. Great variety of configurations, situations , and all I tried--clean!! Found a 'squatty' in a really nice restaurant w/cafe&bbq outdoors. Kick flush, and clean as a surgical suite. 'Collected' the bathrooms as a great/different memory. Still makes me 😆
About plugs: the 3 hole one is the correct one (the central is the ground). the 2 ones are Schuko which is a German style partially adopted here. But BEWARE: our voltage is 230V AC 50Hz, not like in the US where you have 120V AC 60Hz so be prepared or you'll damage your electronic devices!
Ive done my Tahitian (TAHITI / South Pacific - Polynesia) Bucket list...Now thank to you for these awesome tips for my 2nd BUCKET LIST Trip to ITALY and GREECE {Europe} 2020.
they usually are near the factory, in other cases you can simply serch for outlet on google maps. for exemple, where i live, in Montevarchi there is a huge Prada factory, near there you can buy their items for half the price, then there are also some outlet at less than a hour from my home where you can find a lot of brands, the are like malls but outdoor.
or, easier version, learn what YOU like, develop your OWN taste, and never buy "brand" things just because society tells you you have to like them.... even if they cost 10 times what they should :)
Just a quick heads up for those mad tea and coffee nuts. Your hotel room mostly does not provide an electric jug. So if you want a cuppa in the afternoon you might be out of luck.If you have room in your luggage you might want to consider bringing a 1 or 2 cup jug with you. I think it's some kind of law stating that no electrical appliances are allowed in the room,like no iron or ironing board. Cheers.
A little piece of advice for you: try to avoid restaurant with photo of the dishes exposed outside, usuallly their food is “ for tourists”. Ciao from Italy
That applies everywhere.
@@lecutter9382 not exactly 😭 in my country, usually in malls, restaurants put their menu book in the front door just in case people want to see what they’re selling. But I usually see that in malls. In other places it may vary :-)
@@sodasoda3624 probably because it is a mall, but individual restaurants on the street don't usually do that :)
Speaking a little Italian does go a long way. I did my best when I visited Italy years ago to learn some words and phrases. Once, I was in a place ordering gelato, and I tried to use the Italian word for strawberry. The man that served corrected me in a helpful, good natured way. When he handed my order to me I said grazie. He looked at me with a big smile and said,” Awe, prego bella.” He was very sweet. I noticed that when I tried to speak a little Italian, I was rewarded!
if only everyone was that nice
Josh Heinink I find that if you are kind and respectful to people, most people will do the the same no matter where you are.
That's because we appreciate the attempt Ciao bella!
@@cacuociolo91 Bravo signore!!
Grazie
Italy is the best country to visit in Europe. It will always be my favorite!
Rome is a nightmare if you're driving, the rest of the country is fine (except a few other cities)
There is a lot of awesome stuff to see in Italy, the problem is just that there is so many tourists already, and filled with people trying to scam you. Last time I was in Italy I thought it was a bit crazy how much police and military (and garbage) there is all over the big cities. Italy could maybe have been my favorite european country, but as it is right now I prefer a lot of other places over Italy.
@@TheBarser If the problem is that it's too overcrowded, we are full of places less touristy but beautiful. I suppose you were talking about Rome, but other places in Italy don't have the same problems as Rome, it depends on which place you're visiting.
@mabbohabb an american said: you have to be very good at driving in italy otherwise don't drive 😂
@mabbohabb Bullshit. This is often true in the south, not in the north.
Italy and Europe in general need to have more tourists like you and your family buddy, amazing attitude, willing to learn and openness to differences!
Awesome videos dude!
Speaking Italian goes a long way. I was with 4 friends in college visiting. The waitress was not having it that day. They ordered in English and I tried to order Italain. Then she cracked a smile, went back to the kitchen and then the owner came out with a huge smile and just started chatting with us.
Just got back. Gained 20 lbs in 10 days. Damn you Italy!!!
sorry, we like good and genuine food!
ahahaha
@JNike not exaggerating. You'll see.
No.one.cares
Are you usually low carb at home?
Good video Mark. I would add that the reason Italians are generally slimmer than US Americans is due to the ancient culinary traditions that have evolved and ensure good digestion and a balanced diet. They certainly eat less processed food and less sugar and corn syrup. Alcoholic drinks are used as appetisers and to aid digestion as well as to help with conviviality, not to get smashed out of their brains.
Turner video painter
Not drinking pop with your meals makes a big difference as well.
Bummer, was really hoping to find a place to get smashed out of my brains while in Italy...
Mediterranean diet has nothing to do with it. 😒
as an Italian I drank many years at dinner to digest, then after dinner I went out with friends and went to get drunk. The 2 methods can be applied simultaneously
Good tips. Also, always, always, always *VALIDATE* the local/regional train tickets (i.e. non-reserved seats) right before getting on a train in the little machine on the platform (big stations) or in the station building (small stations). Otherwise, you may get a hefty fine.
yes!!!!! so true
This tip can save lives, well maybe not lives but certainly wallets
Do I need to validate online bought tickets?
@@rehamalamri5118 no, only physical onez
@@woltersworld Got fined in Paris and sour my memories, it makes no sense to validate a ticket you purchased!
I'm Italian.
An important tthing is be careful to buy something on the street (like museum ticket, metro ticket etc.)if you think "it's too good to be true"... probably is not true!
I saw "skip the line ticket" sold for double (or triple) of the real price, or ticket sold for 25 or 50 euro when the museum is free!
Buy ticket only on official website or in the official tourism office!
Be careful with taxi (specially in airport) ask first the price (ask to more than one) and if on arrival it is much higher, you say "no problem, i call the police"!
And do not forget "if it's too good to be true... Probably is not true!"
The last advice is "ask to Italian people" , you can stop one person on street and you can ask anything! For example "a good restaurant" I'm sure he (or she) show you a restaurant to eat a very good Italian food at the right price.
The same if you don't know the real price of something, ask to Italian person!
The 99% of us are happy to help tourists so don't hesitate to ask!
Hi Mark! As an Italian that travels a lot, in Italy or abroad, I 100% agree with everything you've said! I'm especially happy that someone finally explains "aperitivo" to foreigners :)
Aperitivo is well spreaded and rooted in northen part of Italy, anyhow.
Fantastic video, my wife and I are leaving Florence now. You are 100 percent correct- if you speak a little Italian ( hello, how are you, sir ma’am) it will get you a better reception.
We do eat coffee, milk, cereal or biscuits (cookies) for breakfast (some people even bread with butter and jam). AT HOME. Espresso and croissant is by no means a typical breakfast. Most of the people you see having breakfast like this are in a hurry - OR already enjoying their mid-morning snack! Tadah!
I think 90% of people I know have espresso and croissant (or just cappuccino or espresso, no croissant) I only see people have milk, cereal and biscuits at home if they have kids, no adult I know has that kind of breakfast.... so I would say the one you mention IS a typical breakfast. Opinions, I suppose :)
What are examples of breakfast at home? Hello from Alaska :)
@@jonkbaby I personally have a couple cookies and milk with coffee. A lot of people have a cappuccino for breakfast with a croissant. We usually have something sweet and easily to digest in the morning.
@@norma8686 that makes sense to me. Large protein packed breakfasts seem better suited for late night munchies
Well, i usually eat croissants for my breakfast only when i have the time to go to a near-by bar to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Otherwise, i just make a cappuccino with a couple of biscuits
One thing people always forget to mention in these sorts of vids is that it's a good idea to let your bank and CC company know you're traveling, for where, and how long, so your accounts/cards don't get flagged for fraud and frozen because the bank can't get a hold of you and sees use in places it normally wouldn't.
I'm literally in the airport waiting for my flight to rome! Great timing :)
Ricky Anselmo Ha! Enjoy your trip!
awesome! have a great time!
I'm so jealous, I loved Italy and cant wait to go back!
Ricky Anselmo buon viaggio!
dirk diggler it’s literally the best thing to do
Loved this! I just moved back home to the US after living in Italy for the past 4 months and I miss it so much already. These were great tips that many people may not think about! Another one I thought of when you mentioned bathrooms was that, public restrooms are almost non-existent. If you need the bathroom, buy a water or cappuccino then use the restroom. Also in the warmer months, make sure to bring something to cover your shoulders or knees when going into some of the basilicas or cathedrals, otherwise you may be turned away. Great video as always!
AshlynBiggers77 Where do you find at least a public restroom?
Hello, is there a certain dress code to enter cathedrals and basilicas?
sdlpsi252 no no don’t worry, but in Italy in general people try to dress well in any occasion, specially in Milan, since it’s the fashion capital of the world
James Hopson thank you!!
Vero! Confermo! È un consiglio da seguire! ti sei impegnata davvero per conoscerci, quindi non avrai problemi a tradurre le mie parole...
Vengo dalla Malesia. Voglio andare in Italia. Questo posto è così bello da visitare.
Hamba Dari Malaysia :)
the world is beautiful, we humans make it horrible
Your welcome
Buzzolan Leo in Italian Malaysia is Malesia
Selamat datang
I just got my assignment for the airforce and I’ll be living there for a couple years and I’m so excited
"Ricky, xe vedemo!" "Ciao vecchio!" 7:53
Se vedemo
Mancava solo un porco ed ero a posto così
You didn’t mention the bidet and not to use the bidet towel for your face, it looks like a hand towel
That's the funniest thing I've heard all week
Wtf dude hahaha
At least, dont use it after had poo! :)
il tipo che commenta H2 Non sai che in altre parti del mondo non usi il bidet
Lol. Read a book!!
My partner and I went to Rome in 2015 and we were told by so many people to save up our euros as it was going to be expensive, seeing as we were staying about a 5 minute walk from the Colosseum (we could see it from our hotel room). We ended up going with approx 1300 euros. The side restaurants, tours and shopping set us back about 600 euros for the week we were there. We spent most of our money, or a good portion of it, drinking at our hotel and having food there too. We came back home (UK) with about 400 euros left over, totally over budgeted too. The tourist tax caught us out but thankfully we had money to cover it. Such a beautiful place which is drenched in history, fantastic food and people. Would love to go back one day.
Tom Jones what is the tourist tax?
I'm leaving to go to Italy and Greece in 3 days. This will be my first ever trip overseas and I just wanted to let you know how helpful your videos have been, they have taken a huge worry off of me. Now all I have to worry about is making all of my connecting flights lol. Thank you Mark
hi man i want to go to italy too how did the trip go i know it's been five years since you visited but i love italy so i would like an update 🙏
We were just in Venice a week ago. It was such a great time and we would love to go back. Walking though the city with the bridges and the canals was such a cool experience.
My wife and I are going to Rome for the 1st time!!! This week we've totally been checking out and enjoying all your videos... MUCH appreciated!!! You tha man...Thanks! =D
11:15 as a roman yes you have been told right. The secret to crossing the road is the eye contact from that you understand if the driver is going to let you pass or not. Also don't expect cars to stop completely at the crosswalk most drivers just tend to slow down to let you cross. You are expected to start crossing before the car has stopped otherwise it's interpreted as you don't want to cross.
Athenean here from Greece, same case as in here
I love visiting my mom's family in Roma. Dinner starts at 8pm. They serve 5 entrés, desert, salad, soup, wine, expresso......oh. Mio Dio.....we finish dinner at 11pm. Then we have spaghetti with olive oil at midnight.....yummmmmmy.......💕
Man I love Italy especially the people 👌
tip: dont tip in luxury restaurants. Tip is generally considered mildly rude in italy, and its ok for a tourist doing it on "casual" restaurants, but dont do that on luxury ones, it is actually offensive to the waiter (just like being paternalistic to someone you believe being poor or in disadvantage, and maybe that just could not be the case).
No. we NEVER leave tip in italy. we simply don't have this culture. that's why we usually don't do it when we are in the US. It's not offensive for nobody.
@JNike just dont tip and you'll be safe. Otherwise, no one can guarantee your safety there.
@@fransisco8787 Please do tip when you go to the US. Servers there are not paid a full, living wage like in Italy. It is expected that it will be made up for in tips. If you can, and the service is really good, be generous. Minimum 20% of the total bill. It's a lousy system, but don't penalize the poor workers who are trapped in it. Servers in luxury restaurants like it because they usually get big tips, but in more modest places it can really hurt to not receive a tip.
A great video again, i dont even care what you are talking about it always is really entertaining to listen to your tips & stories keep it up!
paavo jokelainen that's really nice!😁
thanks Paavo
As I have mentioned before, you inspire me to travel. I booked a trip to Italy this October! Cant wait
Grace October is a good time too, less throngs of tourists.
thanks Grace :) have a great trip in October!
Jocelyn Wolters Jocelyn, did you do any skincare shopping at the Italian Farmacias?
We always go in October. Perfect weather and less tourists!
You are welcome! Come to my city Palermo(Sicily)
My 17yr old Daughter is going on a school trip in February, this answered a lot of questions. Thank you so much for posting.💐
I'm going to Italy soon and have been binge-watching all the Wolters World Italy videos. Thanks Prof. Wolters!
I’m half Italian and my dad knows how to make some foods and I love everything that’s Italians eat ❤️❤️
Brava!
Other tips: Public bathrooms are not usually cheap and are used only by tourist. It's way cheaper to enter a bar and take a coffee ( 1€ in the north, around half in the south) or a bottle of water and ask for the toilette, than to search for the, rares, public bathrooms ( always over 1€). Try to always validate your tickets on train or buses to avoid fines. Also, a non-written rule is that the best restaurants are often the less visible ones, the ones that you must ask locals to find them. Those are often ignored by tourist, at least in my city (Ravenna), and survive only because locals know that those are good. Also always search for regional or city's food ( trust me there is a difference) like you search for monuments: some art is better tasted than seen. The eye contact between pedestrians and driver it's a very very true thing, but the driving skills are not everywhere so stereotypical. The light breakfast is quite common, but hotels will always exceed the normal Italian standard for breakfast. So much so that even Italians use to do overabundant breakfast during holydays.
I bei tempi andati in cui il caffè costava 1€🙁
Wait why am I watching this? I am from and lived there for 12 years 😂
Beh, io sono italiana e lo sto guardando lo stesso lol
In italy Spaghetti with meatballs do exist but are typical of the extreme south, but they are not very common. meatballs with pasta are more common in timballo a sort of "pasta pie"
Se non le interessa il mio commento non è tenuto né a leggerlo né a commentarlo
Non e vero polpette con la pasta. Non existent!
Yes!! Find the best Gelato shop in each location you visit and have some EVERY DAY! You'll be sorry if you don't !
At least 3 times a day :)
I’m traveling to Italy sometime in December. Starting in Pisa and ending in Venice, this is also my first time traveling abroad and I will be solo. I am feeling slightly overwhelmed with the planning, but your videos are helping me tremendously lol.
How did it go? I hope my people treated you well☺️
Jennifer, how was your trip?
Ditto everyone else! I plan to go solo next year (if my friend can't go. She couldn't go this year for medical reasons).
Man, you're reading my mind.
I'll be there next month
Thanks AGAIN
Leo F. I hope you will write to us about your trip. Have safe flights.
it's our traveler connection :)
Note the toilets in Venice cost 2 euros. In this city, you pay for everything.
yep. sucks. that made the shocks of venice video because dang. 2 euros to pee is a bit much
Usually at petrol stations in the EU you will pay 50 cents. In Poland, the toilet are free at gas stations and shopping centers. But nothing will beat with the Japanese toilet.
Private toilets are usually free for customers, gas stations, malls are always free. In public buildings, museums they are free. The only time they cost .50-1 € is when the door is on the street.
So, in Italy, use the toilet when you stay somewhere. If suddenly you need one and you don't know where to find it, try asking to use theirs in a cafè-bar. Then buy something to be polite.
I'd recommend going to any café to go to the bathroom, and buy a simple espresso (~1€) for "il disturbo"
Grab a spritz somewhere when you need to go. Pretend it's half price for paying to use their WC.
I'm going to backpack around Italy starting from September all the way to the end of May. Can't wait to experience the amazing history, the beautiful architecture, the stunning landscapes, and the fascinating and elegant culture!
How was it?
hi man how did your trip go i know its been two years but im curious to know thanks!
Thanks, Venice is my first stop when I go to Italy. My grandfather is from just outside Venice. I'm learning Italian now. I can't wait to visit Venice. Thanks for the great information.
that is awesome! have a great time!
I visited Rome and Venice last month (March) and it was amazing, I already missed it
The three contact plug is not the old one, it is the one with ground contact! Many low power and double insulated appliances just have 2 plugs, but ANY wall socket must have 3 contact for safety, when you connect an appliance with the need to be grounded.
your kids and wife are adorable! Great advice.
I wanted to visit Europe since I was a little kid , Visiting Europe was one of my dreams ,Now that dream seems impossible , I don't have money for that , I want to go to italy (Rome )and see the coliseum, because I love history , If that happens, it will be a real miracle😂, because I am now writing my comment from my home in the high Atlas Mountains in Algeria , I am isolated from all the world.
where there's a will there's a way my friend. Get creative bro.
Start saving money!!
Love your video! One thing my husband was really good at was just researching all the places we were visiting. It made all of the sites a lot more impactful.
I just adore your channel. You make me want to go everywhere. Our next trips in order are Ireland 2019, then Danube Cruise and your around before and after by car hopefully in 2020. Then Italy and the following year the south of France.
We usually go for 25 to 35 days at a time and concentrate on a region. Last year was 35 days in the UK and 2015 was northern France and Paris for 26 days.
Europe to me is heaven. I want to see it all.
Planning on going for the first time. I can't wait. I'm planning on going Fall 2020(for my 30th birthday). I'm debating on planning my own trip or book a tour. I also have a few food allergies and am going to carry a list of them in Italian so I can let restaurants know.
There are the typical taxi scams in Italy, especially in Rome where they claim that their meter is broke or something and want to give you a fixed rate. Or the scam they do in Prague where they have a hidden button that accellerates the meter.
yikes
I love the pedal sinks
i do too, but having had to explain to my students a few times more than i wanted to look down i thought i should mention it in the video :)
Good tip - dont pay with 50 or more EURO bills. No shop in Italy accepts them. However if you get one, try paying with it in Mcdonalds, they have a special scanner to check if its not fake.
Slashplite yes! Had this problem last summer in italy and Portugal it was a pain in the ass haha
it's just quite big bill, they may not have a change, it's better to have smaller ones
It's not that shops don't accept them at all, it's that it's sometimes difficult to have enough change for the really big bills so the shopkeepers grumble. 5,10,20 and 50 are the common ones, but 100 and 200 are very rare. I've never seen a 500 bill in person outside of a bank. You can use 50 euro bills to pay for most things, just carry smaller denominations for your everyday transactions.
50ies are common, just don't pay with it a 5 euro bill. For sure do not pay/take 100s, 200s or 500s.
Slashplite but, look out with the newest €50 bill, I am a cashier at a supermarket, and I must use a scanner, but it doesn't recognize the new bill's properly, so they might refuse.
let me say as Italian: no fakes, no stereotypes, just correct informations!!! Good Job!!! Ottimo lavoro!!!
Hi guys! I'm Italian and I found this video pretty accurate, there are useful tricks and tips !
Straight to the point. Thank you for the video.
Mark, come here in Turin! It's wonderful, and oftend understimate, but i love living here and i think it's one of the best cities, full of culture and museum, and beautiful palaces!
lorenzo180596 Also very good food, coffee and wine! Grande Torino!
and wonderful chocolate, to eat and to drink...
Yeah, don't miss the Lambroso Anthropology Museum, full of the real severed heads of my ancestors from the South. A eugeniscist's paradise.
When I was in northern Italy, most restaurants were closed from 3/4 until 8/9. Was a big shock when leaving work at 5 and having to wait 2-4 hours until restaurants open.
We went bar hopping through Genoa one evening... they gave us sooo much food - sooo many snacks. All the food was fabulous though. Oh my God.
Omgsh I can't wait
EDIT - Wow I forgot I commented this 2 years ago after I postponed my trip twice (because of the pandemic) and then a 3rd time because my aunt who was coming still didn't feel comfortable traveling. It's now 2023 & FINALLY we leave in 2 weeks 😁
Guys, just a little tip for you.Eat local tipical food non the same menus for tourist try something particulary from the place,like "pasta con le sarde" in my city Palermo(Sicily) i reccomend you to visit Sicily! Have fun and enjoy Italy
"Americans need to learn how to walk" lol
Certain areas in various towns and cities in the US have no sidewalks and is often illegal for pedestrians to walk or bike (so much for home of the free) and you wouldn't want to anyway with vehicle the traffic and distance from stores, work, and home.
Some cities are developing bike ways and walk ways... but that's focused now in what's being called gentrified areas: areas where only wealthy affluent people or people who think they're such until they eventually go bust; why many of these so called gentrified areas end up vacant condos, apartments, and retail shops... does make for a nice place to bike or walk if you live near an attempted gentrified area...no foot or vehicle traffic even if some shops are still in business trying to hang on to the last.
Outside the major city and into the rural areas where most people live, often no sidewalks exist... depending on the vehicle traffic and way the highways and roads and freeways come together, they're unsafe for bicycling or walking even if legal.
And thus you have lots of overweight people in the states... no exercise, high stress, over eating, forced to live far from work and often from the next big box store, and poor eating (highly processed foods and often "fast food" aka fried food) which causes people to be way overweight.
Even the so called jock or athletic types, after high school, they almost always turn out bloated blobs shortly into adulthood as that's the end of their exercise, and many never ate well in the first place.
So yes. Many of us Americans need to learn to walk.... longer distances than what most of us do. And maybe you can tell, it's something I dislike about our country, I dislike having to always drive everywhere... and you have to make time for exercise... something we Americans have very little since work takes most of it up.
Enjoy being Italian or anything other... it sucks to be American... and as time goes on, more and more. :(
You could always, I don’t know, leave if being an American sucks so bad.
Love your energy! You’re making me so excited to travel to Italy for the first time. Grazie!
Great guide. Good job placing large captions on throughout the vid.
I was shocked to see teenagers rolling their own smokes in the market in Florence. Weirdly, since the cigarettes in Italy are not filled with chemicals like ours are, they didn't bother me as much as here at home (this from an ex smoker). No big deal, just realize it's part of daily life there. Aperitivos rock!!! "Dov' e di toilette" was one of the first phrases I made a point to learn. Love your videos!
You always give specific tips (instead of just generalities)--THANK YOU!🤠
just trying to share information i would want to know. thank you!!
My wife and I have just returned from Europe and spent our last couple of days in Verona. We had a lovely meal at a restaurant and my wife ate some pasta, but not enough for the waitress.....’you eat nothing’ she said to my wife (reminded me of Shultz from Hogan’s Heroes)! Classic stuff and all in fun. It was our best meal in Italy.
Great video! Love Rome! I brought my wheelchair and it helped me get to the sites and move around Italy.
Perfect timing on this video, I’m visiting Italy in 4 days for the first time!
Italy is on my bucket list 🇮🇹 Good to know 👍🏼
Italian power sockets, along with shape differencies, also have TWICE THE TENSION as in USA or Japan. This would be not a problem with modern "switching" devices, like phone charger or laptop psu, but is DANGEROUS if you plug your hair dryer or something similar.
If you visit Rome, check out the coast of Fregene, right next to the Fiumicino airport. There are beautiful beaches and restaurants where the locals spend their time. Hotels and food have a good price too. That way you can have the non-touristy experience and still easily get to the Colosseum etc. by local trains.
Preparing for this trip right NOW! Very timely - thank you :)
glad we can help :)
Taxi fares vary by city, i.e. Florence and Milan taxis are more expensive than in Rome. Also they will charge extra for each bag they put in the trunk so if you have a backpack just keep it on your lap to save a euro or two.
I love you and your family. :) I enjoyed the last few years all due to your advice and your videos. Please keep up the great work.
Grazie Mille e' a presto.
Bravo Marco! Come sempre, ha fatto un buon film. Anzi ciò, Le devo dire che ha una signora bellissima!!!! Complimenti! (E Lei è molto simpatico.)
Leaving for Italy in 10 days and will be there all summer, can’t wait! Very convenient video for you to post now. Love your channel!!!
Another quality vlog, giving us the best advice and some really helpful tips, one of the very best on the tube for travel info.
Best!! travel video about Italy. I had been meaning to watch it since you post it but i finally got to it today because my son saw the photo on youtube and saw the pizza and he just kept saying pizza mama pizza! lol! lets just say he enjoyed all the photo and videos of the food.
Grazie per questo video. Sono un italiano vivo in canada. Le informazione autiare mia per una giornata quando andando italia da vacanza. Never been to italy woukd love to go through. Rome looks like such a beautiful city
nice video! =)
wanna just add a little note:
the third tip ( the middle one ) on Italian power plugs is not ''the old one''. It' just the ''ground'' tip. it's a safety solution.
This was a really great video . I've found that walking in Rome or Lisbon beat any gym membership hands down.
YAY! So glad you finally put this out. Less than 3 weeks till I’m in Italy and I’m so excited!
My family and I will go to Italy at end of Jun-July. Super helpful, thank you!
this was a great blog, thanks! I'm visiting Italy in early 2020, so these were good tips.
7:52
Ricky, ciao!
Ciao vecchio!
😂😂
Matteo Stoppato hahahahahahahahahahhahahaha se vedemo vecchio 😂😂
Hahaha 🇮🇹
Remember: here we have 230V AC, so take care if you come from US and have 110V tools!
PS: Italian dinner at 9/10PM in the south. In the north 8PM is the norm.
more about bags and not getting things stolen: Wear around your neck and under your shirt a pouch all your valuables (passport, bank cards, cash, etc.); only carry minimal cash in your wallet! Also, if you can fit your phone in the neck pouch, do it. Carry a bag, but a small one, nothing screams tourist more than a big bag. As for camera, use a small one that can fit in a small bag; if you want to take quality shots, buy a high-end point-and-shoot/SLR hybrid (I use the Canon G7X Mark II, which goes for $600-700). Also, for wide angle shots, you can buy a little lens that clips to the back of your phone. Minimal photo equipment means you will stand out much less..thieves want that big expensive looking camera! Additionally, but not relating to not getting things stolen; to save some cash, buy a Brita water filter bottle, you'll be surprised how fast your euros fly out your hand paying for water! Fountains are everywhere around Italy, just fill up and go. Clip it to your belt buckle with a carabiner. I'm off to Roma in a few days, enjoy your travels. Ciao!
We are going to Cinque Terre in a few weeks time, these tips are great. Thank you 😁
you are very welcome. it is gorgeous there.
Wolters World ah I can’t wait!! We visited Venice last summer and fell in love with Italy
Diaryofa40something you’re going to love it! Expect steep hill walking!
Do the hike from Vernazza to Monterosso, it's beautiful! The hiking trail sign is hard to find in Vernazza so ask a local, it's worth it!
Susan Murphy thank you 😊
Mark, you do a great job! I've learned so much on your channel. Always so helpful!
I'm going to Italy, France and Spain, i find your videos very useful and am really excited!
Nice to see that you have been traveling as well in VENETO! Good video!!!
Honestly I knew no Italian and I was in a smaller city with little to no tourist and I used spanish to help me communicate and it got me through.
Regarding bathrooms, I stayed at a hotel in northern Italy where the shower was located above the toilet. The sink, toilet and shower were all within a few feet of each other.
Mentions public lavs. They gotta hit S Korea. Great variety of configurations, situations , and all I tried--clean!!
Found a 'squatty' in a really nice restaurant w/cafe&bbq outdoors. Kick flush, and clean as a surgical suite. 'Collected' the bathrooms as a great/different memory. Still makes me 😆
About plugs: the 3 hole one is the correct one (the central is the ground). the 2 ones are Schuko which is a German style partially adopted here. But BEWARE: our voltage is 230V AC 50Hz, not like in the US where you have 120V AC 60Hz so be prepared or you'll damage your electronic devices!
first day in Rome and it feels like New York city. I hope it gets a little better
How did it go?
jonkbaby it was ok but never again
Ive done my Tahitian (TAHITI / South Pacific - Polynesia) Bucket list...Now thank to you for these awesome tips for my 2nd BUCKET LIST Trip to ITALY and GREECE {Europe} 2020.
I love your videos, Mark. Entertaining and informative. And gosh, your kids are cute as can be! Thank you for some awesome travel content. 😉
if you want to find low prices for expensive brands in italy there are things called outlet, there you can find gucci, prada, ecc for half the price
Do you know what they are called, or how to find them?
they usually are near the factory, in other cases you can simply serch for outlet on google maps. for exemple, where i live, in Montevarchi there is a huge Prada factory, near there you can buy their items for half the price, then there are also some outlet at less than a hour from my home where you can find a lot of brands, the are like malls but outdoor.
or, easier version, learn what YOU like, develop your OWN taste, and never buy "brand" things just because society tells you you have to like them.... even if they cost 10 times what they should :)
Just a quick heads up for those mad tea and coffee nuts. Your hotel room mostly does not provide an electric jug. So if you want a cuppa in the afternoon you might be out of luck.If you have room in your luggage you might want to consider bringing a 1 or 2 cup jug with you. I think it's some kind of law stating that no electrical appliances are allowed in the room,like no iron or ironing board. Cheers.
Italy my favorite, wish I could live there, I’m living in Wisconsin brother always a great time there. Can’t wait to go again in a few months