Rule n. 1) you don't mix food, mixing food the American way is NOT experimental at all, we have other ways to experiment with good. Sorry but I won't wait for a foreigner to tell me how to eat my food. Question: thd thing the shops are closed isn't for siesta, which by the way is a Spanish word, but because people have to eat and spend time with family. There's not only work in life.
I can see why Sienna made it into the top 5. That was one of the top 5 places you have shown us in of all the places you have visited. I really enjoyed your thoughtful pluses and minuses.
Summer is so hot that the middle of the day is just horrible so getting a nap is just the best you can do, and that is a thing that people from other country can learn from us, just Learn to relax that is parts of the culture :) il dolce far niente.
Katia, Orso: I am glad I could experience dolce far niente once more last week. Even as a tourist myself I laugh about those tourists who are standing around queues or rushing through cities at >30°C in their soaking wet T-Shirts. I think it's only natural to go for a shadow and have a nap, then?! Even in September it might last until 18:00 to get out again. No wonder why Italians never go to restaurants before 20:00 or 21:00. Al prossimo, Italiani!!
Thanks for this straightforward and honest video. I appreciate hearing these pros and cons from your perspective! This information is for people who have not been to Italy before and want to know what to expect. It's helpful!
Thank you so much Maria! I found this very helpful. Ignore all the mean comments. You make very valid points, especially for a first time visitor to the area. Have fun traveling with your family!
You are a delight. Your English is better than 90% of my fellow Americans! I enjoyed your post and look forward to watching more of them. Health, love and laughter to you and your family!
I liked your video and suggestions. We're headed to Italy soon and I'm really excited to see how different it is the second time around. Ignore all of the haters out there. I've always heard "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".
Whoa, settle down. She's just letting those of us (non Italians) who are accustomed to eating differently, know that we need to be prepared to savour our food a bit differently with more of a focus on one dish at a time. Totally doable, and I appreciate knowing that I can now expect that (along with the very late dinners). When in Rome...
Sorry but that's debatable. Given that we live in a free world and can.do whatever ee want as long as this is not hurting anybody else, I think part of tasting the cuisine of another country is not only to appreciate new flavours but also to follow the way those flavours are combined. Just like in any country. Italian meal has its own peculiar structure: main course is made by 2 main dishes, 1 called simply "first" and the following one is just called "second". The "first" is nearly always a pasta dish, or sometimes could be a risotto, or a veg soup, the "second" is usually meat or fish. The second is usually accompanied by a side dish of vegetables or legumes or a simple salad. Appetizers is usually reserved for bigger meals, or sometimes one could combine it with only the "first" or only the "second" to have a lighter meal. The reason we don't mix the pasta dish or risotto or veg soup with meat or fish is just because the flavours of pasta sauces and risottos etc don't go well with our meat and fish dishes. No Italian would even dream of mixing spaghetti alla carrettiera with tagliata or branzino, they just fon't work together. On the other hand if the questionis to try more than one thing together wou can order a selection of 3 different first and then a selection of "seconds" to taste. They'll bring you small portions on a same plate. I😉🙂
Taking food lessons from an American in Tuscany? Are you kidding me? If you want the real food experience meet the old grandmothers and learn the secrets! The "food mix" part it's the most shocking... thing I ever heard in my life! I mean really? The food here in Italy is beautiful because it's simple.. How you can enjoy the real taste if you continuously adding stuff to your dish...?mixing is not innovative, we call it "schifezza" it means trash! Come on be serious!
Check out his story and reviews before talking about something you don't know about! www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187894-d6778438-Reviews-Chef_Cook_Ryan_Hanley-Cortona_Province_of_Arezzo_Tuscany.html
Nice idea about taking a cooking class, but why study with an American? Study Italian cooking with an Italian in the Italian language. It's a great way to learn the language, learn a skill, and eat well, all at once.
You can book your visit online, then you don't have to queu.. that's what I wanted to do, but because of easter they were very bussy and I had to book 4 days out, so I skipped it. If you know ahead of time when you'll be there it's the easiest way:)
It took me about eight whole-day-visits (8-20h) to Firenze until we felt the urge to visit the Uffizi, because of the massive amount of "stuff" that is around particularly in Firenze. Book online, so you can avoid the queue by getting into the queue for reserved tickets :D That favour will cost you extra 4€ but it's definetely worth it.
0:27 U know that tilted towers are not that uncommon in a seismic country like Italy? Apart of Bologna having several titlted buildings...they are all over the place. I went to a village called Figline the other year and I found a leaning bell tower hidden in the back streets (4ex). 1:11 U want to learn from the locals? Go into a pizzeria and ask the chef, they will be happy to teach u (4free). 4:37 During the summer it gets kinda hot. People found out that its wise to relax in a shadow for a few hours and to avoid the hottest part of the day instead of melting in the sun. That is the principal behind the siesta.
Naryma I'd like to complement: real tuscan chefs are actually very proud of their food, even if it's just pizza. Most tourists don't give a sh*t, so they're very happy when they get the opportunity to show (or show off *g*) a little bit.
Actually bars are open even 24h. Go to Sweden, in Stockholm, capital and see that everything closes at 6 and then there's death till 9am. Talking about food, if you find it boring either you met boring people or maybe can be it's you?:) I've never eat anything more healthy, beautiful, tasty, artistic as I did in Italy, and I traveled the world. Also I don't go to touristic restaurants that's why maybe?;)
Eating different foods together is considered mixing too many flavours and, I'm not saying things to cause offence, good for dogs' food. This is part of our culinary tradition. I think you are wrong saying that we should be innovative by mixing things together. I don't see anything so new in that, but actually a step back from being more sophisticated. Maybe you should try to understand the advantages of that.
I loved your videos very well done. We are going in September cant wait to get there 5 nights in Florence will see many towns around there as well .So your tips will come in handy Ciao
I thought your advise was spot on, liked the video and you gave some great advise and tips for things one may not think about until it comes up. Thank you.
For many decades store opening hours were established by central authority and were the same for everybody however in the latest years it's been given free power to each store to decide their working hours. In general stores are open from 9.00AM to 1.00PM, then resume working at 3.30PM untill 7.30PM on Winter time, or 4.00PM to 8.00PM in daylight saving. They stay closed on Monday morning from October until Summertime when switch to close on Saturday afternoon instead. Several stores, particularly big chaines or mall do not close during lunchtime and they open on Sunday. in this case they might open later in the morning, by 9.30 or 10.00AM. When needed you can look every store opening hours on Google. Hair stylists, barbers and estheticians, beauty salons etc are usually closed all day on Monday and from Mid June until Mid September they usually.close on Saturday afternoon too.
Is it easiest to make your home base Florence or Sienna. Sienna seems more affordable and more intimate… but not sure if it is as practical if you want to do day trips to wineries, Pisa, etc.
I calabresi e i veneti sono differenti geneticamente, culturalmente e anche di fenotipo. Se e' per quello sono anche differenti dai toscani. I calabresi che studiano in Toscana sono riconoscibili ad un chilometro.
I don’t understand why some tourists are surprised the Italians (or French or Spanish) “don’t feel happy speaking English “. How many Americans would be “happy speaking Italian”?!
In regards to your comments on "siesta", there seems to be no consistency to ANYTHING Italians do. And yes, siesta is quite irritating, but it's more of a thing in the smaller towns and villages. The thing I found most irritating though is when they would leave their shops unattended and you'd have to walk around looking for the owner. The food, I kinda get what you're saying. I ordered Chicken Pasta Alfredo and Tortellini Preschiuto and the chunks of meat they put in it were so small you need a microscope to see them. Language, I personally didn't experience this. Aside from some of the local markets and restaurants, this was one of the easiest countries to communicate in English
Do everyone including yourself and go home for 24/7 hotdog and cheese macarone with fries on site with a mountain dew to wash it down. We r so sorry siesta interferes with nap time for bub.
Honestly I totally disagree with your cons. None of those mentioned are specific in Tuscany. First off, you complain about traffic? To me it only looks like you've been to major cities but Tuscany is loved especially for small towns and villages so talking about traffic in Florence, Pisa or Siena is like complaining about traffic in any Italian city. Try going to Val D'Orcia for example and I bet you will have to rethink it. Same exact thing for parking. The siesta thing is simply a tradition of mediterranean countries, and it comes from the fact of the higher temperatures at the beginning of the afternoon. This said, to me it's really annoying to have all the shops open non stop until 5pm then everything closed until the morning after. Language? Are you serious? Have you ever been to Paris or anywhere in the US? Do they, or even try to, speak a single word of any other language than their native? Ok, you like to mix food, but did anyone force you to eat your dishes separately? Overall I think you should instead call your video "5 best and worst things about my trip to southern Europe". Cheers
Goodness - she's just giving us her experience, not complaining! I appreciate hearing things that will help me be better prepared. It's those little things in a very full day of touring that can throw your day off and add stress to your travel experiences.
Kids, this is the reason you should further your education. I graduated high school, but No way can I visit Italy like this lady.....not even for a day, let alone for a month!
After 8years of living in abject poverty, I got my GED. Then I found a better paying job. Where I worked, I met and married a Man who was from Napa, ca, He inherited a small house there, so that's where we now live. I wish I'd gone on to College and graduated, but living in Napa is supposed to be similar to Italy, so they say.
@@beverly5886 Italy is beautiful and similar, in terms of the small towns and vineyards, to Napa and Sonoma for sure. Check out our videos if you want to see beautiful Italy!
I ll be there in 3 weeks, thanks for your advise. I know that the theme of finding parkin is probably the worst in Europe. After the trip I will tell you how it was.
4:23 Are you serious? You are complaining about the (by no means "annoying" but neccessary) culture of siesta because you have a baby which has incompatible napping times?! Believe it or not, your small family ain't the middle of the world :D A city trip might not be the brightest idea with a baby...
I agree! Your comment made me laugh. Sadly, people travel expecting the USA schedules everywhere. We love Italy because we love the culture that is traditional and not stuck to American conveniences. And as Americans, we love visiting Italy because it is Italian. Sadly, there are Northern Europeans, like this RUclipsr, trying to make everything about the convenience culture of the USA Our RUclips channel reflects our love of Italy.
Sorry, I don’t even have children and that would annoy me too! The country makes (and depends on) a lot of money from tourism, so they should be catering to visitors.
@@simplywine00 Actual residents should change their lifestyle to cater to tourists? The fact that they're getting so much money from tourists, is proof that they don't have to. They're doing just fine as it is.no pl Believe it or not, locals don't have to make their lives revolve around you, the tourist, and the fact that you have money doesn't change that. The fact that you're bringing up money as an argument to say that they need to cater to you just shows how entitled you are.
There is no “siesta” culture in Italy at all. Shops don’t close because owners or customers take a nap in the afternoon. It’s just that (can you imagine that?) everyday life is organized with a different schedule. Because it’s a different country, and not everything is supposed to work the same way as your home country. And that’s the beauty of travelling: seeing places that are not like what you usually see every day.
@@simplywine00 The country doesn't depend on nothing about tourism. Italy is a member of g8, the second industrial manufacturer in Europe after Germany. Duh.
Hi Maria, I found your video very honest and informative. You pointed out a lot of points that I didn't know....especially stores closing for siesta. What an eye-opener. Keep you the great work......you're awesome! God bless you. From MINNESOTA-Midwest in the USA.
Hello, thank you for your great review about Tuscany! It is super useful and cool to hear from an outsider to understand how people see us. I agree on everything, good and bad, except for one thing: the separate dishes. That should not be qualified as a bad thing, it is just the way it is. It is very frustrating that most of italians do not sepak English at all, I feel very ashamed of that. Even those consider themselves fluent have the worst accent! I think that's because we start late at school and 99% of the teachers are non native speakers, with an horrible accent themselves too LOL
It's no longer true that we start learning that late at school: people who is born in the 90s onwards, I think, have more or less all started studying it since kindergarten. The problem is that the teachers speak it terribly and constantly teach it in Italian.
You feel ashamed for the accent?? What accent have those tourists that don't even speak a word in Italian and think they are in their colonies ?. You agree that there is trafic?? So what?? You want to kill people to decrease trafic?? I'm ashamed for silly Italians like you at most
Dont like a fact they have siesta, time for enjoying with their family and friends?...Well, money is not the most important thing for them. I guess you will never understand mediterranean way of life.
No one needs a car in tuscan cities. Although, I'd always recommend a (rental) car to get to these as traintracks can't wind up in close serpentines :)
You are traveling and your want the place to be like your hometown??? Stay in your hometown!!! Yes, Italian food is not american Chinese food!! Italians do not do do siesta, you might be confused with rural Spain and confuse the Italian that you not speak with Spanish that do no speak either. Some Italian stores do close for lunch and can be annoying, but museums and sights do not. Please do not post videos and stay home.
Oh oh we got a Karen!!! Only Karens would expect a country to change their ways for THEM. Basically dont close shops so she can show up whenever she wants to... LEARN ENGLISH what is with speaking Italian... hmm bring out all the food together so she can eat it all together and be "adventurous".... lastly design your street better please. Like seriously the entitlement.
the more I listen the more whiny this woman sounds... here's a tip, go to Florida, everything's open all the time. Plus you get your burger the same time as your fries
I think some few sentences are sufficient. The rest is made up by a friendly attitude and respect. And bad simple English or hands and feet ;) Oh, and a little bit of French might come in handy, too!
Fuck off idiot.. so your telling me if I go to Lebanon I should speak Arabic? and if I go travelling around Europe I should learn each country’s language.. your a twat
Yep, there is no need to learn whole language, some basic knowledge would suddenly result nice and people would eventually help you warmly. That's the basic value of any traveller.
Scusami per qualche tempo di stare in Italia come si fa 😂Se resterà qui per forza deve imparare però per qualche giorno non e possibile, magari solo un parola di buon giorno è buona serata, è grazie 😉 loro sono turistici quindi si lascia così😊
I'm Brazilian and I disliked the Italian's behavior with me and my husband, specially in Florence. Somehow, they knew that we weren't European, when we didn"t a single word but behavior politely. I am a professor and my husband is a businessman. We are both very interested in art and culture, we travel a lot. Just to relate two situations. The man at the ticket window, in Santa Maria Novella Station shouted out to me! Second example of rudeness: we decided to buy a cell phone there and entered a cell shop. We were so ignored by almost half an hour that went away without byuing anything. The clerks, there, simply didn't see us, it was like we weren't there!!!! There were so many situations like that , these are only two examples. I can talk in Italian and did it, of course we are gentle people, but, sometimes, we felt simply humiliated. We were there for 22 days! In small towns like San Gimigniano, people seem to be nicer. We wanted to be American, there, because we could watch better behavior of the local people with them...This problem the girl, in video, woudn't relate because she is from USA!
maria wonderful video, been to italy many times and your dislike is true except for one and that is mixing of food, i had no trouble with their separation because its much more healthy and is proving their lifestyle is one of the healthiest in the world. the one dislike i put is these nonitalians selling knockoffs on the street just ignore them completly and buy them at a register store , i find it more of them in pisa outside the tower.
Opening hours are different for shops /services AND for restaurant. Restaurants are opened for lunch 12,30-3pm and for dinner 7,30/8-11,30 pm. Shops close for siesta means lunctime and the hottest hours so they are closed between 12,30/1pm and 3,30/5 pm but opened till 8 pm and even longer in July because of the summer-end-sales-. It called 'night shopping' you can make a walk in the centre after dinner and find the shops opened between 9,30-11,30 pm at least twice a week. I find it a great idea. I live here about 18 years and really like siesta, otherwise we couldn't survive the heat during the 3 month
For the "siesta" it's a tricky issue. If you are visiting a bigger or tourist city, as Florence, Siena or San Gimignano, usually almost all the stores make the "orario continuato", which means that they stay open from 8.00-9.00 a.m until 7.00 - 8.00 p.m. They have the chance to do that because often they are part of a big franchise store, this allow them to have many full time or part time employers, they can alternate in order to cover the opening hours, or even if it's a private-artisanal shop, not part of a big chain store, they are located in a such busy place that allows them to have some customers, so the game is worth the candle. But in the case of private shops located in smaller or less tourist cities, it doesn't have any sense keep the store open between 1.00 p.m and 4 p.m., because they won't have so many customers, expecially in summer, when it's so hot in the early afternoon! They would just spend in terms of electricity and air conditioned!
But also in september or may, and here I'm just talking about private shops in medium-small towns (for the bigger cities, I agree with you), it's not useful for them staying open, because the 90% of their customers are italian. If you'll come back to Italy on vacation, maybe you can look for a "centro commerciale", a shopping centre as Pam, Coop, etc...if you need to find an indoors space for your baby's nap. I know, maybe it's not the most fascinating place to visit in Italy, but nowdays almost all the towns have at least one of these, they offer several services, they are always open, they have stores and cafes, restaurants, restrooms or supermarket!
I guess you have to live in Mediterranean to get a clue what summer or siesta is! Being in Athens for many years I though siesta was a myth, but spending a few years in countryside it is a must. Big cities can both create and protect from the extra heat (through the buildings shadows), but in smaller cities you cant hide anywhere! Yesterday we had 37C (98F!) and is still May... its kind of impossible to be active during noon, you feel like a lizard...
Your English is excellent. Your presentation is very nice and useful. I don't know why a bunch of jerks have to be nasty. If they are lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, why should they be such sourpusses. Keep it up! Share the good!
If you want slaves to work during lunchtime, look for them in another country. If you want to accumulate food on the plate making all flavors indistinguishable, do it in your country. Se vuoi degli schiavi che lavorino durante le ore di pranzo cercali in un altro paese. Se vuoi accumulare nel piatto rendendo tutti i cibi indistinguibili, fallo nel tuo paese.
There is not siesta in Italy unless you are a baby that is - - shops close 2 hours or so for lunch, yes we are not happy with just a sandwich, we are not British!!!!
Scandinavians speak amazing English! Much better than some Aussies (I’m Australian) 🤣 Thanks so much for the video, Maria & please ignore the angry trolls! Everyone has different preferences and you are free to express them. I personally prefer the combination of siesta + open till late over 5pm sharp closures in other parts of the world like Belgium but that is my personal preference and I don’t have any children either. Some people are just so easily offended self-righteous!! Don’t let them discourage you :)
@@JJ-lc1gd Did you not read “some Aussies”? When the hell did I say anything about an entire nation? What does “one of the lower classes” even mean anyway? No such thing in Australia!
I couldn't care less about the siesta and stuff, what many people accuse her off is to say things that makes no sense like she is accustomed to mix food. If she is accustomed to mix there are Mc Donalds for her, or she thinks the world turns around them?? LOL
Doing siesta in the afternoon is good because u can go to sleep later. And you enjoy more staing in the fresh of the night maybe whit your Friends drinking wine and talking that is the main Essence of the 'dolce far niente'. But i agree that if u have babies you have diffrent lifestile, i also have a baby and im italian i cant do that kind of Life until they grow up a little
Florence, Siena and Pisa are beautiful and must see places but for me before Siena would come San Gimignano and Lucca. They are fantastic and would certainly be an absolute must on my list when visiting Tuscany.
Thanks for the video - really enjoyed. My own two top tips - Firstly, When in Rome, Do as the Romans. Go with the flow with the Siesta thing. Just take a break for an hour or so, get out of the heat and have a short nap. You will have more energy for the evenings. Secondly, do the road trip between Florence and Siena taking the route that passes through the village of Panzano - about half way. The views are awesome and there are some amazing restaurants with views to die for in Panzano. I actually tend to base myself near Panzano and then explore the villages in the hills around. In many ways I enjoy these as much if not more than Florence and Siena - well at least once you've seen and done both. And the parking is easier. Enjoy!
Hey, why don't you just leave Italy and never come back? We have enough tourists who expect Italians to adjust to THEIR wants, desires, tastes, etc. Well, thank you, but we are not interested and sorry if our lifestyle does not conveniently fit into your expectations or demands. You don't like the hours of our shops; really, perhaps a Walmart open 24 hours is your cup of tea. And I guess one reason the birthrate has declined is that Italian women are apparently as clueless as you are as to what to do with your kid between the hours of 1 - 4. Oh as for the food, there are unfortunately some McDonalds scattered through Italy that will allow you to mix your fries with your burgers!!! Ah, last but not least, English! My goodness, how dare a shopkeeper refuse to converse with you in English as though that should be part of his, 'how to deal with ugly tourist' training. You're IN A FOREIGN country so if an Italian does not want to or does not know how to speak ENGLISH, TOUGH, get a translator or next time go to Disneyworld! Stay home, and quite frankly, all of those things YOU don't like are threads of the Italian fabric which makes Italy, Italy! 'When in Rome...', as the saying goes. Ah, what about Denmark, what 5 things do I hate, having visited my son and daughter-in-law numerous times? Well, actually there is nothing I hate or even dislike because I ACCEPT that they are different and appreciate that.
I was just going to write the same. Nicely put cee2 sea. It seems to me that Maria has missed the opportunity to relax on her vacation and she has not acknowledged the beauty of the Italian way of life. I love Italy and other countries, but all for very different reasons and mostly because of the cultural differences.. I've also been to Pisa/Lucca etc. last year, by car, and never had a problem driving or parking and it was in the middle of summer holidays. I would love to go back there any time, to relax and enjoy especially the things that you didn't like. I hope you can come back some day with other expectations and enjoy your time even more!
I am Danish, but I support your view cee2sea 100%. I enjoy southern Europe because e.g. Italy and France is lovely being different from Denmark. I DO NOT WANT them to change anything! And I do get by with language. I do not expect anyone to speak English. The women in this video makes me feel embarrassed being Danish. I say exactly as you: "why don't you just leave Italy and never come back!" No one will miss you Marie!
I love it. I am American and was amazed at the things she said but not really. I heard another tourist say they need to learn to speak English. I said to them, you are in their country, you need to learn to speak Italian.. and I proceeded to ask for what I wanted in Italian. You need to appreciate and value the different cultures the world has to offer. I went to Italy last year for a month and loved it. I am going back in two weeks. LOVE LOVE LOVE... It is all love.
first of all you are a really mad man or lady. maria is just giving some tips... on her experience and she is entitled to her opinion as well. beside that you had mentioned ... mcdonalds, walmart, disneyworld... every place you talk about is in america... are u a united states hater ? if she does not like it.. what's the problem. she was very nice and carefull while talking. sorry you have a problem ! and let me tell you something... do not spill so fast... you need tourist ... italy is having so much economical issues that believe me when i said YOU NEED PEOPLE LIKE MARIA in your country. do you accept what ? your ego is huge and your anger is worst !
I was recently in Tuscany and wished I had learned Italian before I vacationed - and will before my next adventure in Italy. I loved all the customs I was exposed to - and honestly wish we participated in more things like that in the US. Especially the "siesta." I loved the food - and actually LOST weight while there - because the quality of the food is a million times better than we have in the US. I now understand how foreigners feel when they come to the US and don't understand our language, but also know that it is MY responsibility to learn if I want to converse with locals. So cee2 sea, I 100% agree with you. :)
@@rob5197 Most of the people in this video say that they had not problem at all with English in Italy. Deal with it. You can also spare us with your presence and go to Disneyland in case.
Rule n. 1) you don't mix food, mixing food the American way is NOT experimental at all, we have other ways to experiment with good. Sorry but I won't wait for a foreigner to tell me how to eat my food.
Question: thd thing the shops are closed isn't for siesta, which by the way is a Spanish word, but because people have to eat and spend time with family. There's not only work in life.
Hmm she is not American.
I can see why Sienna made it into the top 5. That was one of the top 5 places you have shown us in of all the places you have visited. I really enjoyed your thoughtful pluses and minuses.
Thanks:) A lot of the challenges are just cultural differences which I love, it's fun to get these experiences too.. the good and the "bad":)
Summer is so hot that the middle of the day is just horrible so getting a nap is just the best you can do, and that is a thing that people from other country can learn from us, just Learn to relax that is parts of the culture :) il dolce far niente.
Katia Kaarlela and if u sleep some hours in the afternoon u can stay more awake in the night,that in italian Summer are sweet and full of wine
Katia, Orso:
I am glad I could experience dolce far niente once more last week.
Even as a tourist myself I laugh about those tourists who are standing around queues or rushing through cities at >30°C in their soaking wet T-Shirts. I think it's only natural to go for a shadow and have a nap, then?! Even in September it might last until 18:00 to get out again. No wonder why Italians never go to restaurants before 20:00 or 21:00.
Al prossimo, Italiani!!
Agree also in my country after a half day work we can make a nap too 😘
Thanks for this straightforward and honest video. I appreciate hearing these pros and cons from your perspective! This information is for people who have not been to Italy before and want to know what to expect. It's helpful!
Thank you so much Maria! I found this very helpful. Ignore all the mean comments. You make very valid points, especially for a first time visitor to the area. Have fun traveling with your family!
You are a delight. Your English is better than 90% of my fellow Americans! I enjoyed your post and look forward to watching more of them. Health, love and laughter to you and your family!
I liked your video and suggestions. We're headed to Italy soon and I'm really excited to see how different it is the second time around. Ignore all of the haters out there. I've always heard "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".
Taking cooking class in Tuscany from an american.. ok.
But Like when she wanted to teach italians how to eat properly, I CAN'T!
Looooool
Whoa, settle down. She's just letting those of us (non Italians) who are accustomed to eating differently, know that we need to be prepared to savour our food a bit differently with more of a focus on one dish at a time. Totally doable, and I appreciate knowing that I can now expect that (along with the very late dinners). When in Rome...
Sorry but that's debatable. Given that we live in a free world and can.do whatever ee want as long as this is not hurting anybody else, I think part of tasting the cuisine of another country is not only to appreciate new flavours but also to follow the way those flavours are combined. Just like in any country. Italian meal has its own peculiar structure: main course is made by 2 main dishes, 1 called simply "first" and the following one is just called "second". The "first" is nearly always a pasta dish, or sometimes could be a risotto, or a veg soup, the "second" is usually meat or fish. The second is usually accompanied by a side dish of vegetables or legumes or a simple salad. Appetizers is usually reserved for bigger meals, or sometimes one could combine it with only the "first" or only the "second" to have a lighter meal. The reason we don't mix the pasta dish or risotto or veg soup with meat or fish is just because the flavours of pasta sauces and risottos etc don't go well with our meat and fish dishes. No Italian would even dream of mixing spaghetti alla carrettiera with tagliata or branzino, they just fon't work together. On the other hand if the questionis to try more than one thing together wou can order a selection of 3 different first and then a selection of "seconds" to taste. They'll bring you small portions on a same plate. I😉🙂
Taking food lessons from an American in Tuscany? Are you kidding me?
If you want the real food experience meet the old grandmothers and learn the secrets!
The "food mix" part it's the most shocking... thing I ever heard in my life! I mean really?
The food here in Italy is beautiful because it's simple..
How you can enjoy the real taste if you continuously adding stuff to your dish...?mixing is not innovative, we call it "schifezza" it means trash!
Come on be serious!
Yes, simple and over priced!!!!
Check out his story and reviews before talking about something you don't know about! www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187894-d6778438-Reviews-Chef_Cook_Ryan_Hanley-Cortona_Province_of_Arezzo_Tuscany.html
What if I don’t speak Italian?
@ yes you're right, I just thought they were being a little harsh
Nice idea about taking a cooking class, but why study with an American? Study Italian cooking with an Italian in the Italian language. It's a great way to learn the language, learn a skill, and eat well, all at once.
E Mack what if I don’t speak Italian?
Tan B you don’t need to speak Italian to comunicate with in Italian, in Italy we developed a language using hands
@@tansy2279 So many Italian speak English
I agree!
I love Siena and Florence - the only problem is queuing for the Uffizi. It takes an hour. But Tuscany is superb!!
Steven Cassidy Check out Rick Steves the travel expert. He may have some time saving tips on queuing for the Uffizi.
Being British I tend to rely on Rough Guide or Time Out
You can book your visit online, then you don't have to queu.. that's what I wanted to do, but because of easter they were very bussy and I had to book 4 days out, so I skipped it. If you know ahead of time when you'll be there it's the easiest way:)
It took me about eight whole-day-visits (8-20h) to Firenze until we felt the urge to visit the Uffizi, because of the massive amount of "stuff" that is around particularly in Firenze.
Book online, so you can avoid the queue by getting into the queue for reserved tickets :D That favour will cost you extra 4€ but it's definetely worth it.
0:27 U know that tilted towers are not that uncommon in a seismic country like Italy? Apart of Bologna having several titlted buildings...they are all over the place. I went to a village called Figline the other year and I found a leaning bell tower hidden in the back streets (4ex).
1:11 U want to learn from the locals? Go into a pizzeria and ask the chef, they will be happy to teach u (4free).
4:37 During the summer it gets kinda hot. People found out that its wise to relax in a shadow for a few hours and to avoid the hottest part of the day instead of melting in the sun. That is the principal behind the siesta.
Naryma I'd like to complement: real tuscan chefs are actually very proud of their food, even if it's just pizza. Most tourists don't give a sh*t, so they're very happy when they get the opportunity to show (or show off *g*) a little bit.
Actually bars are open even 24h. Go to Sweden, in Stockholm, capital and see that everything closes at 6 and then there's death till 9am.
Talking about food, if you find it boring either you met boring people or maybe can be it's you?:)
I've never eat anything more healthy, beautiful, tasty, artistic as I did in Italy, and I traveled the world.
Also I don't go to touristic restaurants that's why maybe?;)
Eating different foods together is considered mixing too many flavours and, I'm not saying things to cause offence, good for dogs' food. This is part of our culinary tradition. I think you are wrong saying that we should be innovative by mixing things together. I don't see anything so new in that, but actually a step back from being more sophisticated. Maybe you should try to understand the advantages of that.
maybe next time you should try Pietrasanta... same 5 or 10 favourite places in Tuscany
I loved your videos very well done. We are going in September cant wait to get there 5 nights in Florence will see many towns around there as well .So your tips will come in handy Ciao
That's awesome Mike, hope you have a great trip!:)
Love Tuscany!
Thanks for a nice video and your point of view is refreshing and helpful.
I thought your advise was spot on, liked the video and you gave some great advise and tips for things one may not think about until it comes up. Thank you.
For many decades store opening hours were established by central authority and were the same for everybody however in the latest years it's been given free power to each store to decide their working hours. In general stores are open from 9.00AM to 1.00PM, then resume working at 3.30PM untill 7.30PM on Winter time, or 4.00PM to 8.00PM in daylight saving. They stay closed on Monday morning from October until Summertime when switch to close on Saturday afternoon instead. Several stores, particularly big chaines or mall do not close during lunchtime and they open on Sunday. in this case they might open later in the morning, by 9.30 or 10.00AM. When needed you can look every store opening hours on Google. Hair stylists, barbers and estheticians, beauty salons etc are usually closed all day on Monday and from Mid June until Mid September they usually.close on Saturday afternoon too.
Good video Maria. Would love to visit there someday. Little baby is so cute. That is such a fun time. They grow so fast. 😊
I hope you get there some day, if not, then I hope you just enjoy the videos;) Max is so fun right now.. he just took his first steps yesterday!!
Is it easiest to make your home base Florence or Sienna. Sienna seems more affordable and more intimate… but not sure if it is as practical if you want to do day trips to wineries, Pisa, etc.
It's SIENA.
Loved your video - leave for Tuscany in a week and appreciated your tips on the must see's and your comments about the challenges
I also like to mix foods. Greetings from Brazil
Se tornate in Toscana vi faccio vedere le cose nascoste che nessuna guida conosce. Un abbraccio complimenti
As a Tuscan, thanks for your tips.
I calabresi e i veneti sono differenti geneticamente, culturalmente e anche di fenotipo. Se e' per quello sono anche differenti dai toscani. I calabresi che studiano in Toscana sono riconoscibili ad un chilometro.
I don’t understand why some tourists are surprised the Italians (or French or Spanish) “don’t feel happy speaking English “. How many Americans would be “happy speaking Italian”?!
Omg go home. If you can’t adjust to the culture then leave. All you complain about is what makes Tuscany so wonderful.
In regards to your comments on "siesta", there seems to be no consistency to ANYTHING Italians do. And yes, siesta is quite irritating, but it's more of a thing in the smaller towns and villages. The thing I found most irritating though is when they would leave their shops unattended and you'd have to walk around looking for the owner.
The food, I kinda get what you're saying. I ordered Chicken Pasta Alfredo and Tortellini Preschiuto and the chunks of meat they put in it were so small you need a microscope to see them.
Language, I personally didn't experience this. Aside from some of the local markets and restaurants, this was one of the easiest countries to communicate in English
Wonderful video. What is the best and accurate way for driving directions through Tuscany if we want to plan in advance other than google maps?
Do everyone including yourself and go home for 24/7 hotdog and cheese macarone with fries on site with a mountain dew to wash it down. We r so sorry siesta interferes with nap time for bub.
Honestly I totally disagree with your cons. None of those mentioned are specific in Tuscany.
First off, you complain about traffic? To me it only looks like you've been to major cities but Tuscany is loved especially for small towns and villages so talking about traffic in Florence, Pisa or Siena is like complaining about traffic in any Italian city. Try going to Val D'Orcia for example and I bet you will have to rethink it. Same exact thing for parking.
The siesta thing is simply a tradition of mediterranean countries, and it comes from the fact of the higher temperatures at the beginning of the afternoon. This said, to me it's really annoying to have all the shops open non stop until 5pm then everything closed until the morning after.
Language? Are you serious? Have you ever been to Paris or anywhere in the US? Do they, or even try to, speak a single word of any other language than their native?
Ok, you like to mix food, but did anyone force you to eat your dishes separately?
Overall I think you should instead call your video "5 best and worst things about my trip to southern Europe".
Cheers
Goodness - she's just giving us her experience, not complaining! I appreciate hearing things that will help me be better prepared. It's those little things in a very full day of touring that can throw your day off and add stress to your travel experiences.
@@TerezTravels You are totally right.
Concordo in pieno,tante lamentele ,molti stereotipi,e cos'è questa storia della siesta? Ci confonde col Messico?😂
Thank you for your honest and personal observations. It's like a breath of fresh air.
It's like a breath of nonsenses at most.
Kids, this is the reason you should further your education. I graduated high school, but No way can I visit Italy like this lady.....not even for a day, let alone for a month!
What'd you do instead? :)
After 8years of living in abject poverty, I got my GED. Then I found a better paying job. Where I worked, I met and married a Man who was from Napa, ca, He inherited a small house there, so that's where we now live. I wish I'd gone on to College and graduated, but living in Napa is supposed to be similar to Italy, so they say.
Don't give up on going to Italy, or even living there. Things change in life, and you may still have the chance to do it.
@@beverly5886 Italy is beautiful and similar, in terms of the small towns and vineyards, to Napa and Sonoma for sure. Check out our videos if you want to see beautiful Italy!
Your English is awesome.
I ll be there in 3 weeks, thanks for your advise. I know that the theme of finding parkin is probably the worst in Europe. After the trip I will tell you how it was.
Your english is perfect. Don't listen to jerks. Thanks for the tips, I'm going to Tuscony next week.
4:23 Are you serious? You are complaining about the (by no means "annoying" but neccessary) culture of siesta because you have a baby which has incompatible napping times?! Believe it or not, your small family ain't the middle of the world :D A city trip might not be the brightest idea with a baby...
I agree! Your comment made me laugh. Sadly, people travel expecting the USA schedules everywhere. We love Italy because we love the culture that is traditional and not stuck to American conveniences. And as Americans, we love visiting Italy because it is Italian. Sadly, there are Northern Europeans, like this RUclipsr, trying to make everything about the convenience culture of the USA Our RUclips channel reflects our love of Italy.
Sorry, I don’t even have children and that would annoy me too! The country makes (and depends on) a lot of money from tourism, so they should be catering to visitors.
@@simplywine00 Actual residents should change their lifestyle to cater to tourists?
The fact that they're getting so much money from tourists, is proof that they don't have to. They're doing just fine as it is.no pl
Believe it or not, locals don't have to make their lives revolve around you, the tourist, and the fact that you have money doesn't change that. The fact that you're bringing up money as an argument to say that they need to cater to you just shows how entitled you are.
There is no “siesta” culture in Italy at all. Shops don’t close because owners or customers take a nap in the afternoon. It’s just that (can you imagine that?) everyday life is organized with a different schedule. Because it’s a different country, and not everything is supposed to work the same way as your home country. And that’s the beauty of travelling: seeing places that are not like what you usually see every day.
@@simplywine00 The country doesn't depend on nothing about tourism. Italy is a member of g8, the second industrial manufacturer in Europe after Germany. Duh.
great info with good music.
Wonderful job... Thanks for sharing. :D
Hi Maria, I found your video very honest and informative. You pointed out a lot of points that I didn't know....especially stores closing for siesta. What an eye-opener. Keep you the great work......you're awesome! God bless you. From MINNESOTA-Midwest in the USA.
Awesome video! I'm a new RUclipsr.. American living in Italy now, just subscribed! :)
It's not "siesta". In Italy it's called "riposa", as in repose.
E Mack scusami significa ugualmente siesta è riposo e la stessa parola 😉
I can tell you're Dutch, the Dutch always speak English so well....
What is the bast palaces to find i good coffee in Tuscany ?
Literally: at any corner...
vindicator05 ahahhaha
Rimember that more you move to south more the coffee is good. In Naples is the best
Fucking cooking class - you really know how to live it up
Hello, thank you for your great review about Tuscany! It is super useful and cool to hear from an outsider to understand how people see us. I agree on everything, good and bad, except for one thing: the separate dishes. That should not be qualified as a bad thing, it is just the way it is. It is very frustrating that most of italians do not sepak English at all, I feel very ashamed of that. Even those consider themselves fluent have the worst accent! I think that's because we start late at school and 99% of the teachers are non native speakers, with an horrible accent themselves too LOL
It's no longer true that we start learning that late at school: people who is born in the 90s onwards, I think, have more or less all started studying it since kindergarten. The problem is that the teachers speak it terribly and constantly teach it in Italian.
You feel ashamed for the accent?? What accent have those tourists that don't even speak a word in Italian and think they are in their colonies ?. You agree that there is trafic?? So what?? You want to kill people to decrease trafic?? I'm ashamed for silly Italians like you at most
Dont like a fact they have siesta, time for enjoying with their family and friends?...Well, money is not the most important thing for them. I guess you will never understand mediterranean way of life.
Ah, so all the traditional Italian customs must change simply to suit you eh.
Food is food especially italian food. I dont care if pasta comes first , and salad second. What wrong with that. Big deal. 🤦♀
Sorry do you want everything in Tuscany to stop and switch timings to revolve around your baby’s nap time yeah? Get a grip
Suggests? That IS the true local culture. It doesn't fit for tourists? Too bad. It is their culture!
She is asking for suggestions on if there is a certain time for Siestas.... Be nice.
how did your stroller hold up?
We had no problems with the stroller at all, we love that thing:)
Uau , I really think that all Tuscany people should change their ways over your complaining . So important
She is just saying she wishes the times were set in stone so that she could navigate around it,
"I like to mixing food"... LOL... are you 3 years old? 😂
English is not her first language ,were you not listening ?
@@sharondiaz137 The act of "mixing foods" sounds childish... not her english that is far better than mine... ;)
Don't by-pass Pistoia .. art architecture and a fraction of the tourism overkill you see elsewhere
Forget about a car in Siena. Your 5 "negatives" are not worth mentioning.
No one needs a car in tuscan cities. Although, I'd always recommend a (rental) car to get to these as traintracks can't wind up in close serpentines :)
You are traveling and your want the place to be like your hometown??? Stay in your hometown!!! Yes, Italian food is not american Chinese food!! Italians do not do do siesta, you might be confused with rural Spain and confuse the Italian that you not speak with Spanish that do no speak either. Some Italian stores do close for lunch and can be annoying, but museums and sights do not. Please do not post videos and stay home.
Hi think you are very provincial
The food is a problem because they don’t mix things. Blown away
Oh oh we got a Karen!!! Only Karens would expect a country to change their ways for THEM. Basically dont close shops so she can show up whenever she wants to... LEARN ENGLISH what is with speaking Italian... hmm bring out all the food together so she can eat it all together and be "adventurous".... lastly design your street better please. Like seriously the entitlement.
Woman, are you serious?
siesta jajajaja
m
Maria, by your name you are probably Swedish, most people in Sweden learn English in school. And most speak it very well.
American goes to Italy and complains about it not being like America. 🤡
On vacation with baby?!?!?!? 🤣🤣🤣 OMG
Of course The Great Tuscan lifestyle is not for Everybody, you're not the kind of person able to Enjoy it
the more I listen the more whiny this woman sounds... here's a tip, go to Florida, everything's open all the time. Plus you get your burger the same time as your fries
Toskana ist nicht Italien Freiheit in der Toskana und im toskanischen Volk
If you choose to visit Italy, you should speak Italian.
I think some few sentences are sufficient. The rest is made up by a friendly attitude and respect. And bad simple English or hands and feet ;)
Oh, and a little bit of French might come in handy, too!
Fuck off idiot.. so your telling me if I go to Lebanon I should speak Arabic? and if I go travelling around Europe I should learn each country’s language.. your a twat
Yep, there is no need to learn whole language, some basic knowledge would suddenly result nice and people would eventually help you warmly. That's the basic value of any traveller.
Scusami per qualche tempo di stare in Italia come si fa 😂Se resterà qui per forza deve imparare però per qualche giorno non e possibile, magari solo un parola di buon giorno è buona serata, è grazie 😉 loro sono turistici quindi si lascia così😊
Ciao bella , come va?
I'm Brazilian and I disliked the Italian's behavior with me and my husband, specially in Florence. Somehow, they knew that we weren't European, when we didn"t a single word but behavior politely. I am a professor and my husband is a businessman. We are both very interested in art and culture, we travel a lot. Just to relate two situations. The man at the ticket window, in Santa Maria Novella Station shouted out to me! Second example of rudeness: we decided to buy a cell phone there and entered a cell shop. We were so ignored by almost half an hour that went away without byuing anything. The clerks, there, simply didn't see us, it was like we weren't there!!!! There were so many situations like that , these are only two examples. I can talk in Italian and did it, of course we are gentle people, but, sometimes, we felt simply humiliated. We were there for 22 days! In small towns like San Gimigniano, people seem to be nicer. We wanted to be American, there, because we could watch better behavior of the local people with them...This problem the girl, in video, woudn't relate because she is from USA!
What a bunch of bullshits..LOL
@@alessandrom7181 , probably you are ANOTHER rude Italian man, as wrote this answer to me...
maria wonderful video, been to italy many times and your dislike is true except for one and that is mixing of food, i had no trouble with their separation because its much more healthy and is proving their lifestyle is one of the healthiest in the world. the one dislike i put is these nonitalians selling knockoffs on the street just ignore them completly and buy them at a register store , i find it more of them in pisa outside the tower.
Oh too much, sorry sitting around with your baby is so Tuscany on you! Geez lady
Opening hours are different for shops /services AND for restaurant. Restaurants are opened for lunch 12,30-3pm and for dinner 7,30/8-11,30 pm.
Shops close for siesta means lunctime and the hottest hours so they are closed between 12,30/1pm and 3,30/5 pm but opened till 8 pm and even longer in July because of the summer-end-sales-. It called 'night shopping' you can make a walk in the centre after dinner and find the shops opened between 9,30-11,30 pm at least twice a week. I find it a great idea. I live here about 18 years and really like siesta, otherwise we couldn't survive the heat during the 3 month
it's simple in Italy the working time is 8 hours, so 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon
My advice to you Lady: Stay away from Italy. You and Italy don't mix
I think you have not realized that in Italy italian speak italian, as in England english speak english
For the "siesta" it's a tricky issue. If you are visiting a bigger or tourist city, as Florence, Siena or San Gimignano, usually almost all the stores make the "orario continuato", which means that they stay open from 8.00-9.00 a.m until 7.00 - 8.00 p.m. They have the chance to do that because often they are part of a big franchise store, this allow them to have many full time or part time employers, they can alternate in order to cover the opening hours, or even if it's a private-artisanal shop, not part of a big chain store, they are located in a such busy place that allows them to have some customers, so the game is worth the candle. But in the case of private shops located in smaller or less tourist cities, it doesn't have any sense keep the store open between 1.00 p.m and 4 p.m., because they won't have so many customers, expecially in summer, when it's so hot in the early afternoon! They would just spend in terms of electricity and air conditioned!
Thank you for your insight:) Siesta makes total sense during the summer when it's hot, but sep-may?..:)
But also in september or may, and here I'm just talking about private shops in medium-small towns (for the bigger cities, I agree with you), it's not useful for them staying open, because the 90% of their customers are italian. If you'll come back to Italy on vacation, maybe you can look for a "centro commerciale", a shopping centre as Pam, Coop, etc...if you need to find an indoors space for your baby's nap. I know, maybe it's not the most fascinating place to visit in Italy, but nowdays almost all the towns have at least one of these, they offer several services, they are always open, they have stores and cafes, restaurants, restrooms or supermarket!
I guess you have to live in Mediterranean to get a clue what summer or siesta is! Being in Athens for many years I though siesta was a myth, but spending a few years in countryside it is a must. Big cities can both create and protect from the extra heat (through the buildings shadows), but in smaller cities you cant hide anywhere! Yesterday we had 37C (98F!) and is still May... its kind of impossible to be active during noon, you feel like a lizard...
Monjardin000 Z1
30 degrees isn’t that hot though.. we get 45 in Sydney and we don’t stop
Your English is excellent. Your presentation is very nice and useful. I don't know why a bunch of jerks have to be nasty. If they are lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, why should they be such sourpusses. Keep it up! Share the good!
If you want slaves to work during lunchtime, look for them in another country. If you want to accumulate food on the plate making all flavors indistinguishable, do it in your country.
Se vuoi degli schiavi che lavorino durante le ore di pranzo cercali in un altro paese. Se vuoi accumulare nel piatto rendendo tutti i cibi indistinguibili, fallo nel tuo paese.
Pack a hamburger and bring in if you like your own food .
There is not siesta in Italy unless you are a baby that is - - shops close 2 hours or so for lunch, yes we are not happy with just a sandwich, we are not British!!!!
No one does the siesta thing, that's Spanish, we close the stores to eat with our families
Scandinavians speak amazing English! Much better than some Aussies (I’m Australian) 🤣
Thanks so much for the video, Maria & please ignore the angry trolls! Everyone has different preferences and you are free to express them.
I personally prefer the combination of siesta + open till late over 5pm sharp closures in other parts of the world like Belgium but that is my personal preference and I don’t have any children either.
Some people are just so easily offended self-righteous!! Don’t let them discourage you :)
@@JJ-lc1gd Did you not read “some Aussies”? When the hell did I say anything about an entire nation? What does “one of the lower classes” even mean anyway? No such thing in Australia!
I couldn't care less about the siesta and stuff, what many people accuse her off is to say things that makes no sense like she is accustomed to mix food. If she is accustomed to mix there are Mc Donalds for her, or she thinks the world turns around them?? LOL
So are you telling me there's not one house to rent in all of Tuscany? I can't get a sublet, a guest room, a cot, nothing?
Doing siesta in the afternoon is good because u can go to sleep later. And you enjoy more staing in the fresh of the night maybe whit your Friends drinking wine and talking that is the main Essence of the 'dolce far niente'. But i agree that if u have babies you have diffrent lifestile, i also have a baby and im italian i cant do that kind of Life until they grow up a little
thanks can I know where can see countryside in toscany farms for example hills views please thanks ❤
I love to go there next year
Florence, Siena and Pisa are beautiful and must see places but for me before Siena would come San Gimignano and Lucca. They are fantastic and would certainly be an absolute must on my list when visiting Tuscany.
Brava e bella 👍👏💐
Thanks for the video - really enjoyed. My own two top tips - Firstly, When in Rome, Do as the Romans. Go with the flow with the Siesta thing. Just take a break for an hour or so, get out of the heat and have a short nap. You will have more energy for the evenings. Secondly, do the road trip between Florence and Siena taking the route that passes through the village of Panzano - about half way. The views are awesome and there are some amazing restaurants with views to die for in Panzano. I actually tend to base myself near Panzano and then explore the villages in the hills around. In many ways I enjoy these as much if not more than Florence and Siena - well at least once you've seen and done both. And the parking is easier. Enjoy!
Thanks for your suggestions and tips! Taking a cooking class is a great idea :-)
Hey, why don't you just leave Italy and never come back? We have enough tourists who expect Italians to adjust to THEIR wants, desires, tastes, etc. Well, thank you, but we are not interested and sorry if our lifestyle does not conveniently fit into your expectations or demands. You don't like the hours of our shops; really, perhaps a Walmart open 24 hours is your cup of tea. And I guess one reason the birthrate has declined is that Italian women are apparently as clueless as you are as to what to do with your kid between the hours of 1 - 4. Oh as for the food, there are unfortunately some McDonalds scattered through Italy that will allow you to mix your fries with your burgers!!! Ah, last but not least, English! My goodness, how dare a shopkeeper refuse to converse with you in English as though that should be part of his, 'how to deal with ugly tourist' training. You're IN A FOREIGN country so if an Italian does not want to or does not know how to speak ENGLISH, TOUGH, get a translator or next time go to Disneyworld! Stay home, and quite frankly, all of those things YOU don't like are threads of the Italian fabric which makes Italy, Italy! 'When in Rome...', as the saying goes.
Ah, what about Denmark, what 5 things do I hate, having visited my son and daughter-in-law numerous times? Well, actually there is nothing I hate or even dislike because I ACCEPT that they are different and appreciate that.
I was just going to write the same. Nicely put cee2 sea. It seems to me that Maria has missed the opportunity to relax on her vacation and she has not acknowledged the beauty of the Italian way of life. I love Italy and other countries, but all for very different reasons and mostly because of the cultural differences.. I've also been to Pisa/Lucca etc. last year, by car, and never had a problem driving or parking and it was in the middle of summer holidays. I would love to go back there any time, to relax and enjoy especially the things that you didn't like. I hope you can come back some day with other expectations and enjoy your time even more!
I am Danish, but I support your view cee2sea 100%. I enjoy southern Europe because e.g. Italy and France is lovely being different from Denmark. I DO NOT WANT them to change anything! And I do get by with language. I do not expect anyone to speak English. The women in this video makes me feel embarrassed being Danish. I say exactly as you: "why don't you just leave Italy and never come back!" No one will miss you Marie!
I love it. I am American and was amazed at the things she said but not really. I heard another tourist say they need to learn to speak English. I said to them, you are in their country, you need to learn to speak Italian.. and I proceeded to ask for what I wanted in Italian. You need to appreciate and value the different cultures the world has to offer. I went to Italy last year for a month and loved it. I am going back in two weeks. LOVE LOVE LOVE... It is all love.
first of all you are a really mad man or lady. maria is just giving some tips... on her experience and she is entitled to her opinion as well. beside that you had mentioned ... mcdonalds, walmart, disneyworld... every place you talk about is in america... are u a united states hater ? if she does not like it.. what's the problem. she was very nice and carefull while talking. sorry you have a problem ! and let me tell you something... do not spill so fast... you need tourist ... italy is having so much economical issues that believe me when i said YOU NEED PEOPLE LIKE MARIA in your country. do you accept what ? your ego is huge and your anger is worst !
I was recently in Tuscany and wished I had learned Italian before I vacationed - and will before my next adventure in Italy. I loved all the customs I was exposed to - and honestly wish we participated in more things like that in the US. Especially the "siesta." I loved the food - and actually LOST weight while there - because the quality of the food is a million times better than we have in the US. I now understand how foreigners feel when they come to the US and don't understand our language, but also know that it is MY responsibility to learn if I want to converse with locals. So cee2 sea, I 100% agree with you. :)
Nice video, was trying to figure out your accent, it's perfect English...
Love your honest review. The food thing is interesting.
I'm going to Florence in June ,will keep your comments in mind . thank you so much.
I loved Lucca but felt ennervated by Florence. Head back to Pistoia if the madding crowd is doing your head in.
You were part of the crowd..duh.
Why are there more likes than dislikes?
This is awful!
I disagree about English language. Italian people can talk in English properly and to me, they seemed like to do this.
No they dont
@@rob5197 Most of the people in this video say that they had not problem at all with English in Italy. Deal with it. You can also spare us with your presence and go to Disneyland in case.