Italy Do's and Don'ts

Here are your Do's . . . 

• Learn some basic Italian phrases such as hello, goodbye, please, thank you, where is . . ?, etc.
• Locate a restaurant where it appears you are the only tourist and use a menu decoder to help you order.
• Be gracious.  Remember you are a visitor in their country.
• Find time to sit in a cafe and people-watch--soak in their culture.
• Count your change after a purchase to keep the merchants honest.  Get a receipt and hold onto the receipt until you are away from the establishment.  Note:  In Italy it is the law that merchants give you a receipt and that you retain the receipt until you are clear of the establishment.
• Reserve museum admission times  at www.italy-museum.com. to avoid long queues.       

                        NOTE:  Reservations for The Last Supper in Milan need to be made months in advance.

• Validate your train tickets prior to boarding as you can be fined heavily if you don’t.
• Expect an odd expression from the waiter if you order cappuccino after 11AM—in Italy this is almost unheard of. They will make it for you, but don’t ask them to enjoy serving it to you.
  
  

. . .  and your DON'Ts!

• Don't expect everything to be the same as "home"—if it was the same, it would be no fun!
• Don't order food/drink from the counter and take it and sit at the table.  Table service is just that, its service at the table.  Or, if you prefer, you can stand and eat at the counter and order the same food for less money.
• Don't speak and laugh loudly in restaurants.  This is considered very disrespectful.
• Don't be demanding--it may actually get you less--not more.
• Don't raise your hand or snap your fingers at the waiters.  Fast service is considered poor service in Italy.  Wait to make eye contact with your waiter if you need his attention.
• Don’t expect the first floor of the hotel to actually be the first floor.  In Italy, their first floor is actually our second floor and their second floor is actually our third floor.  You get the idea!
• Don’t expect eggs for breakfast.  Italian breakfasts consist of yogurt, bread, cereal, fruit and sometimes local cheeses.
• Don’t believe that Americana coffee tastes like our coffee, as it is usually watered down espresso.  Rather try acappuccino or drink tea if you don’t like espresso.

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