Italy Do’s and Don’ts

DO

Try the coffee and pizzettas! (Autogrills serve great espresso!)

Try the gelati (personally I couldn’t tell the difference between home and Italy, but the flavours were great)

Buy souvenirs at Burano! (near Venice) They are sooooo much cheaper!!!
(But you have to discover this for yourself ;))

Run away from the men! Haha!

Be aware of gypsies and beggars in all the tourist attractions.

Be aware of street vendours… apart from invading your space, you can be fined up to Euro1500 for purchasing “genuine copies” from these people.

Climb the Duomo in Milan
Not as difficult as St Paul’s in London, but awesome when you’re at the top!
The view is magnificent, as are the ceiling paintings inside. I have to give credit to my travel friends Mike and Phyllis for suggesting this experience!

DON’T

Buy products from factories visited as part of your tour. They may seem cheap…until you find something around the corner (same or similar) for up to a third of the price!

Trust Venetians in tourist shops! As mum says, “They rip you off with a smile”
(Although I must admit my grandparents were born in this region and I would trust them!)

Expect value for money from Italian hotels.
Apparently they are renowned throughout Western Europe as the most expensive, but also the worst kept hotels…but have a high tourist turnover, suggesting they don’t need to improve since the tourists will come anyway!

Drink the coffee in hotels! Buy it elsewhere!

Be afraid to stick up for yourself! Sometimes it pays to be 'rude'... if you're a young girl, the men will target you, so running away from them is not such a bad thing ;)