What about gratuities? Do I leave anything for the waiter?
How about gratuities? Clients often ask me that simple question. Its a cultural difference that we sometimes don’t understand.
1- Gratuities or Tips are a personal choice that are always appreciated, but never taken for granted or expected. Unlike North America, tipping is not expected and it doesn’t go towards subsidizing an income that should have been taken care of by the employer. Italians are proud people and one mustn’t confuse gratuities with a hand-out.
The best way to know if you should leave a gratuity or not is to ask yourself the following question: Am I tipping because he or she provided an exceptional service and went above and beyond my expectations? If the answer is yes, then a token of appreciation can be left on the table. Nonetheless, it is not mandatory. It should be out the goodness of your heart and not what people will think if you don’t.
2- You never tip the owners of the business, such as in a restaurant, a salon,or mechanic. Nor you should give gratuities because you feel bad for that individual for doing his/her job. Again, Italians are proud, and if they feel you are tipping because they think that you feel sorry for them, then they may see this as an insult and just may refuse the tip. If they do refuse it for whatever reason, please don’t feel insulted. Understand it and move on. Don’t force it.
3- Waiters have a set salary, as wellas tour guides. I would recommend a tip of appreciation for guides for showing you the sites. Taxi drivers are on salary so there is no need to tip. In any case, you just round the amount to the nearest Euro or so.
A Gift Goes Further
Bonus- In some circumstances, it’s more appropriate and also more appreciated to give someone a gift instead of money for having gone beyond the call of duty. That would be more for owners of businesses or maybe the manager or concierge of a hotel. If you stayed several nights there and they accommodated with concert tickets, museum passes or really good recommendations for restaurants, then consider it. If you take in a cooking class for instance as a token of appreciation such as a gift, it goes further than money since in most cases it’s the owner/chef that gave the course… And if the gift is from your country… better yet. Italians appreciate when individuals go out of their way to make them feel special or appreciated and sometimes money is not the only reward.
If you know that you may possibly be running in one of these situations, you could purchase something in your country and have it ready if needed on your travels.If someone really did something great for you, you can always send it once you returned home.
‘Til then…Buon viaggio.
Are you travelling to Italy and are interested in my assistance, or would like to comment on my post? Just drop a line below or contact me privately at info@italiabound.com.
If you are in Italy and you are looking for unique art and culture, it would be impossible to miss it. Italy is a open air museum and everywhere you go the ghosts of the past are all around you enhancing your experience. One not to miss.
Lets start:
1) Architecture. Art and Culture
The essence of art and culture. It’s everywhere, but sometimes overlooked or taken for granted, even the one dating back from before Christ.
From Roman ruins to Longobards Castles to Etruschian catacombs. The visual experience is endless when you travel throughout Italy, from one part of the country to another, based on who was the ruler or the invader at that time.
Italy architecture constantly changed with unique and refreshing art and culture.
Trieste, for instance, a city reminiscing of Vienna since it was under Austrian-Hungarian control until almost the end of the18th century, contrasts from Torino with its French influence.
La Mole Antonelliana di Torino
Torino was seized by Napoleon until its fall, or Napoli, which was contested betweenthe French and Spaniards dynasties basically up until the Risorgimento or unification of Italy in 1861.
What is amazing about Italy is the uniqueness of its architecture. It is worthwhile to pay close attention to all of its beauty as you travel across the landscapes.
To me a must see is the Reggia of Caserta. Royal Palace from the 18th century and now a UNESCO Heritage Site. Once the home ofCarlo III, Duke of Bourbons and King of the Kingdom of Naples. It’s the largest Royal residence in the world. Need I say more? A must see. reggiadicaserta.beniculturali.it
2) Museums, Art Show and Galleries.
It is well obvious that Italy itself is an open air museum yet you will find something under a museum roof that will excite and inspire you to search for more unique beauties in this amazing country. Italians thirst for art and culture allows for hundreds and hundreds of museums, art galleries and theatres to instil knowledge and entertainment. The museum choices are endless, whether it’s affreschi, paintings, sculptures, modern or antique furniture, or… Yes! Even racing cars.
Museums are everywhere. And you need not be in a big center to take in any of that.
Uffizi Museums in Florence
A must is the Uffizi in Florence . And one of my favourites, ( although it has nothing to do with Italy) is the Museo Egizio di Torino. It’s the largest Egyptian museum outside Egypt. I need to go back there again. I just love it.
3) Archeological sites
In a Country rich of past civilizations it isn’t hard to findarcheological sites toexplore.Naturally theones thatcometo mind are Pompei,pompei.it , Ercolanoercolano.beniculturali.it and of course Rome itself.
Il Colosseo in Rome
In Tuscany or Umbriathere are manyarcheological sites of the mysterious Etruscan civilization.Particular the Necropolis of Cerveteri and Tarquinia not to be mistaken for the Necropoli della Banditaccia also near Cerveteri. If you have the time, you should see both.
Sicily, andCalabria on the other hand are home of many Greek ruins such asin the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, where The Temple of Concordiareigns over the Sicilianisland.A must see.
Aquileia, founded in 181 BC, in Friuli is rich in Roman ruins, ancient crypts and most recently a newly found Roman port buried under thousand years of dirt grasses and trees. Further north, but by only 40km,is Cividale, founded in. 53 BC by Julius Cesar.
Ponte del Diavolo in Cividale del Friuli.
You can discover the history of the Longobardi. It’s path through different civilizations. Amongst many things you must visit the 3rdCentury Celtic burial crept –Ipogeo Celtico- www.cividale.com deep in the undergrounds of the town. ( get the key from the restaurant next door or at the travel information center ).
What’s is amazing is that all are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
These among many others, are museum, cities and sites that I personally visited and enjoyed, but thousand more are there waitingto be discovered by you. That is Why You Should Go to Italy… It’s An Experience Not Just a Holiday. And if you decide to head over to this wonderful country, I can help.
“Til then…Buon viaggio.
Are you travelling to Italy and are interested in my assistance, or would like to comment on my post? Just drop a line below or contact me privately at info@italiabound.com.
So, you want to go to Italy and take advantage of the beautiful summer weather to soak up some sun and swim in the blue warm waters of the Mediterranean. You are hoping to find a nice secluded beach where the only sounds are the waves crashing on the beach.
San Nicola Arcella in Calabria
Unfortunately more often than not,these places are rare to find, as most beaches are often crowded by beachgoers. If tourists flock the scogli (reefs) of Sardegna and Campania or maybe Liguria too between October and May, then that may be the case. In the summer months, on the other hand, Italians live for the beach and water, so they tend to crowd them.
You Wonder Why?
Italian beach culture is a love triangle between Italians, the sea and the sweet life of doing nothing.
21 million Italians will hit the Italian beaches between July and August. Add a “couple” of foreigners, too.. well more like several millions.
Italians rush the beaches for at least 10 days but many will extend their holidays for the whole month.
Many are willing to work extra weekends, save on dinners, sacrifice make-up and fashion purchases so that they can add extra days to their beach holiday.
No other country has a need to be at the beach and under the sun like Italians do. They justify all of this because it’s the only time that they can completely detach from the day to day stress of work, kids, traffic, crowds and everything else that drives them crazy during the year.
54% of Italians will be going on a beach holiday during the year.
85% will go in July and August.
60% of them will stay at least 10 days.
So What Do Italians Do at the Beach?
A typical beach holiday to Italians consists of the following:
wake up
have breakfast
pick up all possible newspapers
walk to beach
sit under the rental umbrella on their rental loungers until noon
head back to hotel or apartment for lunch
back down to the beach at around 3 PM, and stay till 6 PM.
shower at the hotel or apartment,
go to dinner and then for a passeggiata (stroll) and have a gelato.
They do this everyday that they are on holiday.
Don’t Worry… Be Italian
Italians’ only worry is about how dark of a tan they want. This is the time that the saying “il dolce far niente” (the sweet doing nothing ) comes in to play and they bare no excuses for it. During their holiday, each Italian will read 5000 books and newspapers. They even have libraries on the beaches to help with their choices.
Add a few walks down the beach, build a half a dozen sand castles. If you really want to feel Italian, build a sand race track with bent turns and tunnels, get yourself some plastic marbles and race for the ultimate prize…A ghiacciolo al limone ( lemon icecicle).
Now you are set!!
Library on Italian beach
Conversations with umbrella-neighbours centre around politics and soccer or, more recently, about food and recipes. Recent surveys show that these are now the most talked about topics on beaches.
Ongoing arguments with their kids aboutgetting in the water too soon after having had a snack are also often overheard. Italians believe that one should not enter the water for at least three hours after having had food (joking, not joking!).
You Pay for the Convenience
All this doesn’t come cheap of course as the bagni or beach rental sites charge a fair amount for those umbrellas and chairs. In Rimini for instance, one umbrella and 2 sun chairs in the first row in somebagniwill cost around€25 per day or €124 per week. Expect to pay a lot more in more popular places such as Tuscany, Sardegna and Liguria. Even up to €4000 for the season.
Endless umbrellas in Rimini
Public beaches are hard to come by and they are not so… convenient. Italians like convenience, and don’t mind crowds. So to pay for an umbrella or access to a caffè/ bar/ ristorante right on the beach to them is worth the cost. In the evening, life gets even better as the town is invaded by the beachgoers as are the nightclubs, discotheques and restaurants.
Where to Stay
Many Italians like to rent apartments. Hotels are popular, butonly because Italians opt for a pensione completa, where all three meals are included in the price.
More often then not, they also tend to go back to the same seaside town, same bagno and even the same row and spot year after year. So their umbrella neighbours are the same every year, making their holiday more familiar as it is a sort of reunion.
I remember as a child spending the whole summer in Lignano Sabbia d’Orowith my grandma and uncles. Every year the same people from Rome would be our neighbours. I remember them always commenting how much I grew from the previous year and over the years they became sort of surrogated relatives. As an adult I even visited them in Rome.
If you are looking for that quiet secluded beach, Italy has plenty throughout the peninsula and you’ll be mesmerized by their beauty, tranquility and cleanliness. But, at the same time, spending a couple of days in a crowded one that defines Italian living,is something special too. At least once in your lifetime you should enjoy the “dolce far niente”.
Italian invented it and are masters at it. Why not try it.
Five Beaches Where You Must Go to Experience il Dolce Far Niente
–Rimini or Riccione in the Emilia Romagna region are probably the most famous beaches of Italy amongst Germans and most European tourists. Endless miles of silky sand and lightly sloped coastline with perfectly tempered water. Ideal for adults and children alike.
–Lignano Sabbia d’ Oro is just one hour east of Venice. This golden sand town has beautiful beaches and reasonable rates.
–Senigallia. Further south from Rimini by 100km and closer to Ancona on the Adriatic side of the Italian coast. Great beaches, great food all withwarm southern hospitality.
–Versilia. You are in Tuscany and the beaches of Versilia stretch from Forte deiMarmi to Viareggio.Lido di Camaiore probably has the best beach, but anywhere along this 30km stretch you can’t go wrong. Prices in Tuscany tend to be one of the highest in Italy.
–Alassio. This is a small stretch of beach in the Liguria region in the province of Savona. Stupendous small town on the Ligurian Sea rich of entertainment, restaurants and shops.
BONUS Beaches…
Don’t forget the real south, Calabria, in particular Roccella Ionica. The many Islands including Capri, the Emerald Coast in Sardegna and of course Taormina in Sicily
Are you travelling to Italy and are interested in my assistance, or would like to comment on my post? Just drop a line below or contact me privately at info@italiabound.com.
Whether I travel with my family, a group or alone, farmhouses –agriturismo- are my favourite types of accommodations in Italy.
An Agriturismo as well as a Relais such as the one below, set the mood for any vacation. Imagine waking up in a century old villa, or spending some time visiting and even helping out on a working farm. Perhaps indulging in a spa in a XVI century castle.
Relais Canalicchio. Beautifull relaxing stay in a very suggestive setting. A must when in Umbria
Beautifully attended rooms with all the amenities yet surrounded by farms, rolling vineyards or century old woods. Often prices are less than hotels and because you are in the outskirts of town you will feel more relaxed, alive and immerse. You’ll feel at home.
Majestic welcome at Hotel Danielli in Venice
Choose you accommodations wisely
Often you will need a car if you plan to stay in these places. If the plan was to only see Italy by train you’ll need to rethink your trip or your accommodations.
If you have no alternative but to use the public transportation, hotels in the cities are easier for your travels.
Some agriturismi may be able to shuttle you to town or lend you bicycles, but it makes it somewhat more expensive to only rely on shuttles and taxis to get to and from. Everything is possible but often it’ll come with a price.
Book Hotels in the City Only as a Must
If you have a car on the other hand, I would discourage anyone from staying in hotels in the cities. Parking is at a premium. Most cities have ZTL (zones where traffic is limited) if not restricted all together.
limited transit city sign
The traffic itself is heavy even if you may know where you are going. Some hotels are in such old buildings that don’t even offer parking at all. In most cases you book hotel through booking sites, you find a great deal on the room but the parking costs are not mentioned. And, if they do offer parking, sometimes you may have to walk a few blocks to an authorized parkade. Street parking is impossible at best and you’ll likely get a ticket.
Florence for instance is €68 for a parking infraction. I once helped a client who at all costs wanted to stay in downtown Florence. I found the hotel for the price he wanted but the parking was extra- 35€ per night extra, at that time. The problem was also that the garage was quite far and the concierge had to book a pick up time at least two hours before my client needed the car. Hardly convenient, but like most centri storici (an old part of town) the buildings were built way before cars were invented.
Ponte del Diavolo in Cividale del Friuli. Narrow streets in medieval town
Other options of course are AirBnB and VRBO but even then if they are in the city core, parking may come at a premium. Plus, you have to pay in advance and often have no cancellation refund policies. Still, it’s a good alternative for some.
Things to Know Before Booking in an Agriturismo or Farmhouse
When planning your trip, check out the locations and areas you want to visit, and then find an agriturismo that is central, yet has all the amenities that you need.
San Gimignano. Consider your interests when planning your stay
You would want to change accommodations as less often as possible on your holiday, so a well located place makes all the difference. Also, some places may require a minimum night’s stay. So, the more nights you stay, sometimes the lower the nightly rate.
Ask Questions
It’s also a good idea to check what’s included in the daily rate. At some places, the meals are included, and in others just the breakfast. Some are rooms only, others may offer full kitchens. If they offer meals, they may ask you in advance what your meal preferences are.
Once, I stayed in a farmhouse that included a full meal plan (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and because we were sightseeing during the day they prepared beautiful lunches to take in beautiful picnic baskets. However, that’s not always the case. Always just ask first. And if you are planning to be away lots, maybe a half meal plan or no plan at all is better for you.
Many places offer a lot more than a place to sleep. Research the agriturismo and see what else they offer. You might modify your stay because of the extra curricular activities that they offer. You’ll never know what they have in store for you. Cooking classes, horseback riding or even… picking olives.
Agriturismi are in the countryside and far enough from the centers that a car is necessary. If you don’t have one, make sure that they have a shuttle or some kind arrangement with a transport company. Tour guides will pick you up as well and I’ve arranged for bikes or mopeds to be delivered by rental companies in advance for customers to use.
Ask More Questions…
In many places, English is spoken very well. So although you can book online, I would recommend calling them personally and asking all the questions before booking. Because often, they are family owned and not franchises, the individual on the other line is always very helpful, as negative ratings don’t help their business. So, get acquainted with them. Sometimes prices are better when you call as opposed to simply booking online.
Your Holiday. Make it the Best Ever
Accommodations are a big part of your experience as well as a good chunk of your budget therefore spend the right enough time and money so thatyour holiday is not ruined by it. The more you research the region and the type of accommodation the easier it is in the long run to enjoy a truly amazing adventure.
‘Till then… Buon Viaggio
Don’t forget to read other favorite posts from Italiaboud.com.
Are you travelling to Italy and are interested in my assistance, or would like to comment on my post? Just drop a line below or contact me privately at info@italiabound.com.
Italy’s food culture is unique in many ways. From their passion with slow food, to the diversity of their cuisine varying from one region to an other, and often from town to town. Food and eating together is the reason why Italians exists.
Life, relationships, family and even work often revolve around the table. Food is to Italians what the heart is to our body. Without it it’s society would die. Everything is planned around that. Although eating is important, just as important are the Italian etiquette around food and restaurants. often quite different from North America.
No Need to Tip
1- Unlike in North America where staffing is inexpensive because we expect the restaurant goers to pay for the hired help with tips, in Italy the servers and cooks have a set labour contract. Their wages are completely covered so you don’t need to tip. It’s never expected, but if you like to, it’s a minimal amount.
When is the Best Time to Eat?
2- Restaurants are not always open ready to serve anytime you feel hungry, unless you are in a tourist infested area. Restaurants tend to open just before noon and stay open until 2:30 PM or so. In some cases, they don’t take tables past 2:00 PM.
They re-open again later around 7 o’clock in the evening and dinners are served until late. It all depends on the location; downtown, suburbs, big cities, small towns or high traffic areas on highways
. The seasons also play a big role in when restaurants open and close. Most places are closed one day, some two days of the week, usually Monday, Tuesday but also Wednesday or Thursday.
That Seems like a lot of Food
3- Italians eat in courses at both lunch or dinner. They’ll have at least two plus the caffe.
Antipasti. (appetizers) Not to be confused with aperitivi.
Primi. (first dishes) usually those are starches, such pasta or risotto or soup.
Secondi. (second dishes) tent to be meats, fish. Often you would receive the meat by itself with no sides.
Contorni. (side dishes) Arrive with you secondi maybe salads, steamed and cooked vegetables or fries, etc. etc. These are brought on different plates.
Formaggi (cheeses) Usually this will be a selection of local cheeses.
Dolci. (dessert)
Frutta. (fruit) It is common to finish with fresh fruit. And last but not least…
Caffè. This is always an espresso and sometime it’s corretto which means that grappa or another kind of liquor is added to the caffè. Never ever order a cappuccino or a macchiato at end of meal. It’s frowned upon.
Cover Charge?… for What?
4-Copertois a cover charge for each person sitting down having dinner. This varies from 1 to even 5 Euros or so depending on the type of restaurant. A pizzeria is usually 1 to 2€ for instance. Osterie style restaurantsmay not even have one. High-end restaurants will be more. The charge goes back to the medieval days when the inns would charge for using the place when customers would bring their own food and just used the inn as a refuge from the weather. The cover is for the linen, cutlery and bread. This would be posted on the menu so there are no surprises.
Free Food?
5-Aperitivi are not antipasti, so if you drop in at a bar around 6 o’clock or so you can go for a aperitivo and in most cases food is served with it free of charge. Yes, the food is free, as long as you buy a drink. Some bars (bars in Italy are cafés or wine tasting shops) offer apercena, which translated is aper (aperitif) and cena (dinner).
Here you can literally eat to your heart’s desire and all you pay for is your drinks. Often you do this standing up and/or outside the bar in the street while wandering in and out sampling and eating finger food and chatting the night away. I recommend finding at least one of these places while you are traveling. It’s a great way to see the Italian dolce vita at work while sampling different dishes and wines. Here you pay before you eat.
BONUS…
You must always ask for the bill, as waiters will not bring it to you automatically at the end of your meal. It would be considered extremely rude to do that. The reasoning behind this is that the evening is not finished just because the food is. Italians often stay and talk for hours after the caffè and only when they are ready to leave they ask ( by a hand wave) the bill.
DOUBLE BONUS…
Lately all over Italy and mostly in the larger cities a new phenomenonis occurring.
Restaurants where the “ imbonitori” stand outside and invite you in. You’ve seen them in the Latin Quarters in Paris and there they belong. But in Italy…No thank you! Often these hosts offer a free appetizer or a drink (but you will pay for it in other ways) to entice you to enter. They may even tell you that they serve the best pasta in town.
It’s pretty obvious that these are only really inviting tourist as regular restaurant goers would never think of being duped by these individuals. If they need to ” invite”, the food is usually not that good. Even Italian tourists in their own country would never go here so why should you?
AVOID at all cost these places. Stay clear. But, if you do go, you then lose the right to complain that you’ve been to Italy and the food was terrible.You have been warned.
“Uomo avvisato mezzo salvato”.
Translation : Man that has been warned, is a man half saved”
‘Till then… Buon Viaggio!
Are you travelling to Italy and are interested in my assistance, or would like to comment on my post? Just drop a line below or contact me privately at info@italiabound.com.
