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COVID-19 Italy’s Sad Reality

It’s hard to talk about traveling in times like these. COVID-19 has hit Italy hard and every part of the world has been invaded by the virus. Even when you know that things will get better, in the back of your mind you know that things will never be the same. 

More so in Italy where human contact is so much part of everyday life. How will Italians rally back from this epidemic? How will they act around others? More importantly how will they be able to cope with the heavy loss of lives?

Why Italy is Hit so Hard

Italy has been hit hardest for many reasons. Two major factors are: 1. Italians have close contact with people in their everyday life and 2. Italy has a very large aging population.

First of all, kissing, hugging, connecting with people physically is part of everyday Italian greetings and life in both formal and informal settings. As well, most Italians live within walking distance of their work, or use public transportation to access their activities.

Here in North America, we leave our house, jump in our car and drive to work in our bubble. We then work and jump back into our cars to head to our activities or shopping before taking our protective chariot home where we stay for the rest of the evening.

In Italy, daily routines involve being amongst crowds of people throughout the day. Italians engage in tens of interactions with neighbours, small businesses owners and casual acquaintances all through their day in addition to regularly spending home time with extended family and close friends. Shopping daily for groceries at the neighbourhood food store, enjoying a quick espresso at a bar counter before work, or just chatting in the streets or piazza with passerbys – Italians live and love to socialize.

Secondly, Italy has one of the world’s highest percentage of seniors. Italy’s population in 2017 had 35% of people over the age of 65 – the highest rate in Europe. In the last 20 years alone Italy’s seniors grew in population percentage from 22.5% to 30%. Italy overall has a population of 60 million people, approximately 20 million plus, who are seniors – all living in a country the size of the State of California.

Loss of Grandparents

These thousands of seniors that are dying are not only a great loss to their families. More importantly they are a tremendous loss to the younger generations. These older people are grandparents, uncles, and aunts to million and millions of adolescents.

In Italy, grandparents, great aunts and uncles have always been there to be the bridge between youth and their parents.

In the last 30 to 40 years, the Italian lifestyle and culture has had grandparents come out of “retirement” and help raise the grandchildren.

Many of these golden age citizens move in with their own sons and daughters. They, at the very least, move close by and contribute in shaping these youngsters. These youngsters on the other hand are instrumental in giving the older generation a purpose and a sense of belonging. 

Life with Grandparents

I can look back at my youth and see how my grandparents shaped me. They educated me, played with me, shared their knowledge, and taught me to appreciate the generations before me.  

I can’t imagine my youth without my nonni. Today I am who I am thanks to them. Yes, my parents were there for me always, but my grandparents were essentially as important – a cornerstone in my growing years.

Many of days spent at my nonni house happened because my parents were working or traveling. My nonni were always there to help. I could write a book on my many days spent with my nonni. Oh the many adventures that I had with them! The places we visited, the fun we had together, and the traditions, discipline and respect that they instilled in me will forever be a part of who I am.  

Foundation of Upbringing

My nonni and their brothers and sisters were always around us kids, shaping us without us even knowing. The memories and the stories are the foundation of my upbringing.

To this day I phone my remaining great aunts and uncles in Italy monthly. Unfortunately, year after year there are less of them to call. At least I had decades of them in my life and now I find myself close to their children and their grandchildren because of that. 

Great Loss

The question now is: How will these children’s lives be different now that they have lost their grandparents or great aunts and uncles to COVID-19?  How will the Italian nuclear family function without the older generation to support them as they always have?

How will the final masterpiece differ now that key parts of the puzzle are missing? Where are they going to find answers? How will the new generations’ stories change now that they will not have the privilege of having their grandparents be a formative part their lives? 

Things will get better and Italy will overcome this epidemic too, but will things be the same? For Italy, likely not as their future has been altered when COVID-19 eliminated many of the people that helped shape its past. 

If you don’t know where you came from, how can you know where you are going? Your ancestors are your map. 

The next generation of Italians now face a challenge. How do they remember their predecessors and learn how to cope without them? Moving on is never easy. Even while things get back to “normal”, it certainly will not be the same. 

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slow food Italy food culture italiabound.com La Morra
Dining

Local Dishes in Italy: 5 Things to Help Identify Them

Local Dishes, Local Dishes , Local Dishes

1- Savouring local dishes is a must when travelling throughout Italy. If you see dishes named after the towns you are in, you won’t go wrong. When in Milan, for instance a Risotto alla Milanese would be a give-away that it’s a local dish.

Val Sesia italiabound.com slow food local ingredients
Rye bread tartine with lard, honey and nuts… and a bottle of Gattinara

2– Look in the menu for “piatti tipici” which means, “typical dishes”. Furthermore, if you dine at an osteria or trattoria, most likely, they would promote local dishes.

italiabound.com Il Cavenago slow food
A menu promoting local producers, traditional ingredients and homestyle dishes at agriturismo Il Cavenago

Farmhouses Mean Freshness

3- Agriturismi are a guarantee for fresh, kilometre-zero ingredients. These farms grow the ingredients right on site. As a result, their neighbouring farms also often produce many of the ingredients for their menus, as the photo above illustrates. You can’t get it any fresher.

4- Look for DOC and DOCG wines. Hence, the origin of the ingredients is controlled and guaranteed. On the labels of cheeses and insaccati you’ll see the DOP stamp. Those ingredients are the best in quality, guaranteed and protected. 

You can purchase DOGC and DOP products anywhere in the world. Ask if a DOP product is local. If not, you know you’ll be eating quality products, just not from the area that you are in.

Read my blog on 13 Italian Cultural Habits... to above all, have a better understanding of Italian food culture, while travelling through Italy.

Markets and Festivals

5- At a mercato look for seasonal vegetables, fruits. No one toots their own horn better than Italians do. As a result, local businesses and towns love to promote typical ingredients, dishes and history.

slow food Italy food culture La Morra Italiabound.com
fresh cheeses at a market in La Morra in the Langhe

Bonus

6- Attend festivals or sagre in the areas that you are visiting. You may want to ask where and when these events are. Visit websites that promote these sagre. All over Italy, towns organize festivals to celebrate a harvest, a season, or a saint of some sort and therefore, will use any excuse to savour local traditional specialties.

Live Like the Locals Do

Tourists are not the only ones flocking to these sagre to try local dishes, drink local wines, and dance the night away. It has been an Italian way of life for generations.

One of my favourite hands down is Friuli DOC. This festival starts on the second Thursday of September. Over 100 000 visitors pour into the streets of the North Eastern city of Udine daily for four straight days to experience regional dishes, wines, spirits,  music, dances, and costumes.

slow food Italy food culture italiabound.com La Morra

Every piazza, viale, and roundabout has kiosks or tents sampling food from all over the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It’s an amazing event…and what an event it is. If you find yourself in the vicinity of Udine during  that week, you must take a detour and visit it at all costs.

The warm summer months bring people out to the many sagre. Italians spend  their weekends traveling from town to town in search of great food, wine, and folklore events. They definitely know how to celebrate life.

Eating fresh food and celebrating life is quintessential to Italians and probably the main reason for their existence.

If you interested in more information about Italy or help in organizing a trip there, please leave a message below or contact me privately at info@italiabound.com

‘Til then…Buon viaggio!

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Travel Tips

9  Important Things to Know Before Traveling to Italy

What is important to you before you pack your bags for Italy , book your flight and get ready to go on to your holiday?

Budget aside, there should be a plan of some sort and how you go about executing your plan and make your trip not only a reality but also a memorable experience.

Before starting a travel blog on Italy, I took the liberty to interview dozens of clients that I had helped in their travels as well as many more that were/are regular travellers and asked them a simple question.

What are your concerns, needs and interests when you travel?

Interestingly enough, the average person was more concerned about wasting time than wasting money, but the two go hand in hand. When you are not getting the most of your time, you end up wasting money along the way.

Travellers put a lot of emphasis on seeing and doing as much as possible in the short span of time. Often when they try to do too much they return home with a wrong sense of where they were, what they did and what they saw.

As far as I’m concerned, there are two types of holidays.

The first is a “relax and do-nothing holiday”.

You sit on a beach or in a cabin in the wilderness and just re-energize and leave all your stress behind.

The second is an adventure-type.

When I say adventure, I don’t necessarily mean climbing mountain peaks or swimming with sharks. Adventure could also mean learning about history, doing cooking classes, biking or hiking and any other interests that call for some planning and organizing. Even a certain level of “relaxing stress.” You may be on the go but in a relaxing manner.

For the most part, traveling to Italy is an adventure holiday.

So, aside from the obvious concerns such as and feeling safe and secure while traveling, when I asked the question, these were the answers I received.

Survey Says

1-They want  itineraries that are off the beaten path. Identify the “must see” that may not be part of the usual tourist brochures. Quaint spots that would not be in tourism guides.

2-They like to connect with someone or, perhaps a website that can  recommend based on their needs and not the masses. As well , the ability to be in touch with local people or someone that can be a liaison between locals and them via email, texting or by phone.

3-They would like to enrich their experience, since many have no concept of travel in Italy. To receive the knowledge to help experience the true flavour of Italy, people and places that otherwise they may have missed.

4-They want to feel that they can lose the anxieties about planning the trip by being reassured about the country and their travel plans. Having options about where to start and finish, and what type of accommodations.

5-Travellers want someone with knowledge of the land so they are able to be recommended on the routes to take. As well, they want a good understanding about traffic, parking costs and hotel room sizes as well as the best airport to utilize to avoid delays and traffic in larger and busier airports.

Read my post on Italian culture habits  since the more you know about their culture the more fun you’ll have travelling through their country

Food, Wine, Food, Wine

6-They want food, food and food!  Wine, wine and wine! But also an understanding of Italy’s obsession with both.

7-Travellers want someone with a deep understanding of the culture. Being able to receive valuable tips so they feel less like a tourist, or at least feel more like a savvy tourist.

8-They want help in managing, and organizing their trip. To get the most of their time as well as avoiding over spending due to poor planning, lack of knowledge or limited research.

9-They want someone to recommend niche things that can get them off the beaten track and away from tourist crowds, and how to avoid pitfalls and time wasters.

Bonus!

10-And finally. Travellers that were surveyed want to enjoy a true experience of the culture and feel immersed in it. And of course, have a memorable trip.

Often when I asked  more detailed questions such as “food” for instance, all of the surveyors wanted to experience Italian food at its best, but were not aware of that particular country’s obsession with it. Many were not aware of the difference in regional dishes. Often, there are rivalries between towns and their dishes or wines. Italians are passionate about everything. From politics, sports, art and especially food, they are passionate about it all.

Another concern was getting around the country, in a car, due to their lack of knowledge of the Italian language. This should not be a deterrent, as Italy is very organized for tourists. Driving there should be positive addition to the trip. English is spoken throughout the country and for sure in all of the airports, car rentals, museums and hotels.

So…pack your bags and let’s go to Italy… together!

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.

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Italiabound.com travel blog Italy
Transportation

5 Things to Know about Low Cost Airlines and Italian Trains

Low Fares, Low Fares

1– One great thing about low cost airlines and Italian trains are their fares. Low! With the airlines on the other hand, Its important to understand their game and how they make extra money off of you if you don’t pay attention.

Don’t Get Fooled

2– Train station are the most common place to find pickpocketers so be aware of your surroundings. Gypsies and Roms often gather in groups and while one or two get your attention the others picks your wallet out of your purse or pocket.

As a precaution, don’t engage in a conversation with a stranger unless they are speaking English and or look lost. In bigger stations such as Centrale in Milan and  Naples no one is allowed  on the platform without a ticket so usually those people are travellers. Nonetheless  “occhio“. Keep an eye open as they say in Italy and you’ll be fine.

Know Your Way Around

3– Shuttles often run from train stations to airports but you need to make sure they run when you need it.  Give yourself plenty of time as traffic is pretty intense in major cities. If you are taking a taxi ask how much it’s going to cost you  before you enter.Remember that they may tag on charges for luggage and after hours rates.

Effective April 2018 Uber is illegal in Italy.

If it isn’t an official taxi…walk away

4– Do not let anyone who is not an official taxi take you anywhere. These abusive drivers are all over the sidewalks as you exit the airports or train stations. Sometimes they are right at the arrival areas. Although they are a nuisance and illegal, authorities can’t really get rid of them.  Stick with the original visible taxies.

Read also  Getting Around Italy with Trains and Planes to get a better understanding.

Trains…the way to go

5– Trains are well maintained and comfortable. You don’t have to book a 1st class ticket. I recommend a reservation if you travel in the summer. If you do have a reservation, make sure you get on the right train car otherwise you’ll never get to your seat if the train’s hallway is congested with passengers and their luggages.

 In Italy your luggage stays with you at all times, therefore travel light if you can.

Avoid reserving seats, if you don’t mind seating away from each other save your money. Most flights within Europe are for a short distance anyways..

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.

‘Till then…Buon viaggio.

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Treni Italia Italiabound.com travel blog Italy
Transportation

Getting Around Italy With Planes and Trains.

“I’m going to be in Italy but I don’t want to drive everywhere.”

“Then, take planes and trains! “

“Won’t that be too expensive?”

” Not necessarily…”

Alternative ways of Travelling

If you are planning a trip to Italy and want to explore  just a region or two then the best way is to rent s car. Especially if the countryside is what you are interested in. If you are limited on time or wanting to see a lot of the country, then maybe you should look at possible alternatives such as planes and trains.

Flight costs have come down drastically in the last decade thanks to European deregulations and competition. There are several low cost air carriers that offer not only great deals but reach many cities throughout the peninsula.

Italiabound.com travel blog Italy
Courtesy of Creative Commons

You need to be a bit pro active and plan ahead. Figure out the in and outs of these low cost air carriers because if you don’t, the costs can go up pretty fast.

Great Prices and Save Time

How cheap can you fly? Well, about Milan to Paris for 20€ or Milan to Olbia for 36€. I’ve flown from Berlin to Milan  for only 9€. That’s right, those prices are dirt cheap but they need to be booked in advance. All of your boarding passes need to be printed  in advance as well. If you don’t,  you could face fees from the airline. Checkout www.tripsavvy.com for a rude wakening on these discount airlines extra fees. If you do everything they say then you are on “easy” street… or flight. 

Often the airports that these airlines use are not the common ones that you may be familiar with. Check which airport you are actually landing in, and plan accordingly. For instance if you travel from Berlin to Milan with Ryan Air, you actually land at Bergamo airport. Although only 50 kilometres from to Milan, Bergamo is an other city entirely.

The Smaller the Airport the Better

  Sometimes it’s actually better because these airports are smaller and therefore easier to get in and out. But, for instance, Milan is your final destination, you still have some traveling to do. An other example: Easy-Jet has the whole terminal 2 to it self at Milano Malpensa. A bit tricky for your car rental return, as the drop off is at terminal 1. You need then shuttle to terminal 2 once you dropped off your rental.  Nonetheless it’s worth the hassle if you consider that it cost me only 110€ for my whole family of 5 to fly one way to Paris. Luggage fees, assigned seats, taxes included. Soon terminal 2 will have rental pick up and drop off.

Planning is Key

Discount airlines often land only in selected airports so you might need to have a strategy in place. For instance you want to visit Milan, Rome Florence and Sicily.  The airline of your choice flies from Milan to Rome but not from Rome to Sicily but it flies out of Pisa to Sicily. I, then suggest to go to Sicily first from Milan visit the island and then get on a flight to Pisa, visit Florence as it is  only 70km away and then take the train to Rome. Enjoy the capital and all its beauties and then you are off  to your next destination from one of Rome’s Airports. Of course if you have  time at your disposal you could also drive to all these places. Planning is key.

What I’ve done as well in the past, is booking far enough in advance so the costs are really inexpensive and then book two departure days from the same airport just in case I want to spend extra time there. If the price is low and sometimes it’s as low as 9 euros, I would then forfeit one ticket. That’s always less expensive than calling the airline and pay for a change in dates. You’ll know when you do your budget how much you want to spend in transportation and then make decisions  accordingly.

Easy, Relaxing Train Travel

Trains in Italy are easily available, fast and on time 86% of the time( 2016 Trenitalia statistics ). Second class is just fine and naturally less expensive. Trenitalia is the main train company and their trains hit just about every possible town.

Treni Italia Italiabound.com travel blog Italy
High speed train at Milano Centrale station
Courtesy of Daniel Case

But if you are wanting to see passes in the Dolomites, the poppy fields in Tuscany or the lakes in Veneto, then you need to add  a car to your trip. Book your train to the town closest to where you want to go and then rent a car to continue your trip. Make sure car rentals are available at those stations. Because trains are often and fast, it makes planning that much simpler.

Milano-Roma on the Frecciarossa for instance is less than 3 hours. That’s 620 km.

The great thing about train travel is that it always arrives and departs downtown. Making it  easy and inexpensive to get to the stations.

Great destinations at your finger tips

Some cities have more than one train station so check to see which works for you. In bigger centres, you can use the public transportation to get to the stations instead of taxis which are expensive and sometimes … questionable. That could be a blog all in itself. Small towns are also connected by train so it makes perfect sense if you are interested in seeing as much as the countryside as possible. Visit www.trenitalia.com and see where you would like to travel to.

Personally I always rent a car as soon as I arrive at the airport and almost alway use it to move about.

And if you do rent, read my post on driving in Italy. https://www.italiabound.com/driving-italy-autostada-toll-highways/

 I often don’t use a car if I travel between major cities especially if I’m going there for just one or two days. For instance if on one visit I want to go to Milan from my home of Novara, I would take the train. It  takes only 25 minutes to get there. Parking alone would take that long to find in Milan.

And the best part I just show up at the station as a train usually will be by every 20 minutes. If I miss it, I’ll have a caffè al bar and wait for the next one.

Buying tickets can be done online, at a kiosk in the station or airports or in biglietteria ( ticket booth) in the station.

train ticket kiosk italiabound.com travel blog Italy
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons. Typical ticket kiosk at train station

In bigger centres I would avoid the latter. It can be a long wait as many foreigner flock these counters. The kiosks are fast and in any language. It makes the whole process easier.

Online is an other option but at times, I noticed that certain departure times and trains are not available for purchasing. When you purchase on line you are restricted to that particular time departure that you’ve booked. At a kiosks you have the option to get a different train that may be arriving sooner since you are already there.

Which ever choice of transportation you choose is totally based on budget, flexibility and time at your disposal.

Trains are clean well maintained, frequent and fast which makes for a better travel experience.

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.

 

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