I'm going to italy, has anyone been there before?

Question

i'm going to rome, naples venice, messina, and livorno.

what should i expect?

is it clean and classy there?

any tips? any warnings? any must-sees?

anything and everything would be helpful so thanks in advance.

p.s. what should i bring?

what shouldn't i bring?

Answer 1

I went to Italy for the first time in March.  I hit Venice, Florence and Rome.  You expectations should be that there are a ton of tourists, so many people speak at least rudimentary English.  Also expect that shop owners feel that they are doing you a favor by selling you goods.  It was odd to me as an American because here the customer is always right, not so there.  Expect to pay more to sit down and even more to sit outside.  I found Rome to be the least clean of the three cities I stayed in.  I found it much like NYC in the late 80's & early 90's.  A lot of beggars, litter and a funny smell in a lot of areas.  I read before I went that a lot of places don't have toilet tissue in the bathrooms, the only place I encountered this was at the airport and train stations.  Make sure that you bring really comfortable shoes and clothes.  You will have to walk just about everywhere.  My big mistake was not bringing enough comfy clothes and shoes.  I wore brown sneakers with just about everything.  I also suggest bringing an iron.  None of the hotels that we stayed in had an iron, we ended up buying one for about 30 Euro.  When you are in Rome take the 110 Trambus.  It will take you to all the major sites in Rome for 13 Euro.  Also make sure you hit Testavere when in Rome, it is an amazing neighborhood.

Answer 2

Italy is amazing. Definitely check out some of the major sights, like the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, and especially the Trevi Fountain; it's incredible. Since it's the summer, I would recommend dressing for warmer weather. It can get kind of hot over there. Make sure you drink plenty of water. A lot of people from my group that went over there got dehydrated as the day went on.

Hope this helps a little.

Answer 3

Pack lightly, and your clothes should be comfortable and loose. Bring one nice dress or outfit for going to fancy restaurants.

I'm in Italy right now! The last stop I made was Rome, and it was really hot but beautiful. You ABSOLUTELY have to go to Villa Borghese. It is so pretty and fun! There's a museum there and ponds and even hot air balloon rides!

In every town, there are high end and low end places. Whichever you are in, everyone is very nice.

When using public transportation, it is usually fairly dirty. I would bring purell if I were you :)

Watch out for vendors coming up to you and trying to sell you things. They are trying to rip tourists off. When they ask you, simply say "No." and if they don't go away, say it again. DON'T be intimidated.

You should bring good walking shoes, as well as comfortable shoes for around your apartment/room/house.

Hope you have a good trip!