Tips on Italy Travel
Hi there,
I'm a 30s average American who has traveled to Italy a number of times and have learned a lot of quick tips to help me make the most out of my time whenever I go back! Again from an American POV..
Do not force everything into one day. You may think with train travel and the sheer number of attractions and sites that it is totally sane to try and do 10 things each day. Don't do this. Italy is about taking it slow, enjoy the journey as much as the destination. If you think your itinerary is too packed, it probably is. Add more time, take things as they come, and leave space for unplanned time.
Learn local social etiquette. Understand the typical norms for dining or eating/drinking out, using public transport, shopping, etc. Tourists already stand out, but trying your hardest to do as the locals do will go a long way. This also goes for using Italian as a beginner. Just try your hardest, pay attention when corrected and be polite. The locals really like it when you give the honest effort in using their language even for basic communication. But don't go so far as to just routinely butcher it either. English works in all major metro areas just fine.
For accommodations, don't try to stay in a different place every other night. You will tire out and spend a lot more time commuting with luggage than you will want to. Use a city or two as a base and train between places. Florence, Rome, Milan, Venice, Torino, etc. are all great base city options with plenty of places only an hour or 2 train ride away. You could rent a car if you were bold enough, but city and country roads can be quite difficult and crazy to navigate and likely not worth it. Rented a car through Tuscany and wasn't worth the hassle...
Drink the wine, eat the food. Don't eat as Dominoes or Starbucks. Just eat and drink local. Always. That's all.
When making dinning and room/hotel reservations, be sure to research research research. Many restaurants and museums require timed reservations so plan ahead for the nicer dinning and museum experiences. Also, be sure your B&B or hotel has amenities that actually work that may be important for you, like A/C in the hot summer, in-unit laundry for those longer stays, and self check-in for a quick start to your trip and on your time.
Just a few thoughts but not a whole laundry list. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!