...and a Dozen Other Things you Might Not Know about Italian Travel
by Miles Dayton Fish milesfish.com MilesFish@mac.com
1. YOU CAN’T EAT PIZZA FOR LUNCH IN ITALY
"Authentic" Italian pizzas are cooked (only) in wood-burning brick pizza ovens that by law aren't fired up until early evening. "Real" Italian Pizzas start rolling out about 8:00 PM. (You can purchase electric oven baked pizzas any ole time just like in the US...but you should wait.)
2. CAPPUCCINO AFTER DINNER? NO GRAZIE!
“White coffees” (such as lattes and cappuccinos) are breakfast drinks and Italians don’t drink them after breakfast ...and never after 10AM.
3. ITALIAN’S DON’T TIP
The tip is “built in” the tab and they don’t tip extra. However, some Italians will leave the leftover coins after paying a tab. Note: In Italy there is no place for tip inclusion on credit cards
receipts so if you would like to leave an extra tip--and many American's do—be prepared to tip
in cash.
4. ITALIANS DON'T DIP
Italians might drizzle a little oil on their bread, the way we might butter our bread, but they don’t dip their bread in little dishes filled with olive oil and herbs.
5. NO CHEESE PLEASE
Italians don’t put grated parmigiana cheese on pasta seafood dishes or on pasta with garlic and
olive oil dishes. And hey never ever add grated parmigiana cheese to pizzas (you don't mess with perfection).
6. ABOUT TIME
Italy is on the 24 hour clock so there is very little AM-PM. Time in Italy is written with a comma--not a colon--so 9:00AM becomes 9,00 and 9:00PM becomes 21,00.
7. MONEY, MONEY
For us Americans, Italians flip-flop the period and comma when they write money values so
1,245.00 in the U.S. becomes 1.245,00 in Italy. And in Italy the plural of “euro” IS “euro” not
“euros” or “euri" (although Italians might use “euri" in humorous connotations). So it’s “1 euro”
and it’s “50 euro” and it’s “how many euro is that T-shirt?” Also, when Italians pronounce "euro"
it often sounds more like "arrow" than “you-row."
8. CORRECT CHANGE
At shops, museums, street vendors, etc. it is courteous to pay with the exact change. If you owe 18,50 don’t give the clerk a 20 bill. Give the clerk exactly 18,50 or at least LOOK like you are looking for the exact change before presenting your 20. (So now you know why so many of us return from Italy with little coin purses.) Of course, if you are at a bar and are going to leave
behind spare coins there is no reason to pay the exact amount.
9. WHEN A BAR IS NOT A BAR
In Italy a "bar" is a family friendly cafe that serves coffee/wine/beer/sodas, snacks, pastries,
sandwiches and sometimes gelato. If you’re looking for a cocktail lounge look for an "American
Bar" and if you’re looking for a late night drinking establishment look for an "Irish Pub"—but there aren’t an abundance of either in Italian smaller cities.
10. TO SIT OR TO STAND? THAT IS THE QUESTION
If you order while standing at the bar then you should remain at the bar to eat/drink. If you want to sit at a table, you should sit and order from the table waiter. A beer ordered at the bar will cost ONE price and that same beer ordered at a table will cost slightly MORE. (Remember the tip is built in. At the bar you are paying ONE server; at the table you are paying TWO—bartender and waiter.) In most establishments you definitely CAN NOT order from the bar and then move to a table. Don't even think about it.
11. EASY DRIVER
Americans who drive in Italy—rent-a-car or a friend’s car—must have a current international
driver’s license AND a current USA driver’s license. The car rental people in Italy only require a
USA license and probably will not tell you this additional bit of info. However, if you are stopped by the Italian police and do not have BOTH, you may be given a hefty fine and risk having your car impounded, leaving you stranded. But it’s an easy fix: Google “international drivers license for Italy” and apply on line at least a couple of months before you go (about $15 for one year).
12. GIVE ME MONEY
ATMs are still the best source of cash in Italy (and most of Europe). Choose an ATM connected
to an Italian bank for good conversion rates and NO bank charges.
For more information see “Americano:Italia.—Survival Notes for an American in Italy”
Notes and Photos by Miles Dayton Fish on academia.com
MilesFish.com
www.TenDaysInTuscany.Fish
NWACCinItaly.com
MilesFish@mac.com