Practical Italy: What To Pack…

Packing seems to be a very stressful task for many soon-to-be-travelers. I don’t know why, but the idea of having to pare down your stuff and fit it all into a suitcase/backpack/rolly-bag can be intimidating, even if you’re only leaving town for a week. The prospect of packing can reduce even the most steadfast of people to a quivering, travel-bottle-sized mass of nerves. That’s one type of traveler.

There are other types of travellers though, who, happily don’t give packing a second thought. They chuck in every (heavy/useless/awkward/impractical/leakable/breakable) thing they think they might need in life, ever, and go about their merry way until they realize what a poor (and heavy) job they’ve done of filling their suitcase.

And don’t forget the other type of traveler who also doesn’t give packing a second thought and doesn’t bring enough stuff/the right stuff, which ultimately leaves them cold/wet/underdressed/overdressed/sick/smelly/uncomfortable. Nice, eh?

This post will help you to avoid any of these scenarios and will turn you into the calm, prepared and practical traveler you always hoped you could be. I’m not going to detail every little thing you need to pack, but I’ll go over the most important and often overlooked and underemphasized aspects of packing.

Let’s start, shall we?

What To Pack

1. Good walking shoes and sandals. I don’t mean ugly walking shoes and sandals, because you can get stylish ones, but I mean ones that will allow you to (happily) traipse through one Italian city after another and not think of your feet at all. For my bunion-adorned “granny feet”, I never go anywhere without my trusty pair of Mephisto (Helen style) sandals. Great arch support, minimal bunion & foot pain, minimal blisters, cute style. The other day I walked 15 km in Rome in them. Seriously. (And no, they’re not paying me to say this). I’ve also got some low-heeled, comfy, black dressy sandals for evenings out, and a pair of cute lace up shoes that also fit my custom orthotics.

Be sure to have more than one pair of footwear with you, and make sure that what you bring hits your foot in different places, i.e. not 3 pairs of the same cheap-o infradito (thong/flip flops) sandals in different colours. That doesn’t help you much when you’ve got blisters. (Please note: Italians look down on these types of sandals and their wearers). Also please remember that Italy has cobblestone roads and sidewalks. Make sure you wear something with a low and thick enough heel that you won’t twist your ankle on your first evening passeggiata. That’d be a real bummer.

2. Medication from Home. Do you know what the Italian word for Tylenol is? Neither do I. Advil? Pepto Bismol? Nope. Sorry. Can’t help you there. I do know that when you go to buy these things in Italy, they’re not called the same as they are in home and the same brands may not even be available. If you’ve got a brand of painkiller (antidolorifico) or allergy medicine or eye drop that you’re comfortable using, bring a supply from home. Here they gave me Fenistil (not Aerius or Reactine) for allergies and Metoclopramide (not Gravol) for an upset stomach. I also have a sneaking suspicion that over-the-counter medicines here aren’t as strong as the ones we’re used to in North America, so be aware of that too.

3. Decent clothes that you can mix and match. If you can only wear something once, it doesn’t deserve a spot in the suitcase. If it wrinkles easily, doesn’t wash up well and magnetically attracts gelato stains, it doesn’t get a spot in the suitcase. If you can’t mix it and match it and wear it in a variety of situations, it doesn’t go. If it looks like something you’d use to wax your car, it doesn’t go. Italy is not the place for faded, ill-fitting, holey beer t-shirts, bub.

I know most of us travel in the summer, and it’s hot, and Italy isn’t really air conditioned, but, rightly or wrongly Italians will respect you more if you don’t walk around looking like a tourist bum. Italians run around town nicely dressed all the time, and they think it’s respectful of the place you’re in and the people you’re with to dress “appropriately”. So try to do it as much as you can and it’ll make your trip go that much more smoothly.

Also, when selecting clothes to bring, think of the types of things you’ll be doing. A cycling tour in Tuscany (even only a day trip) needs different kinds of clothes and shoes than a shopping tour in Milano. You can obviously wear different things to the beach than you can to the Vatican. Many churches require that men and women have their shoulders and knees covered when they enter, or they won’t let you in. Want to travel all that way just to be bounced from the Vatican because you didn’t adhere to their dress code? Didn’t think so. Finally, bring a light jacket, sweaters and things you can layer on cooler Italian nights, and scarves to wear as you please.

4. Small notebook and pen to carry with you at all times. You don’t have to be a writer to make use of these two items, so listen up. What happens when your wifi or your data plan stop working and you only saved the train times to Pisa on your phone? You miss the train! Should have written them down in your notebook. And when you can’t pronounce a word but you know how to spell it? Write it down in your book and show it to whoever you’re trying to talk to. Same goes for addresses. Write down the address of your hotel and show it to a taxi driver to avoid any pronunciation problems. Trying to remember that great bottle of wine you had at that great little restaurant you don’t remember the name of and that you could never find again if your life depended on it? Should have written it down in your trusty little notebook. When someone gives you directions, they can draw it out for you for easy follow-ability. Where? Why, in your little notebook, of course! Learn a new Italian word you loved the sound of? Write it down and use it later.

5. Photocopies of all your important documents and reservations.  What happens if you lose your passport? A photocopy won’t get you on a plane and out of the country, but it will help convince people you are who you say you are until you get a new one. Copies of plane tickets, hotel or tour reservations can only help you in the case of a lost smartphone, sketchy wifi or lack of printing facilities where you are. What about bank cards and credit cards? If they get lost or stolen at least you have the numbers there with you for when you call your bank to cancel the cards. (Which is the first thing you would do in that situation). I also always leave copies of these things at home with a trusted individual (Mom), just in case something goes awry.

Now that I’ve told you what to pack, next up will be a post about how to pack it. Thanks for reading. Grazie di leggere!

Practical Italy: Money

Money

In North America, we’ve gotten into the habit of using our credit and debit cards for just about everything we purchase from our morning coffee to a new flat screen tv. The trend hasn’t quite caught on in Italy. What does this mean? For starters, you’re going to have to get used to carrying cash. By cash I mean Euro cash, not American, not Canadian, not Hong Kong dollars, not Galleons, Ducats, Florins, Knuts or Sickles. Euros. (You’d be amazed at the amount of people who think you can use American money in Italy). But why all this fuss about contanti (cash)?

Because you’re not allowed to pay for small purchases with a credit card. In some places, even for larger totals, restauranteurs and store-owners will tell you a flat out “no”when you show them your card. Then they’ll patiently wait for you to crack open your wallet to the side with the paper in it, not the plastic. This isn’t just something they do for tourists, so don’t feel like you’re being scammed. In general, Italians don’t use their credit cards very often. I actually don’t think I’ve seen an Italian pay for anything (other than business expenses) with a credit card. Cash it is, and cash you will use. Get used to it. 

In general, VAT/IVA taxes are included in the prices shown. If a gelato is listed as 2 euros, it’s 2 euros. If a hotel room is 60 euros, it’s 60 euros (plus probably a very nominal city tax, depending on where you are). If your restaurant bill doesn’t come out as high as you’d like to be, check out my Tips on Tipping in Italy.

Next, remember that your Canadian/American debit card won’t work at stores in Italy. You can’t go buy a leather jacket with your debit card. Non funziona. It doesn’t work. You need cash, (if I haven’t already made that abundantly clear). Where your debit card will work, however, is to take money out of an ATM/Bank machine, which in Italy are called Bancomats. There’ll be a limit as to how much you can get out at a time (200 or 250 euros probably) and only the larger banks will accept international cards. Look for banks that have names you recognize in them: Roma, Firenze, Venezia, Siena, Milano, etc. And if you try one Bancomat and it won’t read your card, don’t give up! This is Italy! Try another one. It’ll work, trust me.

I also find using a Bancomat is the easiest way to “exchange” in a sense, money in Italy. When you go to a cambio, or exchange place, they ask you for ID even if you’re looking to exchange 50 euros! Much less hassle just to make yourself familiar with the Bancomats and extract your foreign money out from them. If you set it up ahead of time, your bank might even have an account that waives the foreign fees. If not, you’re probably looking at between a $1.50 and $5.00 service charge every time you take money out in Italy.

Regarding traveller’s cheques, (what are those?) I don’t think anyone uses them anywhere anymore. I’ve never tried to use them in Italy but I can make a good guess that they’re probably a big hassle. Don’t go there.

Sidenote: It amazes me the number of people who ask if they should exchange some money before they get to Italy, or if they should opt to arrive in a new country without any local currency, jet-lagged, disoriented and grumpy from bad airplane food. Wrap your head around that one for a moment. Now tell me the smart answer…. GET SOME LOCAL CURRENCY BEFORE YOU LEAVE!

What’s the big deal? Well, to change money at the airport will probably leave you victim to the highest exchange rates and charges there are. Don’t bother. Also, if something happens (as it always does in Italy) and you can’t change money right away, what are you going to do then, huh?

Think about this: in some places in Italy, you have to pay a nominal fee to use the bathroom. I say again: you have to pay to use the bathroom. There are turnstiles and metal bars and the grumpy gremlin of a gabinetto (bathroom) guard won’t let you in until you pay the toll. You yourself are grumpy, grimy, jet lagged, and, to top it all off, you have to pee. Now you have to beg someone (in a language you don’t know, by the way) for a 1 euro coin just so that you can avoid peeing your pants during your first hour in Italy. You’re dragging your suitcase, trying to keep track of your travel companion(s), trying to read signs, trying not to get pick pocketed, and doing the pee-pee dance all because you didn’t take the time to change some money before your departure. It’s like Mr. Bean goes on vacation. A situation I’d try to avoid, if I were you….

Last thing to remember about money and finances when you travel to Italy: let your bank and credit card company know you’re going to be away so they don’t block your cards when they see them being used across the pond. Seriously. I booked a plane ticket once from Spain to Italy and VISA was on the phone to me in 10 minutes flat telling me someone had lifted my credit card number and was making fraudulent charges. The call certainly reassured me that VISA was taking good care to watch that I wasn’t being scammed, but it was unnecessary because I had bought the ticket myself – they just weren’t aware of my plans.

Practical Italy Series

History. Culture. Pizza. Pasta. Vino. Fashion. Good looking people. Great looking landscapes. La dolce vita. 

Firenze

These are the things the mind conjures up when one thinks of Italy. Those first few sweet images of Italy – the joys, the loveliness, the simple pleasures that make the country so attractive to so many. When you think of “Italy”, especially those of you who have never visited before, it’s these beautiful things that take first place. And so they should, in a sense.

Practicalities come to mind only after you’ve gone through a movie-reel of wonderfully attractive images, sounds, tastes and smells that make you wish you were on a plane to Rome, right now. But let me tell you, the practicalities of Italy are molto importante, especially for the first time traveller to Il Bel Paese. At best, Italy is controlled chaos. At worst, well… Be prepared.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been working escorting groups of Canadian students around Italy. For many of them, it’s their first visit, and I’ve found myself repeating the same advice over and over again. That’s when Practical Italy came to mind: a series of posts dedicated to the practicalities of Italy, with the aim of helping you have a smooth soggiorno (stay) in this lovely country.

First up? Money, money, money. Stay tuned!