Tips and Tricks to Make the Most Unforgettable Trip

To enter Italy, you do not need a passport if you are an EU citizen. No vaccination is necessary if you already have the mandatory ones, but always check before leaving on the government website for any risks in the country.

The currency of the country is the Euro, which is easy and intuitive to change within the country. You can withdraw directly from the bank or use numerous exchange services in the cities.

Here are some last tips before you leave: 

1. We recommend traveling light and using a backpack to move easily in large cities and blend in with the local population. 
2. Be cautious, as there may be people who will try to take advantage of your naivety. If you rent a car, document its initial condition with photos and videos, and do the same when you return it to avoid any disputes. 
3. Opt for local and typical accommodations to have unforgettable experiences with the local population. 
4. While it is easy to communicate in  English in large cities, learning a few phrases in Italian can be helpful in rural villages.
5. We really care about food, don’t eat in the city center of big cities, they are literally traps for tourists, higher prices, lower quality and fake recipes. You can check  the general tips article to know where to go. 
6. Avoid visiting the big cities during summer. The weather is horribly hot and the experience is going to be bad for the huge number of tourists.
7. Of course, as always, remember that we have many international tourists. That also means that it’s a pickpocketer’s party.

Italy is our country of origin, and it is where we lived for the first 22 years of our lives. Despite the limited economic opportunities, we managed to travel within our country. We embarked on a road tour from Milan to Naples, visiting famous cities such as Venice, Rome, Florence, Milan, and Naples. Additionally, we explored small villages hidden in the hills of Lombardy, along the Amalfi coast, and in the Apennines. We can confidently say that even 1000 trips would not be enough to fully appreciate all the nuances of this country. 

However, we highly recommend experiencing a long journey that combines visits to big cities with exploration of small villages along the way. The big cities are perfect for a short weekend exploration. As we have mentioned in various articles about Italy, we have omitted some itinerary ideas and lesser-known hidden treasures.

Responsible Tourism

Now, let’s move on to the most important aspect: Responsible Tourism.

The influx of tourists during the summer in our country has brought wealth to only a few, while depleting resources and limiting the freedom of citizens who can no longer enjoy their cities freely. Tourists must adapt to the local environment, rather than expecting the place to conform to their needs. Otherwise, the authenticity and uniqueness of the country, villages, or cities will be lost.

Unfortunately, there have been numerous cases of tourists vandalizing historical sites or trespassing into protected historical or natural areas.

Similarly, the respect expected from tourists should also be practiced by entrepreneurs in the tourism sector. In recent years, envy and greed have created a hostile environment for genuine travelers and explorers, with almost everything being monetized and preventing true travel enthusiasts from visiting our country. This phenomenon has instead attracted a toxic group of tourists who arrive, pay, exploit, destroy, and leave. By catering to the demands of this detrimental form of tourism, we are losing the essence of an authentic trip to Italy, favoring international standards over the genuine beauty of Italy.

Even the false and exaggerated expectations perpetuated by social media have portrayed a version of the country that does not truly exist. It romanticizes everything, filtering content without considering the unique characteristics and nuances of Italy. Not everything should be exaggerated or sensationalized.