Tips for Italy
I just returned from 3 weeks in Florence. I wanted to share some tips for those of you travelling to Italy who are studying Italian with Fluenz.
Expand your vocabluary. Fluenz is great for structure and grammar, but you will need to expand your vocabulary. This is especially true when it comes to food. Ordering from a menu that is only in Italian (which we did many times) can be quite a challenge. Try to learn as many food terms as possible, or at least be able to ask the waiter to explain a menu item.
Learn your numbers. You should not have to think to translate them. You don't want to be the one holding up the line trying to figure out how much money to pay. Also, try to learn the Euro coins by size.
When entering a shop, greet the salesperson. Saying "Buon giorno, or Buona sera" is polite and friendly and will get you better service. Ask before touching the merchandise. A simple "Posso?" is respectful. Remember that most all shops are family owned and the merchandise is their personal property, so they are a bit more protective with it than a salesperson in the US would be.
Older Italian women can be pushy. It isn't uncommon for a middle aged or older Italian women to butt in front of you at the market or bar. I think they belive they've earned this right over the years and know that men will politey let them. So expect it .
You don't always pay first at the bar. Many travel guides will have you believe that it is required to pay for your coffee before consuming it. This isn't always true. At every bar we frequented, you always paid afterwards.
The best gelato isn't always the prettiest. I saw basically two types of gelaterias in Florence. The more common are the ones where the displays of gelato are right up front by the window and they have these huge mounds of gelato in great swirls embellished with fresh fuit slices and the such. These shops typically buy their gelato from an outside supplier. The other type of shop makes their gelato on site. The gelato counter is away from the front of the shop and the containers are smaller and without all the fancy display. You want to go to these shops. Although "Bar Vivoli" is the most famous gelateria in Florence according to guide books, my favorite was "Neri", a few blocks away on via dei Neri. Larger portions, less expensive, more flavors, nicer staff and a unique bench to lean on inside...I can't really explain it, you just have to see it.
Coperto, water and tipping. At almost every restaurant, you will be charged a "coperto" of 1 to 3 Euro per person which is added to the bill. This charge is just for sitting down and being served a small basket of saltless bread. The amount will be somewhere on the menu. You can't just ask for a glass of water, either. You must buy a bottle (1 to 3 Euro) or even worse, a carafe which is essentially filtered tap water for about the same price. Four people can easily spend 12 Euro or more in just water and coperto. Which brings me to tipping. Most Americans tip too much. Watch the Italians. I never saw them leave a tip except a very small amount. Italian waiters don't work for tips as they do in America...hence the lacklsuter service and attention you may experience at some place. You are not "expected" to tip as in America.
Dining times. Italians don't eat breakfast. At least I don't think they do. I can't say what they do at home, but on the street they simply stop in a bar for a quick espresso and a pastry and are in and out in 5 minutes or less. They don't sit down in the bar (it costs more to sit down, usually double for a coffee). They don't do the Starbucks thing where you get your super grande caramel frappaccino with whipped cream then plop yourself at a table for 2 hours with your computer and cell phone. It's in and out. Lunch is typically from 1:30 to 3 PM. Dinner starts at 7:30, but most Italians don't show up until around 9. Maybe that's why they don't eat breakfast, they're still full from dinner the night before.
Bathrooms. Businesses do not have bathrooms open to the public as in the US. Here, you can always stop at a fast food restaurant or such to use the bathroom. In Italy, it's not like that. Bathrooms are for the patron's use... for those that are eating there or who have made a purchase. So plan your bathroom breaks around eating times or make a small purchase in a shop before asking to use their bathroom.
Music. I found it quite amusing that at virtually every business or restaurant that had music playing overhead, the music was American music. I guess there isn't enough Italian music. My wife and I were enjoying wine and snacks at a tiny wine bar where it reminded us of "Cheers", a place where locals who all seemed to know each other congregated on their way home from work for a glass and a bite. Everyone was Italian, speaking Italian and likewise so were the waiters. Overhead, the music playing was a Jan and Dean CD from the 60's in America. At lunch one day in a restaurant where the waiter spoke no English at all, the music was great hits from American films in English. This theme was repeated everywhere.
Written numbers. Italians write the numbers 1, 4 and 7 differently than we do. It's actually much prettier, but can be confusing at first. You may receive your conto hand written at the restaurant.
Bargaining. It's OK to try to bargain with street vendors; those that sell from carts on the street. But not so in a store. It would be an insult. You can indicate that the item is just too expensive, but leave it to the proprietor to offer a discount.
Tourist traps. While in Florence, you'll see scores of large tour groups (20-40 people) everywhere. Many of these groups are from cruise ships and are there for the day. You'll see the tour guide direct them to various shops and restaurants. These aren't always the best places to shop and dine.
In my opinion, the best way to experience Florence is to hire a private tour guide. Our best experiences on our vacation where the times we spent with our guide. Her knowledge of art, history, architecture, culture, religion and politics combined with access to many, many sites not typically available to other tourists was amazing. With a private guide, you bypass all the lines at the museums (kind of like a Fast Pass at Disneyland). Having the flexibiliy to see what we wanted and being able to actually discuss the sites in depth made the experience a world away from what you get in a larger tour group or using an audio guide or guide book. Add to that our experiences at local shops, markets, restaurants and artisans where she actually shopped and ate and knew the families and you just can't get a more real sense of local life in Florence. So I would recommend budgeting for a private guide for at least one day during your next trip. Compared to airfare and hotel, it's money well spent.
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Open May 23, 2012 - 10:35 AM
Italian, Italian > Culture