Travel Tip Tuesday: Things You Should Know Before Visiting Southern Italy
Posted on: Mar 9, 2010
Southern Italy has it all. There are ancient Medieval towns, peaceful fishermen villages, stretching beaches and swooping mountains. There are even Roman and Greek ruins. We learned about some of the most famous places in southern Italy as children and some of us grew up dreaming of the day we’d visit our grandparents’ homeland. But that doesn’t mean we know it all.
My then-boyfriend/now-husband grew up here in southern Italy and I was still surprised at some of the assumptions I made that were downright wrong!
With that in mind, here are three things I wish I’d known before I traveled to southern Italy.
(c) Leanne (pictured above) of From Australia to Italy
1. It Gets Brrr … Cold
Calabria has this fabulous reputation of being a hot, steamy, tropical getaway for northern Italians and other Europeans. Unfortunately, it’s crap. It gets downright cold here in southern Italy and depending on when and where you visit, you might see a lot of snow.
It’s true. Laura at Ciao Amalfi! recently posted some videos of a thunder snowstorm on the Amalfi Coast and Leanne of From Australia to Italy was recently snowed in near Cosenza (Calabria.)
2. All Restaurants/Trattorie/Pizzerie Were Created Equally
Regardless of what you may have heard, you *can* get a bad meal in southern Italy. I know. I’ve done it. Still, it is surprising to me when I hear people proclaim sweeping generalizations like, “It doesn’t matter where you eat-you are in Italy,” or “You can’t get a bad meal there!”
Trust me. You can.
If you are traveling to southern Italy and don’t want to be victim to an overcooked pizza or tasteless ragu, then search the Internet for recommendations made by locals or consider hiring a travel consultant who can help with the details.
3. Don’t Assume Anything
Seriously.
Anything.
For example, many restaurants in the US offer free soda refills, in Italy, you will pay full price. Also, don’t assume that just because opening hours are posted on a museum’s website that they are correct, or that the museum is even open. Oh yea, and don’t assume that your hotel will have washcloths. In fact, they probably won’t. Italians don’t use them.
What other things do you wish you’d have known before you visited Italy?
Don’t forget to check out Robin’s travel tips today at My Melange.
Until next time … Buon Viaggio!
Traveling to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan the trip of a lifetime.
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Oh my… I wish I would have visited Torino in the summer. I never ever thought I would say that Torino is MORE humid than Texas.
“More humid than TX …” That is hard to do!
Sonia´s last blog ..International Women’s Day
Sound advice. But the amount of snow is no doubt a relative thing.
Yep. But it does get colder here than many people think, especially if they’ve researched well!
But for now … brrrr … .
running42k´s last blog ..Monday deep thoughts
Note to self: dress warmly and expect to pay for my refills. Still dying to go, though!
He he. I hope you make it here, too!
Amber’s Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck´s last blog ..Snowmamas Getaway in Park City!
Ciao Cherrye!
Did you get any snow this year? I’m glad I didn’t miss the crazy little snowstorm we had on the Amalfi Coast. And, yes, it certainly does get cold! Where I am, it’s that cold, damp wind blowing off the sea that chills you to the bone. This is a fun post & I love that photo of Leanne!
Isn’t that pic precious? And no, we didn’t get snow here, but they got a lot in the mountains! We just got RAIN!
Laura from Ciao Amalfi´s last blog ..Sugar Snow on the Amalfi Coast
Fantastic tips. I don’t know why people assume it doesn’t get cold here.
True it’s not as cold as Chicago or the Northeast but it’s not sunny and hot all the time.
Yea, I think ppl assume the “med climate” is always nice and warm. Maybe?
nyc/caribbean ragazza´s last blog ..Flashback Friday – Young MC – "Bust A Move"
not to mention, some of the older homes in southern Italy were build without central heating systems… which makes it even colder!
No doubt. Brrr … .
How nice and precious to have read all these tips before departing to Italy next 2 months. Should I expect the same in Tuscany and Venice?
Maybe. I’m not as in the know up there as far as what people expect/say about the area!
Cecil Lee´s last blog ..May 2010 Travel Photo Wallpaper Calendar Download
Glad you wrote these tips as so, so many people think that it does not get cold here. But IT DOES!!! It’s the same as Australia – I am from Melbourne which is in the south and people think it’s hot all year round – and it’s not!
Yea, too bad it isn’t year-round warmness here, right? Thanks again for letting me use your pic! I LOVE it!
Leanne in Calabria´s last blog ..Winter again…