The Traveller's Magazine
This summer’s travel season is just around the corner. Have you decided where you’re going to go yet? France? Mexico? A road trip across the USA? Maybe China or Japan? How about Italy? Yes? Good choice.
Many travellers heading for Europe this summer will surely put Italy near the top of their list, it is a country full of diversity, history, culture and well, great food! What’s not to love?! Apart from those you can catch cheap flights to Italy from just about anywhere in Europe! The Boot has it all this year, like every other year, and is one of this summer’s top travel destinations. Without further ado, here’s our list of travel tips for your Italian summer vacation.
- Packing is key
- Museum tickets & Transport passes
- Expect the heat
- Gelato is your new best friend
What to pack on a summer vacation in Italy? Well, the key to Italy is fashion. It is one of the world’s most fashionable countries even after you leave Milan. It is safe to say that if you’re the one wearing a ball cap with Hawaiian pattern board shorts and rubber flip flops, you’re going to spotted quite quickly as the tourist. This is cool, for the beach. Don’t dress too casual, pack a few nice shirts for when you go to a restaurant or out on the town. As for ladies, if you plan to go inside any churches in Italy, make sure your midriff and shoulders are covered or else you’ll have to buy a pair of paper overalls to cover up before entering. Save some of your suitcase space and budget for purchasing some clothes while you’re there. If you need some packing tips, take a look at our previous packing article: How to and how much?
You should pick both of these up in advance. Even during the off-season you’ll find the lines are long and it’s not worth your time to spend a few hours in line. Florence, Venice and Rome are bustling in the summer so don’t get caught at the back of the line, book your museum trip in advance on-line and head right in. In Venice you can book your visit time for St. Mark’s Basilica for free on-line and then walk right in, bypassing the entire line.
For the transport systems it is always most cost-effective to buy your pass in advance since they are not tied to a specific day. Some transport passes even come with free admission to certain attractions, in Venice for example. In Rome you can also buy a 3-day pass or a 1-week pass.
Italy is hot in the summer. In the city its very hot, but it can be unpredictable. Expecting heat and humidity is a combination of packing the right clothes (light and airy) but also being flexible in your daily planning. Make sure you’re not stuck outside during a particularly hot afternoon, be able to change your plan during a heat wave and head for the sea or plan something indoors like a museum visit or a church visit instead of outside touring.
There is one sure fire way to beat the Italian summer and that’s gelato, the scrumptious and flavourful frozen treat that’s sure to please every traveller, unless you’re diabetic that is. Gelato is similar to ice cream but instead of being made with frozen cream its made with frozen milk, resulting in richer and more intense flavours. You’ll find it all over the country. Learn a few words in Italian like “Please” and “Thank you” and some of your soon-to-be favourite flavours and you’ll be a local in no time!
There are so many opportunities in Italy this summer, if you manage to make it there you’re in for a treat! Have you travelling to Italy before? Do you have any more tips to offer for travelling to Italy in the summertime? Share them below!
Top image source: Chi King / flickr cc
