quote:

Originally posted by Hannibal:
Ciao Barrmark,

Restrooms in Bars, Resaturants, and hotels are not terribly numerous. Generally, bars and restaurants will have one or perhaps two. Hotels I guess it depends on how fancy they are. Diffucult to find? No, not really. In hotels try the lobby. Bars and restaurants more often than not toward the back-- in fondo as an Italian might say.

In truth, here's the bathroom situation. In any Italian city there is a bar every 3 blocks. Not a bar in the American sense but an Italian Bar. This is the place where you will go in the morning for cappuccini and cornetti ( croissants), where you will go mid-afternoon for an espresso kick or perhaps a snack, early evening for an apertivo, and perhaps after supper for some gelato which some bars make on the premises ( look for produzione propria signs). In short, it's an italian social institution par excellence.

Not coincidentally it is also where you'll go to the loo when you're going about town. Simply walk in confidently and head to the restroom. Some folks think it's nice to make a purchase at the bar if you use its' restroom. Probably they're correct. But generally it is not necessary. If you like a glass of mineral water will go for about 30 centissimi and an espresso about 80. Do not, however, expect pristine facilities. While you probably won't run across an infamous turkish toilet ( hole in floor, footprints for your feet) it is quite necessary to carry your own TP. Buy or bring the little individual packs of kleenex ( fazzoletti in Italian).

In sum, don't worry yourselves. You're going to have a grand time.

Buon Viaggio,
Anthony and Jennifer