Does anyone have any suggestions in regards to avoiding the "stupid tourist" label? I've heard some say that priority one should be not going out and getting drunk, while others say that many college-aged Italians do this very thing. Some have said that not knowing the language is an insult--I plan on learning the basics before my time in Italy, however will this be enough to at least signal I tried? Should I even try and use Italian while there--or are people offended by tourists that "butcher" their language and prefer instead they just use english (I've become aware that most italians, like most all europeans, understand english quite well actually).

I find the Italian people to be very welcoming. Of course you should use the Italian that you are learning. They react with warmth and appreciation. They are flattered if you try and converse with them. I can't address the drinking issue as I don't enjoy suffering the effects of having too much to drink. Also, I was in Bologna 2007(large university poplulation)for a month and I don't remember incountering any intoxicated college students.

Buon viaggio

Travel with an open mind and heart. Learn to say please and thank you in Italian and as many phrases as possible. Avoid getting drunk, it's more likely that you'll say or do something stupid. Be patient, be nice, have a great trip.

Hi! Help us out a bit. I'm sure you'll get lots of good suggestions, but it would help us to know:

1. How old are you? From your post, I'm guessing that you may be a college student, right?

2. Are you traveling alone, with a friend/family member, or in a group?

3. What cities are you planning to visit?

You're doing the right thing by at least learning some basic phrases in Italian before you go. But don't assume that everyone speaks even a little English. It all depends on where you are going. That statement is probably somewhat accurate for big cities, but it's not true in the the small town that my family visits every year. If you don't speak any Italian there, you'd have real difficulties. (Fortunately for me, my husband does!) In general, though, most Italians are very helpful and pleased that you make the effort to speak their language, even if it's only a few phrases. I only speak enough to be able to order food and ask and answer some basic questions, and I'm always frustrated that I don't speak better - but I'm frustrated at me, not at them.

Hang in there and I'm sure you'll get some answers soon.

Yes, do have a go with the language. You won't be conversant and you'll make mistakes along the way, some of them amusing. It does help the experience though and you'll be glad of what you did learn.

Drinking. Well it is changing a little, not least with the encroachment of British/Irish 'pubs'. That said, tradition is that you have a drink with your friends, you can even be boisterous. However take it too far so you can't walk, are ill, or get violent, then you're a drunken bum who everyone is looking down on.

So have fun, have a few drinks, grazing on food as you wish. Take your time and appreciate the wine (or indeed some of the artisan beers now brewed in Italy). It's better than the mad rush to drunken oblivion and the following day's hangover!

Other tips...
- Remember to stamp bus/train tickets in the yellow machines (ticket office and SOME platforms for trains; inside the bus for buses)

- Take time to sit back and observe, which can stop some easy mistakes, but is a joy in it's own right.

- Tipping is very different - plenty of threads here on the subject

Hope you have a great trip

Ian

You're off to a good start already!

Remember that you are going to Italy to see new things. That means things will be different there, from some foods to some bathrooms, to the way people do, or do not, stand in lines. And remember that from time to time things will go wrong (It's hard to avoid when traveling to a new place) so tell yourself now you will let it ride and not get angry at Italy or the Italians for what happens.

But you sound as though you are the type of person who will understand that.

Stolafoes,

You are at the start of being a great traveller, because you show that you are sensitive to others.

Language. Yes do try to speak Italian. Don't worry about sounding perfect. Just remember it is about communicating with others and meeting them half way. I once translated for a world-famous actor whose English is far from perfect. But he obviously loves to communicate and speaks a very expressive imperfect English that is all the more endearing.

Drinking.
You will see that in Mediterranean countries, often young people have a different attitude about drinking. It is about enjoying (1) the quality of the wine and (2) the company; and not about quantity binging.
To see people with "stupid tourist" tattooed on their forehead, you can, if you must, check out the hollering littering binge-drinkers on weekend nights in Campo de' Fiori. They are such an appalling sight that they are a shame to whatever their nationality.

You will have lots of great surprising adventures. Don't forget to write us a note after your trip.
Bon voyage.

You don't indicate your home country. Is it the U.S.?
If so, there are a couple of things that are stereotypes of American tourists. We wear white sneakers. We wear ball caps. We talk loudly. We don't know any of the European languages. Some act as though things should be the same in a foreign country as in the U.S. We seem brusque because we will just start asking a question without first giving a polite greeting like "Boun Giorno". (I was guilty of this one for a long time. )

Tipping like you're in the US rather than in Europe is an area of much discussion. Some native Italians here have reminded posters that "Italy is a no-tipping country". Read what the Italians say about tipping...not what different Americans think you should do. Realize, however, that the high tourist areas are already accustomed to the way the way Americans feel guilty about not tipping and will work the US tourist for tips. Best thing to do is to follow the advice of the Italians on what to do.

quote:

Does anyone have any suggestions in regards to avoiding the "stupid tourist" label? I've heard some say that priority one should be not going out and getting drunk, while others say that many college-aged Italians do this very thing

well, there is no shortage of stupid locals

In response to a few of the questions, I will be staying in Rome for 6 weeks and I am from the US (Minnesota to be exact).

Thank you very much for all of the suggestions!

So in regards to tipping, we shouldn't tip anyone?

quote:

Originally posted by stolafoles:
So in regards to tipping, we shouldn't tip anyone?

There are 13 pages of links on the subject of tipping. Go to "Find" above and key in the window the word "tipping".

There is also a topic "How much should I tip?" in the FAQ forum.

And Fibonacci just two posts above yours already gave it a start.

A key thing to remember, whenever you travel abroad and no matter what country you hail from... you are now an ambassador for YOUR country and any bad reflections show bad as to where you came from. Try to learn a few customs and a few key phrases in Italian. Don't worry, you'll speak to them in Italian and they'll answer you in English. That's because they want to practice their English as much as you want to practice your Italian

Fibonacci nailed it in my opinion as I've heard many times overseas "we wouldn't do it like that at home!"... Well, your not in Kansas anymore Dorothy!! So, as the adage goes:

When in Rome, do like the Romans do...
Italians are a friendly group and love to enjoy life. Also, as a note for you, when you are in a bar there are always some sort of snacks given to you... Italians will not drink unless they eat with it. It took me a while to learn the food was for me to eat... and on the house!

Have fun!

quote:

well, there is no shortage of stupid locals

Luca Yep, every place has some.

As noted, "please" and "thank you" go a long way to making a good impression, no matter your age or country of location.

Italians seem to be amazingly tolerant of (and appreciative of) any attempts to converse. When I first started traveling with my wife's family, I was in awe of one of my brothers-in-law who had long, intense conversations with our friends. It was only after I started taking Italian courses that I figured out he was only using the imperative tense of verbs and that the rest of his grammar was equally destructive of a school teacher's heart.

I realize that everything Italians do is, by definition, perfect, but I wouldn't say that they never drink to get drunk. Not all of those drunks in Campo dei Fiori are stupid tourists. Well, maybe some of them are stupid Italian tourists visting Rome from elsewhere, because I've definitely seen and heard my share of drunk Italians there. As Luca said, there is no shortage of stupid locals. True, public drunkenness is nowhere near the level that is in certain other countries (which shall remain nameless), but drinking habits are changing. It's pretty to think of Italians only sipping wine with dinner, but then it's also pretty to think of everybody in Italy shopping daily in small local shops, and living in big, happy, conflict-free families. And then there's the 21st century reality.
Here's an interesting BBC article on point.

If you order a Pizza Margherita, don't complain when they don't bring you a pizza AND a green slushy tequila drink. My friend and I saw this happen one time in Venice and are still laughing about it.

when you walk out of the airport terminal someone will rush up and, in big red letters, stamp "American Tourist" on your forehead--you can't avoid it so don't worry about it.

When you address any Italian, for any reason, always start with "Buon Giorno" it's polite and will win you friends, even with the "American Tourist" stamped on your forehead--and remember, tourism is 12% of the Italian economy.

I wear white sneakers and my husbands wears a baseball cap (SF Giants to be exact) and Wrangler jeans. We speak very little Italian, but enough Spanish to make Italian easier, and have never been treated like stupid tourists. Just try to learn a little Italian and be friendly and open to differences.

Yay I signed in, I post so infrequently now usually when I go to sign in I can't!

Anyway, one mistake I made a couple of times before I realized it was to start going through the racks of clothes in some shops. I think the phrase on the racks was "non tocare" "don't touch". Ouch. Have a wonderful time.

Along with learning as much Italian as you can, doing research like you are will help you avoid making cultural gaffes. The Instructions for Travelers offer a lot of practical information.

When it came to actually speaking the Italian I learned on Italian in the Car podcast, I panicked and ended up remembering about 12.5 words, including 2 verbs in the present tense. Even still, people we encountered really warmed up when I tried to communicate. I was amazed. One waiter even complained about American tourists to us (at least I think that's what he said).

Great thread, and lots of positive feedback to your question. I agree with what everybody else has said; be friendly, appreciative, polite, and try to use a few Italian words. As Doug said, they may speak back in English to practice, but at least you made the effort!

My take on this is that the "stupid tourist" label is mostly attached to large groups, not to small groups or single travelers. If all of a sudden a group of 30 people enter a restaurant, all asking for different things in English (or Norwegian or German or whatever), that can be overwhelming or annoying for the other customers or the staff.

I almost was "victim" to a group of US high school students once, on a train from Venice to Rome. When the train stopped in Florence, the teachers told all the girls to exit through one door, and all the guys to take all the luggage through the other end of the car. The guys took this literally and before we knew it, we saw our luggage sitting on the platform in Florence! Luckily we noticed and ran to get it back on the train. THAT would qualify as stupid tourists!

As for the drunkenness, I think that is mostly seen in places like Florence where there are a lot of foreign students from all over the world. Of course Italian university students drink, and get drunk, but it is true that it is less of a public display that in, say, my home country (Norway.)

Have fun, be nice, be safe!

I think that being a "stupid tourist" is not related to sneakers or basebal caps.
There are so many of us that aren't attentive at all to fashion.

I can tell you what makes me rule a person as rude- which is what makes a turist "stupid".

-I hate when people gets in and out my store without acknowledging my presence.
a little smile and a nod is perfect.
-I hate rude people. Italians or not.
-It bothers me when people walks in and say "ENGLISH"? Or it is upset because you don't speak their mother tongue perfectly (yes I remember an angry dutch woman). It is better to candisly say that you -as a foreigner- don't speak Italian, The MOTHER in all of us rises and we're your best buddies forever. This was an hint from BGE.
-I love people trying say even just one little word,m but that is not necessary.

All in all just be polite and smile a lot.

Have a nice trip.

PS Even if occasionally you see Idiots drinking like donkeys, it is not a socially accepted behavior, Italian drinking habits are nowhere near other countries drinking habits.

First, let me qualify by saying that 100% of my guests from Minnesota have been fabulous people, true quality representatives of everything good about the USA.

So, you are starting from a good point

Here are my 7 tips to avoiding the "stupid tourist" label:

1. Be yourself. If you are comfortable in your own skin, people everywhere will be comfortable with you.

2. Wear what you feel most comfortable in (this refers back to point 1).

3. Learn a few words of the language, and use those words with a smile.

4. Accept that they will all know you are American (or they may think you are English). That's not bad. It's good. You are coming to their land to learn about it.

5. Have an open ear and an open heart. Don't judge what you don't understand. You don't have to agree with the way things are here, but you should accept the way things are here, because you are a guest of this country.

6. Enjoy what there is to enjoy. Food and wine come to mind. Try new things, ask questions about the food and wine. Italians love nothing more than talking about these two particular subjects.

7. Be grateful for having the opportunity to travel. I believe an attitude of gratitude shines through every language and cultural barrier that exists. Look around and be amazed. There is nothing stupid touristy about being blown away. It will make your hosts smile and feel proud.

So it seems that Italians, in general, enjoy tourists that attempt even the slightest attempt at the language--with this in mind would introducing/approaching individuals with something like "Buon giorno, I don't speak Italian very well, do you speak english" (I know how to say this in italian, but I'm not so sure on the spelling so I just put what it would be the english equivalent"

I try to use Italian when I can, but my accent is so bad that often they have no clue what I am saying. But then again my accent is so bad that in England in London, the waiters and the hotel personel couldn't understand me when I was speaking English.

once in Pozzuoli I trying to ask someone how to get to Piazza Repubblica. My pronounciation of Repubblica left the shop owner clueless. I had my daughter ask and she got understanding and an immediate response.

I expect that no matter how I would try to fit in that as soon as I opened my mouth, I would be spotted as a foreigner. Occasionally because I am with my Italian looking daughter (who dresses way better than me), we are handed Italian menus in restaurants, but all we have to talk and they know that we need English menus.

I get by in shops. Quanto? (as far as I know is how much?), I have index cards and I have them write down How much; if they tell me verbally, it's too fast for me to make out the numbers. I also get understanding with VISA? The shop owners don't at least seem angry with this brusque approach.

There must be something funny about saying Buona Notte (excuse my bad spelling). No matter now late it is Italians say Buona Sera or just sera. if you say Buona Notte, often they will start laughing or giggling.

An important one for big cities anywhere in the world:

Don't block the middle of the sidewalks/stairs/escalators/doors during commute hours when other people are rushing to and from work. If I have to stop to take photos, futz with my luggage, gawk at architectural details, etc, I move over to the side to do so, not right in the middle of bottle-necked pedestrian traffic.

quote:

Originally posted by Diana Strinati Baur:
There is nothing stupid touristy about being blown away. It will make your hosts smile and feel proud.

Diana, you rock.

I agree Shannon.

Regarding language, I often ask people how to pronounce things, to hear how they say it. I don't even know if I'm asking correctly, (Come si pronuncia questa/questo in italiano?), but people have been unfailingly polite and helpful when I've asked.

Remember that you are a guest in another country. This isn't Disney - people live, work, and die here. If you are criticial of where you are you are also being critical of the people, their homes, and lives. They might be disgruntled to overhear someone being critical. I am sure I would be if I head that in my hometown.

You aren't at home any more - don't waste your breath conmparing it to home. I am always amazed to overhear folks go on and on about how the department store isn't like Sears back home or the grocery store is not like the ones at home. One wonders why folks would travel at all if they want everything to be like it is at home. I travel because I KNOW things will be DIFFERENT!

This is particularly true of food. I cringed when my sister would say 'this isn't how pizza is supposed to be made' or 'this isn't lasagna'. If the only Italian food you want to enjoy is Dominos (please don't flame me folks for suggesting that it is remotely Italian) then you might NOT appreciate Italian food. Try new things - you'll be amazed at how good the food is without the heavy spices, garlic, and cheese that we have come to expect from 'Italian' food in North America.

Don't try to educate the Italians as to how they should cook Italian food. We witnessed a couple from Australia doing this in Rome. There was a collective 'cringe' from the rest of the tourists who were in the restaurant.

Be appreciative of what you see. Italians have the same pride in their homeland that we all do. Everyone likes hearing a kind word about their home.

Do what you can to really experience a place. Go with the flow. Travelling isn't a checklist with items to be ticked off as 'done'.

Don't be really loud. . . especially in churches.

Be respectful. If you plan on taking a picture and there are 'locals' front and center - ask them if you may take their picture.

Speak as many of the Italians words as you can, as often as you can. Learn the different greetings for the different times of the day. If you don't know how to say something in Italian ask - then repeat it back in Italian. People will adore the fact that you are trying to learn their language and are respectful of their culture.

I remember our first trip to Tuscany . . . there was a couple from Brooklyn staying at the villa . . . they drove a red sports car and would race from town to town. They'd pull up in the centre, park wherever they wanted, pop into the bar for a coffee and then leave. There - Siena, done.

In Volterra they looked into a church - while they were looking at some paintings and discussing them in loud voices someone came over and informed them that a funeral was underway. They took a picture.

At the villa they parked in the spot that was clearly reserved for the owner's mother. They were critical of the landscapping and wanted to know why there were so many 'ugly' trees on the property (it was an olive grove).

They cut short their stay at the villa to dash to Venice. The rest of us were happy.

Don't be like them! Although I spuspect that because you are asking the questions you won't be!

Re the drunken Italian bit . . . remember the Fountain of Neptune in Florence? A few years ago a drunk guy wanted to have a picture too close to the giant and climbed on its left hand. Seconds he was in water with the broken hand of the statue. There was a hue and cry about drunk foreign tourists. Until it was discovered that it was a local student.

Good question!
Good answers, also. Listen to them, and you'll hear one constant...bring your company manners, in spades.

Jerry's so right, we are guests in their country, so behave likewise. I make a conscious effort to learn several phrases in the language. Becoming fluent (translation-understandable) in another language requires time and lots of language classes or language school in that country...the basis for ANOTHER trip! If you can say simple greetings, and add in "Please" and "Thank you so much" and then use them lavishly, you'll go a long way to becoming a wise and thoughtful tourist.

I've heard rude and inconsiderate tourists complaining bitterly because, "They don't even have our brand of yoghurt!"
No, THEY don't, darling, but the brands of yoghurt that are available are dee-lish! Wish I could find in my local stores the delectable yoghurt in those sweet little crockery jars that I enjoy when in in France. I buy them by the dozen and bring the little crockery jars home, then use them for jams, honey, my daily yoghurt. Reminds me every time I use them of the little market where I found them by my tiny apartment in Paris.

I've seen rude and pushy tourists demanding service in a cafe now, not later but right now. This couple pushed to the front of the already-growing lineup, demanded a table and were pleasantly but firmly refused. The people in the lineup waiting for a table cheered and applauded as they huffed out and stormed down the street! Rude of us? ummmmm, yeah, but it felt so goooood! And, the cafe owners loved it!

There are a million other examples of how not to act in this travel world, but you'll get the picture! Here's my Honey Nut Cheerios recap:
Be respectful and polite.
Treat your host country as a glorious, delicious adventure rather than a poor replacement for your own country.
Always leave the people who have waited on you, served you or spent time as your tour guide feeling a little better for having spent that time in your company.
Appreciation, appreciation, appreciation...that's the key!

Don't worry, you're likely not a stupid tourist, simply because you are asking this question! When you are traveling, watch for those stupid-dupids...you can pick'em out, easy-peasy. They'll show you exactly what not to do!

"Hospitality is making your guests feel at home, even if you wish they were."
~ Unknown
Brenda

Hello again,
I had a wonderful "tourist" experience in Le Marche. We were driving and became hopelessly lost and I was so tired and on the verge of tears. We arrived in a village with our limited Italian language skills but a willingness to try. I spotted a green Farmacia sign and being a pharmacist from the US, I decided to stop and ask for directions. Using
words and signs I explained our predicament and he realized that we needed a whole lot of help. He proceeded to get in his car and motion for us to follow him to our destination. Later that week we stopped in to thank him and conversed a little more and I made a small purchase. Still later that week we were in a local restaurant and he tapped us on the shoulder and bought us a beer. I will never again be afraid to seek help in Italy. It remains one of my favorite memories.
Ciao, Rosemary

stolafoles,
Congratulations on being able to spend 6 weeks in Rome! In what part of Rome are you staying?

I just got back from a two week trip to Rome with my 24 y.o. son. Here is some of the "advice" I gave him. He is a non-drinker of alcohol so I have no advice for you there.

• always say hello and goodbye when you enter/exit a place of business, even a big store. If you can't do it in Italian, English will do.
• you speak French. Try some Italian words.
• be yourself as you wander and wonder about Rome. If that means your 8 year old baseball cap and those sneakers, so be it. Take your hat off in churches.
• when dining out (we had an apartment) don't be afraid to ask questions about what the restaurant has. When he did this, he found that often the owner would appear to discuss whatever it was he wanted to know about, often in a mix of languages.
• watch those two euro coins. They look like quarters but spend like a "three" dollar bill. If you tip, rounding up is an easy way to do it. (my son is a notorious big tipper - his cousins worked their ways through college waiting/bussing tables)
• when you take a cab somewhere, be alert about where you are going. He used his iPhone/google maps to show the drivers where he wanted to be.
• call Mom if you are going to be late or you are hopelessly lost.

And
• have as much fun as you can and be sure to toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain!

DMae

Rosemary, I love your story so much, it made me smile! Many of us have had a similar experience. It's why I love Italy so much.
7 more sleeps and I'm on my way!!

Rosie
That attitude, albeit typically on foot, is one that has cropped up a number of times in Italy. I really appreciate the way someone might take a detour to help out - for want of nothing else than to strike up a conversation with someone who's taken an interest in their village/town/city.

regards

Ian

Good for you. You are very fortunate to have lots of time and opportunity to learn the ways of the Roman and Italian world...and a "smart tourist" will do just that. There a lots of differences, some of which you'll prefer, some you won't understand because you haven't lived there all your life.

Courtesy, courtesy, courtesy, and respect for others and your surroundings, in any language, are the most important things. Curiousity, awareness, and an understanding that "you're not in Kansas anymore" will go a long way toward the amount of personal enjoyment you'll find, and lessen any frustrations that pop up because, thank heaven, it is still and country and not yet a theme park. (At 4 p.m., take a picture of the store that says opens at 3:30 but is not, but don't arrive at 4:01 for the train that leaves a 4pm, or you'll taking the 6 p.m. instead.)

That certainly doesn't mean you must give up who you are and what you like just because you changed countries - you can still find places to eat dinner at 7p if you prefer.

Also, be easy on yourself. You are traveling to a foreign country for the first time; there is absolutely no way to get all the answers beforehand when you have no frame of reference. But then, there is no reason to.

Enjoy your stay. When in Rome...!

I love this discussion because it made me remember all the wonder opportunities that we have had to meet and interact with the people that we came in contact with in our two trips to Italy. We made an attempt to learn some basic italian and as I think back it was the one on the things that opened more doors to some wonderful moments. This isn't to say that my italian wasn't awful, but sometimes it was just as bad as the local english. Forget the idea that there will always be someone who speaks english, I found that not to be true even in Rome. After a hot day sight seeing we stopped in a small cafe for something cold to drink. I didn't know the words for ice tea but came up with something like tea freddo. Yeah, I know it wasn't exactly correct but the young lady understood basically what I wanted and in italian told me that she had some "con pesca" (with peach). My poor understanding of italian heard it as pesci (with fish). Now I know that I'm not in Kansas anymore but come on, ice tea with fish is just wrong no matter where you are. So we start to go back and forth between really bad english and really really bad italian until she decides to go back to the kitchen and bring out the can. The large picture of the peach said it all. I don't know it she thought I was a stupid tourist but she laughed just as hard as we did. My advice is to just relax and be who you are. If you treat everyone that you meet with respect and kindness you'll be just fine. Come to think of it, that's works even when you arn't tourist. Have a wonderful time and remember that a smile and a buon giorno will always start you off on the right foot.

I was truly embarassed and ashamed when I took a picture with my new digital camera during a church service in Oaxaca, Mexico, recently--and the flash went off. I didn't, yet, know how to control the flash. That's a no-no.

The funny incident was related to Dale's "pesca" and "pesci". I tried to get an iced coffee with ice cream in it in Oaxaca. I asked for coffee with ice cream (in spanish). Two different waitpersons came to question me about my order. I thought they finally understood. I received a cup of hot coffee with a dish of vanilla ice cream. Oh, well, it was good!

Charity

I agree with many of the other posters.....just be polite and you will be amazed at how graciously the Italians will treat you. Two years ago, my husband and I were hopelessly lost trying to drive to our hotel in Padua (and it looked so easy on the map!) We stopped and I asked directions in my rudimentary Italian from a gentleman sitting at an outside table. He asked me to wait, then paid his check, and told me to follow his car......he led us directly to the hotel!!! How many Americans would do this for a tourist in the U.S.?

Be polite, respectful, and don't talk loud! I remember being on a train in Italy, and the only people you could hear talking were the Americans on the other end of the train car ......

Louise

The loud is happenstance. Saturday night our party at a local restaurant broke up because a table of Italians were having too boisterous a good time. I think the loud American thing is in quiet areas or in the streets, where Italians are sometimes quieter, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Dinner parties sometimes remind me of goose farms and Italians laugh at the idea that in a debate or argument one would wait for the other to finish before speaking.

So I'm standing in Rome Central station at one of the many kiosks that seek to capture tourists arriving at the station and needing a place to stay. I can't grumble as we got a hotel and it wasn't that bad either.

Anyway, I'm standing there waiting my turn, and an American lady comes in through the doors and says to all in a loud voice "Can somebody tell me where the ladies room is"....and the person working behind the looked up and the eyes said to me "stupid tourist".

Next I'm standing in Mcdonalds in Warsaw in Poland, and I've got another American in front of me. They arrive at the counter and to this Pole, with little in the way of English skills, the they say "Can I get a Chocky Shake". The Poles are too reserved to cast a glance, but I did to her with the same eyes of "stupid tourist".

It just so happens that the two stories I remember about stupid tourists are these.

Analyzing what went wrong:
1. In the first example the person was rude.
2. In the second example the person was not culturally sensitive and a little arrogant.

Let's be frank and honest, shortly after terrorists come tourists because we are an extreme bunch that can all change when we go on holiday, into monsters. You just have to look around yourself next time you're at a historic monument to see the creates of the deep we become.

Still, if you're not rude, and culturally sensitive and not too arrogant you'll be less likely to have the "stupid tourist" label applied.

Signed.
A stupid tourist.

quote:

Let's be frank and honest, shortly after terrorists come tourists because we are an extreme bunch that can all change when we go on holiday, into monsters. You just have to look around yourself next time you're at a historic monument to see the creates of the deep we become.

ooops what the difference a typo makes!

"creates" should be "creatures".

The other bit is humour.

One more story about how we can be stupid tourists even in our own country. Years ago I had arrived on a long flight from Germany to Baltimore with many of the passengers being elderly Germans. One of the local customs agents did his best to be helpful but without any German language skills I could see that he was having some difficult. After he helped as many as he could find, he announced in a loud voice, “Is there anyone else here that doesn’t speak English?” When on one spoke up he made a satisfying nod and walked away. I guess it was all in a days work. I was jet lagged just enough to really enjoy the the slice of life.

That's funny, thanks for sharing.

As others have said, a big difference in Italy (especially in the south) is the level of courtesy, especially for elders. In small shops, ALWAYS greet the salesperson with a "buon giorno" (before one) or "buona sera" (after three) and repeat when exiting; say "per favore" if you want someone's attention; "prego" if someone thanks you; add "signora" (woman) or "signore" (man) to your phrases (e.g. "si, signora", not just "si"); smile a lot; enjoy.

Oh, and the obvious stuff - e.g. don't stand on the pews in the churches to take pictures.

---Marlene

quote:

Originally posted by Dale Edmunds:
One more story about how we can be stupid tourists even in our own country. Years ago I had arrived on a long flight from Germany to Baltimore with many of the passengers being elderly Germans. One of the local customs agents did his best to be helpful but without any German language skills I could see that he was having some difficult. After he helped as many as he could find, he announced in a loud voice, “Is there anyone else here that doesn’t speak English?” When on one spoke up he made a satisfying nod and walked away. I guess it was all in a days work. I was jet lagged just enough to really enjoy the the slice of life.

That reminds me of the former head football coach at my alma mater asking Joe, the team captain, "Joe, will you please lead the team in a word of silent prayer?" The same coach also asked his players to "Line up in a circle alphabetically by height and pair off in groups of three."

Duane
Absolutely brilliant!
regards
Ian

Thanks to all of you for the advice given to stolafoles and everyone else who lurks here! I don't think my family and I would purposely conduct ourselves in such a way as to embarrass ourselves and fellow tourists (not prone to public drunkenness for example), but it is very helpful to understand how best
to be respectful and the level of formality appreciated in Italy.

Tonight my family and I (DH, son aged 14, daughter almost 12) took our first Italian lesson from a wonderful Roman woman here in the Bay Area. Although we will only be able to take about ten lessons prior to our trip, it will be a delight to be able to use -- hopefully somewhat confidently -- the common courtesies, and perhaps to order a meal or two! What a beautiful language!

Thanks ST for all of the advice and funny stories. We are taking it to heart.

I am going to be contrary. I love "Stupid tourists" because it makes me look so much better.

Every loud, abusive, drunken English yob makes me seem like a civilized human. My inadvertant breaches of etiquette, and butchering of the language are instantly forgiven because at least I am trying in comparison to "the normal"

I have been travelling to Italy quite a bit in the past decade, and only once do I recall a group of obnoxious drunk Italians. They were motor racing fans who had obviously been "over celebrating" a Ferrari win.

Although some towns and bars are absolutely packed with students/young people on a Friday or Saturday night, I get the impression that people are out to enjoy themselves, rather than to get as drunk as possible as quickly as possible (Which appears to be the aim in my local towns).

TimW