Gloria posted this question in another topic and I think it's an excellent question that maybe could help "prepare" first time travelers.

What are the things that "disoriented" you when you first visited Italy? Something you really had to adjust to? Maybe those are the things travelers should be prepared to before a visit to Italy?

I've got mine. On our first trip, we went to Rome first. I had a map and couldn't figure anything out until I realized the street signs were not on poles on corners like in the States but instead on plaques on the buildings!

Opening and closing of museums, churches, monuments, stores, and restaurants that don't correspond to the signs posted on the door, guidebook info, or even their own websites. We've had some disappointments over the years, and a lot of serendipitous joy when a place was unexpectedly open. Flexibility, "Plan B", and good humor are helpful.

Getting different information from different sources (books, signs, people) threw me a little to start with, but once we started taking that info as a rough guide rather than an absolute we were fine. We even managed the post office

Same as Amy, we never knew what to expect in terms opening and closing days or hours. And, like Amy, were disappointed and then surprised when we approached Ristorante Guido in Siena only to find that it was closed on Tuesdays - as we checked out the menu posted outside, however, a man came to the door from the inside, opened it and beckoned us in. I pointed to the sign on the door and said something like, "Chiuso, no?" He waved off the sign with a shrug and a smile...we enjoyed our lunch!

Scheduled strikes. Bus strikes on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 10 and 1, bank strikes every Monday morning, etc. etc. "Sciopero" became one of my first new words.

It took me a while to adjust to the wide variation in the size of streets in Italy, which made it difficult at first to figure out distances.

For example, I'd look at a map and figure I would have to walk 10 blocks to my destination. Then I'd walk way too far past my destination because I hadn't taken account of the fact what I dismissed as a little alley was actually a historic street! And, as Kim notes, with street signs sometimes placed high up on the side of a building, they can be easily overlooked.

Cheers,
Sandra

My first trip to Italy it totally threw me for a loop that many (most) businesses - including tourist oriented ones, shut down during the afternoon. I was visiting friends in Verona and took a day trip to Vincenza. It seemed like all of the restaurants and shops simultaniously shut down. I was tired and my friends weren't going to pick me up for another 3 hours. I found a nice place with a view of the duomo to hang out, but I would have preferred have a cafe seat.

I got used to this cultural difference - but it was disorienting on my first trip. It's not a good or bad thing... but definitely different and something that sometimes needs to be planned for.

On days when you've checked out of one place, and can't check in to the next place till 4pm or so... it's good to have a plan of where to go during the afternoon - expecially if you're in a smaller town where more shops and restaurants are likely to be closed from 12:30-4:30.

Massive Jetlag. Too much to see and do,wondering how often I could come back!

RR

My mother tongue is deeply connected to Italian, the difference being that in what is today Romania, like in other border parts of the Roman empire, the language of the legions was the vulgar ("gutter") Latin, and this was the Latin from which the Romanian language evolved. The connection to Italy was strong and, at one point in the 19th century, there was even talk of making Italian the official language of the fledgling, just created unified Romania.

So, in 1972, during our first trip to Europe, I was petty cockily confident that, after a full week's diet of Swiss German that neither of us spoke, despite Josette having grown up with a Fräulein, linguistic liberation will arrive to us when we cross into Italy.

Thus, we were on the train, crossing the border from Switzerland to Italy, when a sharply dressed conductor opened the door of the compartment and said:"POOISAOA SAAIOENE KIAAASSSO!!!!!" Or something similar. Lots of vowels. Obviously, in Italian.

I looked at Josette, she laughed at me, I shrugged.

As the train pulled into the first Italian train station after the border-crossing I had a revelation and realised what the conductor had said: "Prossima stazione, Chiasso!"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Doru,

This is interesting! I see our guests are sometimes puzzled by the different pressure of water in the shower, the time it takes to complete a laundry cycle, the fact that shops are closed between 1 and 4 pm or on Monday morning, the fact that distances are small but driving times are relatively high, and the fact that our houses are not very warm in winter and the temperature rarely goes above 18°C so you can't walk with bare feet or wear a t-shirt.
These are the things I hear the most.

"maledizione!" another "sciopero!" ...something like that...

Scaffolding. I had sat through my college art history courses dreaming of the day that I could actually see all the things that were flashed on the slide screens.

When I finally made my first trip to Italy, I went from church to church and museum to museum and architectural site to architectural site....and came home with a collection of photographs of scaffolding.

It always takes a day or two to adapt to the somewhat slower pace of southern Europe - afternoon closings, etc. but I've come to love the fact that spending long afternoons lunching with friends and family may be more important to quality of life than selling a couple more pairs of shoes!

I can find street signs disorienting too (hey, that's not what they're supposed to do, are they?)--especially those for piazzas. Manys the time I've been following my handwritten directions on how to walk from point A to point B and know I'll have to make a turn on a certain street, only to find that all the streets signs contain only the name of the piazza, not of the streets that intersect to form it!

Hairpin curves with no guardrails. My first trip was to Massa Marittima. We did a day trip to Riomaggiore I had to crowbar my heart out of my throat by the time we got there.

VENICE!!!!!


That was 21 years ago. We have returned many times since. Our only trip this year is Venice for three months for the holidays. We call her home now, at least our second home.

I was seven on my first trip and not really in charge of things; one thing I remember from a friend joining me as an adult: expecting drinking fountains.

I will add my vote to the "afternoon closing" chorus.

My first visit to Italy was to Rome where it is really not as pervasive - you just had to know that while many of the churches close for part of the afternoon, the basilicas don't, so plan accordingly.

But going to Sicily - it became something I really had to adapt to. Traveling with a teenager (God bless her!) who is a challenge to rouse early in the morning, we would often not get out for a day trip until ten or so and by the time we'd get somewhere - counting the time I would spend getting lost - it would be very later morning and everything would be about to shut down until at least three - maybe even later! In fact - in Sicily - usually later, I found. Closer to four.

I had a love/hate relationship with this part of Italian life. Until I adapted (and made my daughter get up earlier!) I was irritated, but once I got into the flow of it, I came to appreciate it and re-evaluate my own busy/nonstop approach to life back here in the States.

Which is part of the reason to travel, isn't it?

In the sense that there are no public fountains?

quote:

Originally posted by Kim:
I realized the street signs were not on poles on corners but instead on plaques on the buildings!

It not so much the fact that they're on plaques or engraved on the buildings, but that they're not illuminated! At least when you're trying to navigate at night from a map while standing inside a public bus on your first visit to Torino...

And one more, this one about the roundabouts : the sign with the exit arrow is placed after the right turn you're supposed to take. While a horizontal arrow to the left means continue straight (not "keep going left", as I mistakenly thought) - I am used to seeing this as a vertical arrow pointing upwards.

But after two or three loops in the same roundabout, it finally sinks in...

Somewhat disconcerting, at first, but I had to internalize and get used to the respect paid to older women in general: e.g. all the males on the public bus or train will offer their seat to an older woman or suffer her wrath or the wrath of her escort; an unescorted older woman will automatically take any man's arm for assistance getting on or off the bus or train; an older woman sitting next to me at a bus stop handed me her brown paper bag, while she proceeded to eat an orange, while periodically putting peels in the bag and when she finished she pointed to the trash bin nearby and I respectfully threw away the bag and contents....all this brings back memories of the way it used to be most everywhere, when we were all younger men and also paid this kind of respect in small ways to our elders and it took me by surprise, although it certainly can't be called disorienting.

This only pertains to Sicily (and only the western half as we didn't visit the eastern part):

I was shocked and dismayed by how much trash was strewn around. All over the countryside, all over Unesco World Heritage Greek temple sites and most disturbingly, all over otherwise pleasant beaches.

I witnessed on more than one occasion, Italians having a snack on the beach and then chucking their garbage, cans, etc. behind. Not to mention the cigarette butts which were everywhere.

The Italian vacationer's total lack of concern for the nature surrounding them came as a big, and unpleasant surprise.

First and last time we'll go to Sicily.

-Kevin

quote:

Originally posted by KevinWidrow:
This only pertains to Sicily (and only the western half as we didn't visit the eastern part):

I was shocked and dismayed by how much trash was strewn around. All over the countryside, all over Unesco World Heritage Greek temple sites and most disturbingly, all over otherwise pleasant beaches.

I witnessed on more than one occasion, Italians having a snack on the beach and then chucking their garbage, cans, etc. behind. Not to mention the cigarette butts which were everywhere.

The Italian vacationer's total lack of concern for the nature surrounding them came as a big, and unpleasant surprise.

First and last time we'll go to Sicily.

-Kevin

Yes I agree, I picked up over 20 plastic bottles at Segesta and dozens at the several beaches we went to,
I don't understand. RR

How can I forget

poop!

I don't remember stepping on any but I kept my eyes on each step; probably missing quite a bit.


It's much better now (I'm not saying perfect!). And I am very appreciative.

quote:

I don't understand.

Robert -

I understand perfectly - people just don't care... very sad.

-Kevin

lunchtime closing is a classic cultural difference that can be vitally important to adapt to - especially as a seemingly dull area emerges ~ 4pm with an array of interesting shops that were anonymously shuttered up an hour before.

Others (not just limited to 1st trip):
- Validating train tickets in the yellow machines (I still forget on occasions).
- In cafes, how you'd pay at the till, then order your coffee. If anything this is even more confusing now as it seems in transition to pay at the bar or pay afterwards.
- Buses where the middle exit is for getting oof, with front and back for getting on - plus ticket validation
- Bus tickets for distance/time, rather than €x to the destination
- Train station signs that give equal prominance to arrivals as destinations. Only once have I gone in the wrong direction, but it's easy to do.
- Italian hospitality. Once out of the tourist zones, it's possible to encounter a level of hospitality that could even feel uncomfortable due to it's generosity
- Italian's dislike of small change (spiccioli). Shops don't hold a big 'float' and having the right money (or at least enough to make the change easy) is really appreciated.
- Traffic on the other side of the road to UK. It usually takes me 2-3 days to start looking in the right direction when crossing the road.

regards

Ian

I don't know if it still happens but our first trip to Italy was courtesy of the US Navy Reserve to Gaeta in 1997. My husband was working the whole time and I was on my own. He needed to be at work at 6:45 AM so we ate dinner as early as possible so he could get some sleep. What amazed us (and maybe it was the early hour) were the cats in the restaurants. Everywhere in all the restaurants in Gaeta, and if they liked what you were eating, they would jump on your lap and try to get it off your plate. I actually really hope that still happens because it was so different and actually relaxing as at the time we had five cats at home who did the same thing! BJinNM

Around 30 years ago, I was in St moritz . I had hurt my leg on the slopes. With a leg brace up to my hip. A few friends from Germany wanted to run down to Milan. I was able to travel. How ever just before we arrived in Milan, I needed the ladies room. Driver pulled over to a round building. I was so mixed up, there was a very nice marble floor with about 8 holes in it?? Period. I thought that I had gone into the men’s, so I went out and looked once more…..No way with leg brace could I master that.. We had to go to a hotel…and take tea.. But I had taken pictures along the way , and the beauty over whelmed me. I fell in love with Italy from these very pictures.Because I was so upset about the rest room, I had missed the beauty around me.
I return as often as possible. I leave May 6 for the month of May..

Smoking directly under the non smoking sign, maybe it's better now RR

I was disoriented at the casual disregard shown to so many old buildings, until I realized that there was no way that the country can pay for the upkeep of all the heritage that they find themselves surrounded with.

Also, I was thrown by the amount of graffiti everywhere. I now warn fellow travelers to expect it. But it's still my favorite place to visit. In less than two weeks, we go back for our third trip.

Surrendering my passport upon checking into my hotel.

Stumbling out of the train station in Venice, completely jet lagged and gazing onto the Grand Canal.

Susie
How could I forget that one - that throws so many travellers into confusion.
regards
Ian

I was disconcerted and embarrassed by some transportation quirks on my fist trip (before a much needed site like this one existed):

1. finding the gear for reverse on my rental car (having to pull up on the ring around the stick shift now feels like a 'welcome back')
2. discovering that a train reservation does not guarantee a seat
3. the various FCO taxi driver wiles

My confusion was at Termini trying to buy the Chilometri pass. I went back and forth. I had real trouble with the accent of the guy at the information window and thought I needed to find some place other than the regular ticket window. I wasted more time than necessary trying to figure that out including taking a number and waiting in the reservations office before I figured it out.

Also, we took a evening walking tour the first night we were there. At the end, I was told where to buy a bus ticket and which bus to take to get back to our hotel. I failed to cross the street and went the wrong way all the way to the end of the route before we realized the mistake. (I had been told correctly) Fortunately we were on bus 40 so we had just gone from near the Pantheon to the Vatican area.
We rode the bus back to Termini and walked to our hotel.

quote:

Originally posted by KevinWidrow:
This only pertains to Sicily (and only the western half as we didn't visit the eastern part):

I was shocked and dismayed by how much trash was strewn around. All over the countryside, all over Unesco World Heritage Greek temple sites and most disturbingly, all over otherwise pleasant beaches.

I witnessed on more than one occasion, Italians having a snack on the beach and then chucking their garbage, cans, etc. behind. Not to mention the cigarette butts which were everywhere.

The Italian vacationer's total lack of concern for the nature surrounding them came as a big, and unpleasant surprise.

First and last time we'll go to Sicily.

-Kevin

It might not be a feature of Sicily alone, but as far as I am concerned that was also the reason for me to say first and last time in Sicily.

Being handed a menu and realizing the only word I recognized was "fettucini"! I went back to my hotel that night and made my first "cheat sheet"!

A menu with no English is a good indicator that you were likely in a good local restaurant, not a "tourist trap" - we've all been to the overpriced, red and white checked tablecloth, English speaking, production-style restaurant...and regretted it.

My first trip to Europe and Italy was in the early '70s. In Italy, my husband and I went to a restaurant and ordered all the courses at once as we do here. The waiter dutifully listened to our whole list, brought the antipasto (or whatever was first) then, when we were done, asked what we wanted next. This continued for all courses. We thought that was strange and maybe the waiter just forgot and laughed about it. But when it happened a couple of other times in different restaurants (and observing those around us), we finally figured out that they ordered course by course. A style we were happy to adopt. Now I'm confused when they expect me to order all at once

On my last trip to Italy I found myself always pulling on the shop, bar or restaurant door to open it, rather than pushing, even when there was a sign saying "spingere". Once I even rang the night bell at a hotel because I thought it was closed for the afternoon -- it was in fact open and boy, did the porter look surprised when he opened the door (by pulling on it) and saw me standing there! I don't know if it's a California thing having the door open outward -- being able to get out quickly in an earthquake or what -- but it took me my entire trip (two weeks) to remember to push rather than pull.

Also, although I figured out pretty quickly when grocery shopping to pull on the disposable plastic gloves before bagging your produce, weighing and placing the price tag on the produce bag, I invariably got the price sticker stuck to both the gloves as well as the plastic bag. I felt like Mr. Bean in Italy!

DD

Going into a bank to exchange money. First, not being able to go in together, through the "air lock" door with my husband - the waving of hands from inside motioning that only one could go through at a time, and second, not being able to go in with a backpack (again understood via motions from those inside that the backpack was not OK).

First trip to Italy: Summer of 1966, arriving in Venice from the north in time for pranzo. Going to a nice trattoria and ordering spaghetti (hey, I was 19 and from Texas- spaghetti was the only Italian word I knew -- except vino, I guess). After the spaghetti (and vino) I asked for the check and got royally chewed out by the waiter for not ordering anything more. That plus the argument with the waiter in Rome over the charge for "pane e copierto" when we got no pane. We were young and broke, so that's my excuse. That was back when a pizza cappricioso and a liter (shared) of house vino rosso could be had for less than 50 cents US and you really could travel Italy for $5/day.

quote:

...for not ordering more

Guess I've upset a number of waiters over the years Always had an attitude that my appetite determined what I ordered.

Was told by a restaurant owner once that they referred to pizza margherita, a mixed salad, and a glass of wine as "the American meal"...but I have a feeling the cash register rings no matter what food they put on the table.

Ditto the bank entrance. It was a small town with noone around and I couldn't understand any Italian. I had never seen one before and was afraid I would get "stuck" in the tube. Finally, someone came around and I watched them enter; then did the same thing.

Also, rules of the road, especially on highways where you are expected to watch your rear mirror and pull over for fast moving cars that pull up behind you even if there is a string of slow moving trucks in the other lane. I got honked at repeatedly and didn't understand why.

Roadsigns indicated destinations, not directions (like "Roma" not "A1 south"). It is especially confusing at an intersection when both signs say "Roma" .

---Marlene

Rome or Florence in 1990 -

- when a red light does not really mean "stop and wait for the green light"

- or when the solid line between opposite flow of traffic is "only a guideline"

quote:

Originally posted by Marlene:

Roadsigns indicated destinations, not directions (like "Roma" not "A1 south"). It is especially confusing at an intersection when both signs say "Roma" .

---Marlene

Mine was a related transportation problem. We were on the A4 looking for the exit to find our hotel. I kept making U-turns looking for the street name on the road signs, not realizing I needed to know the destination that was beyond the hotel.

The first time I went to Italy I was 17, and I arrived (without any plan about where to stay) on the coronation day of Pope Paul VI. Having read much about antiquity and the Risorgimento and some idylls of the Italian countryside, I was shocked to discover that Rome was a big noisy trafficky modern city. I hated it for the first few days, and only gradually became aware of the many nested layers of history that I love now.

quote:

A menu with no English is a good indicator that you were likely in a good local restaurant, not a "tourist trap" - we've all been to the overpriced, red and white checked tablecloth, English speaking, production-style restaurant...and regretted it.

I agree Jeff, and the meal was fabulous once our guide translated the menu for us! It was just a surprise, especially since we are REALLY into food! :-)

I thought of another one... some relatives of my best friend were with us on a big group trip in Tuscany. We were staying at a wonderful agriturismo outside of San Quirico. My friend's in laws had finally come over to visit Italy after 2 years of my friend and her husband moving to Verona. (This was my 3rd trip taking advantage of having a local base. LOL)

My friend's brother in law kept complaining how it was awful that they didn't have "normal breakfast cereals like Cheerios" in the little market. He had other dislikes about the lack of availability of his favored processed foods in this little market.

It was the toilet paper... some kind of gray wrinkled stretchy stuff. I brought some home cos I figured nobody would believe it. This was back in the 70's. These days, toilet paper (when there is any) has improved considerably. Sometimes now there is even a toilet seat. But even now I never go into a bathroom without the basic necessities on my person. You never know, even in nice places..