Italy

[M_B]

Yeah it does happen, but its not like the UK. Its safe to walk around Italian cities at midnight during the summer with your wife and kids.

[El Rojo]

Don't forget the islands. Elba and Sicily are just spectacular.

 

It's also a fantastic country to travel in if you've got young kids. Everything's hugely family-centred. 

 

Hoping to go as far south as Calabria next time.

[Dr Nowt]

Yeah it does happen, but its not like the UK

Where is mate? The aggressive/boorish helmet contingent unfortunately lets everyone else down and makes people instinctively brace when around even good-natured pissed Brits.

[M_B]

true

[Bjornebye]

Nice I'm off to Italy at the beginning of July.

 

Have 3 nights in Rome, 3 nights at a wedding in a little villa outside of Florence and have booked a day trip to Siena, before going into the city for a couple of nights.

 

Will check out the food markets on the Tiber. But any more tips would be greatly appreciated. Obviously we will do the key sites in Rome and Florence.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

Rome can be done on foot. Don't pay for a tour of the vatican, just queue. It doesn't take long. 

 

siena is nice but I only had a nose around for an hour or so. In the middle of nowhere but the big square where they have the horse race is decent. 

 

Florence is beautiful. Don't ever leave. 

[Bjornebye]

Ha, ironically a large group of Italian males were absolutely hammered in Manarola on Saturday afternoon and could be heard all around the village chanting the equivalent of "oggy oggy oggy, oi oi oi", before transferring it onto the train back to Riomaggiore.

 

I'm sure they were being ironical.

 

2 pissed up Italian lads came over to me, the missus and another english couple we were talking too in Venice. It was late, sat outside a little wine bar. my instinct was to fuck them off simply because of how pissed up english lads usually are. they were actually quite sound in the end, pervy though as all italians are but one of them was a Liverpool fan so sat next to me and just chewed my ear off about Gerrard 

[aRdja]

Get up early for the major sights to beat the crowds.

 

If you are a meat eater, make sure you try Florentine steak (Bistecca fiorentina).

 

Have an ice-cream

 

Take mosquito repellent

 

You can drink the water from the public taps located around any Italian City

 

When you go for coffee in a cafe - sitting down is more expensive than standing at the bar.

 

You don't have to tip in an Italian restaurant. Most British people do, but its not obligatory. I rarely tip (cause I'm a tightwad), but really its a cultural difference. They will tip for a big event, but not just a meal in a trattoria.

 

Learn a few basic words - please, thankyou, hello, goodbye. As it happens Italians tend not to use please when ordering because the politeness is in the intonation, but it does no harm. They certainly never say "Could I have" though so you can drop that. They always say hello and goodbye when entering\leaving a small shop or cafe. They really like Brits, so a few pleasant words and you'll find the holiday a friendly experience.

Anywhere in Puglia I must go mate?

[JagSquared]

Rome can be done on foot. Don't pay for a tour of the vatican, just queue. It doesn't take long.

 

siena is nice but I only had a nose around for an hour or so. In the middle of nowhere but the big square where they have the horse race is decent.

 

Florence is beautiful. Don't ever leave.

Cheers stig

[Anny Road]

Went to the Venician Riviera last year, forget the name of the place.(edit Jesolo area) Nothing super special but great with the kids. Every meal was good. Never saw anyone pissed except one night heard a bit of loud sing in one of the bars/restaurants. surprise surprise there are 5 or 6 lads in Sheffield and Nots Forrest shirts. Street was pedestrianized at night so it was great to eat wander and eat. Clean and nice people. Day tip to Venice as well. quite cheap for a beach/pool/pizza holiday.

[John101]

Off to Sicily next month. Any recommendations?

[Kidder Bukowski]

Looking at some cheap flights from Libpool to Bari and was thinking of staying in Monopoli. Anybody stayed around there, reccomend any places to visit? Cheers.

[Bjornebye]

Looking at some cheap flights from Libpool to Bari and was thinking of staying in Monopoli. Anybody stayed around there, reccomend any places to visit? Cheers.

Avoid going to jail

[M_B]

Looking at some cheap flights from Libpool to Bari and was thinking of staying in Monopoli. Anybody stayed around there, reccomend any places to visit? Cheers.

 

Monopoli is nice.

 

Matera is an interesting place to visit for its UNESCO caves. Definitely go to Alberobello for the Trulli. Lecce down the coast is nice to walk around.

 

Don't go in August though. Its fucking boiling and the entire country is on holiday.

 

Ps - The food in Puglia is the best in Italy in my opinion.

[M_B]

Off to Sicily next month. Any recommendations?

 

Etna, Syracuse, Agrigento, Palermo is a bit of a mad place, but the old town has character. Erice above Trapani for the view. I've not been to the beaches there, but there are quite a few.

 

Having said that if you want a beach in Italy, then go to either Calabria or Sardegna.

[M_B]

Anywhere in Puglia I must go mate?

 

Depends on what you like. Alberobello, Monopoli, Matera (technically in Calabria), Lecce and to a lesser extent Altamura and Gravina. Castel del Monte is a sight. Bari old town has some good restaurants. Infact the food in Puglia is really great, and cheap. The Food Market on Via Sparano in Bari is fantastic.

 

Also the Primitivo wine is great and costs peanuts.

 

And Puglia is a good contrast to the rest of Italy. Its poorer, hotter and significantly more laid back. You won't find anything open between 1 and 4pm. And everyone (and I mean everyone) goes for a walk ('passiagiata') at 8pm. Although teenagers tend to use their cars instead, so they just drive round and round and round.......

 

...and people eat late. Folks usually head to a restaurant around 9-10pm

[El Rojo]

Etna, Syracuse, Agrigento, Palermo is a bit of a mad place, but the old town has character. Erice above Trapani for the view. I've not been to the beaches there, but there are quite a few.

 

Having said that if you want a beach in Italy, then go to either Calabria or Sardegna.

 

Beach in Cefalu is beautiful for a resort town. Plenty of wilder, unspoiled beaches and rocky shores with clear waters all over the island too.

 

Noto and Castelbuono are well worth a visit, but then most places on the island are.

[Trumo]

Depends on what you like. Alberobello, Monopoli, Matera (technically in Calabria), Lecce and to a lesser extent Altamura and Gravina. Castel del Monte is a sight. Bari old town has some good restaurants. Infact the food in Puglia is really great, and cheap. The Food Market on Via Sparano in Bari is fantastic.

 

Also the Primitivo wine is great and costs peanuts.

 

And Puglia is a good contrast to the rest of Italy. Its poorer, hotter and significantly more laid back. You won't find anything open between 1 and 4pm. And everyone (and I mean everyone) goes for a walk ('passiagiata') at 8pm. Although teenagers tend to use their cars instead, so they just drive round and round and round.......

 

...and people eat late. Folks usually head to a restaurant around 9-10pm

 

True, but beware the bloke in the white linen suit and Panama hat trying to tempt you with fruit. Apparently, he doesn't take no for an answer.

[TheHowieLama]

ROME — Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte stepped down Tuesday following disputes within the governing alliance over the post-pandemic economic recovery package.  

Conte handed in his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella following a Cabinet meeting, bringing the 16-month-old government to an end.

His resignation plunges Italy into political uncertainty in the middle of a pandemic that has killed more than 80,000 people and with the highest annual death toll since World War II.  

[Ezekiel 25:17]

1 hour ago, TheHowieLama said:

ROME — Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte stepped down Tuesday following disputes within the governing alliance over the post-pandemic economic recovery package.  

Conte handed in his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella following a Cabinet meeting, bringing the 16-month-old government to an end.

His resignation plunges Italy into political uncertainty in the middle of a pandemic that has killed more than 80,000 people and with the highest annual death toll since World War II.  

Best Carbonara I ever had was in Rome.

[Bobby Hundreds]

On 23/06/2017 at 18:35, John101 said:

Off to Sicily next month. Any recommendations?

I guess he wasn't recommended to be cautious of the mafia. RIP John101

[TheHowieLama]

On 26/01/2021 at 09:57, TheHowieLama said:

ROME — Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte stepped down Tuesday following disputes within the governing alliance over the post-pandemic economic recovery package.  

Conte handed in his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella following a Cabinet meeting, bringing the 16-month-old government to an end.

His resignation plunges Italy into political uncertainty in the middle of a pandemic that has killed more than 80,000 people and with the highest annual death toll since World War II.  

Taking the Boris:

 

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has tendered his resignation after populist coalition partner Five Star withdrew its support in a confidence vote.

[Mook]

2 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

Taking the Boris:

 

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has tendered his resignation after populist coalition partner Five Star withdrew its support in a confidence vote.