A Few Things To Remember When Travelling To Italy

Italy is a country with so many facets and incomparable beauty. There are so many places to see in Italy that it is impossible to visit all at once. Away from the obvious cities that are on every tour guide such as Rome, Florence, Siena, Naples and Venice are the not so obvious but equally fascinating spots. A holiday in Italy can take the shape you want and you won’t be disappointed either way. Tourists visit Italy for the arts, the architectural heritage, the history and the monuments, but also for the natural beauties and the food.
Ideally located on the Mediterranean Sea Italy benefits from a mild climate, but let’s not forget that temperatures are very different from north to south. The differences between North and South however are not limited to the climate, but also to the way of life, the food and the culture.  Whilst Northern Italy is fast paced and economically strong, the Southern part of the Country is much more layback with an economy based mainly on tourism.  You won’t find much in a way of International food across Italy, but you won’t get bored to eat the same food as the variety of Italian food is vast with many regional specialties.
One thing to remember when you travel away from main built up areas is that the Italian public transport infrastructure is not very efficient so if you want to make the most of your holiday it pays investing some money in hiring a car.
Eating out remember Italian portions are usually quite large so first courses on the menu are not starters but usually main course size. To avoid nasty surprises on the bill make sure the price of fish courses on the menu is per portion and not per 100 grams. Lobster always seems very affordable on the menu, but somehow the price is very different when the bill comes.  A lobster normally weighs between 700 and 800 grams – any smaller it would be against regulations for species protection – so to have an idea of the cost you will need to multiply the price listed on the menu for 7 or 8 times. If you are unsure you can always ask the waiter and hope he speaks English!