Although it’s hard to believe, my first trip to Italy was more than 20 years ago. And a lot has changed since then that makes travel to Italy easier and more enjoyable.
In the 1980s, Italy was still using the lira as their currency. So you had to keep track of the exchange rate, and change your money often. Since ATMs weren’t around, you carried travelers’ checks. And when you wanted to exchange money, you went to a bank or the American Express office. Compared to getting local currency from a cash machine, it was a hassle.
Before the Internet, making hotel reservations was a challenge – especially if you didn’t want to stay in a chain hotel with an 800 number. Most of the smaller properties didn’t speak English, so you had to learn enough Italian to request a room on the phone. And you had to call when someone would answer the phone – very early in the morning if you live on the west coast. The other alternative was to write a letter requesting a room, which was a slow process. By the time you learned that the hotel you were interested in was unavailable, your second and third choices could be full too.
Not all hotels accepted credit cards, which meant paying in cash. And most didn’t have the amenities that are commonplace now. Today, even smaller, independent hotels have WiFi Internet access and satellite TV with a few English-language channels.
You can find thousands of great hotels in Italy on the Internet that used to be hidden to Americans before. Venere is an especially good site for finding Italian hotels. It represents smaller, mom-and-pop properties and provides photos and full descriptions. Most of the time, your reservation is guaranteed to a credit card, and you pay the hotel at check out.
English is spoken much more now than in the past, especially in smaller cities and towns outside of Rome. But you’ll enjoy your trip more if you learn a little Italian. It’s an easy language to learn, and the Italians are forgiving of bad pronunciation.
You can purchase rail tickets or a rail pass online before you leave home, and you can find all the schedules, fares, and details online too.
Although it’s still not easy to drive in major cities – don’t even think about doing it in Rome – driving in the Italian countryside isn’t too tough. Especially if you take a portable GPS with European maps. These are remarkably accurate and will help you find your way all over Italy. If you don’t have one, many rental car companies rent them as an option.
The streets were originally built for carts, so in medieval towns, the roads will be very narrow and parking will be limited. Remember this when selecting a rental car. You want one that you’ll be comfortable in, but the bigger it is, the harder it will be to negotiate tight places.
Even travel luggage has improved and carrying a rolling bag will lighten your load if you have to park a ways from your hotel, or if you’re traveling by train.
You don’t have to take a tour in order to travel to Italy. With a little advance trip planning, you’ll be just fine on your own.
Tags: american express, chain hotel, easy language, express office, first trip, hotels in italy, independent travel, language channels, satellite tv, travelers checks