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Home Page > Travelogues > Italy (a.k.a. Italia)

Quick Access for this Page -- [ Introduction ] [ Travelogues By Region ] [ Links ]

Click on the colored areas of the map to access a travelogue.  The colors indicate different regions of Italy -- scroll down for explanation and introduction for each location. (Original map comes from the CIA World Factbook)

Introduction.  I keep telling myself that I haven't done enough Italy.  The good news is that I've hit most of the top spots -- Rome, Milan, Venice, etc. -- but as I've mostly done weekenders, and these are places that can't be covered completely in a weekend.

Italy differs greatly from one part to another.  The mountainous north is very picturesque and Alpine Italy is very friendly and enjoyable.  Once you get south of Rome, the land be comes mostly desert (Sicily is a desert island), and the people demonstrate a stereotypical Mediterranean passion about life.  Although the Italians do tend to show a short fuse around tourists, the fact is most Italians I've encountered are naturally easy-going and strongly family-oriented -- very little different from the large Italian-American communities I grew up around.

Italian cuisine is everything it is cracked up to be.  Italians know food very well, and another short of excellent is considered subpar.  Pizzerias are common and represent Italian fast food (but the pizzas are not sliced, they are served as individual pies and you eat them with fork and knife).  The typical sequence of course is something like -- antipasto (appetizer), first course (usually pasta), second course (usually a meat dish), salad, desert, coffee.  Be advised that if you order a coffee in Italy, you will get an espresso.  (If you want an American-style coffee, you must ask for a coffee americano, and you'll get a big cup with an espresso and a jug of hot water.)

Italian driving is also everything it is cracked up to be.  I was told by a grandfatherly figure in Sicily that the traffic signs are for decoration.  Simply put, if you are remotely skittish behind the wheel, don't try.  On the other hand, you'll quickly learn that there is a civility, and while they are aggressive drivers, they are normally courteous, too, and accidents are rare.

There are other hazards.  Some gotchas you'll want to know:  There are such things as fiscal police -- officers who will pull over cars and check all belongings to ensure they were rightly purchased by the owner, including soft drinks and snacks purchased at gas stations.  Word to the wise, keep all receipts.  Also, if you take a taxi, few are metered.  You must negotiate the price before he departs, otherwise you will find yourself subjected to the demands of the driver.  Italians are also infamous pickpockets and petty thieves who will reach into moving cars and grab stuff (i.e. keep your windows closed and doors locked).

But, despite the quirks and gotchas, Italy is absolutely worth all the attention it gets.  You can't go too far wrong in the big cities, and Sicily is a worthwhile visit.

Travelogues by Region.  The coloring of the locations on the map above indicate different regions in Switzerland, as shown below.  

Links.  The below links connect you to external sites in a new window.  All links are official sites sanctioned by the national, state, or local governments unless otherwise indicated.  These links will open to the Italian-language home page, which will offer an icon or link to an English-language section (normally limited content).  If an English language link is not available, click on the "Turismo" section.  This is for the tourism page, which should have English content available.  Links updated 6 January 2006.