Italy Intel | Essential Tips for a Worry-Free Trip
Dining Reservations
Breakfast in Italy is not much of a priority, but coffee and a quick bite like cornetto or bombolone is. No reservation is required at a bar/cafe so pop in wherever you choose.
Lunch reservations are not crucial unless you are dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant, however, they are recommended for popular spots that can get busy.
In case you want to see where the day takes you and not be tied down to a lunch reservation, there are quicker, more casual options with delicious street food.
Dinner reservations are strongly recommended, if not required. This was not always the case but became more common during and after the pandemic. Many restaurants will only accept you if a reservation was made. This is also due to staffing and ensuring they have the right amount of food since everything is made fresh.
You can book reservations on The Fork, which is more common now (Italian restaurants typically did not offer online booking options) but many of the best small, local eateries are not on there and will only take reservations by phone.
Many places speak English or well enough to get by, so it is usually fine to call them directly with your request.
Dining Timing
Breakfast
In big cities like Rome, bar/cafes can be open as early as 5:30am, while smaller, sleepier towns will likely open later around 7 or 8. And don't expect them to open at the same time each day! Italian lifestyle is more leisurely and the shop keepers will open whenever they get there :)
Coffee and breakfast sweets are typically available for most of the day although it's normal to have them before 10:30am.
Lunch & Dinner
Popular lunch time is 1pm/1:30pm and popular dinner time is 8pm, so if you do try to sit somewhere without a reservation try to avoid these times and go when the restaurants first open to avoid long wait times or being turned away.
Aperitivo
Whenever you'd like. No, really! Even as early as 9am it is not unheard of to see someone sitting at a bar/cafe with a cold beer, chilled vermouth or other low abv cocktail.
Officially, aperitivo hour begins in the evening before dinner. This is the best time for people watching and to immerse yourself in the culture, joining locals as they enjoy after a day's work.
⭐️Best Times for Aperitivo to Beat the Crowds (11am - 5pm)
⭐️Best Times for Aperitivo to Join the Crowds (5pm - 8pm)
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Note that many restaurants in Italy are CLOSED on Sunday evenings, and sometimes during the day, so plan accordingly! I suggest going more casual on Sundays with a lunch reservation and for dinner, finding a place that offers meat and cheese boards, grab pizza and gelato on the go, or take advantage of the aperitivo spreads that some bars offer with drinks. Or visit a local market for some food essentials and cook at your rental for Sunday dinner at home like a true Italian! If staying at a hotel, they will likely keep their restaurants open if they have one.
Dining Etiquette
Bars & Cafes
Italian dining etiquette calls on different rules for different types of establishments. In a bar/cafe for coffee in the morning it is typical to order and pay at the cashier first, then bring your receipt to the coffee counter and present it to the barista who will fulfill the order. There are some places where you order and drink and eat first then pay, but I would watch to see what others are doing as the protocol can vary..
If you sit down versus stand at the counter, be prepared to pay a service charge.
For aperitivo in the afternoon or evening, you can sit down wherever you please and someone will come around to take your order. If you want a second drink you will need to flag them down or order at the counter, as many Italians only order one.
When you want to pay and leave you will also have to ask for the check, and many places have you pay inside at the register instead of at the table.
Trattorie & Ristorante
Similar to American culture, a host will greet and seat you.
In terms of table service, a few things to note:
⭐️Bread baskets may be dropped at your table but the expectation is for it to be enjoyed with your meal, not before.
⭐️Asking for salt and pepper can be considered rude as it is seen as an insult to the chef's cooking.
⭐️Typically drinks are ordered once at the beginning of the meal so if you want a second glass of wine you will have to flag down the server. It might be more convenient to order a bottle unless you don't want to drink that much. Half bottles or carafes of House wine are also usually available and can be a better option.
⭐️Try to order at least two courses per person. It is not customary to dine in a restaurant in Italy and only order a pasta or salad. An antipasto and primo or primo and secondo is ideal and hopefully you also have room for some dessert! (Or digestivo).
⭐️Italians like to linger over dessert and drinks at the table while enjoying conversation so to not interrupt the experience the waiter will never ask if you are ready for the check. You must request it and be prepared to pay either at the table or up front at the bar.
Tourist Attraction Tickets
☝️You have your ticket ahead of time so will not need to wait on line to purchase.
✌️ You will have paid to cut the ticket purchase line as well. Even if you purchased your ticket in advance, if you don't also opt for the skip-the-line ticket then you might need to wait on a separate line of ticket holders who purchased their tickets on-site.
If your schedule allows, try to visit in the morning before places are filled with crowds.
Some trustworthy ticket sites are:
Tiquets
Viator
Get Your Guide
Tickitaly
Transportation
Ubers
In larger cities like Rome, Milan, and Florence etc. Uber is available but there are significantly fewer of them than there are taxis. They will likely not be available in smaller, less tourist-centric cities and almost certainly not in smaller towns.
Taxis
There are several main taxi stations in Rome with the largest being at the Termini train station and in Piazza Venezia. The line to grab one moves quickly.
There are also several apps you can use to order and pay for a taxi:
CHIAMA TAXI UTENTE
This app is recommended by the Rome tourism board on their website. You can download the App from Google Play or the App Store.
ITTAXI
On the side of the taxis you will see a sign suggesting this app. You can easily call for a taxi and pay from within the app, with an additional fee.
FREE NOW (Only in Milan, Naples, Rome, Turin, Catania, Palermo, and Cagliari)
This app is similar to the itTaxi app listed above. You can book a taxi and pay within the app for your convenience.
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Additionally, there are fixed fares to take you to and from the airports in Rome (either Fiumicino or Ciampino) but note that they typically won't exceed 60 euros. If you are being charged more than this, you might have been ripped off.
It is possible to find taxi drivers in Rome who speak English, but not guaranteed. Have your destination written down, available on your phone, or use a translation app to communicate.
Metro / Buses / Trams
Valuable for first-time visitors, Rome's metro system is very manageable and can take you to all the major touristy areas, but it does not service the city center so do not plan to use it to visit the main sites.
All the public transport in the city is integrated – if you buy a ticket for the metro, it can also be used on a bus or tram.
Note that public transport tickets are valid for up to 100 minutes, in which you can change and get off as many times as you need to.
The same goes for the metro ticket – you can change as many times as you need to, but you can only do this within the metro system itself. If you leave the station, you’ll have to get another ticket.
Tickets can be purchased at metro stations or at newsstands or tabbacherie but for the most convenience you can buy them on apps such as MyCicero.
Public Bathrooms
Drinking wine, spritzes, and negronis all day will call for some bathroom breaks. While you are out exploring, you won't be able to go back to your hotel or airbnb each time you need to use it.
In Italy, there are public bathrooms throughout the cities and you can find them in parking garages, underground at parks or in marketplaces. You can access them for a small fee, between 5 cents and 1 euro depending on where you are so it’s good to keep change on you. (A rule of thumb when traveling in Italy any way).
But it's also a bit of a nuisance to constantly need to make sure you have the exact amount and type of euros you need for the bathroom fee. For example, if the fee is 10 euro cents you can't use two 5 euro cents to pay the fee - you need exact change with a 10 euro cent coin.
So there are a few other options for finding a restroom when you really gotta "go"
1. Stop into a bar/cafe for another spritz, a water, a snack etc. and use their bathroom. Everyone is very nice about using their restrooms as long as you buy something first.
2. Find an international fast food restaurant/chain like a Starbucks or McDonald's and use the bathroom there.
3. Walk into a hotel lobby and politely ask if you can use theirs.
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