What should tourists avoid in Italy? 13 facts

In this collection, we have collected some useful tips that will help you save money and avoid trouble in Italy. So, the instruction for tourists is already ready...

13 PHOTOS

1. Never buy counterfeit products!

Italy is a country where, along with expensive luxury stores, counterfeit products are quite successfully sold on beaches and near tourist spots. If you have ever bought inexpensive souvenirs and copies of luxury brands from merchants on the beaches, then you should definitely remember the first rule: in Italy, not only the distribution but also the purchase of counterfeit products is punishable by law!

2. Never throw away checks and receipts!

Are you used to throwing checks into the nearest trash can immediately after leaving the store? In Italy, this habit will have to say goodbye. It sounds rather strange, but you can be stopped by the tax policy at any time, and if suddenly you do not provide a receipt for the purchase of ice cream in your hands or a ticket to the park you are walking through, then you will be fined right there!

3. Do not buy tickets and travel cards from controllers on buses!

If you have planned a trip by bus or train, then it is a good idea to buy a ticket in advance at the ticket office or kiosk at the stop. Buying a ticket from the controller will cost you a little more. A trifle? Of course, but it is much more pleasant to spend this money on an extra ice cream cone than to give it away for a ticket that could actually be bought cheaper.

4.  "Coperto" in your check!

Very often, tourists come across this unfamiliar word in a check that was brought to them after a hearty meal. "Coperto" means a table setting fee for you. This amount includes a tablecloth laid on the table, bread, dishwashing, and laundry services. Usually, the amount of "coperto" does not exceed 5 euros.

5.  The strangest laws!

We advise you not to ignore local laws if you are traveling in Italy. For example, you knew that in the city of Lucca, feeding pigeons is prohibited, and in Rome, under a strict ban on swimming in fountains. Violators are fined there ruthlessly and indiscriminately, so do not take risks!

6. Would you like to have lunch after 2:30 pm?

Then you should remember that all restaurants, bars, and cafes in Italy are open from 12 to 14:30. Further, all catering places are closed for a kind of "siesta". Therefore, if you do not want to dine at Mcdonald's for lack of a better one, then you should plan your lunch and dinner in advance and book a table.

7. Are you used to attentive service?

Be prepared for the fact that no one will “lick” you during the peak season. This happens not because the Italians are rude and unfriendly, just in the hot season it is quite difficult to find enough staff and working waiters are torn to several tables without sitting down.

8. Do not touch fruits and vegetables with your bare hands in supermarkets or in the market!

If you want to buy vegetables, fruits, or berries at a local supermarket, then you will need to use disposable gloves, which are always located near the counter. At the same time, the Italians pack the goods in biodegradable bags, for which you will also be presented with an invoice at the checkout.

9. Love tomato juice? Don't expect it on Italian Airlines!

For many Italians, tomato juice is nothing more than tomato paste diluted with water. Therefore, they are accustomed to receiving in the form of a dark red liquid the juice from red Sicilian oranges, which is more familiar and understandable to them.

10.  Don't pick oranges from trees!

You walk along the street and see a tree with large bright oranges hanging from it. What is the first thought that comes to you? Of course, you need to pick and try them! We warn you that you will not like this idea soon. Oranges on the streets of Italy grow bitter, and they are planted solely for decoration.

11.  Do not call Italians during lunch and dinner!

If there is no urgency, then in Italy it is better not to call anyone from 13:00 to 14:30 and from 20:00 to 21:30. It is at this time that the whole Italian family gathers together for a meal, and if they are interrupted by a call, then something irreparable has happened and the call was urgent!

12. The most important rule!

One thing you should definitely never do in Italy is criticizing and offend an Italian mother. Just take my word for it and never, under any circumstances, do this!

13. Don't argue with Italians about food!

The Italians in the country have a real cult of food. If you have tasted something tastier anywhere than in Italy, then it is better to modestly keep silent about it. For an Italian, oils, wines, cheeses, and many other locally produced goodies are the tastiest and it is not worth wasting time and nerves trying to prove otherwise.