Discover your Italy … respect our Italy!

Here you can find some tips we believe will help you make your Italian Cultural experience really memorable and valuable, both for you and for the people you will meet.

1. Before leaving home learn as much as possible about Italy and its culture - our culture, religion, values and habits. Dig deep into the peculiarities of the places your Tour will cover; read a novel set in Italy, or an Italian literature masterpiece (you will find soon in our website a link to our suggested readings)… go beyond the “mafia, pizza, mandolino” stereotype!
2. Learn some basic Italian language and don’t be afraid to use it. Learn well a few basic phrases. If you show some efforts to get in touch with them, Italians will do their best to try to understand you and make them understood, even if they do not speak your language … a simple “Buongiorno, come stai” (Good morning, how are you?) will make you confident to address local people and help break the ice!
3. Learn what’s appropriate behavior and body language. In Italy we use body language a lot, especially hand gestures that will make you easier to understand what local people say.
4. When browsing for the tours, pay attention to off season departures, special events departures, off the beaten track destinations: they will give you more chances to interact with local people … and most of the times theses packages are cheaper!
5. During your stay in Italy, prefer typical locally owned businesses, restaurants and other services. Eat local food and drink local wines. Try the tasty Italian street-food, instead of fast food!
6. Shop from traditional artisans and for locally made products, help keep traditional crafts alive and prefer local products over imported items. Look for quality and recognize a fair price for it. Furthermore, Italian manufacturers create some of the finest items in the world: from linens to glassware to ceramics to jewelry, to fashion and leather items. Ask local people or your local guides where you can find good bargains on “made in Italy” items and do not be tempted to buy “fake” ones. Counterfeit is very harmful to our manufacturers … and you will never make good deals buying those products!
7. Dress properly and respectfully with an awareness of local standards. For the summer season choose breathable, lightweight fabric, and remind that in Italy it is not really appreciated to dress  “beach-style” in the towns centers. Be respectful of religious places and be aware that you will not be admitted in most churches if your shoulders or legs are not properly covered.
8. Respect Architecture and Art: ancient buildings and art are fragile. Never touch a piece of art, especially if it is not protected, as the fingers’ natural oils can destroy paintings, and touch of thousands of hands can erode even rock carvings (if you look carefully at the famous Michelangelo’s Pietà in St Peter’s Basilica, Jesus’ foot is “worn out” by the thousands hand that touched it .. before authorities has been forced to seclude it behind a thick glass wall!). Never climb monuments, or be tempted to get refreshed in the monumental public fountains, as this can abrade building stones and sometimes dislodge them, and be dangerous for your safety as well. Treat these sites as the museums they are … and just watch the movie “la Dolce Vita” if you want to dream about bathing on the Trevi Fountain!
9. Respect Sacred Places: Churches in Italy are true art “treasure chests” and certainly you will visit many of them. When visiting Churches you should remember that they are first of all sacred places. Avoid to visit Churches during Celebrations,  talk softly, wear appropriate clothing and use your camera only as indicated at the entrance.
10. During your Tour you will meet a lot of local residents. Italians are very open people, but as general rule, be respectful of peoples’ privacy. Always ask first before photographing or videoing people, in particular people in villages/more remote areas and children.
11. Take care of the environment, as you would do at your place: do not leave “traces” of your transit.
    • Never litter. Use garbage bins in the public areas.
    • Minimize your waste and recycle: buy big bottles of water instead than small ones, or drink tap water (in Italy it is always safe, and it is clearly indicated when it is not). In your hotel you will find waste recycling bins and in most cities you will also find plastic, paper and glass recycling bins in public areas.
    • Respect no-smoking places, and never throw away cigarette butts (cigarette butts are the main cause of forest fires during the summer season).
    • During your hotel stay, do not waste water (especially in some areas of Southern Italy and during summer season, water waste is a serious concern), and respect the hotel guidelines on how to reduce energy and detergents consumption.
    • During your visit in our beautiful art cities and villages, use public transportation or just walk (instead than taxi): in the big cities public transportation is efficient, while walking is the best way to visit small villages.
12. “Take it easy and smile”. Try not get nervous if the service in a small village restaurant is not that fast … just enjoy the food and the ambiance! Try not to spend all your free time in your luxury hotel  …  just go out and  walk around, buy an ice cream and enjoy the street atmosphere!
13. After returning home, take some time to give us your feedback. We appreciate your positive feedback as well as your suggestions on how to improve our service. We appreciate your comments on the places you visited, as well as your pictures or videos sharing. Describe your trip, what made it authentic, and the people you met along the way. This will be helpful for the travellers that will come after you.