Europe is not the largest continent in terms of size or population, but it certainly is a land of exciting destinations, rich culture, and sumptuous food. Of all the continents that we know, Europe is one of the most popular ones, thanks to a myriad of worldwide popular tourist destinations it is home to. And without any doubt, one such destination is Italy, which is incredibly popular amongst the tourists for endless reasons. Be it the delectable Italian cuisine, the vibrant towns and cities, or the top tourist sites, Italy has it all and that’s exactly what makes this country a top choice among tourists. You may have read plenty of articles about everything you should be doing in this fascinating country, but you should also be well aware of things that you shouldn’t be doing here. It’s easy to make a few mistakes when you are visiting any country for the first time, which can also end up ruining your vacation. However, you can avoid making mistakes if you do proper research on the country beforehand and get familiar with the customs and rules of that particular destination.
Listed below are some mistakes that you must avoid making on your Italy vacation.
Not validating your ticket before boarding a regional train
Whenever you have to board a train in Italy, make sure to check whether the ticket requires to be validated or not. Some trains in Italy require you to have a validated ticket before you board them, therefore, be extra sure or you can get in some trouble. Trains that are regional or don’t have any specific time or assigned seat require you to get your ticket validated, which will make it validated for about a good six hours. You can easily find these validation machines at the stations, where you will have to push the ticket inside the slot and you will receive a stamped ticket. And if you end up boarding a train without validating your ticket, you will be fined even if you have a ticket.
Forgetting to book tickets online to visit attractions
Italy is home to some of the most iconic and classic attractions, which remains packed with tourists and locals almost every single day. When you are visiting the country during peak season, you can expect even a crazier crowd as tourists flock to these popular attractions in huge numbers. Believe us, the queues outside these attractions to get tickets can be outrageous, therefore, if you want to skip those long lines, it’s best that you book your tickets in advance online. Almost every other attraction in Italy offers this facility to get your tickets booked in advance.
Wearing revealing or skimpy clothes in church or religious sites
When it comes to dressing up in Italy, you can choose to wear anything you want unless you’re planning to visit a church or any religious site. Europeans are pretty fashion-forward, but when it comes to visiting churches or cathedrals, you cannot enter them if you’re wearing shorts or skimpy clothes. Some of the religious sites also have boarding signs telling visitors to not wear short clothes or sleeveless tops. Your shoulders and knees should be properly covered when you visit such sites, therefore, dress up accordingly when you have any such site on your itinerary for the day.
Credit card is not always a reliable option
Although the world is stepping forward in the direction of becoming a cashless society, there’s still a long way to go and you shouldn’t completely rely on your credit card to do all your payments in Italy. Most places would accept your card life cafes, restaurants, and hotels, but when it comes to small street vendors, outdoor markets, small family-run restaurants, your card may not work and you will need cash to do the payment. Bearing this thing in mind, you should always bring some cash with you so that you don’t find yourself in the middle of an unpleasant situation.
Trying to see everything
While it’s understandable that planning a trip to Italy isn’t easy and it can be quite costly and time-consuming, this simply doesn’t mean you will rush into things and try to see everything in the country while you can. As tempting as the offer can get, it’s best to stick to a few of the shortlisted destinations and make the most out of them instead of being in hurry to cover all the major destinations in Italy. You never know, you may get to visit Italy again soon enough and that is when you can cover the remaining destinations. This way you can truly enjoy yourself and of course, the destination.