Italy: Dumb Mistakes Tourists Make in Italy - Wolters World
video description
Date: 2022-02-04
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 10
You
I can't ever stress enough how pervasive tourist trap restaurants are in Italy. When we went in April 2016, there were just so many and we like to think we know better than to eat at those places, but boy were we wrong! It definitely was a lesson of how to spot those places so I will spill the tea so you can learn from our mistakes: Avoid restaurants within a 300-400m radius of a big tourist attraction, 2nd, any restaurant with someone outside trying to usher you in saying hey hello, come into our restaurant, hello hello! must be avoided like the plague. 3rd, avoid a restaurant if there aren't locals eating there, or if the menu is a copy of war and peace, translated into 50 languages. The best or worst stories we have (all in Rome except one in Barcelona, which I do know is in Spain (even if some people don't want it to be but I will not comment on that matter) but also feels relevant) are: going to a restaurant where the pasta wasn't cooked and I got some seafood which was tasteless and slimy (at least I didn't get sick) another story was at a restaurant where we got some spaghetti for lunch and, even though the restaurant was empty, it took almost an hour to come. 3rd and best or worst was when we were on the way to another restaurant, but someone ushered us in (I had a bad feeling about this place but we gave in) and when we were there, there were cars zooming right past, about 5cm away from our table and they made us move for no reason and then we ate a rubbish pizza. 4th story in Barcelona was when we went to a tapas place recommended by the owner of the place we were staying in (who arrived at the air bnb 30 minutes late, so we had to keep calling her and had to wait for her outside with all of our bags) and it was awful. Everything was dry and tasteless and when I left a review, they said I was a liar. NEVER AGAIN! Don't think you won't fall for it because that's just how we did and remember that when you're hungry, your will is weak and you are much more likely to make irrational and impulsive decisions
reply
I can't ever stress enough how pervasive tourist trap restaurants are in Italy. When we went in April 2016, there were just so many and we like to think we know better than to eat at those places, but boy were we wrong! It definitely was a lesson of how to spot those places so I will spill the tea so you can learn from our mistakes: Avoid restaurants within a 300-400m radius of a big tourist attraction, 2nd, any restaurant with someone outside trying to usher you in saying hey hello, come into our restaurant, hello hello! must be avoided like the plague. 3rd, avoid a restaurant if there aren't locals eating there, or if the menu is a copy of war and peace, translated into 50 languages. The best or worst stories we have (all in Rome except one in Barcelona, which I do know is in Spain (even if some people don't want it to be but I will not comment on that matter) but also feels relevant) are: going to a restaurant where the pasta wasn't cooked and I got some seafood which was tasteless and slimy (at least I didn't get sick) another story was at a restaurant where we got some spaghetti for lunch and, even though the restaurant was empty, it took almost an hour to come. 3rd and best or worst was when we were on the way to another restaurant, but someone ushered us in (I had a bad feeling about this place but we gave in) and when we were there, there were cars zooming right past, about 5cm away from our table and they made us move for no reason and then we ate a rubbish pizza. 4th story in Barcelona was when we went to a tapas place recommended by the owner of the place we were staying in (who arrived at the air bnb 30 minutes late, so we had to keep calling her and had to wait for her outside with all of our bags) and it was awful. Everything was dry and tasteless and when I left a review, they said I was a liar. NEVER AGAIN! Don't think you won't fall for it because that's just how we did and remember that when you're hungry, your will is weak and you are much more likely to make irrational and impulsive decisions
reply
Dani
I watched so many videos of him and have actually been to many places he describes. just terribly superficial:
Regarding this video:
- Please go to the whereever you want to. Please visit the big cities.
-Just ask for quicker service if you need to.
-just have cash. like in america.
-there are scammers everywhere in the world. be streetsmart
-the prebooking is accurate
-not all stations have a machine. book your ticket online.
-italians will judge you for your clothing. short is beach, city is long trousers/shirt.
-where the locals eat is. at home, or use google nowadays.
-make the itinerary according to your budget and time. If you can fly over wherever, just do it.
-have icecream whenever and how often you want.
Such a superficial video.
reply
I watched so many videos of him and have actually been to many places he describes. just terribly superficial:
Regarding this video:
- Please go to the whereever you want to. Please visit the big cities.
-Just ask for quicker service if you need to.
-just have cash. like in america.
-there are scammers everywhere in the world. be streetsmart
-the prebooking is accurate
-not all stations have a machine. book your ticket online.
-italians will judge you for your clothing. short is beach, city is long trousers/shirt.
-where the locals eat is. at home, or use google nowadays.
-make the itinerary according to your budget and time. If you can fly over wherever, just do it.
-have icecream whenever and how often you want.
Such a superficial video.
reply
Francesca
When I was in NZ all kiwis came here have made the same (boring) tours: Milan (why, why you are going to spend three or four days for this kind of city is Worthing maybe one day and half, Venezia, Firenze and Rome.
Napoli, Palermo, Torino, Liguria and many many more sites and cities worthing and interesting to visit
You could find not only history or museum, what about regional natural parks or ancient walking trekking (via Francigena, cammino del brigante, cammino altamurano and many many mores, beautiful mountains from north till south (Alpes, Dolomiti, Appennini, Sila and Aspromonte, Etna, Gennargentu) where you can find culture coz is plenty of medieval small bourges.
Do you know Italy is second place in world for variety of natural and animals (micro) biology?
reply
When I was in NZ all kiwis came here have made the same (boring) tours: Milan (why, why you are going to spend three or four days for this kind of city is Worthing maybe one day and half, Venezia, Firenze and Rome.
Napoli, Palermo, Torino, Liguria and many many more sites and cities worthing and interesting to visit
You could find not only history or museum, what about regional natural parks or ancient walking trekking (via Francigena, cammino del brigante, cammino altamurano and many many mores, beautiful mountains from north till south (Alpes, Dolomiti, Appennini, Sila and Aspromonte, Etna, Gennargentu) where you can find culture coz is plenty of medieval small bourges.
Do you know Italy is second place in world for variety of natural and animals (micro) biology?
reply
KL
Oops already booked Rome, Florence, Venice LOL And Pompeii. All touristy, but really when you only have 10 days or whatever its not going to be enough to see and experience the culture outside the major tourist spots. And you do certainly want to see those. I agree though. Ive lived in Korea and spent extended visits to Japan and got to experience much more of the culture. Especially with Korea since I got married to a Korean citizen! There are so many little places that regular tourists never see. Living/studying somewhere is the best way to get deep into the culture. However, its not really going to be possible for everywhere you visit. IMO anyway. You can get bits and pieces by going outside the main areas to eat, etc.
reply
Oops already booked Rome, Florence, Venice LOL And Pompeii. All touristy, but really when you only have 10 days or whatever its not going to be enough to see and experience the culture outside the major tourist spots. And you do certainly want to see those. I agree though. Ive lived in Korea and spent extended visits to Japan and got to experience much more of the culture. Especially with Korea since I got married to a Korean citizen! There are so many little places that regular tourists never see. Living/studying somewhere is the best way to get deep into the culture. However, its not really going to be possible for everywhere you visit. IMO anyway. You can get bits and pieces by going outside the main areas to eat, etc.
reply
Tessa
On a high school trip to Rome, I was supposed to go to lunch with two of the chaperones. After we got to the restaurant, the bus driver joined us. Then the two ladies then left me there with him to go eat real Italian pizza from a kiosk on the street. My food was much better than theirs. The middle-aged bus driver was an interesting conversationalist but a bit too chummy, wanting to play footsie under the table. The two chaperones came back disappointed with well-deserved indigestion. I'd warned them before they left that a street vendor wasn't the place to get good pizza. Also, if you're eating in Rome, pizza isn't really the specialty.
reply
On a high school trip to Rome, I was supposed to go to lunch with two of the chaperones. After we got to the restaurant, the bus driver joined us. Then the two ladies then left me there with him to go eat real Italian pizza from a kiosk on the street. My food was much better than theirs. The middle-aged bus driver was an interesting conversationalist but a bit too chummy, wanting to play footsie under the table. The two chaperones came back disappointed with well-deserved indigestion. I'd warned them before they left that a street vendor wasn't the place to get good pizza. Also, if you're eating in Rome, pizza isn't really the specialty.
reply
bo1bo1bo1unlosode
6: 15 italian pro-tip: if you dont have time to get the ticket and validate it, get on train and buy online the ticket from the next station, you dont have to validate online tickets plus it doesnt feel like stealing since most of the time the price is the same or at best 20 cents lower.
P. S. obviously im talking about local trains since the travel time between station is usually less than 10 minutes and so its hard to get checked as soon as you get in while for Frecciarossa its almost sure they are going to check in between most of the stations
reply
6: 15 italian pro-tip: if you dont have time to get the ticket and validate it, get on train and buy online the ticket from the next station, you dont have to validate online tickets plus it doesnt feel like stealing since most of the time the price is the same or at best 20 cents lower.
P. S. obviously im talking about local trains since the travel time between station is usually less than 10 minutes and so its hard to get checked as soon as you get in while for Frecciarossa its almost sure they are going to check in between most of the stations
reply
Rosalba
And please, please, please! Don't drink cappuccino during your lunch or dinner! When you visit our country try to use our traditions: we use ti drink cappuccino ONLY for breakfast, during lunch and dinner just drink water or wine or beer or other drinks. We usually eat round pizza for the dinner, and never never never with cappuccino. It is like a punch in the face (and in the stomach too) looking that. Do not put ketchup on your spaghetti please. And spaghetti with meatballs is an american plate, in italy it doesn t exist
reply
And please, please, please! Don't drink cappuccino during your lunch or dinner! When you visit our country try to use our traditions: we use ti drink cappuccino ONLY for breakfast, during lunch and dinner just drink water or wine or beer or other drinks. We usually eat round pizza for the dinner, and never never never with cappuccino. It is like a punch in the face (and in the stomach too) looking that. Do not put ketchup on your spaghetti please. And spaghetti with meatballs is an american plate, in italy it doesn t exist
reply
bo1bo1bo1unlosode
One things i always wondered about is the fact that restaurants tend to be cheaper than in other countries and that for italians its normal to go out for dinner or lunch (pizzeria and rosticceria included but fast food like McDonald, etc. excluded) like once or twice a week if not more.
Does the tourist see that or not? And if they do, how do they feel when they get back and cant go that usual out eat?
reply
One things i always wondered about is the fact that restaurants tend to be cheaper than in other countries and that for italians its normal to go out for dinner or lunch (pizzeria and rosticceria included but fast food like McDonald, etc. excluded) like once or twice a week if not more.
Does the tourist see that or not? And if they do, how do they feel when they get back and cant go that usual out eat?
reply
Antonio
In all south italy you can have the coffee on the counter or at the table without difference in price. But it's really unusual for us (italians) to drink coffee or eat cornetto at the table. We usually stand close to the counter, drink, eat and talk with barman or friends or even strangers sometimes! table is only for turists or very old people. Anyway great video and cool tips!
reply
In all south italy you can have the coffee on the counter or at the table without difference in price. But it's really unusual for us (italians) to drink coffee or eat cornetto at the table. We usually stand close to the counter, drink, eat and talk with barman or friends or even strangers sometimes! table is only for turists or very old people. Anyway great video and cool tips!
reply
Christopher
Great list - I have made some of those mistakes myself.
As for trying to see too much in too short time: I was in Florence for 2, 5 weeks once. I nearly managed to cover the must-see places, not quite. Italy has SO much culture and history that you cannot imagine it until you get there.
I haven't been to Rome yet but when I do go, I plan to take my time.
reply
Great list - I have made some of those mistakes myself.
As for trying to see too much in too short time: I was in Florence for 2, 5 weeks once. I nearly managed to cover the must-see places, not quite. Italy has SO much culture and history that you cannot imagine it until you get there.
I haven't been to Rome yet but when I do go, I plan to take my time.
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
