Top Tourist Mistakes in Italy (and How You Can Avoid them)

Planning a trip to Italy? Look no further than this list of the top 10 mistakes tourists make in Italy...and how you can avoid falling into the same traps.

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Organizing, preparing for, planning, and obviously enjoying a trip to Europe can be a lot! Of course, it's 100% worth it, but especially when it's your first, it can be intimidating. If you're feeling overwhelmed, check out my post on What You Need to Know Before A First Trip to Europe.

Italy is one of the greatest tourist destinations in the world, with relics from some of the true high points in human history, from Ancient Rome, to the Renaissance, and everywhere in between. I've compiled my list of the top 10 mistakes that we Americans commonly make when visiting Italy - hopefully this can save you a few headaches and allow you to relax and enjoy your trip! And, of course, don't forget the #1 mistake and leave your Rick Steves at home!

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Tourist Mistakes in Italy: Bringing the Wrong Clothes

People make a lot of assumptions about what the weather will be like in Italy. Many of these assumptions are...wrong. Italy is a geographically diverse country and the temperature in the mountains is going to be significantly different from the spots where people are sunning themselves on the Mediterranean. Check the weather for your trip before you go. And, even better, read my thoughts on How to Pack for a Trip to Italy.

​Tourist Mistakes in Italy: Not Buying Tickets in Advance

Unlike in North America and a few other European countries, Italy, like Spain, is all about buying tickets in advance. Yes, it's annoying. No, it doesn't make a ton of sense. Yes, sometimes you do still have to wait in line, even if you bought your ticket in advance. Yes, sometimes the spots *DO SELL OUT.*

With all of that said, you do not want to be that person who realizes too late that they could have gone in the "short line" to get into the Accademia. The other line is oh-so-long. For more on planning your trip to gorgeous and history-filled Florence, check out the full post.

The David, Accademia, Florence.

​Tourist Mistakes in Italy:
​Not Selecting Restaurants in Advance

Similarly, the unfortunate reality of traveling in "touristy" areas is that there are "tourist trap" restaurants that take advantage of unprepared tourists, serving them over-priced food of poor quality, and occasionally taking more advantage, with unadvertised additions to the bill, etc. No need to be paranoid *at all.* This can be easily avoided by walking just a few blocks away from any major tourist destination before selecting a restaurant, and by picking your nicer and special occasion restaurants in advance.

​For more on the right approach to picking restaurants on a trip to Europe, check out the full post.

​Tourist Mistakes in Italy: Trying to See Too Much

Italy is *jam packed* with history and culture. Give each place you visit enough time so that you can truly enjoy it. I find so many people doing just a couple days in various cities and then coming home disappointed that they weren't able to see as much as they had hoped. We had 7 days in Rome and 2.5 days in Florence, and I could have done so much more time in each gorgeous place. We didn't do half of the day trips we had planned from Rome because we could easily fill our days in the City itself.

You'll walk by so many random churches and courtyards that you want to explore. Don't have yourself on such a tight schedule that you don't have time to wander. Case in point: below is a church we just wandered into because we thought it looked nice from the outside, right after we'd gotten out of the train from the airport...

​Tourist Mistakes in Italy: Not Using Public Transit

For all the jokes people make about it, Italy has a good public transit system. Rome's metro, the "Metropolitana," is quick, efficient, safe, and clean. So why not use it to zip around quickly and save your tired feet? Though walking in Rome is an absolute delight, you can only walk so much in one day! And while you're underneath the city, imagine what it was like for the crews digging those tunnels for the Metro though centuries of buried history. Have some fun reading what the *specially trained* construction workers have found, with this story from NPR.

Plan your travel on their website.

​Tourist Mistakes in Italy: Falling for Scams

Another unfortunate reality of spending time in any touristy area is dealing with scams targeting naive tourists. I add this section not to intimidate you or make you want to avoid some of the most beautiful pieces of Italian history, but to just make you aware. The number one rule: don't engage and walk away. That'll save you a lot of time and effort.

While the specific scams come and go, a few tried and true lessons should always be remembered:

• Always keep an eye on your belongings. Bring a purse that *closes* and do not leave it unattended.
• You are never obligated to talk to strangers. Just keep walking. Many of the common scams pull on your heart strings with stories of being lost, stranded, etc. It's just a scam. A truly stranded person could go to their embassy for help. Just. Keep. Walking.
• Do not buy things on the street. While there are likely some honest vendors selling on the street, you're far better off just going into a regular store.
• You are not obligated to answer random questions such as "are you American?" "Do you support XYZ?" or "Can I talk to you for a second?"
• Similarly, you are *never* obligated to buy random junk from people on the street. I honestly have seen people fall for this all the time. DO NOT ENGAGE. If someone tries to jam things in your pockets, tie things on your wrist, or tell you you've committed to buy something, give the item back to them, and just keep walking.
• Do not sign petitions given to you on the street. It's just a method to distract you.

If all else fails, pretend you speak an obscure language, look confused, and walk away.

One of Rome's most popular tourist spots, the Colosseum

​Tourist Mistakes in Italy: Not Learning the History

Seeing these historical sights is most interesting if you can conceptualize them in the span of Italian history (which is long). So do your research in advance, make a little timeline in your head, and maybe watch a few historical fiction films, just to get yourself in the right historical period!

​Tourist Mistakes in Italy: Renting a Car

It's no secret that driving in a foreign country is difficult. And driving in Italy is no exception. From windy roads to well, Rome, it's really just best avoided. Many of the roads aren't lined, and what Americans would generally see as a sidewalk is often actually a tiny, ancient street, during which cars will randomly rumble (keep an eye out for this as a pedestrian).

​Like most of Europe, they have good public transit and it's easy to figure out a way to get most places without a car. And, if you have your heart set on going somewhere "off the beaten path," you can also hire a tour guide to get you there.

Takeaway: Do. Not. Drive. In. Rome. 

Tiny, narrow walkway/maybe a street in Rome (surprise! a car might come through at any moment)

​Tourist Mistakes in Italy: Not eating enough gelato

Ok...it sounds tongue and cheek...but...Italian gelato is amazing. It's not like what we have in the States and they have stores on practically every corner. If vacation isn't about eating ice cream, then I don't know what it is about.

​Tourist Mistakes in Italy: Going at the wrong time of year

Ah the magic question: when is the best time of year to visit Italy? Not in the height of summer! Long lines, frustrated crowds, and oppressive heat can make for a difficult combination. If at all possible, visit during "shoulder season," aka before and after the peak tourist times. For more on planning a trip to Europe, check out the full post.

Thanks for stopping by!

I so appreciate being able to help you plan your trip to Italy! I hope you have a phenomenal trip - and if you've already been, feel free to drop your comments below! xx

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