Tips and Tricks for Italy + Greece

If you’ve always dreamed of heading to Italy + Greece, you’re not alone! Both are magical destinations that leave your eyes wide and your mouth watering. The people, the landscape and the food in both regions are second to none. It’s no wonder people flock in hoards to the beautiful shores of the Aegean!

You know what they say? When in Rome, do as the Romans do. But how do you go about that exactly? If you’re heading to Italy and Greece and are feeling completely overwhelmed with all of the cultural nuances and ways to prepare, we are here to help!

So without further ado.. Here are my tips and tricks for navigating Italy + Greece like a pro!

SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

Cities like Rome and Athens are rich in history and architecture, but some uncomfortable realities that accompany that are smaller rooms, and no central heating and air, to name a few.  Unlike America, A/C is not a standard in Europe. It will unlikely be in many of the shops you frequent, or in the hotels. Adjust your expectations accordingly. Drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen and heat protection to counteract the effects of the heat. Also, wear layers so that you can add and remove clothing as necessary.

DRESS CODE CONSIDERATIONS

Understand that when visiting many religious sites, you will be expected to cover up. A general guideline to follow would be to keep your shoulders and knee caps covered if planning to visit a church in Italy. Due to the heat, it may not be practical to fully cover up during the day, but have a scarf or coverup handy for your visit to religious sites. Some churches will provide a coverup, but many do not, and you will be denied entry if you don’t meet the dress code requirements. Take care to plan your clothing in advance to avoid missing out on seeing certain sites.

PICKPOCKETS

Unlike America, pickpockets run rampant in most of Europe. Again, you are unlikely to find yourself in any physical harm, but understand, your pockets WILL be picked if you aren’t on high alert. High traffic areas like the bus and the metro are a feeding frenzy for “little fingers.” Also keep your eyes peeled at large tourist sites such as the Colosseum, Vatican, and the Parthenon. Where the tourists flock, so do the pick pockets. A good under-your-shirt money belt will definitely help lower your chances of becoming an easy target. Another interesting note: keep your cell-phone close. Leaving it on the edge of a table while eating or next to you on the metro is inviting theft. I once saw a poor sap get his phone snatched off a table in a restaurant while the waiter was explaining the specials. You can never be too careful. If you care about an item, don’t advertise it. Keep any valuables out of sight and secured if you want to hang on to them.

ELECTRICITY

If you plan to charge your phone, dry your hair, or use small appliances on your trip, you’ll need to be aware that Europe has a few major electrical differences with America. For example, the outlet plug shape varies from our standard two prong outlet. Though there are a variety of outlet types acceptable in both Italy and Greece, they both use the F and C type, with two small round prongs. You can find images and details on this outlet type here.  You can pick up a small pack of outlet converters rather inexpensively at Target or Amazon like these here. Another crucial thing to bear in mind is voltage. In America, we use 120 V of power in our outlets. In Italy, the standard is 220V and in Greece it’s even higher at 230V. Small items like cell phone chargers are okay with just a wall adapter that changes the shape of your outlet plug, but if you plan to use bigger items like blow dryers and straighteners, you’re going to want to equip yourself differently.  Purchasing a wattage converter before you leave will allow you to use your home appliances without overpowering them with European voltage and spares them from a sad burned out death. You can pick one up on Amazon like this one here.  

MONEY

We already mentioned that keeping a money belt below your clothing is a good idea, but that is just one aspect of being money conscious in Italy and Greece. While credit cards are widely accepted in Europe, Greece is more of a cash-based country so plan accordingly by hitting up an ATM or converting Euros before your trip. Italy, on the other hand, is very credit card friendly, but if you are using your normal credit card from home, be aware that there can be fees for every swipe if you aren’t careful that can add up quick. Not only does your bank charge a fee, you will face foreign transaction fees per swipe as well. If you’re dead set on using plastic for the majority of your purchases, it would be a good idea to invest in a card that has zero foreign transaction fees. My go to cards for international travel are the Capital One Venture Card, and the Chase Business Ink. Make sure that you also report international travel dates to your bank before you leave to avoid having your card frozen while abroad. I also suggest changing foreign currency at your home bank a few weeks before you depart. Take anywhere from $60-150 with you in local currency. Once you are in Italy and Greece, you can easily access ATMs for any additional cash you might need. Be aware, both your bank and local ATMs will charge you an exchange fee, so you will want to budget what you need and keep your ATM transactions to a minimum to avoid those unnecessary fees. The worst place to convert money is the airport, so plan on exchanging money before you leave, or at an ATM once while in Europe.

TIPPING

If you have a tour guide during any part of your trip, just know that it is customary to tip 1-2 euros after any guided tours. Similarly, you’ll want to tip any bus drivers (particularly ones who handle your luggage) for their services. We usually suggest $3 per driver per day of service. If you have a helpful waiter, they will certainly appreciate a few euros for good service as well. Some restaurant receipts will include a cover charge (coperto). This is a fee for setting your table. You may also see a service charge (servizio) usually around 10% already included on your ticket. Some restaurants will not have a fee at all and choose rather to include these fees in the menu prices. In the case that service has not been included, 1-2 euros per person is perfectly acceptable. Be aware that waiters aren’t reliant on tips as their sole source of income the way American waiters are. However, a tip for good service is always appreciated and for some services, the tourism industry for example, it’s expected.

PHONE USAGE

If you plan to use your phone abroad, make sure you call your phone carrier prior to leaving. The major ones like Sprint, ATT and Verizon have very reasonable international plans, however, you must add them before you leave to avoid paying exorbitant roaming fees. ATT, for example lets you use your phone as normal for $10 per day. If you don’t plan to stay connected, you can connect to Wi-Fi in the hotels. Just be aware the Wi-Fi can be spotty and often slower than at home, but hey, you’re in Europe. Enjoy the scenery and get your nose out of your phone 😊

FERRIES

If you plan to take a ferry at any point during your journey, there are some things you should know before you go. Ferry services are often behind schedule, so understand that you can be waiting for the ferry to arrive, sometimes much longer than you anticipated. They are affected by wind, waves and all other sorts of uncontrollable factors. The larger the ferry, the slower, but also the most likely not to cancel or delay. Be patient, and understand how it works. You will want to be at the dock at least 30 minutes before your boat leaves. Most locals won’t line up until right before, but getting there early will ensure a better seat and streamline the boarding process. Ferry’s take longer than flying, but they are really relaxing, beautiful experience. On big, slow ferries, you can sit outside and walk along the deck taking in the seascape. Most ferries allow you to stow your luggage on a rack on the boarding level of the boat. You are free to haul it up to the passenger deck and keep an eye on it yourself if you prefer. Most ferries have bathrooms, charging outlets and Wi-Fi, usually for a fee. They also have food and drinks for purchase.

Obviously, there is so much more to traveling in Italy and Greece than can be explored in this blog, but hopefully this will at least give you a leg up and keep you from looking like a total noob while visiting the ancient world. If you are looking for fun things to do while in Italy and Greece, feel free to take a look at our itinerary. These are only just some of the highlights, but it will give you an idea of how much time to allot at each location and how to pace yourself.

Happy travels!

And so it begins...

Like Martin Luther King Jr., I too have a dream. While the impact is different, and my reach far smaller, I believe our purposes align. 

There is a lot of hatred being spread nowadays. Parties are divided, bombs are being dropped, and more and more it's becoming socially acceptable to attack each other based on our differences--differences of opinion, differences in political alignment, worship practices (or lack thereof) and a multitude of other hot button items that we let divide us. Somewhere along the line we have forgotten that what makes us different from one another is beautiful and cause for celebration, not a reason for ridicule and division.

My dream is a simple one. It won't draw large crowds around our nation's capitol. It won't be written about in the papers or taught in the classroom, but it's driven by love. I believe that by simply exposing ourselves to the very things we know so little about, we will gain an insight and an understanding to the very differences that divide us, and maybe, just maybe, we will see that we aren't all that different after all. 

My dream is to show people the world--to connect them with cultures other than their own. Maybe they are fascinated by them, maybe they are frightened. Whatever the approach to diversity, I want to bridge the gap. My favorite fictional character, Atticus Finch, forever immortalized in Harper Lee's groundbreaking novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" urges his young daughter, Scout, to try to put herself in someone else's shoes. "First of all" he said, "If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view [...] until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." 

Travel has allowed me to have the experience of walking in someone else's shoes--and somehow I find it impossible to leave unchanged. Experiencing life the way the locals do forces you to see the world through their eyes. I've left pieces of my heart in all corners of this world. 

In Romania, left with no alternative but to converse in what little French we each knew (I spoke no Romanian, she spoke no English, and we both studied French in school), Itsa and I bonded over her love of all things Leonardo DiCaprio, or was it a passion for pistachios? I probably should've paid a little more attention in Madam Macias's French class. The family shared a one bedroom apartment, raised their own chickens and fed us goat cheese from the family goat and strawberries fresh from the garden. Men went to town in horse-and-buggy carts, and gypsy women in brightly colored silk scarves begged on the street corners. It was a way of life completely opposite of my own, and yet, it felt like home.

Spending a year in Micronesia had me eager to immerse myself in the local culture. I would ask the island children to teach me Pohnpeian slang. "How do you say goodnight?" I would naively ask nine-year-old Abuk. I later learned that the "Pwisen en Malek" I had been greeting everyone with had quite a different meaning. Instead of 'Good Evening' I had essentially been calling people "Chicken Sh*t". Abuk would laugh at me for weeks. I learned that the Micronesian people believed themselves to be descended from sacred Eels. I climbed Sokehs Rock and scoured the mysterious ruins of Nan Madol. I watched as tribal leaders made Sakau from the root of the kava plant and looked on as Nole tediously carved fish hooks out of ivory nut. Mr. Benjamin taught me how to tie a piece of coral to a water bottle with fishing line and I caught my first fish with no rod. I decided to forego the traditional eating-of-the-fish-heart that locals said would cure seasickness forever.

 Yannis taught me how to twirl konboloi, Greek worry beads, when I'm anxious. Biagio introduced me to fried cheese and I've never been the same.  Mario taught me that French men find beauty in a woman's ankles and that not repeating "Bonjour" back to someone is considered incredibly rude. Jose explained to me that the reason Spaniards hang pork legs upside down in their shop windows is to pay homage to their past--a time in history when Jews and Muslims did this to prove they'd converted to Catholicism. From Bianca I learned that no one in Austria has actually seen the film "The Sound of Music"--it is a completely American phenomenon. Sabrina told me that given the history of Nazi Germany, many German's struggle with patriotism. Sailing across the Nile, Taha taught me that the according to the quran, Moses had to have his brother Aaron speak for him because he burnt his tongue on hot coals as a young child in a test given by the Pharoah.

Travel made these connections possible. Sure, I could've purchased a Groupon, strapped a camera to my neck and taken a selfie in front of the Statue of David, but instead I chose immersion. It's so easy to feel like we are connected to the world because we have access to the travel channel or we've stepped foot on a cruise ship. The truth is, you have to get out and see it for yourself. It isn't until you meet the locals and experience what life is like for them that you start to understand the similarities we all share. Sure, their terrain might be different than yours, they might speak a different language, or even practice a different religion, but at the heart of it all we are all human beings with the same struggles, the same goals and the same common denominator--this world we live in.

First of all I encourage you to get out there and see this world as often as you can. It has so much beauty waiting to be discovered--so many meaningful connections are at your fingertips. Don't just listen to other people talk about travel. See it for yourself. Once you've taken that leap, and it is a leap my friends, look for enriching travel experiences. Find ways to interact with the culture and people. It's easy (and tempting) to hop on a Royal Caribbean cruise or hit an all-inclusive resort, but are you really experiencing the true culture? NO! 

If we are ever going to bridge this wide gap that's forming between so many of us, we have got to take steps toward understanding one another. Travel is that step my friends. I know it can be scary. I know there are a lot of what ifs. But what if, instead of letting fear consume us, we seek out the things we don't understand in an effort to find clarity? We may just find ourselves out there too!