Tips from Italy

Tips from Italy

There is a magic that can only be found in Italy and this drives tourist to visit the boot-shaped peninsula year and year again. Visitors from all over the world come to visit the country on a yearly basis that can be totaled at over forty-five million.

The Italian people are very accommodating and are the protectors of some of the history's most magnificent pieces of treasures. They are familiar with sharing the greatness of their treasures with the world and have a few pieces of advice for visitors to their country.

To begin with, they serve dinner between the hours of seven thirty and nine in the evening. You will be plum out of luck if you try getting dinner before this time. Making reservations and dressing up for dinner is a custom appreciated by all and is welcomed at the Italian restaurants.

It is not Italian like to show a lot of skin and visitors should bear in mind that their culture is one that prefers more clothing and less skin in public. Skimpy attire is ok for a day at the beach but for every day touring of the cities more is better.

It may be customary for many visitors to be served read with oil and balsamic in their home land but this is not the case in an Italian restaurant. You have to keep in mind that bread is not eaten with pasta and it is more likely to be used to clean your plate of sauce.

You may feel the need to make a very detailed and outline schedule to enjoy your time in the country but this may only lead to frustration. It is advised that you not over schedule and keep some time free to just enjoy the everyday life of the country and its people. Everyday life of the country may be at times a lot better than the main attractions provided by the city.

There is a tradition in the country that many visitors just can't understand but you might fall in love with the tradition if you were to ever try it. Some of the stores in Italy close their doors in the evenings from one to about four o clock. They go home to have lunch and spend some time with their families. This practice is most common outside the city centers.

You will not be able to stand on the side of the street and hail a cab. The taxi service in this country is very punctual and efficient and you will have to actually call for a taxi or go directly to a taxi stand. The taxi service in some parts of the country is even more efficient than their postal service.

It may be very beneficial to you to learn a few Italian phrases while you are in the country. A phrase such as Parla I'Inglese? will come in very handy. You have to remember that this is a country that speaks Italian as its native tongue and not English. You should not assume that if you speak English you will be understood just because you are a foreigner.

Coperto is not a scam to take advantage of visitors to Italy, it is actually the charge to seat an individual at a table. It is not the same as tipping which is not required in Italian restaurants.

Italian restaurants believe that good food and conversation should be enjoyed and they will allow you to enjoy both in their restaurant. The check for you meal will not automatically be delivered to you after your meal but you will have to request for it to be brought to you.

You will not be able to see all that the country has to offer in only one visit. You may want to slow down and fully enjoy what you can each time around. There is a reason why so many people visit the country on a yearly basis. There is just too much to see, do and experience in the country that you are going to need a few tries to see them all.

Your Ultimate Visit Guide to Italy

Your Ultimate Visit Guide to Italy

The one-of-a-kind Italian Riviera is famous for its iconic coastline view and traditional villages. The best visiting spot or tourist area would be the fantastic five, more commonly known as the fishing outposts of Cinque Terre. It has been developed to be more tourist friendly, with new roads which were built and linked to the secluded villages. The village landscape is well maintained and tourists are able to enjoy the stunning view and taking long walks along their extraordinary mountain trails.

The Cinque Terre villages are extremely well preserved and is located deep in isolation, hidden from the naked eye and resting well inside the mountain valley of Italian Riviera. It is a tad more difficult to access the villages but not entirely impossible, as this guide will explain to you in detail. The villages are accessible by car. However, you must be ready to navigate through narrow lanes and curvy roads all the way to the village, and be prepared to fork out huge sums for parking fees. If your mode of travelling is by car, you can consider parking your car in La Spezias to ensure the safety of your car around the train stops. Another convenient method to navigate to and from all villages is using the most traditional transport method: trains. A train network links all the five famous villages from Genoa to Rome. You can get the best value for money all-day pass which is able to cover all train travels between Levanto city and La Spezia town. Hiking fees are included as well. Last but not least, you can choose to travel into the village via sea. Every year's Easter season up till September, there will be multiple ferry rides which can bring you up to Genoa, Porto Venere and Portofino. You can also consider hiring a yacht if your desire is to arrive at the village in style and without sacrificing on luxurious treatment..

Traveler must not miss the opportunity to travel to all five traditional villages. A brief description for all villages is presented to you below:

1. Riomaggiore Liguria Riomaggiore Liguria is the undisputed largest among all settlement and serves as the unofficial capital for Cinque Terre. You can watch the buildings lining up down a curvy slope mountain leading to a small little port. For those romantic couples, it is the best sight at Cinque Terre. You can also observe a beautiful garden and many species of flying birds all the way up to the hills.

2. Manarola Grapevine planted around Manarola serves as the raw material for its extraordinary house wine. You can immerse yourself fully in the village setting decorated with fishing sails lined up nicely at the promenade. You can enjoy a good hike up Punta Bonfiglio and reach a bar to enjoy some quiet time with a glass of drinks in hand. Your kids can also enjoy the playground located at the hill top as well.

3. Corniglia Corniglia is situated on top of a rocky peninsula. Once you reach the terrace facing the sea, you can enjoy the magnificent view of all five traditional villages. It is a famous spot for those looking to take good pictures of the villages. You can also enjoy the sea breeze at the same time, while looking out into the calm village view.

4. Vernazza Vernazza's small harbour has always been its flagship landmark. It is only surpassed in beauty by Piazza Marconi, where all tourists will gasp in awe and admiration. Its pastel houses are highly scenic. There are many narrow lanes known as caruggi which completes the scenic view.

5. Monterosso For those who love strolling around the beach, Monterosso is a place to go to and will leave you swooning in no time. It is convenient and accessible by driver travelling by cars. The village is also dotted by lemon trees which is form of beauty gifted by mother-nature.

For more than 100 years, people have been walking in and out of Cinque Terre traditional settlement. It is the most common network to the busy city world outside of the village. You can be expected to talk alongside a beautiful sea view all the time. Once a while, you can also get to enjoy the farmland landscape and beautiful dense forest with many species of flora. Do keep in mind that many walking trails are not in tip top condition since the floods that wrecked the village in 2011. The walking trails may be closed temporarily or permanently. Be sure to check for the latest updates with the official National Park corporate office. A good tip to remember is that there will be daily walks hosted by park guides every now and then from the months of May to September every year.

Travel Experience Evolution from birth to maturity

Travel Experience Evolution from birth to maturity

Since the day we are born, we have taken the first step in a long journey of traveling in this world. Our traveling priorities evolve and change as we age, hence our traveling needs will experience unique evolutions. We will start off by craving for the next bucket of new ice cream flavor. Soon enough, we will be anxiously looking for the next cocktail that comes with premium ice.

The first few travels that you experience when you are below the age of 10 will be with your family and relatives. The childhood days will be filled with family travels, camping trips, hotel stays at an overseas location eating foreign Chinese buffet and of course arguments that will be occasionally picked up along the travel. All this serves as good childhood memories. These trips are fun and enjoyable as all the hassle of trip planning is left to your parents. These memories will be some of the most treasured moments as you grow older and wiser and recollect your past memories. The places you travel to will not matter as much as the company that you are with, which are your loved ones and families.

As you enter into your teenage years, hormones start kicking in and the stress of exams bring out a need to relax and travel to a place away from parents. New friendships are forged among school peers and most of the teenage boys and girls would have the same thought of staying away from our parents for a short while. Parents may or may not approve the trip that you planned with close buddies. If the trip ever happens, it will be a once in a lifetime experience even if it is just a short drive out of town or fly out into exotic places such as Spain.

There will come a time where you grow up to become more independent and cherish the experience of solitude during your university years. Holidays with your close friends will be put on hold and now is the time to go solo for whichever reasons. Many will start to ponder doing something that adds value to society or fulfilling one's longtime desire, for example giving tuition classes to rural villages in India or picking up surfing in Australia. Traveling around the world solo will now be your main priority. Picking up odd jobs along your solo travel is seen to be an enriching experience that everyone must have. You will constantly be reminded to appreciate traveling as an awesome activity.

Once you reach your twenties and enter the employment force, you will be constantly planning for exotic trips such as hiking at remote mountains and performing bungee jumps across the continents to escape the mundane work tasks. Many will look forward to spending their annual leave at an exotic location and also actively share interesting travel spots with colleagues and peers. There might be some who will decide to take a break from their career and pursue full-time solo travel until they are fully recharged to enter back into the labor force.

The money will always be an issue when it comes to traveling while being in the labor force. The higher one climbs up the corporate ladder, the bigger one's bank account becomes but the lesser time one will have. You will be more lavish in your spending during your travels as time and convenience have become an important factor. You will miss the backpacking trips in the twenties but at the same time, you will be accustomed to the 5-star hotel service that one could afford at a premium price.

Once you find your soul-mate and settle down with kids, the traveling roles will be changed. It is time to plan for all family trips and ensure everyone, from the adults to kids are well taken care of by balancing their need for food and transportation. You may start to dread traveling but one should keep a positive frame of mind and give their best in providing the best family travel experience, like how you used to travel with parents. During your trips, you may be able to interact with like-minded families and exchange interesting stories and tips. These will be some of the side perks and motivation to keep moving on in search of the never ending traveling experience.

Everyone will undergo phases of change to their traveling needs and it is important to be flexible and always keep an open mind in order to get the best from every travel.

Traveling to UK on a shoe string budget

Traveling to UK on a shoe string budget

UK transportation is among the most expensive in the European region. Planning for your transportation is an important process when you plan for a trip within UK. With proper planning and research, it is entirely possible to work out a very good budget for travelling in the UK. The key step in every transportation ticket purchase is to actually Reserve your tickets early. This is true for all modes of transport from train tickets right up to air tickets. Ticket purchases made at the very last minute will definitely cost you an arm and leg.

Below are some of the tips to save money on travelling around the UK on every single mode of transport available:

1. Train Travel Many people love travelling by train as they are able to enjoy the outside scenery for long hours during their train ride. It is very convenient due to the wide train networks covering most places in the UK. Non-UK residents can consider looking at Britrail pass to fulfill their long distance travelling pass needs. There are many cheap train tickets on sale at Megatrain website as well as Virgin Train website. Be sure to do your homework researching the best train ticket deals at various train booking sites. Travellers were able to source for affordable tickets via researching on these train ticket booking websites. For example, a traveller was able to save huge amount of money by buying separate tickets for a round-trip from Chester to Edinburgh by actually getting tickets for journey from Chester to Warrington and then getting tickets from Warrington to Glasgow. The final ticket was purchased for journey from Glasgow to Edinburgh which completes the round-trip journey from Chester to Edinburgh.

2. Bus Travel There are advantages and disadvantages for travelling by bus. It is definitely cheaper compared to train travel. However, time taken for bus travel is usually longer. The bus interior may not be well maintained as well although generally all buses are clean and tidy which gives traveler a pleasant journey. If time is not an issue, feel free to check out the cheapest bus fares available from bus ticket booking sites such as Megabus or National Express. Booking a coach from Chester right up to London city center will only take at most 5 hours at a much cheaper cost compared to train tickets. Always book early whenever possible to get the cheapest bus ticket deals and always wear seatbelt on the bus for safety purposes.

3. Air Travel Air travel is usually not recommended as it requires longer travelling time and energy. However it is advisable to use air travel for travelling long distances such as travelling from London city to Aberdeen. Sites such as Kayak are useful to search for cheap domestic flights. Be sure to check individual UK airline's search flight functions at their websites in order to scout for the best deals. Keep in mind that many low-cost airlines fly at out of the normal timing and operate from far away local airports. Always ensure that cost of travelling from airport is taken into account. Avoid paying excessively for airport parking.

4. Other extraordinary Travel Choices Other than the 3 traditional travelling options above, there are other choices for travelers to explore. Firstly, you can always book a ride from ridesharing sites. Sharing will definitely save you a lot of travelling expenses. UK weather is also extremely conducive for taking long walks if you fancy walking from one end to the other. Last but not least, feel free to rent a boat and travel through the canals if you fancy boat travels.