I have a few friends studying abroad in Italy this coming summer like I did this past summer.
There are a few things I wish I knew about Italy, Sorrento in particular, before I had to learn them myself.
Don’t Smile At Strangers
Smiling at strangers you make eye contact with on the street is an extremely American custom. This is not to say Italians are not friendly, but they do not really understand the concept of smiling at a stranger you pass on the street. I learned this the hard way.
If I made eye contact with someone I was walking towards, I would smile at them like I would if I was walking down the street in America. No one smiled back at me in Italy. It’s just not an Italian custom. At first I thought everyone just hated me or something, but I soon learned that they don’t hate me. They just don’t smile at random people they have never met for no reason.
Public Restrooms
Thankfully, I have the bladder of a camel. So, this was not a huge issue for me. However, the few times I needed or my friends needed a bathroom, if we didn’t have some coins with us, we were out of luck.
As odd as it sounds, there are very few public restrooms in all of Italy. This was not a huge deal in Sorrento because you are never too far from your own apartment or a friend’s apartment.
But in a big city like Rome, it does become an issue. The only free public restroom we found was in a McDonald’s. We did not even end up using the bathroom there because the line was so long.
Make sure you always have a few extra euros with you to use at restrooms or try to plan ahead. But don’t stop drinking water to avoid this. Because it is so hot in the summer and you do a lot of walking, not drinking enough water is not going to be a helpful hack.
Weird Water
Something pretty well known about Europe is that they do not typically put ice in their water. If you go to a restaurant and order water, not only will you have to pay for the water, you will also have to ask for ice in a separate glass if you want to recreate the American experience.
Be prepared to incur some odd looks at this request, but I promise it is worth it. A lot of restaurants either do not have air conditioning or will seat you outside in the sun. Without the ice your water will warm up fast.
Fast Food
This phenomenon was something I did not expect to happen to me. Obviously, the food in Italy is incredible. It always hits the spot. However, the food is very rich. It’s a lot of pasta and pizza that is really delicious, but it all has really intense, rich flavor. It’s good for a while, but I did end up missing fast food. That’s the crippling American fast-food addiction within me, but I was not alone. A lot of my friends also missed fast food. Towards the end of my trip I was desperately craving a burger from McDonald’s. This craving also came from the lack of red meat I ate while there. I usually ate sandwiches, pasta, pizza and seafood while there. I did not realize until the end of my trip when I started craving a burger that I was missing parts of my typical diet.
Pizza
This one is not a huge deal, more of just an inconvenience and a surprise when you first see it. When you order a pizza from any restaurant in Italy it will be served to you whole. Not only is it a pretty large pizza but it is still altogether. They do not cut the pizza into slices for you. Like I said, this is not a huge deal and you get used to it pretty quick, but it something to think about when ordering a pizza.
Uphill Battles
This is most specific to Sorrento but applies to a lot of places in Europe. To get essentially anywhere, you have to walk long distances uphill. A lot of cities on the coast are built on hills, so all the sidewalks are built in a zigzag going downhill to the water. Going down is fine, it’s the climb back up that can be brutal when it’s 90 degrees out and the midday sun is blaring. Preparing for your trip ahead of time by walking on the Stairmaster or treadmill with an incline can help a lot.