12 Getting There

By Plane

FROM NORTH AMERICA   From North America, direct flights are only available to Rome and Milan, though you can usually get a connecting flight to Venice, Florence, Palermo, Naples, or other major city. Flying time is roughly from New York is 8 hours, from Chicago 9-1/4 hours, and from Los Angeles 11-1/2 hours.

The Major Airlines  Italy’s national airline, Alitalia (tel. 800-223-5730; www.alitalia.it), offers more flights daily to Italy than any other airline. It flies direct to both Rome and Milan from New York, Newark, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami. You can connect in Rome or Milan to any other Italian destination.

British Airways (tel. 800-247-9297; www.ba.com) flies direct from dozens of U.S. and Canadian cities to London, where you can get connecting flights to Milan. Air Canada (tel.888-247-2262 or 800-361-8071 (TTY); www.aircanada.ca) flies daily from Toronto and Vancouver to Rome. Continental (tel. 800-231-0856; www.continental.com) doesn’t fly to Italy itself, but it’s partnered with Alitalia for the Newark-to-Rome and New York JFK-to-Milan flights, so if you’re a Continental Frequent Flyer you can reserve through Continental and rack up the miles. Delta (tel. 800-241-4141; www.delta.com) flies daily out of New York JFK (you can connect from most major U.S. cities) to Rome and Milan.

Possibly less convenient alternatives are American Airlines (tel. 800-433-7300; www.aa.com), whose flights from the United States to Milan all go through Chicago; United (tel. 800-528-2929; www.ual.com), which flies once daily to Milan out of New York, Newark, and Washington, D.C. Dulles; or US Airways (tel. 800-622-1015; www.usairways.com), which offers one flight daily to Rome out of Philadelphia. (You can connect through Philly from most major U.S. cities.)

FROM GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND  British Airways (tel. 0845-773-3377; www.ba.com) flies twice daily from London’s Gatwick to Pisa. Alitalia (020-8745-8200; www.alitalia.it) has four daily flights from London to both Rome and Milan. KLM UK (formerly Air UK; tel. 08705-074-074; www.klmuk.com) flies several times per week from London Heathrow to Milan (both airports) and Rome. In each case, there’s a layover in Amsterdam. 

No-frills upstart Ryanair (tel. 0871-246-0000 in the U.K.; www.ryanair.com) will fly you from London to Rome, Milan-Bergamo, Bologna, Genoa, Pisa, Trieste, Turin, Venice-Treviso, Venice-Brescia, Alghero, Ancona, Palermo, Pescara, Bari, and Brindisi. Its competitor EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) flies from London to Rome, Milan, Venice, Bologna, and Naples. Both usually charge less than [bp]25 ($40) each way for such service. The East Midlands-based bmibaby (www.bmibaby.com) flies to Milan-Bergamo as well as Pisa.

There are more than 40 no-frills airlines in Europe these days, the roster constantly changing as some upstarts prosper and grow and other whither and die. Independent Websites www.lowcostairlines.org and www.nofrillsair.com keep track of the industry. Another site, Applefares.com, will do a pricing metasearch of some two dozen low-cost European airlines, including some, but not all, of those listed above, plus some other, smaller ones. That way, you can see the going rate for, say, a London to Rome ticket—though it’s not a booking engine, just a search engine.

The best and cheapest way to get to Italy from Ireland is to make your way first to London and fly from there (see above; to book through British Airways in Ireland, dial tel. 800-626-747). Aer Lingus (tel. 0818-365-000 in Ireland; www.aerlingus.com) flies direct from Dublin to both Rome and Milan about 5 days a week. Alitalia (tel. 01-677-5171) puts you on a British Midland to get you to London, where you change to an Alitalia plane for the trip to Rome. For RyanAir, call tel. 0818-303-030 in Ireland.

FROM AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND  Alitalia (tel. 02-9922-1555; www.alitalia.it) has a flight from Sydney to Rome every Thursday and Saturday. Qantas (tel. 13-1313 in Australia or 0649-357-8900 in Auckland, NZ; www.qantas.com) flies 3 times daily to Rome via Bangkok, leaving Australia from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Cairns. Qantas will also book you through one of these Australian cities from Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch in New Zealand. You can also look into flying first into London and connecting to Italy from there. (There are more flights, and it may work out to be cheaper.)

GETTING THROUGH THE AIRPORT

With the federalization of airport security, security procedures at U.S. airports are more stable and consistent than ever. Generally, you’ll be fine if you arrive at the airport 2 hours before an international flight; if you show up late, tell an airline employee and she’ll probably whisk you to the front of the line.

Bring a current, government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport. Keep your ID at the ready to show at check-in, the security checkpoint, and sometimes even the gate. (Children under 18 do not need government-issued photo IDs for domestic flights, but they do for international flights to most countries.) 

In 2003, the TSA phased out gate check-in at all U.S. airports. And e-tickets have made paper tickets nearly obsolete. Passengers with e-tickets can beat the ticket-counter lines by using airport electronic kiosks or even online check-in from your home computer. Online check-in involves logging on to your airlines’ website, accessing your reservation, and printing out your boarding pass—and the airline may even offer you bonus miles to do so! If you’re using a kiosk at the airport, bring the credit card you used to book the ticket or your frequent-flier card. Print out your boarding pass from the kiosk and simply proceed to the security checkpoint with your pass and a photo ID. If you’re checking bags or looking to snag an exit-row seat, you will be able to do so using  most airline kiosks. Even the smaller airlines are employing the kiosk system, but always call your airline to make sure these alternatives are available. Curbside check-in is also a good way to avoid lines, although a few airlines still ban curbside check-in; call before you go.

Security lines are getting shorter than they were during 2001 and 2002, but some doozies remain. If you have trouble standing for long periods of time, tell an airline employee; the airline will provide a wheelchair. Speed up security by not wearing metal objects such as big belt buckles or clanky earrings. If you’ve got metallic body parts, a note from your doctor can prevent a long chat with the security screeners. Keep in mind that only ticketed passengers are allowed past security, except for folks escorting disabled passengers or children.

Federalization has stabilized what you can carry on and what you can’t. The general rule is that sharp things are out, nail clippers are okay, and food and beverages must be passed through the X-ray machine—but that security screeners can’t make you drink from your coffee cup. Bring food in your carry-on rather than checking it, as explosive-detection machines used on checked luggage have been known to mistake food (especially chocolate, for some reason) for bombs. Travelers in the U.S. are allowed one carry-on bag, plus a “personal item” such as a purse, briefcase, or laptop bag. Carry-on hoarders can stuff all sorts of things into a laptop bag; as long as it has a laptop in it, it’s still considered a personal item. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a list of restricted items; check its website (www.tsa.gov/public/index.jsp) for details. 

Airport screeners may decide that your checked luggage needs to be searched by hand. You can now purchase luggage locks that allow screeners to open and re-lock a checked bag if hand-searching is necessary. Look for Travel Sentry certified locks at luggage or travel shops and Brookstone stores (you can buy them online at www.brookstone.com). These locks, approved by the TSA, can be opened by luggage inspectors with a special code or key. For more information on the locks, visit www.travelsentry.org. If you use something other than TSA-approved locks, your lock will be cut off your suitcase if a TSA agent needs to hand-search your luggage.

 [TIP]Don’t Stow It—Ship It

If ease of travel is your main concern and money is no object, you can ship your luggage or sports equipment with one of the growing number of luggage-service companies that pick up, track, and deliver your luggage (often through couriers such as Federal Express) with minimum hassle for you. Traveling luggage-free may be ultra-convenient, but it’s not cheap: One-way overnight shipping can cost from $100 to $200, depending on what you’re sending. Still, for some people, especially the elderly or the infirm, it’s a sensible solution to lugging heavy baggage. Specialists in door-to-door luggage delivery are Virtual Bellhop (www.virtualbellhop.com), SkyCap International (wwww.skycapinternational.com), Luggage Express (www.usxpluggageexpress.com), and Sports Express (www.sportsexpress.com). 

Flying for Less: Tips for Getting the Best Airfare

Passengers sharing the same airplane cabin rarely pay the same fare. Travelers who need to purchase tickets at the last minute, change their itinerary at a moment’s notice, or fly one-way often get stuck paying the premium rate. Here are some ways to keep your airfare costs down.

[lb] Passengers who can book their ticket long in advance, who can stay over Saturday night, or who fly midweek or at less-trafficked hours may pay a fraction of the full fare. If your schedule is flexible, say so, and ask if you can secure a cheaper fare by changing your flight plans. 

[lb] You can also save on airfares by keeping an eye out in local newspapers for promotional specials or fare wars, when airlines lower prices on their most popular routes. You rarely see fare wars offered for peak travel times, but if you can travel in the off-months, you may snag a bargain. 

[lb] Search the Internet for cheap fares (see “Planning Your Trip Online”). 

[lb] Consolidators, also known as bucket shops, are great sources for international tickets. Start by looking in Sunday newspaper travel sections; U.S, travelers should focus on the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Miami Herald. For less-developed destinations, small travel agents who cater to immigrant communities in large cities often have the best deals. Beware: Bucket shop tickets are usually nonrefundable or rigged with stiff cancellation penalties, often as high as 50% to 75% of the ticket price, and some put you on charter airlines which may leave at inconvenient times and experience delays. Several reliable consolidators are worldwide and available on the Net. STA Travel is now the world’s leader in student travel, thanks to their purchase of Council Travel. It also offers good fares for travelers of all ages. Destination Europe, the airfares branch of car rentor Auto Europe (www.autoeurope.com), consistently offers the some of the best transatlantic fares at any time of year. ELTExpress (Flights.com) (tel. 800/TRAV-800; www.eltexpress.com) started in Europe and has excellent fares worldwide, but particularly to that continent. It also has “local” websites in 12 countries. FlyCheap (tel. 800-FLY-CHEAP; www.1800flycheap.com) is owned by package-holiday megalith MyTravel and so has especially good access to fares for sunny destinations. Air Tickets Direct (tel. 800-778-3447; www.airticketsdirect.com) is based in Montreal and leverages the currently weak Canadian dollar for low fares; it’ll also book trips to places that U.S.  travel agents won’t touch, such as Cuba.

 [lb] Join frequent-flier clubs. Accrue enough miles, and you’ll be rewarded with free flights and elite status. It’s free, and you’ll get the best choice of seats, faster response to phone inquiries, and prompter service if your luggage is stolen, your flight is canceled or delayed, or if you want to change your seat. You don’t need to fly to build frequent-flier miles—frequent-flier credit cards can provide thousands of miles for doing your everyday shopping.

[lb] For many more tips about air travel, including a rundown of the major frequent-flier credit cards, pick up a copy of Frommer’s Fly Safe, Fly Smart (Wiley Publishing, Inc.).

Travel in the Age of Bankruptcy

Airlines go bankrupt, so protect yourself by buying your tickets with a credit card, as the Fair Credit Billing Act guarantees that you can get your money back from the credit card company if a travel supplier goes under (and if you request the refund within 60 days of the bankruptcy.) Travel insurance can also help, but make sure it covers against “carrier default” for your specific travel provider. And be aware that if a U.S. airline goes bust mid-trip, a 2001 federal law requires other carriers to take you to your destination (albeit on a space-available basis) for a fee of no more than $25, provided you rebook within 60 days of the cancellation.

long-haul flights: how to stay comfortable

Long flights can be trying; stuffy air and cramped seats can make you feel as if you’re being sent parcel post in a small box. But with a little advance planning, you can make an otherwise unpleasant experience almost bearable.

[lb] Your choice of airline and airplane will definitely affect your legroom. Among U.S. airlines, American Airlines has the best average seat pitch (the distance between a seat and the row in front of it), though they recently announced they’ll be refitting the planes to do away with the extra leg room, so this may not last long. Find more details at www.seatguru.com, which has extensive details about almost every seat on six major U.S. airlines. For international airlines, research firm Skytrax has posted a list of average seat pitches at www.airlinequality.com.

[lb] Emergency exit seats and bulkhead seats typically have the most legroom. Emergency exit seats are usually held back to be assigned the day of a flight (to ensure that the seat is filled by someone able-bodied); it’s worth getting to the ticket counter early to snag one of these spots for a long flight. Keep in mind that bulkheads are where airlines often put baby bassinets, so you may be sitting next to an infant

[lb] To have two seats for yourself in a three-seat row, try for an aisle seat in a center section toward the back of coach. If you’re traveling with a companion, book an aisle and a window seat. Middle seats are usually booked last, so chances are good you’ll end up with three seats to yourselves. And in the event that a third passenger is assigned the middle seat, he or she will probably be more than happy to trade for a window or an aisle.

[lb]Ask about entertainment options. Many airlines offer seatback video systems where you get to choose your movies or play video games—but only on some of their planes. (Boeing 777s are your best bet.)

[lb] To sleep, avoid the last row of any section or a row in front of an emergency exit, as these seats are the least likely to recline. Avoid seats near highly trafficked toilet areas. Avoid seats in the back of many jets—these can be more narrow than those in the rest of coach class. You also may want to reserve a window seat so that you can rest your head on the wall and avoid being bumped in the aisle.

[lb] Get up, walk around, and stretch every 60 to 90 minutes to keep your blood flowing. This helps avoid deep vein thrombosis, or “economy-class syndrome,” a potentially deadly condition that can be caused by sitting in cramped conditions for too long. Other preventative measures include drinking lots of water and avoiding alcohol (see next bullet). See “Avoiding ‘Economy Class Syndrome’” box under “Healthy & Safety,” p. ###.

[lb] Drink water before, during, and after your flight to combat the lack of humidity in airplane cabins—which can be drier than the Sahara. Bring a bottle of water on board. Avoid alcohol, which will dehydrate you.

[lb] If you’re flying with kids, don’t forget to carry on toys, books, pacifiers, and chewing gum to help them relieve ear pressure buildup during ascent and descent. Let each child pack his or her own backpack with favorite toys.

[TIPS] Coping with Jet Lag

Jetlag is a pitfall of traveling across time zones. If you’re flying north-south and you feel sluggish when you touch down, your symptoms will be caused by dehydration and the general stress of air travel. When you travel east to west or vice-versa, however, your body becomes thoroughly confused about what time it is, and everything from your digestion to your brain gets knocked for a loop. Traveling east, say, from Chicago to Milan, is more difficult on your internal clock than traveling west, say from Rome back to Chicago, as most peoples’ bodies find it more acceptable to stay up late than to fall asleep early. 

Here are some tips for combating jet lag:

[lb] Reset your watch to your destination time before you board the plane.

[lb] Drink lots of water before, during, and after your flight. Avoid alcohol.

[lb] Exercise and sleep well for a few days before your trip.

[lb] If you have trouble sleeping on planes, fly eastward on morning flights.

[lb] Daylight is the key to resetting your body clock. At the website for Outside In (www.bodyclock.com), you can get a customized plan of when to seek and avoid light. 

[lb] If you need help getting to sleep earlier than you usually would, doctors recommend taking either the hormone melatonin or the sleeping pill Ambien—but not together. Take 2 to 5 milligrams of melatonin about 2 hours before your planned bedtime—but again, always check with your doctor on the best course of action for you..

 [SWSH] Flying with Film & Video 

Never pack film—developed or undeveloped—in checked bags, as the new, more powerful scanners in U.S. airports can fog film. The film you carry with you can be damaged by scanners as well. X-ray damage is cumulative; the faster the film speed, and the more times you put it through a scanner, the more likely the damage. Film under 800 ASA is usually safe for up to five scans. If you’re taking your film through additional scans, U.S. regulations permit you to demand hand inspections. In international airports, you’re at the mercy of airport officials. On international flights, store your film in transparent baggies, so you can remove it easily before you go through scanners. Keep in mind that airports are not the only places where your camera may be scanned: Highly trafficked attractions abroad are X-raying visitors’ bags with increasing frequency. 

Most photo supply stores sell protective pouches designed to block damaging X-rays. The pouches fit both film and loaded cameras. They should protect your film in checked baggage, but they also may raise alarms and result in a hand inspection. 

You’ll have little to worry about if you are traveling with digital cameras. Unlike film, which is sensitive to light, the digital camera and storage cards are not affected by airport X-rays, according to Nikon. Still, if you plan to travel extensively, you may want to play it safe and hand-carry your digital equipment or ask that it be inspected by hand. See “Digital Photography on the Road,” p. ###. 

An organization called Film Safety for Traveling on Planes, FSTOP (tel. 888/301-2665; www.f-stop.org), can provide additional tips for traveling with film and equipment.

Carry-on scanners will not damage videotape in video cameras, but the magnetic fields emitted by the walk-through security gateways and handheld inspection wands will. Always place your loaded camcorder on the screening conveyor belt or have it hand-inspected. Be sure your batteries are charged, as you will probably be required to turn the device on to ensure that it’s what it appears to be.

Getting There By Car

You’ll get the best rental rate if you book your car from home instead of renting direct in Italy—in fact, if you decide to rent once you’re over there, it’s worth it to call home to have someone arrange it all from there. You must be over 25 to rent from most agencies (although some accept 21).

Though it once was smart shopping to see what rates Italian companies were offering, they’re all now allied with the big agents in the States: Avis (tel. 800-230-4898; in Italy toll-free 199-100-133; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 800-527-0700; www.budget.com), Hertz (tel. 800-654-3131 or 800-654-3001; www.hertz.com), and National (tel. 800-227-7368; www.nationalcar.com). 

You can usually get a better rate by going through one of the rental companies specializing in Europe: Auto Europe (tel. 888-223-5555; www.autoeurope.com), Europe by Car (tel. 800-223-1516, 212-581-3040 in New York City; www.europebycar.com), Kemwell (tel. 800-678-0678; www.kemwell.com) and Maiellano (tel. 800-223-1616 or 718-727-0044). With constant price wars and special packages, it always pays to shop around among all the above.

When offered the choice between a compact car and a larger one, always choose the smaller car (unless you have a large group)—you’ll need it for maneuvering the winding, steeply graded Italian roads and the impossibly narrow alleyways of towns and cities. Likewise, if you can drive stick shift, order one; it’ll help you better navigate the hilly terrain. It’s also a good idea to opt for the Collision Damage Wavier (CDW) that for only $10 to $20 a day gives you the peace of mind and nerves of steel that driving in Italy requires; you can pay only $7 per day for this service if you buy it through a third party insurer such as Travel Guard (www.travelguard.com). Although the 19% IVA value-added tax is unavoidable, you can do away with the government airport pick-up tax of 10% by picking up your car at an office in town.

For more on driving in Italy, from road rule to maps to gasoline, see the “Getting Around” section later in this chapter.

Getting There By Train

Every day, up to 14 Eurostar trains (reservations in London tel. 0875-186-186; www.eurostar.com) zip from London to Paris’s Gare du Nord via the Chunnel (Eurotunnel) in a bit over 4 hours. In Paris, you can transfer to the Paris Gare de Lyon station or Paris Bercy for one of three daily direct trains to Milan, overnight to Venice (15 hours), and a few other cities. Some of the Milan runs are high-speed TGV trains, a 6-1/2-hour ride requiring a seat reservation. At least one will be an overnight Euronight (EN) train, with reservable sleeping couchettes; the Euronight leaves Paris around 10pm and gets into Milan around 8:45am..

If you plan on doing a lot of train travel, the definitive 500-page book listing all official European train routes and schedules is the Thomas Cook European Timetable, available in the United States for $27.95 (plus $4.50 shipping and handling) from Forsyth Travel Library, P.O. Box 2975, Shawnee Mission, KS 66201 (tel. 800-367-7984), at travel specialty stores, or online at www.thomascooktimetables.com.

You can get much more information about train travel in Europe, plus research schedules and fares (largely for major routes) online at Rail Europe (tel. 877/257-2887; www.raileurope.com). For more on using Europe’s trains, including resources for finding each country’s national railway website—which will include much more detailed schedule and fare info than RailEurope, sometimes even in English!—check out www.europetrains.org.

EUROPEAN-WIDE RAIL PASSES  If Italy is only part of a larger European tour for you, the famous Eurailpass or new Eurail Selectpass may be useful (see below). The granddaddy of passes is the Eurailpass, covering 17 countries (most of Western Europe except England). It has recently been joined by the more modest but flexible Eurail Selectpass (an improvement on the old Europass), which can be customized to cover three to five contiguous countries. 

If, however, you’re traveling only in the regions covered by this guide or just in Italy, these passes will be a waste of money. Similarly, if you’re merely coming straight to Italy by train from another point within Europe, it’ll be cheaper to buy just a regular one-way ticket. If this is the case and you’re under 26, get a BIJ (Billet International de Jeunesse, or youth ticket, known as BIGE in Italy), which gets you a 30% to 50% discount on the second-class one-way fare. It also allows you a full month to get to your destination, during which time you can hop on and off the trains as often as you wish so long as you stay headed in the direction of your final destination. BIJ tickets are sold only in Europe, under the names of Wasteels and Eurotrain, but you can get further information on them at Wasteels Travel (www.wasteels.com). In London, you can get the tickets at the Wasteels office at Victoria Station (tel. 020-7834-7066).

For the Eurailpass and Eurorail Selectpass described below, you need to scribble the date on the pass as you hop on the train; you don’t need to wait in line at the ticket window. However, you will need to go to the ticket window if the train you want to take requires you to reserve a seat (such as the Pendolino, which, as a first-class train, doesn’t accept the second-class youth passes) or if you want a spot in a sleeping couchette. The Eurailpass gets you only a 33% discount on the TGV train through the Chunnel from London to Paris. The passes below are available in the United States through Rail Europe (tel. 877-257-2887; www.raileurope.com). No matter what everyone tells you, they can be bought in Europe as well (at the major train stations) but are more expensive. Rail Europe can also give you information on the rail-and-drive versions of the passes.

 [SWSH] Countries Honoring Train Passes

Eurail Countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Note: Great Britain isn’t included in any pass.

Rail passes are available in either consecutive-day or flexipass versions (in which you have 2 months to use, say, 10 or 15 days of train travel of your choosing as you go along). Consecutive-day passes are best for those taking the train very frequently (every few days), covering a lot of ground, and making many short train hops. Flexipasses are for folks who want to range far and wide but plan on taking their time over a long trip and intend to stay in each city for a while. There are also saverpasses for families and small groups, and rail/drive passes that mix train days with car-rental days. 

If you’re under age 26, you can opt to buy a regular first-class pass or a second-class youth pass; if you’re 26 or over, you’re stuck with the first-class pass. Passes for kids 4 to 11 are half price, and kids under 4 travel free.

The rates quoted below are for 2004:

[lb] Eurailpass: Consecutive-day Eurailpass $588 for 15 days, $762 for 21 days, $946 for 1 month, $1338 for 2 months, or $1,654 for 3 months.

[lb] Eurailpass Flexi: Good for 2 months of travel, within which you can travel by train for 10 days (consecutive or not) for $694 or 15 days for $914.

[lb] Eurailpass Saver: Good for two to five people traveling together, costing $498 per person for 15 days, $648 for 21 days, $804 for 1 month, $1138 for 2 months, or $1408 for 3 months.

[lb] Eurailpass Saver Flexi: Good for two to five people traveling together, costing $592 per person for 10 days within 2 months or $778 per person for 15 days within 2 months.

[lb] Eurailpass Youth: The second-class railpass for travelers under 26, costing $414 for 15 days, $534 for 21 days, $664 for 1 month, $938 for 2 months, or $1,160 for 3 months.

[lb] Eurailpass Youth Flexi: Only for travelers under 26, allowing for 10 days of travel within 2 months for $488 or 15 days within 2 months for $642. 

[lb] Eurail Selectpass: For the most tightly focused of trips, covering three to five contiguous Eurail countries connected by rail or ship. It’s valid for 2 months, and cost varies according to the number of countries you plan to visit.  A pass for three countries is $356 for 5 days, $394 for 6 days, $470 for 8 days, and $542 for 10 days. A four-country pass costs $398 for 5 days, $436 for 6 days, $512 for 8 days, and $584 for 10 days. A pass for five countries costs $438 for 5 days, $476 for 6 days, $552 for 8 days, $624 for 10 days, and $794 for 15 days.

[lb] Eurail Selectpass Saver: Same as the Eurail Selectpass, (and slightly less expensive), but for two to five people traveling together. Per person, the three-country pass is $304 for 5 days, $336 for 6 days, $400 for 8 days, and $460 for 10 days. A pass for four countries is $340 for 5 days. $372 for 6 days, $436 for 8 days, and $496 for 10 days. A five-country pass is $3744 for 5 days, $406 for 6 days, $470 for 8 days, $530 for 10 days, and $674 for 15 days.

[lb] Eurail Selectpass Youth: Good in second class only for travelers under 26. Cost varies according to the number of countries you plan to visit, but all passes are valid for two months. For three countries, it’s $249 for 5 days, $276 for 6 days, $329 for 8 days, $379 for 10 days. A four-country pass costs $279 for 5 days, $306 for 6 days, $359 for 8 days, and $409 for 10 days. A five-country pass is $307 for 5 days, $334 for 6 days, $387 for 8 days, $437 for 10 days, and $556 for 15 days.

 [lb] EurailDrive Pass: This pass offers the best of both worlds, mixing train travel and rental cars (through Hertz or Avis) for less money than it would cost to do them separately (and one of the only ways to get around the high daily car-rental rates in Europe when you rent for less than a week). You get four first-class rail days and 2 car days within a 2-month period. Prices (per person for one adult/two adults) vary with the class of the car: $452/$409 economy, $481/$423 compact, $496/$431 midsize, small automatic (Hertz only) $531/$447. You can add up to 6 extra car days ($49 each economy, $64 compact, $75 midsize, $95 small automatic [Hertz only]). You have to reserve the first “car day” a week before leaving the States but can make the other reservations as you go (subject to availability). If there are more than two adults, the extra passengers get the car portion free but must buy the 4-day railpass for about $365.

[lb] Eurail SelectPass Drive: This pass, like the EurailDrive Pass, offers combined train and rental car travel, but only for very focused trips: within any three to five adjoining Eurail countries. A flexipass, it includes 3 days of unlimited, first-class rail travel and two days of unlimited mileage car rental (through Avis or Hertz) within a 2-month period. Prices (per person for one adult/two adults) are $335/$291 economy, $365/$305 compact, $392/$315 midsize, $429/$331 small automatic. You can add up to 7 additional rail days for $39 each and unlimited extra car days for $49 to $95 each, depending on the class of car. 

 13  Packages for the Independent Traveler

Before you start your search for the lowest airfare, you may want to consider booking your flight as part of a travel package. Package tours are not the same thing as escorted tours. Package tours are simply a way to buy the airfare, accommodations, and other elements of your trip (such as car rentals, airport transfers, and sometimes even activities) at the same time and often at discounted prices—kind of like one-stop shopping. Packages are sold in bulk to tour operators—who resell them to the public at a cost that usually undercuts standard rates.

One good source of package deals is the airlines themselves. Most major airlines offer air/land packages, including American Airlines Vacations (tel. 800-321-2121; www.aavacations.com), Delta Vacations (tel. 800-221-6666; www.deltavacations.com), Continental Airlines Vacations (tel. 800-301-3800; www.covacations.com), and United Vacations (tel. 888-854-3899; www.unitedvacations.com). 

The single best-priced packager to Europe, though, is Internet-only travel agent Go-Today.com (www.go-today.com), offering excellent four– and six-night air/hotel packages throughout the continent, as well as airfare/car rental deals. Its up-and-coming rival Octopus Travel (tel. 877/330-7765; www.octopuspackages.com) sometimes undercuts Go-Today.com’s rates, but look carefully at the hotels you get. Often with Octopus, the lodgings are located way on the outskirts of town. By the time you “upgrade” to a property near the historic center, and take look at the new rate, Go-Today.com turns out the real price champ.

Italiatours (tel. 800-845-3365; www.italiatourusa.com) is the tour operator branch of Alitalia airlines and offers package and escorted tours at extremely attractive prices. TourCrafters (tel. 800-ITALY95 or 847-816-6510; www.tourcrafters.com) offers escorted, hosted, and independent tours throughout Italy. Among the more traditional travel agencies, Liberty Travel (tel. 888/271-1584; www.libertytravel.com) is one of the biggest packagers in the Northeast and usually boasts a full-page ad in Sunday papers. American Express Vacations (tel. 800/241-1700; www.americanexpress.com) is one of the most reputable national operators. Several big online travel agencies—Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Site59, and Lastminute.com—also do a brisk business in packages. If you’re unsure about the pedigree of a smaller packager, check with the Better Business Bureau in the city where the company is based, or go online at www.bbb.org. If a packager won’t tell you where it’s based, don’t fly with it.

Travel packages are also listed in the travel section of your local Sunday newspaper. Or check ads in the national travel magazines such as Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, and Condé Nast Traveler. 

Package tours can vary by leaps and bounds. Some offer a better class of hotels than others. Some offer the same hotels for lower prices. Some offer flights on scheduled airlines, while others book charters. Some limit your choice of accommodations and travel days. You are often required to make a large payment up front. On the plus side, packages can save you money, offering group prices but allowing for independent travel. Some even let you to add on a few guided excursions or escorted day trips (also at prices lower than if you booked them yourself) without booking an entirely escorted tour. 

Before you invest in a package tour, get some answers. Ask about the accommodation choices and prices for each. Then look up the hotels’ reviews in a Frommer’s guide (note, however, that most hotels offered with package tours are cookie-cutter chain places very short on atmosphere, hence they might not appear within this book; use the Internet to suss them out and see some pictures) and check their rates for your specific dates of travel online. You’ll also want to find out what type of room you get. If you need a certain type of room, ask for it; don’t take whatever is thrown your way. Request a nonsmoking room, a quiet room, a room with a view, or whatever you fancy.

Finally, look for hidden expenses. Ask whether airport departure fees and taxes, for example, are included in the total cost.

Finally, if you plan to travel alone, you’ll need to know if a single supplement will be charged and if the company can match you up with a roommate.

  14 Escorted General-Interest Tours

Escorted tours are structured group tours, with a group leader. The price usually includes everything from airfare to hotels, meals, tours, admission costs, and local transportation.  

One of the most famous Italy tour specialists, Perillo Tours (tel. 800-431-1515; www.perillotours.com), offers many good itineraries. You can also get good tours from Italiatours (tel. 800-845-3365; www.italiatourusa.com), the tour branch of Alitalia airlines, and TourCrafters (tel. 800-ITALY95 or 847-816-6510; www.tourcrafters.com).

Many people derive a certain ease and security from escorted trips. Escorted tours—whether by bus, motor coach, train, or boat—let travelers sit back and enjoy their trip without having to spend lots of time behind the wheel. All the little details are taken care of; you know your costs up front; and there are few surprises. Escorted tours can take you to the maximum number of sights in the minimum amount of time with the least amount of hassle—you don’t have to sweat over the plotting and planning of a vacation schedule. Escorted tours are particularly convenient for people with limited mobility. They can also be a great way to make new friends.

On the downside, an escorted tour often requires a big deposit up front, and lodging and dining choices are predetermined. As part of a cloud of tourists, you’ll get little opportunity for serendipitous interactions with locals. The tours can be jam-packed with activities, leaving little room for individual sightseeing, whim, or adventure—plus they also often focus only on the heavily touristed sites, so you miss out on the lesser-known gems.

Before you invest in an escorted tour, ask about the cancellation policy: Is a deposit required? Can they cancel the trip if they don’t get enough people? Do you get a refund if they cancel? If you cancel? How late can you cancel if you are unable to go? When do you pay in full? Note: If you choose an escorted tour, think strongly about purchasing trip-cancellation insurance, especially if the tour operator asks you to pay up front. See the section on “Travel Insurance,” earlier in this chapter.

You’ll also want to get a complete schedule of the trip to find out how much sightseeing is planned each day and whether enough time has been allotted for relaxing or wandering solo. 

The size of the group is also important to know up front. Generally, the smaller the group, the more flexible the itinerary, and the less time you’ll spend waiting for people to get on and off the bus. Find out the demographics of the group as well. What is the age range? What is the gender breakdown? Is this mostly a trip for couples or singles?

 Discuss what is included in the price. You may have to pay for transportation to and from the airport. A box lunch may be included in an excursion, but drinks might cost extra. Tips may not be included. Find out if you will be charged if you decide to opt out of certain activities or meals. The sections on accommodations choice, hidden expense, and single supplements discussed above under “Package Tours” apply here as well.

 15 Special-Interest Vacations

PARLA ITALIANO?

Language courses are available at several centers around the Italian peninsula. You can contact any of the following for information about programs across Italy, varying in length, location (city versus rural), short- or long-term, and price: Italian Cultural Institute in New York (tel. 212-879-4242), American Institute for Foreign Study (tel. 800-727-AIFS; www.aifs.org), and Institute of International Education (tel. 800-445-0443 or 212-984-5413; www.iie.org).

Bike Tours

The Italian countryside has always been legendary for its beauty and architectural richness, and bicycle tours are a particularly memorable way to experience it. 

Bike-it-yourselfers should arm themselves with a good map (see “Getting Around,” later in this chapter) and make use of the resources of the Club Alpino Italiano, 7 Via E. Petrella 19, 20124 Milano (tel. 02-205-7231 in Italy; www.cai.it). You can rent a bike by the week or longer at outlets in most cities.

The best tour resource is the annual Tourfinder issue of Bicycle USA. A copy costs $15 from the League of American Bicyclists, 1612 K St. NW, Ste. 401, Washington, DC 20006 (tel. 202/822-1333; www.bikeleague.org). Membership is $30 per year and includes the Tourfinder and the annual almanac with information on European bicycling organizations. 

Holland Bicycling Tours, P.O. Box 6086, Huntington Beach, CA 92615-6086 (tel. 800/852-3258; www.hollandbicyclingtours.com), leads 8- to 12-day tours throughout Europe (not just in the Netherlands). Experience Plus, 415 Mason Ct., Suite 1, Fort Collins, CO 80524 (tel. 800/685-4565; www.xplus.com), runs bike tours across Europe; Ciclismo Classico, 30 Marathon St., Arlington, MA 02174 (tel. 800/866-7314; www.ciclismoclassico.com), is an excellent outfit specializing in tours through Italy.

[TIPS] Specialty Travel Websites

At InfoHub Specialty Travel Guide (www.infohub.com), you can find tours in Italy (as well as other countries) centered around just about any and everything: antiques, archaeology, art history, churches, cooking, gay life, nudism, religion, wineries, and much more. If this sounds expensive to you, don’t worry—while searching the site, you can even set your own price limit. Two other good resource sites for specialty tours and travels are the Specialty Travel Index (www.specialtytravel.com) and Shaw Guides (www.shawguides.com).

Cooking Schools

Learn to make those incredible recipes you spent yoru vacation gaiangin 10 pounds on. 

Cuisine International, P.O. Box 25228, Dallas, TX 75225 (tel. 214/373-1161; www.cuisineinternational.com), brings together some of the top independent cooking schools and teachers based in Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, and England. Here are some Italy-specific cooking schools worth checking out: Divina Cucina, Via Taddea 31, 50123 Florence, Italy (tel. 925/939-6346 in the U.S., 055-292-578 in Italy; www.divinacucina.com); Lorenza de’ Medici’s Cooking School, contact Louise Owens, 3128 Purdue, Dallas, TX 75225 (tel. 214/739-2846 in the U.S., 0577/744-832 in Italy; www.colitbuono.com); Giuliano Bugialli, 252 Seventh Avenue, #7R, New York, NY 10001 (tel. 646/638-1099; www.bugialli.com).

Walking Tours

If you don’t feel the need to cover so much territory, you can appreciate even more of the countryside by walking or hiking (called trekking in Italian). Italy’s resource for everything from countryside ambles to serious mountain trekking is the Club Alpino Italiano (see “Bike Tours” above). 

Wilderness Travel, 1102 Ninth St., Berkeley, CA 94710 (tel. 800/368-2794; www.wildernesstravel.com), specializes in walking tours, treks, and inn-to-inn hiking tours of Europe. Sherpa Expeditions, 131A Heston Rd., Hounslow, Middlesex, England TW5 ORF (tel. 44-(0)20/8577-2717; www.sherpaexpeditions.com), offers both self-guided and group treks through off-the-beaten-track regions. Two long-established, somewhat upscale walking tour companies are Butterfield & Robinson, 70 Bond St., Ste. 300, Toronto, ON M5B 1X3 (tel. 800/678-1147 in North America, 416/864-1354 elsewhere; www.butterfield.com), and Country Walkers, P.O. Box 180, Waterbury, VT 05676 (tel. 800/464-9255 in North America, 802/244-1387 elsewhere; www.countrywalkers.com). The bike tour companies Experience Plus and Ciclismo Classico, listed above under “Bike Tours,” also do walking tours.

 16 Getting Around

This book covers plenty of rural area made up of small towns, so budget plenty of travel time for winding roads, slow local trains, and long layovers. The twisty roads aren’t the kindest to motion sickness sufferers, but fortunately Italy’s pharmacies are blessed with a miraculous chewing-gum medicine called Travelgum that, unlike Dramamine, starts working within a minute or two. Also, be warned that town-to-town coach drivers in particular seem to be trained to drive in such a way as to disturb even the most iron of stomachs.

MAPS  A city street plan is a pianta; a map of a region or larger area is a mappa or carta. Before you leave home, you can pick up one of the Touring Club Italiano’s (TCI) enormous pristine maps of Italy’s regions at 1:200,000 scale. You can find regional maps (“Toscana,” “Veneto,”
“Sicilia,” etc,) at some bookstores and most map and travel specialty stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. TCI also publishes some pocket-sized street maps of cities, and makes laminated bound map booklets (if you don’t like sheets), both regional and collections of city plans. 

Edizione Multigraphic covers Italy in varying scales with contour-lined maps so detailed that some actually show individual farms. Their “Carta Turistica Stradale” 1:50,000 maps are perfect for exploring back roads, while the 1:25,000 “Carta dei Sentieri e Rifugi” sheets include hiking trails and alpine shelters for those hoofing it or on bike. The maps are widely available at bookstores, newsstands, and souvenir shops. Litografia Artistica Cartografica makes very complete and large foldout city maps with searchable indices. They also publish 1:150,000 province maps that are less detailed than the Edizione Multigraphic sheets, but because of this are easier to glance at while driving.

Note that, even with a map, you are going to get lost in Venice (even Venetians get lost repeatedly if they venture outside their own little section of town). Accept this, and view it as part of the adventure.

BY PLANE

Italy’s domestic air network on Alitalia (see “Getting There Without Going Broke,” earlier in this chapter) is one of the largest and most complete in Europe. Some 40 airports are serviced regularly from Rome, and most flights take less than an hour. Fares vary, but some discounts are available. Tickets are discounted 50% for children 2 to 12; for passengers 12 to 24, there’s a youth fare. Prices are still astronomical for domestic flights, and you’re almost always better off taking a train, except for long-distance hauls (like Venice down to Palermo in Sicily) where you’d rather spend the money than the time—unless you can stop off along the way: In Italy there’s never a shortage of major sights to see.

[TIP] Prime Sightseeing Hours

One mistake many people make when scheduling their hopping from hill town to hill town is getting up early in the mornings to travel to the next destination. Because many of Italy’s sights are open only in the morning and almost all close for riposo (afternoon rest) from noonish to 3 or 4pm, this wastes valuable sightseeing time. I do my traveling just after noon, when everything is closing up. There’s often a last train before riposo to wherever you’re going or a country bus run (intended to shuttle schoolchildren home for lunch). If you’re driving, you can enjoy great countryside vistas under the noonday sun.

By Car

Italy is best explored by car. In fact, one of the most common and convenient ways to take a tour of this area is to fly or take a train into, say, Milan, see the city, then pick up a rental car to wend your way through whichever bit takes your fancy before ending up in Venice, Florence, or Rome, where you can drop off the car and fly home.

That said, driving in Italy is also expensive and notoriously nerve-racking—for both the winding roads and the Italian penchant for driving a Fiat like a Ferrari. Both rental and gas prices are as high as they get in all Europe. Before leaving home, apply for an International Driver’s Permit from the American Automobile Association (AAA) (tel. 800-222-1134 or 407-444-4300; www.aaa.com). In Canada, the permit is available from the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) (tel. 613-247-0117; www.caa.ca). Technically, you need this permit, your actual driver’s license, and an Italian translation of the latter (also available from AAA and CAA) to drive in Italy, though in practice the license itself often suffices. (Take all three along to be safe.)

Italy’s equivalent of AAA is the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI), a branch of the Touring Club Italiano. They’re the people who respond when you place an emergency 116 call for road breakdowns, though they do charge for this service if you’re not a member. If you wish, you may join at the border as you’re driving into Italy or online at www.aci.it.

DRIVING RULES  Italian drivers aren’t maniacs; they only appear to be. Actually, they tend to be very safe and alert drivers—if much more aggressive than Americans are used to. If someone races up behind you and flashes her lights, that’s the signal for you to slow down so she can pass you quickly and safely. Stay in the right lane on highways; the left is only for passing and for cars with large engines and the pedal to the metal. If you see someone in your rearview mirror speeding up with his hazard lights blinking, get out of the way because it means his Mercedes is opened up full throttle. On a two-lane road, the idiot passing someone in the opposing traffic who has swerved into your lane expects you to veer obligingly over into the shoulder so three lanes of traffic can fit—he would do the same for you.

Autostrade are superhighways, denoted by green signs and a number prefaced with an A, like the famous A1 from Naples to Milan via Rome and Florence. Occasionally these aren’t numbered and are simply called raccordo, a connecting road between two cities. On longer stretches, autostrade often become toll roads. Strade Statale are state roads, usually two lanes wide, indicated by blue signs. Their route numbers are prefaced with an SS or an S. Strade Provinciale (SP) are similar provincial roads. On signs, however, these official route numbers are used infrequently. Usually, you’ll just see blue signs listing destinations by name with arrows pointing off in the appropriate directions. Even if it’s just a few miles down on the road, often the town you’re looking for won’t be mentioned on the sign at the appropriate turnoff. It’s impossible to predict which of all the towns that lie along a road will be the ones chosen to list on a particular sign. Sometimes, the sign gives only the first miniscule village the lies past the turnoff; at other times it lists the first major town down that road, and some signs mention only the major city the road eventually leads to, even if its hundreds of miles away. It pays to study the map and fix in your mind the names all three possibilities before coming to an intersection.

The speed limit on roads in built-up areas around towns and cities is 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph). On rural roads and the highway it’s 110 kilometers per hour (68 mph), except on weekends when it’s upped to 130 kilometers per hour (81 mph). Italians have an astounding disregard for these limits. However, police can ticket you and collect the fine on the spot. Although there’s no official blood alcohol level at which you’re “legally drunk,” the police will throw you in jail if they pull you over and find you soused.

As far as parcheggio (parking) is concerned, on streets white lines indicate free public spaces and blue lines pay public spaces. Meters don’t line the sidewalk; rather, there’s one machine on the block where you punch in how long you want to park. The machine spits out a ticket that you leave on your dashboard. Sometimes streets will have an attendant who’ll come around and give you your time ticket (pay him or her when you get ready to leave). If you park in an area marked parcheggio disco orario, root around in your rental car’s glove compartment for a cardboard parking disc (or buy one at a gas station). With this device, you dial up the hour of your arrival (it’s the honor system) and display it on your dashboard. You’re allowed un ora (1 hr.) or due ore (2 hr.), according to the sign. Parking lots have ticket dispensers but usually not manned booths as you exit. Take your ticket with you when you park; when you return to the lot to get your car and leave, first visit the office or automated payment machine to exchange your ticket for a paid receipt you then use to get through the automated exit.

ROAD SIGNS  Here’s a brief rundown of the road signs you’ll most frequently encounter. A speed limit sign is a black number inside a red circle on a white background. The end of a speed zone is just black and white, with a black slash through the number. A red circle with a white background, a black arrow pointing down, and a red arrow pointing up means yield to oncoming traffic, while a point-down red-and-white triangle means yield ahead. In town, a simple white circle with a red border or the words zona pedonale or zona traffico limitato denotes a pedestrian zone (you can drive through only to drop off baggage at your hotel); a white arrow on a blue background is used for Italy’s many one-way streets; a mostly red circle with a horizontal white slash means do not enter. Any image in black on a white background surrounded by a red circle means that image is not allowed (for instance, if the image is two cars next to each other: no passing; a motorcycle means no Harleys permitted, and so on). A circular sign in blue with a red circle-slash means no parking.

GASOLINE  Benzina (gas or petrol) is even more expensive in Italy than in the rest of Europe. Even a small rental car guzzles between 30 € and 50 € for a fill-up. There are many pull-in gas stations along major roads and on the outskirts of town, as well as 24-hour rest stops along the autostrada highways, but in towns most stations are small sidewalk gas stands where you parallel park to fill up. Almost all stations are closed for riposo and on Sundays, but the majority now have a pump fitted with a machine that accepts bills so you can self-service your tank at 3am. Unleaded gas is senza piombo.

By Train

Italy has one of the best train systems in Europe, and even traveling on a regional level, you’ll find many destinations connected. Most lines are administered by the state-run Ferrovie dello Stato or FS (tel. 892-021 for national train info, 199-166-177 to buy tickets; or www.trenitalia.com), but private lines take up the slack in a few places. About the only difference you’ll notice is that these private lines don’t honor special discount cards or passes (see “Special Passes & Discounts,” below).

Italian trains tend to be very clean and comfortable. Though increasingly trains are of the boring straight-through commuter variety, on long-haul runs especially you’ll still be blessed with those old-fashioned cars are made up of couchette compartments that seat only six or occasionally eight. (Try to find one full of nuns for a fighting chance at a smoke-free trip.) First class (prima classe) is usually only a shade better than second class (seconda classe), with four to six seats per couchette instead of six to eight. The only real benefit of first class comes if you’re traveling overnight, in which case four berths per compartment are a lot more comfortable than six. 

Few visitors are prepared for how crowded Italian trains can sometimes get, though with the increase in automobile travel, they’re not as crowded as they were in decades past. An Italian train is only full when the corridors are packed solid and there are more than eight people sitting on their luggage in the little vestibules by the doors. Overcrowding is usually only a problem on Friday evenings and weekends, especially in and out of big cities, and just after a strike. In summer the crowding escalates, and any train going toward a beach in August all but bulges like an overstuffed sausage.

Italian trains come in six varieties based on how often they stop. The ETR/Pendolino (P) is the “pendulum” train that zips back and forth between Rome and Milan, stopping at Florence and Bologna along the way. It’s the fastest but most expensive option (first class only, a meal included); it has its own ticket window at the stations and requires a seat reservation. Eurostar/Eurocity (ES/EC, EN if it runs overnight) trains connect Italian cities with cities outside the country; these are the speediest of the standard trains, offering both first and second class and always requiring a supplement (except for Eurailpass holders, though the conductors won’t always believe you on this one); Intercity (IC) trains are similar to Eurocity trains in that they offer both first and second class and require a supplement, but they never cross an international border. 

Of the regular trains that don’t require supplements—often called Regionale (R) if they stay within a region (the Veneto) or Interregionale (IR) if they don’t (the Veneto through Lombardy to Piemonte)—the Espresso stops at all the major and most of the secondary stations, the Diretto stops at virtually every station, and the snail-paced Locale (sometimes laughingly called accelerato) frequently stops between stations in the middle of the countryside for no apparent reason.

When buying a regular ticket, ask for either andata (one-way) or andata e ritorno (round-trip). If the train you plan to take is an ES/EC or IC, ask for the ticket con supplemento rapido (with speed supplement) to avoid on-train penalty charges. On a trip under 200 kilometers (124 miles), your ticket is good to leave within the next 6 hours; over 200 kilometers you have a full day. (This code isn’t rigorously upheld by conductors, but don’t push your luck.) On round-trip journeys of less than 250 kilometers (155 miles), the return ticket is valid only for 3 days. This mileage-time correlation continues, with an extra day added to your limit for each 200 kilometers above 250 (the maximum is 6 days). If you board a regular train without a ticket (or board an IC/EC without the supplement), you’ll have to pay a hefty “tax” on top of the ticket or supplement the conductor will sell you. Most conductors also get extremely crabby if you forget to stamp your ticket in the little yellow box on the platform before boarding the train.

Schedules for all lines running through a given station are printed on posters tacked up on the station wall. Binario (bin.) means track. Useful schedules for all train lines are printed biannually in booklets (which are broken down into sections of the country—you want nord e centro Italia, north and central Italy, or simply centro) available at any newsstand. There are official FS-published booklets, but the better buy is the Pozzorario, which not only is cheaper but also lists private lines (and it’s just as accurate). You can also get official schedules (and more train information, some even in English) on the web at www.trenitalia.com.

Stations tend to be well run and clean, with luggage storage facilities at all but the smallest and usually a good bar attached with surprisingly palatable food. If you pull into a dinky town with a shed-sized or nonexistent station, find the nearest bar or tabacchi, and the man behind the counter will most likely double as the “station master” to sell you tickets.

SPECIAL PASSES & DISCOUNTS  To buy the Italy Flexi Railcard, available only outside Italy, contact Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com). It works similarly to the Eurailpass, in that you have one month in which to use the train a set number of days; the base number of days if four, and you can add up to six more. For adults, the first class pass costs $239; adults traveling together can get the Saver version for $203 each. The second-class version costs $191 for adults ($163 on the Saver edition), or for youths under 26, the price is $160. Extra days cost $24 ($20 for Saver passes) in first class, $19 ($16 for Saver), and $16 for youths. 

A 4-day Trenitalia Pass is 447 € ($514) in first class, 357 € ($411) in second; a 5-day pass is 492 € ($566) in first class, 393 € ($452) in second; a 6-day pass is 536 € ($616) in first class, 428 in second; a 10-day pass is 716 € ($823) for first class and 570 € ($656) for second. The Youth Pass version (for ages 16 to 25 years) is available for second-class travel only. A 4-day pass is 229 € ($263); a 5-day pass is 329 € ($378). Each additional day (up to 10 days) is an additional 30 € ($34). A Saver Pass allows two to five people to ride the rails for four to ten days in either first or second class. A 4-day pass is 379 € ($436) in first class, 305 € ($351) in second class; a 5-day pass is 417 € ($480) in first and 335 € ($385)  in second; a 10-day pass is 604 € ($695) for first class and 484 € ($557) for second class. Children aged 4 to 11 pay 50% of the adult fare. 

The Italy Rail ‘n Drive pass combines train and car travel throughout Italy, allowing you to visit some of the smaller towns—or anywhere else in Italy. The pass gives you four days of 1st- or 2nd-class train travel within Italy and two days of car rental.  Prices for 1 adult (1st class/2nd class) are $375/$329 in a compact, $339/$289 in an economy, $389/$345 in an intermediate or small automatic; for 2 adults (1st class/2 adults) it costs $638/$538 in a compact, $590/$490 in an economy, $650/$550 in an intermediate or small automatic. Additional car days are $49 economy, $65 compact, $75 midsize.

When it comes to regular tickets, if you’re under 26, you can buy at any Italian train station a 25.82 € ($30) Carta Verde (Green Card) that gets you a 15% discount on all FS tickets for one year. Present it each time you go to buy a ticket. The same deal is available for anyone over 60 with the Carta d’Argento (Silver Card). Children under 12 always ride half price (and can get the passes mentioned below at half price), and kids under 4 ride free.

By Bus

Regional intertown buses are called pullman, though autobus, the term for a city bus, is also sometimes used. When you’re getting down to the kind of small-town travel this guide describes, you’ll probably need to use regional buses at some point. You can get just about anywhere through a network of dozens of local, provincial, and regional lines, but schedules aren’t always easy to come by or to figure out—the local tourist office usually has a photocopy of the schedule, and in cities some companies have offices. Buses exist mainly to shuttle workers and schoolchildren, so the most runs are on weekdays, early in the morning and usually again around lunchtime. All too often, though, the only run of the day will be at 6am.

***PD: Set “T” below in gothic font***

A town’s bus stop is usually either the main piazza or, more often, a large square on the edge of town or the bend in the road just outside a small town’s main city gate. You should always try to find the local ticket vendor—if there’s no office, it’s invariably the nearest newsstand or tabacchi (signaled by a sign with a white T), or occasionally a bar—but you can usually also buy tickets on the bus. You can also flag a bus down as it passes on a country road, but try to find an official stop (a small sign tacked onto a telephone pole). Tell the driver where you’re going and ask him courteously if he’ll let you know when you need to get off. When he says “E la prossima fermata,” that means yours is the next stop. “Posso scendere?” (poh-so shen-dair-ay?) is “May I please get off?”