Solo Travel in Italy

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Ah, to travel in bella Italia. The country with the most musical-sounding language, the best operas, gorgeous fashion, delicious food, and sports cars. What’s not to like?

Well, there is one drawback from a solo female perspective. Read on for this revelation and for some essential advice when undertaking solo travel in Italy.

First up, some destinations in Italy.

ITALY DESTINATIONS

ROME:

Italy’s beautiful capital city is large with a hectic pace. My 3 Days in Rome post outlines a stress-free and easy-to-follow guide for your trip to the Eternal City.

History buffs may want to tour the sights of Rome according to the historical period that those sights relate to. My Famous Landmarks in Rome post looks at the history of the Eternal City and its sights in more detail.

FLORENCE:

Florence is famous for being the birthplace of the Renaissance. Fortunately for the modern traveller, many Renaissance works are still in public use. My Florence Landmarks posts lists the top 10 sights to see as well as outlines practical travel information such as transport and accommodation recommendations. Given that the Renaissance was such an influential period in Europe’s history, I put together a Renaissance guide for background reading.

BOLOGNA:

The Emilia-Romagna region of Italy is considered its prime foodie region, although anywhere in Italy could own this title. Bologna is the capital of Emilia-Romagna and it is no surprise that your waist will expand during your stay in this city. It’s also a great city for sightseeing and shopping. For other activities, check out my What to Do in Bologna post.

Work off those Bologna calories on the beaches of Emilia-Romagna. The guide also includes information on the beach resorts and public transport.

LUCCA:

The town of Lucca in Tuscany is the region’s music capital. Why? It was the birthplace of the great Giacomo Puccini and several other classical composers. This pretty town is one hour’s drive from Florence and is well worth a day trip.

VIAREGGIO BEACH:

If you need a break from Tuscany’s cultural offerings, then the beach resort of Viareggio is the perfect place for a sun and sand getaway.

TREMITI ISLANDS:

I had never heard of the Tremiti Islands until I read an article in a newspaper about Italy’s best kept secret. Located in the Adriatic Sea, the pine-covered Tremiti Islands are all about pristine coves, the salty sea air and relaxation far from the crowds.

SARDINIA:

Looking for the perfect beach holiday? Then look no further than the glorious island of Sardinia, the second largest in the Mediterranean Sea. My blog post on the Best Beaches in North Sardinia includes the towns of Alghero and Santa Teresa di Gallura. The celebrity hangout of the Costa Smeralda is also summarised.

ITALY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

VISA:

Italy is both an EU country and is part of the Schengen Zone. For further information on travel within this zone, have a look at my Schengen Travel Visa Overview post.

BEST TIME TO VISIT ITALY:

July and August are hot, crowded and expensive, particularly in the cities. May, June and September are excellent months for beach holidays in the south of the country. November to February sees the north of the country plunge into single digit figures on the Celsius scale while Rome and further south has a typical Mediterranean climate of mild winters.

Trevi Fountain Rome — Rome’s Trevi Fountain – The spray from the fountain water can be soothing on hot summer days

LANGUAGE:

Italian is a full communication experience and words are only one part of it. Tone, gesticulation, body language and what you wear are considered tools of communication in Italy. In fact, hand signals have their own set of meanings. Have a look at this video from CNN Travel to help you decipher Italian hand gestures.

Saying that, if you have knowledge of Spanish or French then Italian will be significantly easier for you to understand and learn as all three stem from Latin. English fluency isn’t all that common in Italy so be prepared to do some homework prior to your visit. Here are some common Italian phrases for tourists with their English translation:

Ladies, a lack of fluency in your own language will not impede an Italian man from chatting you up. Whoever said confidence is everything when learning/speaking another language must have been Italian.

IS ITALY SAFE TO VISIT:

I have always travelled solo in Italy and have never felt any major threat but. Take the usual precautions. Graffiti seems to be everywhere in Rome.

Culturally, like my own country, Italy is a patriarchal society and struggles to understand the concept of solo female travel, particularly in the south of the country. Be prepared for questions and comments a plenty as to why you’re there without a significant other (i.e. a man).

While in many other countries locals see a solo female traveller as an opportunity to share their stories, in the south of Italy it is an opportunity to judge you. This is the main drawback regarding solo travel in Italy, well in Southern Italy anyway.

On the other hand, Italy is one of the most popular countries in the world for romantic travel and honeymoons.

ACCOMMODATION:

Rome is expensive but I found prices in other places to be reasonable for a solo traveller. Booking.com has a wide range of options all over Italy.

CURRENCY:

Euro

ELECTRICAL PLUGS:

The standard continental European type which is the two round pin plug/socket of 220V-240V.

FOOD:

Most people visiting Italy look forward to the food and they are not disappointed. Italian food needs no introduction although, outside of major tourist centres, the late-serving of the evening meal (after 9pm usually) can be problematic. In these areas, be prepared for the dearth of food between the hours of 3pm to 9pm.

Dining out is by far the most difficult task when travelling solo in Italy. Some places refused me entry (they were not full) and some of the places that allowed me to dine had an indifferent attitude towards me.

Coming from a country where breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day, I struggle in Italy. If your accommodation even serves breakfast, it will usually consist of coffee and a pastry. The best breakfast in terms of pastries and cakes I’ve experienced was during my stay at the gorgeous Locando Alfieri B&B in Termoli. The only protein food you’ll see at breakfast will be the milk for your coffee.

Lunch is usually two courses out of a maximum of five but for evening meals diners usually have all five. A meal is structured as follows:

Antipasto – Appetiser (Cheeses, light meats such as salami, breads or bruschetta)

Primo – First course (Pasta, soup or risotto)

Secondo – Second course (Fish or meat)

Contorno – Side dish (vegetables)

Dolce – Dessert

That’s a general idea of meal structure in Italy but the composition of the courses will have regional variations. Italy only became a united country in 1861. Prior to that it consisted of different regions and kingdoms, and this is reflected in the food.

Meals are served with wine and water. Meals are followed by coffee and a digestivo such as the highly-recommended limoncello or other liqueurs. Italian wines don’t disappoint but it’s the country’s liqueurs which are the real surprise. Limoncello, Amaretto, Frangelico, Mirto from Sardinia and Sambuca are some of my favourites. If you know more please comment below.

Not feeling peckish enough for a full meal? Then head to a pizzeria. And don’t leave Italy without tasting the ice-cream!

THE ARTS IN ITALY:

Try to include a cultural activity during your stay as it’s a great activity for solo travellers. Major cultural movements had their origins in Italy including the Renaissance and Baroque periods with Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Botticelli, Donatello, Machiavelli and Galileo as the major players. I have a post specifically summarising the Renaissance era.

Artistic relics of the Roman Empire are dotted around Europe and the Middle East. And Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country.

Opera is an Italian concept – Rossini, Verdi and Puccini the most well-known composers. In fact, many of the technical terms used in music are Italian words. The vast majority of songs featured in my Famous Opera Songs post are in Italian.

And as for Italy’s film industry, it is imperative that you watch Cinema Paradiso, the Oscar-winning film that introduced me to the wonderful world of international language cinema.

TRANSPORT IN ITALY

For long distances Italy’s train network is comprehensive although tight connections can be missed. Try to book direct when possible. For further information check out Trenitalia’s website. Rome’s metro is equally good. Rome’s main railway station, Termini, is one of Europe’s biggest and busiest so be prepared for a lot of walking!

For bus travel in Italy check out the GoEuro website.

Italian cities are known by their Italian version on public transportation systems. Here is a list of the most popular places and their Italian translation:

Rome – Roma
Milan – Milano
Venice – Venezia
Florence – Firenze
Naples – Napoli
Turin – Torino
Genoa – Genova
Tuscany – Toscana
Padua – Padova

As for driving, every day is Formula 1 day in Italy. The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs advises to exercise caution as traffic can be faster-paced than in Ireland and driving customs are different. For comparison, driving in Ireland is challenging! Italy is, after all, the home of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lancia and Maserati (i.e. fast cars).

Insurance excesses on rental cars are large for a good reason. I found driving in Sardinia to be reasonably do-able but other travellers’ accounts of driving elsewhere in Italy sound like the definition of madness.