Italy from the Inside

Paper or plastic?

October 30, 2018

Supermarket plastic bags under the cash register counter

Once at the cash register (cassa), it is likely that nobody will ask you if you want paper or plastic bags, because plastic, more specifically biodegradable plastic, is usually the only option. The supermarket plastic bags are not free, they cost around €0.10 a piece. If you want to save some money (soldi) bring your own bags (borse), otherwise either the person at the cash register will ask if you need some (serve una borsa/busta?), or you will need to look for them under the cashier counter as shown above.

{This is an excerpt from chapter 5 “Stores” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”. Buy our eBook on Amazon and leave us a review! If it’s good, you’ll make us happy, if it’s bad, you’ll make us improve. Thank you either way!}

The colors of the Italian street signs

October 23, 2018

When you come to a crossroads in Italy you may become disoriented by the multitude of signs. It may be hard to see the sign you are looking for while you are driving, especially if you see ten or more other signs. Italians have tried to make it easier by using different colors for their signage system:

A blue background is used for city/town directions. The number next to the city name tells you the road number or how many kilometers you have to drive to get to the destination.

Sign to the City of Udine, 11 Kilometers

Strada Provinciale (SP) sign to the towns of Reana (road number 38) and Faedis (road number 15)

A green background is used for highway directions (tutte le direzioni means “all directions,” that is to say that you need to take that direction to reach the main towns and cities in the area).

All directions sign (tutte le direzioni)

White signs are for hotel directions but also for public service places (such as police, hospitals, train stations, etc.). In this case a little icon accompanies the words to make the meaning clearer.

White hotel signs

White signs to police station

Signs with a brown (or yellow) background point the way to areas of tourist interest. Also in this case an icon will help you understand whether the place in question is a church, a museum, a theater, etc.

Brown tourist signs

Detour signs have a yellow background and black writing.

Yellow detour sign

{This is an excerpt from chapter 2 “Driving in Italy” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”. Buy our eBook on Amazon and leave us a review! If it’s good, you’ll make us happy, if it’s bad, you’ll make us improve. Thank you either way!}

Something to remember when you go to an Italian bar

October 16, 2018

A “pay first ” sign in a bar in Rome

In many Italian bars, you need to pay before consuming your coffee, drink, or whatever you order. This is to avoid people leaving the bar without paying. What you need to do is to pay at the cash register, take the receipt and give it to the bartender. The bartender will tear or stamp the receipt and then he/she will give you what you ordered. Before leaving, remember to take the receipt with you. You must do it by law. This law has the goal to protect the State from being cheating out of the tax.

Same message, but in Italian:

“Please, get the receipt at the cash register first. Thank you”

{This is an excerpt from chapter 4 “Gelaterie and Coffee Houses” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”. Buy our eBook on Amazon and leave us a review! If it’s good, you’ll make us happy, if it’s bad, you’ll make us improve. Thank you either way!}