Tips

1-Validate your ticket(s) whether taking the boat (Alilaguna), the train (subway & Eurostar/Trenitalia) or bus. It should be a yellow box that reads, Convalida and it stamps the time and date on your ticket. If you forget, you will get fined for not validating your ticket.

2-Italy has a unique electrical outlet plug with 3 prongs. However, you can use the European electrical outlet plugs (2 prongs), which worked. Bring one of these adapters if you plan to charge your electronics.

3-If you plan to travel via Trenitalia, there are Regional trains and Express trains. The difference is that Express trains are about double the amount of the Regional trains, but the upside is that it will get you to your destination faster. Eurostar Express trains have electrical outlets if you want to charge your phone, camera battery, or laptop. *Buy tickets at self-service kiosks to avoid lines (they have directions in English). Trains have luggage space.

4-Tipping at restaurants are included in the meal price when indicated and are classified as service charge on receipts.

5-Call your credit card company if you plan on using your card abroad so that they know you (and not someone else) are using it.

6-Try to get a credit card that does not charge you international transaction fees (Charles Schwab Bank or Capital One). Most credit cards have a 3% transaction fee as well as an additional % when you use the ATM abroad.

7-The exchange rate for US Dollar and the Euro is currently about 1.5%. ($1.50 = 1 Euro)

8-When crossing the streets in Florence and Rome, follow the crowds, because some streets does not have traffic lights. Cars/motorcycles will stop when you start to cross, but always be cautious.

9-Water (acqua minerale) and Soda (Bibite) are the same price at some restaurants.

10-Intercity Trains (Trenitalia/Eurostar) are on time! They leave precisely at the time shown on the timetable.

11-There are public bathrooms (WC, water closets), BUT you may have to pay to use them! I have no idea how they are...I believe it is under 1 Euro.

12-From my experience, Venice had the best prices for chocolate than any other city...Pisa had the best price for souvenirs. Rome has the best deal for postcards: 20 postcards for 1 Euro (packaged). Rome had the best gelato and pizza.

13-Showers: Space is limited...it is like a telephone booth (in Venice & Florence), Perugia & Rome were more spacious.

14-Pickpockets : I don't know how true this is, but even the hotel staff alerted us in Rome that this can happen in subways and at the Roma Termini station. I guess it can happen anywhere.

15-Convert your money from dollars to Euros at the airport or at a kiosk in the city. Some places do not accept credit cards.

16-In all of the hotels that we stayed at, internet was free, some only worked in public areas and some worked in the rooms.

17-Portions of food are smaller in Italy.

18-When you leave the hotel room for the day, you leave your key with the front desk.

19-There's a jar on the table of some hotels that serve complimentary breakfast in the dining room that read "Per una tavola in ordine/For a neat table") and I wasn't sure at first if it's a tip jar or if it's a jar for small trash...I think it's the latter.

20-I do not know if there's a law to curb your dog in Italy, but it didn't seem like there was.

21-Termini Station in Rome: This train runs every half an hour, but fyi, it is a long walk from the ticketing booth to the track for the airport train. It's because you walk alongside the platform for another train, but you walk that whole distance before you get to the platform for the airport train. It felt like it took forever...

22-On Trenitalia trains (intercity), the type of class ticket that you buy is displayed either on the door of the train car or the window, clearly indicating a 1 or 2. The regional trains doesn't have seat numbers, so you can sit in any available seat in that class type that you buy. The Eurostar express trains do have assigned seat numbers and are located on the side panel of the headrest seat.

23-Do not leave Italy without trying their gelato, nutella croissant, any Italian pastry, chocolate, pizza, pasta, panini and cappuccino/coffee.

24-Wear comfortable walking shoes/sneakers. Not all streets are paved, they might be cobblestone streets.

25-It is not mandatory to know Italian to visit these cities. A lot of them can speak and understand English. At times, we'd speak in Italian just to impress them.

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Hotel Stays: (found these hotels on TripAdvisor and Priceline)

Best Western Hotel Olimpia (Venice): Location is 5 minutes from main train station. Walk to San Marco: 20 minutes. (You can take a boat to San Marco, but it'll cost you). Internet in public areas only. Complimentary breakfast.

Hotel Giglio (Florence): Owner gave us a complimentary ride to the train station. Not a great location (meaning it wasn't as close to everything), but it's walkable. Staff was not as friendly. A large room with high ceiling, very spacious with a balcony. Internet in-room. Complimentary breakfast.

Hotel Eden (Perugia): Best hotel out of the four. Staff was very welcoming and friendly. Up the hill from the bus station, Piazza Partigiani, 10 minute bus ride to main Perugia Train Station. Steps away from the center of Perugia's town. Internet in-room. Complimentary breakfast.

Hotel Centro (Rome): Staff greeted us every time. Hotel is in a great location. Few blocks from Termini train station. 15-20 minute walk to Coliseum. Internet in public areas only. Complimentary breakfast.