Tell Me About Italy

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

If your reference point is Safeway pasta and jarred sauce, I get why Italian food feels overrated.

Emilia-Romagna (region that includes Bologna, Parma, Modena) isn’t "pasta night," it’s Parmigiano, prosciutto, balsamic, gelato, and techniques people copy globally and pretend they invented.

You don’t have to like it, but it’s probably worth knowing what it actually is first.

Let the guy enjoy his Boston Pizza in Canmore.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Pompeii was incredibly interesting but that is the hottest I have ever been in my life. It was late July and temps were in the lower 40's.

I love every part of Italy I have ever visited, couldn't recommend it enough.

We were there in early August. Felt like melting into a puddle. So glad there were places to fill up our water bottles. The trains from Naples to Pompeii were like our old Ctrains and completely packed. Way too much contact with sweaty people.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Wormius

We were there in early August. Felt like melting into a puddle. So glad there were places to fill up our water bottles. The trains from Naples to Pompeii were like our old Ctrains and completely packed. Way too much contact with sweaty people.

I was out for beers with UCB and he said that was his number one requirement when choosing a vacation destination.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Pompeii was incredibly interesting but that is the hottest I have ever been in my life. It was late July and temps were in the lower 40's.

I love every part of Italy I have ever visited, couldn't recommend it enough.

And there is no shade and it feels like the ground absorbs the heat and then injects it into your veins!

I know what you mean. Now you know how the people of Pompeii felt right near the end there.

"Is it getting hotter? I know its always this hot, but this feels different...aw snap...."

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by fotze2

My buddy swears that Naples is an absolute toilet. Garbage everywhere. Maybe get some egress options just in case.

Watch out for the human feces on the sidewalks everywhere!

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I was out for beers with UCB and he said that was his number one requirement when choosing a vacation destination.

can confirm

[Matty81]

Sounds like you just want to skip Italy and go to Ibiza .

Never been south of Naples. I know you're going to Rome and Naples as your initial plan but for me I liked Tuscany the most - out of the places I've been there and the region just north that SCH is talking about were the nicest, great food, beautiful, lots to see and not too crowded. It's not maybe the best area for nightlife so depending on your age might not be what you're looking for but if you want a slow food and wine cruise with museums and some beaches, you could do a lot worse.

Florence for sure but also Siena and some of the smaller hill towns I enjoyed the most. Naples was fun but crazy for sure, I know everyone's experience is different but we definitely encountered a lot of guys trying lame scams, it didn't bug us but wasn't as chill.

Biggest tip I could offer would be don't go in July or August so you're already ahead of the curve. I'd say go to a soccer game too, since it's pretty easy to get Serie A tickets these days and it's fun. You have to buy tickets in advance as they check passports/IDs online to make sure you're not banned. There's a lot of bluster about italian ultras but I've never found them to really be hostile except to people openly cheering for the away team but they often put on a good show before the game, I think they were burning a couch once outside the away end and shooting off fireworks before one game.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Sounds like you just want to skip Italy and go to Ibiza .

Never been south of Naples. I know you're going to Rome and Naples as your initial plan but for me I liked Tuscany the most - out of the places I've been there and the region just north that SCH is talking about were the nicest, great food, beautiful, lots to see and not too crowded. It's not maybe the best area for nightlife so depending on your age might not be what you're looking for but if you want a slow food and wine cruise with museums and some beaches, you could do a lot worse.

Florence for sure but also Siena and some of the smaller hill towns I enjoyed the most. Naples was fun but crazy for sure, I know everyone's experience is different but we definitely encountered a lot of guys trying lame scams, it didn't bug us but wasn't as chill.

Biggest tip I could offer would be don't go in July or August so you're already ahead of the curve. I'd say go to a soccer game too, since it's pretty easy to get Serie A tickets these days and it's fun. You have to buy tickets in advance as they check passports/IDs online to make sure you're not banned. There's a lot of bluster about italian ultras but I've never found them to really be hostile except to people openly cheering for the away team but they often put on a good show before the game, I think they were burning a couch once outside the away end and shooting off fireworks before one game.

we are going in May

[D as in David]

The best pasta dish I've ever had was in a small-town restaurant in Italy where no one spoke English. Take a gamble now and then and you might create a memory that lasts forever.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Matera, yet. It's in the Basilicata region and is famous for its historic cave dwellings. The Passion of the Christ and one of the Daniel Craig Bond movies were shot there. A nice place to check out if you're heading to the Puglia region.

[D as in David]

In Rome, check out the Villa Borghese if you're into art.

Take the stairs to the top of St. Peter's.

Herculaneum vs Pompeii? They're both good in different ways. You can't go wrong visiting one or both of them.

Capri requires only a day visit if you're staying in either Sorrento or Positano.