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Ask Questions about Italy and Get Answers

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Right, this is your post.  It was inspired by an email from a Blog from Italy reader before this site became Italy Chronicles.

The aim of this post is to create a sort of mini-forum, an alternative to the ‘contact’ system.  A place where questions about anything Italy can be asked, and information can be shared.  If I cannot answer directly; I do not pretend to know everything about Italy (wish I did!); then others who either read or come across this discussion space might be able to provide answers.

I may also use Twitter‘s crowd think power, as I have done before, as a resource to help find answers to difficult questions – and with my @newsfromitaly handle and over 7,400 followers as at February, 2012, somebody may well come up with an answer.

For more information on this resource, please read on.

An Open Discussion Space

Ask Questions about Italy
Ask Questions about Italy

This is a space where questions can be asked about items not covered in Italy Chronicles’ posts.  If you have a question which relates to an Italy Chronicles’ post, then please ask it in the comments area beneath that post.

However, if you wish to discuss issues raised in Italy Chronicles’ posts, please feel free to do that here.

Note that Italy Chronicles does not sell email addresses to anyone, and that ‘fake’ email addresses are acceptable.  I will try to ensure that any links provided do not lead to nasty web sites, but if anyone does come across anything untoward, just let me know.  Italy Chronicles has a small armory of anti-spam systems.

I also have no objection to companies answering questions such as ‘Where can I get … in Italy?’, as long as the answers given are directly relevant and not spam.

Comments left here may not appear immediately, so be sure to bookmark this page and visit regularly to find out if someone has answered your question.

Be Nice

Please keep things cordial and friendly here.  If discussion do get overheated and there is nastiness, I’ll chop the nasty comments out.  In this respect, I will be dictatorial!

Do not to provide personal information like email addresses and telephone numbers in questions or replies – remember this is a public space and information could fall into the wrong hands.

Anyone Can Answer

I do not know everything there is to know about Italy – so please bear this in mind if I answer you.  I am more than happy to be corrected if someone feels that one of my own attempts to help people is not at good as it could be.

If others know more about something, then they should feel free to jump in and try to help out in this mini-forum.

Oh, and if you are wondering just why I don’t set up a real forum, the answer is that I just do not have the time to run one.

OK, over to you.  Ask away!

PS I might ask a few questions too.

Note: Italy Chronicles may earn an affiliate commission if you purchase something through links in articles on this website. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Comments

  1. Silencer says

    Hi All,
    I visit Italy quite often and like to travel all over the country, from north to south an back. I noticed that it doesn´t matter where you are, the african street merchands always sell the same stuff – wooden letters on wheels, for example, or neon-colored sunglasses. All over the country, from Milan to Lecce, from big cities to small, rural towns, everywhere you´ll find the EXACT same merchandise spread on the blankets. Has anybody an explanation for that? Thanks in advance!

  2. Aynur says

    Hi Alex,

    We are (2 persons) planning to study in Rome for two years and we would like to rent a room for suitable price.
    Can you recommend anything?

  3. Emily says

    Hi there, I am planninh to Au Pair in Italy beginning in September and am seeking advice on favorite places to live in Italy, or least the area of the country. I prefer to be near the sea in a smaller town and within an hour or less distance from a big Italian city. I am open to other locations as well but it is difficult to decide when all of Italy is beautiful! I have opportunites to live in Piernolo or other small towns near Turin, Genoa, La Spezia, Rome, Milan, and many small towns outside Milan. Any advice??? 🙂

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Emily,

      If you want to be near the sea, then Genoa, La Spezia (both on the sea) or Rome (not too far from the sea) probably fit the bill.

      If you go for a small town outside Milan and don’t have access to a car, then make sure it’s on or very close to a main railway line. Turin is a fascinating place with lots of interesting things to visit but is a little far from the sea – but close to the mountains.

      I don’t know much about Au Pairing in Italy but would suggest Googling and checking out a few Italy forums so you can get an idea of what it’ll be like.

      If you want evening life, then stick with the bigger cities – Milan, Rome, Turin and Genoa.

      Have fun!

      Cheers,

      Alex

    • Alex Roe says

      Thanks for the reply, Pietro. I imagine “you can have seats” means that seats are included in the booking price.

      As for the view, which seats/areas would you recommend?

      Thanks,

      Alex

  5. Bruce says

    My wife and I are going to Venice and want to attend an opera at la Fenice. We have found tickets in a section called “galleria – no parapetto”. Does this section have seats? We could not stand for an entire opera. Grazie, Bruce

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Bruce,

      I doubt you’ll end up standing, but you never know! Have asked the La Fenice people via Twitter and hopefully they will get back to me. If so, will post their reply here.

      Best,

      Alex

  6. Ambler says

    I received a speeding ticket from Venice while driving a rental car. I paid the fine. Do I have to complete the personal information page, which includes vehicle owner, and send it in? The letter threatens points on my drivers license and more fines.

  7. Javid says

    Hi Alex (or anyone else who can help)
    I want to send a simcard (in a plain envelope) to my daughter who’s just started a one year sandwhich course in Turin. She only has temporary accomodation at the moment so I don’t want to send it there as I’ve heard so many horror stories about Italian post. I was thinking of sending it by signed for air mail but its pointless sending it to thie temporary address as she may not be in when the letter arrives. The landlord suggested I send it to the post office from where she can collect by showing some ID. Can someone please calrify how this works and who do I address the letter to if this is the case.
    Many thanks
    Jav

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Javid,

      Not sure how you would send things to a post office in Italy to be honest and even if you can, the item may end up at a sorting office which could be hard to find and to get to. Couldn’t you send the simcard to where your daughter is doing her sandwich course? This would also help because it may look like a business address and this may deter the curious from opening the envelope. A plain brown envelope with the address typed on to it or on a typed label makes items look more business-like too.

      Try to send the thing by recorded delivery – this should help and at least you’ll know if it turns up. Don’t expect Italy’s post to be rapid, but it could be. Make a note of the simcard’s details – just in case.

      I’ve written about Italy’s erratic postal service before. You may find this useful: https://italychronicles.com/how-to-post-things-to-italy/

      Hope this helps.

      Cheers,

      Alex

      • Javid says

        Hi Alex
        Many thanks for the useful information. I will persue the business address route as this is probably the easiest and best option.
        Regards
        Javid

  8. Kojo Eghan says

    Hello, my brother in Vicenza, Italy wants to buy an LG Google Nexus 5 in a physical shop, He can not shop online, Please I want any nearby shop he can get it from. Thank you.

  10. Kate says

    I’m moving back to the States after living on Lake Como for the past decade. The only thing I want to take with me that I can’t cram into a suitcase turns out to be a fancy Sedus office chair and its rolling lap desk companion. I assume that’s too little freight to use an actual mover, so I’m guessing I’ll need to figure out how to ship them freight myself. However, I have *no* idea how to go about finding the best service that will be both effective and not a complete rip-off. I suspect it will be insanely expensive to use something like DHL or UPS, and I’ve never seen that there’s much service provided in the little MailBoxesEtc. places I’ve seen (in contrast to the one in my old neighborhood in New England that promised to pack up anything you brought in for a minimal fee). Any advice or recommendations/resources would be greatly appreciated — I spent €40-50 per smallish box of books even with Poste Italiane, so I can only imagine how much this is going to cost. Thanks!

  11. Susan says

    I’m writing a novel which is partly set in 1950s and 1960s Milan. One of my characters is transgender (male but believes he should have been born female). I am having great trouble finding any research on Gay / Transexual / Transgender activity in Milan in that era. Anyavailable internet research seems to start from around the 1970s / Disco era. Does anyone have any information or know anyone who could help me find out if, for example, there were tea dances held during the late 50s and 60s or if there were any openly gay areas / locations / venues in Milan at that time? I would appreciate any possible assistance. Many thanks…

  12. Pauli says

    Hello:
    I want to safely ship an antique chest size is approx. 5 ‘x 3′ x 3’ (to be packed in wooden crate) and/or old paintings (shipping flat) back to my relatives in Italy and be assured they would :
    1) Arrive (heard about the mail theft)
    2) Gently handled
    3) Returning to my relatives as a gift (don’t want them to have to pay taxes)
    4) Most affordable shipping.
    Thank you for your help!!!!

  13. Mark says

    Salve Gente
    Tanto anni fa lavoro in Italia. Lavoro a Cappanelle, Cortona e vicino Pavia anche. Ore voglio ritorno a Italia,mancanza per tanto anni.
    Since returning from America to U.K have been trying to move. A lot going on. Also need some contact with the horse racing in Milan,Roma o Pisa. Love to hear from someone in the horse racing industry.

  14. Seielstad says

    Hi everyone,. I am English and getting married in Italy and would like to surprise our wedding planner (and everyone else) by executing part of my speech in Italian (the part when I thank her), my Italian is molto fundamental.. Here is precisely what I would like to say:. “First of all I would like to thank you for keeping Mr Clooney away from . the wedding, he could have ruined everything.. Thank you from both of us from the bottom in our hearts for every one of the help and support you have given us in planning such a wonderful wedding,. We can easily not have dreamed of a more gorgeous location and could not have imagined a more perfect day.. I would like to say more but I have used up all of my Italian.”. Can someone translate?. The wedding is in the north on the edge of a lake (guess which one?). So if you can make it so that it sounds correct for that region and employ appropriate motifs (there will probably be other Italians listening and my brides parents are fluent so I need to get it right). Thanks in advance for you help..

  15. Peter Greco says

    Alex, how do i go about getting our book reviewed by you? It is entitiled The Italian Journals: Where to Go, What to Eat, and Who to Leave at Home (available at amazon.com, just search under Peter Greco). this is a completely different travel book. It is 45% travel book and restaurant review and 55% funny back and forth battle of journals. Dino and I each wrote journals of our vacations, but to read them you might think we went to different planets let alone different cities. Dino is a classic type A guy from New Jersey. I on the other hand am a human being.

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Thomas,

      I think you’ll find that the supposedly Berlusconi era plans were plans which left and right in Italy have been promising to implement for decades. None succeeded.

      Monti is merely implementing reforms Italy has needed for years. Indeed, both Italy’s left and right are finding it difficult to decide whether Monti leans to the right or to the left!

      Best,

      Alex

  17. Alan says

    I have to say, I still don’t understand how to dress like an ultra. From what I’ve seen, the main thing is they don’t wear any scarves or club colours.

    • Alex Roe says

      Not sure I know how to dress like an Ultra either, Alan!

      You could try getting a tattoo – here’s some inspiration: Ultra Tattoos

      Failing the tattoo tactic, stick to games which are unlikely to be battles!

      Cheers,

      Alex

  18. Alan says

    Grazie a tutti.

    Ok, sounds like it would be alright, especially for a non-contentious game. Thanks for the suggestions, as it happens I’ve already listened to Venditti’s ‘Roma’ and read the lyrics, so I’d be able to join in with that. I’ve read of flying vespas and the like, still amazes me that a group of crazy tifosi managed to smuggle a motorino into a stadium!

    @Alex, as it happens, I’m not a big football fan either, but there’s something about the atmosphere of the Italian game that has always fascinated me. I’m more of a cycling fan, hope to see a stage of the Giro this year. We missed its passing by 5 minutes last year having raced around back-roads of Toscana to get to a viewing point at Roccastrada.

    Cheers

    • Alex Roe says

      And thanks from me to those who helped Alan understand how safe or not it is to go to football matches in Italy.

      The secret seems to be to dress like an Ultra, learn the right song and watch out for flying scooters and the odd ultra or two!

      Best, and thanks again,

      Alex

  19. Lita L. says

    Hi Alan,

    A few weeks back I just watched the Milan Derby match and it’s pretty alright. Like what MayHemH says, just keep a watch out for odd flying vespa (or even an Ultra) flying from top to the bottom, you should be fine. And yes, do learn Roma Roma Roma of Venditti to feel a a part of the crowd (not just the Ultras) and maybe a few ‘curses’; this is Italian football and the beauty of it – the game, the players, the fans.

  20. Mark says

    Yes it is safe.
    I just came back from some matches in Verona and everything was just fine.
    I would highly recommend it to you. It is a nice experience.

  21. Alan says

    Hi Alex,

    Don’t know if you have experience of this, but wanted to ask about attending live football in Italy. I’ve always been impressed by the passion and colour of the tifosi of various teams, and was thinking at some point I’d like to go and see a match, ideally from one of the curve.

    I asked an Italian friend who supports Milan if he’d ever seen them live, and he said he’d be terrified of going to a live match because of the ultras.

    From doing some reading, the ultras do appear to be a problem, particularly in derby games or games against strong rivals, but apart from that is there any reason not to go and attend a live match. In my case it’d probably be to see Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

    Thanks

    Alan

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Alan,

      Not being a football fan, I have never been to a football match in Italy, so I have no idea whether it is safe or not. It is true that the Ultra supporters groups do exist and it is also true that they are know for provoking violence – I would not like to come face to face with these ‘fans’ and it would be possible for someone who does not know the lay of the land to end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. The derby games do seem to be the ones which attract attention for violent episodes.

      I do know people – Italians – who sometimes go to football matches from time to time, and have not reported any trouble.

      While I could be wrong, I’d say the general tendency in Italy is to stay at home or go to a local pub to watch the big games. I’m not sure why this is exactly, but violence may well put people off attending certain games.

      I’ll tweet your question to my 7,500 Twitter followers and see if someone amongst them can give you a better answer.

      Best,

      Alex

    • MayhemH says

      Go dressed as an Ultra and you’ll be fine, watch out for the odd flying vespa and stay well clear of the police 🙂 the Ultra take care of their own. . . it might be good to mentally prepared for a fight (more as in knowing you might have to duck and run) and most probably nothing apart from vociferous banter and loud chanting will happen.

      M

      p.s. maybe learn Roma Roma Roma of Venditti before you go, it will be sung and you will feel more part of the crowd if you can sing-along 🙂

  23. Monica says

    Alex,

    hi. really like your blog. I am a US citizen recently moved here with my family from UK. I am confused by the new tax laws I keep hearing about for italian residents with assets abroad. Can you point me to some good advice online or off in English. Thanks.

  24. Thomas Branchetti says

    I find the possibilities this could hold for Italy to be all to interesting. Hopefully the skeptics are wrong, it seems as though it has already been verified several times. I find the developments to be fascinating:)

    Would this make Italy a world power? Strongest economy in Europe?

    This will “render dangerous nuclear power plants obsolete” if it works. This is revolutionary. If and only if this goes through he will be helping not only Italy but Greece and the USA too since they will be involved in the production and selling also. And those two countries need to revive their economies. This is a golden ticket. It will be a big help.

    Let us hope. The possibilities are definately worth the research. I wait in earnest for the Fall!:)

  25. Thomas Branchetti says

    Fair enough, this whole thing may be materializing a tad faster than everyone is thinking. Unfortunately it is rarely reported on anywhere. It has been verified by a team of Scandinavian Scientists already, Greece and the USA already have production rights. The town of Xanthi in Greece will begin production in the Fall of this year as a supplier of the Balkans.

    That article has not been updated since last year on Wikipedia unfortunately. Here is a more up-to-date article.

    http://andrearossiecat.com/andrea-rossi/why-the-andrea-rossi-e-cat-will-rock-2012

  26. Thomas Branchetti says

    I wish I would see mroe about Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi’s inventino the “E-Cat” on this website. Italy is about to lead another Reanissance–again! The Energy Renaisance and no one knows about it! This website needs to start getting this information out there!

    Go to coldfusion3.com and e-catworld.com to learn more. Educate yourselves, the revolution with Italy as its leader is among us! Italian will be one of the need-to-know-languages of the economy through energy if things are played out right with this–and ohh it can! It’s so exciting!

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Thomas,

      While I would be happy to write about Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi’s “E-Cat” invention, so far, it does not seem to have been proven to work. Yes, it may, but, from Wikipedia: “The international patent application received an unfavorable international preliminary report on patentability because it seemed to “offend against the generally accepted laws of physics and established theories” and to overcome this problem the application should have contained either experimental evidence or a firm theoretical basis in current scientific theories.”

      Once it has been independently scientifically verified that Rossi and Focardi’s invention does what it is supposed to do, I’ll write about it.

      Until that time, the E-Cat will remain a ‘potentially’ good Italian thing. It would be no good for the inventors to invite me over to see their device as I have no idea about this kind of technology and do not have any scientific training. I shall wait, therefore, until someone who does confirms, or not, that this device actually works.

      Thanks for your comment,

      Alex

  27. Luis says

    Hello,

    I would just like to ask, what will happen if I do not pay the bus fine? I got a ticket in the ATAF Florence bus for not validating a ticket. I am leaving the country next week, and I was wondering if I could get away with it? They have my passport details. I am just afraid that they might hold me in the EU airports the next time I ever enter Europe again (even from any country).

    Are the Italian computer systems integrated with the rest of the EU or something?

    Thanks.

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Luis,

      Short answer: Not much, if anything, is likely to happen if you do not pay.

      Long answer: There is a very, very remote possibility that your passport may be flagged and you might (it’s highly unlikely) receive a visit from the police if you return to Italy at some time in the next 5 years.

      As for Italian computer systems being integrated – yes, in part, but I doubt there is a list of international non-bus ticket validators! But you never know.

      Many non-Italians get caught out by the public transport validation system and simply do not understand that they have to buy a ticket and then have it validated on buses etc. Most guide books mention the need for getting tickets stamped (same for trains too – unless you book online).

      Personally, I think there should be a three strikes and you are fined type rule for those without an Italian ID – although this could be abused (but only three times!).

      Aside from the ticket problem, I hope your visit to Italy went well.

      Best,

      Alex

  28. LEIGH ANN EVANS says

    HI – I AM GOING TO BE VISITING ITALY IN 2 WEEKS AND WANT TO BRING MY APPLE IPAD 3G. I AM WANTING TO PURCHASE A MICRO SIM CARD FOR THE IPAD IN VENICE.

    I AM HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME FIND OUT INFORMATION ON A STORE IN VENICE
    WIND OR VODAFONE – I BELIEVE, THAT WOULD POSSIBLY SELL A MONTH OR 2 WEEK DATA PACKAGE. DO YOU KNOW IF THIS IS AVAILABLE AND IF SO WHERE YOU WOULD PURCHASE IT IN VENICE AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE? I TRIED FINDIN INFORMATION ON WIND’S WEBSITE AND IT’S ALL ITALIAN – WHICH UNFORTUNATELY I CAN’T READ.

  29. Sachintha Abeyarathne says

    Hi, I will be going to Milan in a couple of days, and I urgently need to buy a wide angle lens for my Nikon Digital SLR. What I hope to buy is a Tokina 11-16 f2.8 lens for Nikon mount. I will be staying in a hotel very close to the ‘Milano Centrale’ railway station, so could you please recommend a camera shop close by where I can buy this lens. This is somewhat urgent, Thank You.

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Sachintha,

      Two places for you to try – first: http://www.centrofotocine.it/chisiamo.htm Open from 09.00 to 13.00 – then: from 15.00 to 19.00 Monday to Saturday. Closed Monday mornings and Sundays. Google Map Good shop – usually well stocked too. Use the Green metro line to get to the Piazza Loreto stop.

      There is this: http://www.fotootticacavour.it/default.asp Opening hours are likely to be similar to shop above Google Map Usually well stocked, but not the cheapest place in town. Take a tram heading for the centre from Central Station and get off just before Via Manzoni.

      Alternatively, you could try FNAC which is in the centre in Corso Torino – get the yellow line to Duomo and then it’s a five minute walk. Usually quite well stocked. Prices OK, but lens choice seems to be limited to more popular models – the wide angle Tokina may be there – but I’d try the other shops first possibly. I’m a Canon shooter, so I don’t know much about the availability of Nikon gear in Milan – but there is plenty around. Main advantage is that FNAC is open every day and does not close for lunch either.

      I do know of a few other shops, but they are not as easy to get to.

      Perhaps someone else might like to help too.

      Best,

      Alex

  30. Alan says

    Hi Alex

    This question has already been covered somewhat in the above comments, (including mine!) but if you had to pick just one city in Italy to live in for a year, which would it be?

    I ask because we’re considering more strongly the possibility of doing this, i.e. me, my wife, and 2 young children. Realistically I’d be looking to teach English, unless I manage to find work in programming, as mentioned above.

    So that probably means a big city, with English language schools. My preference already is for Rome, based on having been there already, as well as weather, proximity to other parts of Italy, etc. But I’m wondering if there are other cities you’d recommend considering? I guess we don’t want to go somewhere that has cold wet winters- we get enough of those here in Ireland!

    Other info- I speak Italian comfortably at conversational level, but still learning. I’ve done a little bit of teaching in the past, probably not enough to merit an entry on a CV.

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Alan,

      I’d agree with your choice of Rome – you should not have too much trouble finding English teaching work there, although I do not know the English teaching market there – but with all the tourism and government, I’m pretty sure there is demand for English courses – there seems to be all over Italy and Rome well positioned for exploring other interesting areas of Italy too – close to Tuscany, Umbria and places like Naples and the Amalfi area.

      Go with Rome – unless someone else has any better suggestions.

      Conversational Italian will help obviously and should make teaching a little easier too.

      Best,

      Alex

  31. Jools Stone says

    Hi Alex,

    I enjoy your blog & your tweets, we sometimes trade tweets too. 🙂
    My enquiry is the type you probably get quite often I’m afraid.
    I’m thinking of moving from the UK to Italy next year and looking for ideas of good places to research and general advice about the standard of living. Some info about me & what I value to help narrow the question:

    I’m a freelance writer and plan to keep my UK clients, my finace will be happy doing a bit of writing plus maybe some dog walking, to supplement our income
    Good access to the European rail network is important to me, as you might guess from my url 😉
    I’d like to live in a large town / small city, perhaps north of Rome
    I don’t drive or spend much money on clothes or partying

    Specifically I’d like to know:

    How financially friendly Italy is to self employed expats?
    is the bureaucracy really as bad as some say for freelancers?
    Average cost of nice 1 or 2 bed flat to rent
    Ave cost of utilities etc
    Is Italy a pet friendly place in general?
    Any towns / cities you or others would recommend?

    Thanks very much!
    Jools

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Jools,

      Yes, I know you from Twitter!

      Good to hear you are thinking of coming to Italy. Yoo might find this post of interest – it’s not for writers, but much is relevant and taxes are mentioned too: https://italychronicles.com/how-tech-types-can-work-in-italy/

      Here are some answers to your questions:

      How financially friendly Italy is to self employed expats?
      – It’s not friendly – but there are resources and there is the British Chamber of Commerce in Milan which can offer some help.

      is the bureaucracy really as bad as some say for freelancers?
      – Italian bureaucracy is legendary. If you have to have dealings with it, you will face frustrations and have some problems – but you might be lucky. Depends where you end up. Expect hassle and you will be ready for it. Dealing with bureaucratic problems often takes up whole mornings.

      Average cost of nice 1 or 2 bed flat to rent
      – Depends where you go to live. In Milan closish to the centre, expect to pay around 800 Euros a month. You may have to pay an up front deposit of between 2 and three months on top of the first month’s rent. Watch out for rents excluding apartment block service charges – spese condominiale – as these can be variable and high.
      You will pay less in a suburb zone, but have a good look round as they can be characterless and you may well need a car to get around.
      Ave cost of utilities etc
      – Again depends. Use electricity to heat water and leave the heater on all the time and the bill may hit eyewatering proportions – we got a €750 bill one quarter – but there are two of use plus child and we use the washing machine lots. Best is gas for water, electricity for oven and lights. Gas for heating, if it is not centralised, usually works out cheaper than electric powered heating or centralised communal heating systems. For electricity, budget for around €50 a quarter if it is used to heat water and run washing machines and the usual household appliances.
      Is Italy a pet friendly place in general?
      – Easy one. Yes. Italy generally likes animals – but do check with landlords first.
      Any towns / cities you or others would recommend?
      – I’d recommend Bergamo, Como, and if you like a biggish city, then Milan – well connected rail-wise to the whole of Italy. I would also take a look at Turin – although I have not been there. Genoa is worth a look – just be prepared for a very rough ride if you want to find work there – Italians from other areas of Italy complain that it can be impossible to find work in the city unless you have contacts.

      As a rule services are better up in northern Italy, but, having said this, things are OK in Tuscany, Le Marche, and, from what I believe, Puglia too. I’d suggest starting off in the north, getting used to the flow and them moving towards the south. Anywhere north of Rome is a safer bet than south of the cirt for beginners! Other’s may chip in to agree or disagree with me, and I do know of someone who seems quite happy with life in Umbria. Florence is lovely, but will be expensive, but Siena is interesting too, although I understand that the population of the city is not too keen on outsiders – it’s very clannish, from what I’ve heard.

      Hope this helps. Ask if you have other questions – and I hope others will come here and offer a little advice too.

      Best,

      Alex

  32. BrinkGuide says

    Hello Alex & Blog from Italy readers!

    I love this blog – very insightful. I’m wondering if you, or any of your readers, and or their English speaking friends, would be interested in contributing to a mobile Rome City Guide my company is putting out? All the information is included below. Its tone is irreverent and fun – and the job is too. Get in touch!

    Thanks 🙂
    ————–

    Writing and Photography for Rome City Guide

    We’re developing a series of mobile city guides for the iPhone, Blackberry and Android, and we need your help!

    We’re looking for contributors with discernment, common sense and above all,
    attitude, to help us populate our new Rome Brink Guide by becoming
    Brink Guide Editors. (http://www.brinkguide.com)

    The job is not complex… we give you a URL where you log-in to upload short reviews of
    venues or activities with a pic in a user-friendly web form. We pay $5
    USD to your PayPal account for each item uploaded. Some of our
    freelancers report being able to upload more than 30 entries a day.

    We need original photos and a few original words (but not many – the
    reviews can be very simple – certainly not more than 75 words at the
    very most. ”Best pizza near Piazza Navona, bar none.” would be a
    perfectly fine entry. – As long as it really is the best pizza from
    that area. Equally good would be, ”Arturo tells us his pizza is the
    tastiest in town. We concur. Try the quattro stagioni.”

    We do want special attention to the small shops clinging for life – like the
    classic barber shop that’s been there 78 years, or the thrift shop or
    tattoo shop that is somehow less commercial than the rest. We are also
    interested in the best clubs, bars, funky & classy hotels,
    mechanics, tailors, live music venues, hiking & biking routes, and
    more! We want to be a resource for anyone new to town.

    What we don’t need to be is exhaustive and complete. We want to feature the 30
    best bars, the 15 best hotels, not every bar and every hotel. We’ll let
    Frommer’s stake out that territory.

    Above all we want the BrinkGuide to celebrate the margin, to reveal venues and activities
    that exist just under the surface of things. We want the local
    perspective of experienced space and time travelers… the judgment of
    gifted amateurs, rather than the jaded opinions of seasoned
    professionals. We are not at all interested in the starbuckization of
    cities, rather we want to see the small, unique businesses and the
    commerce they produce.

    If this interests you please send 3 sample items from Rome to brinkguide@gmail.com. We need:

    1) Name of the Venue or Activity
    2) Description
    3) Address
    4) Phone
    5) Email and Web site (if they exist)
    6) Photo 500 pixels wide no bigger than 500k.

    If we like your samples, we’ll pay you for them and hire you to write more!

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi BrinkGuide,

      This sounds like an excellent way for those backpacking in Rome to cover some, if not all, the cost of their trip.

      Thanks for mentioning it!

      Best,

      Alex

  34. Alan says

    Ciao Alex

    First off, I like the new look of the site, bravissimo.

    My question relates to coming to work in Italy for a year. It’s been a wish of mine for a while to do something like this. Myself and my partner have a young son (2) and another baby on the way. We figure that when the new baby is 1 would be an ideal time to do this as it’ll be before our older son has to start school. That would be roughly in January 2012

    My question boils down to two things- what kind of work to look for, and where.

    Re work, I currently work in IT as a programmer in Ireland, where I’m from, and I feel confident that I’d be able to keep improving my Italian to be able to conduct interviews in Italian by then- I already can hold a conversation in Italian and can read papers/listen to the radio. The other option would be to find a job where they want an English speaker- there seem to be some companies that have this requirement.

    Failing both of the above options, I considered the option of teaching English or something similar. I realise I’d have to obtain a TEFL or similar qualification. I’d be open to other work options, but teaching English seems the best of the alternatives.

    The other question is location. Our preferred location would be Rome for various reasons (weather, I have family who live nearby, I like the city 🙂 ), although I realise Milan probably has more to offer in terms of work in IT, although if I were to pursue the English teaching option I imagine Rome is as good as anywhere for this.

    That’s kind of where I’m at, just looking for any general advice/suggestions.

    Grazie tante,

    Alan

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Alan,

      Glad you like the new look. Other tweaks will take place – part of the fun of owning your own website!

      Now, to the thorny subject of finding work in Italy. To be blunt, it ain’t going to be easy – unless you have a skill which Italian companies are desperate for. Knowing Italian well will make a big difference, although the bigger multinationals don’t always regard knowing Italian to be a priority, but it would not hurt.

      Programmers are not well paid in Italy – which is something I’ve written about before: https://italychronicles.com/italys-poor-coders/

      Then there is the area of Italy. Up north, such as here in Milan where I live, you may stand a better chance than down in the depths of the south from Rome down.

      Now, I don’t know what you program in, so I don’t know how in demand your skills might be, but before coming here, I’d explore the possibility of working remotely. As a programmer, you may not need to be on-site, so you could do work for an Irish or US company etc via the www, possibly.

      Ah English teaching. I doubt you’ll have a problem finding work, though a TEFL qualification will help. Trouble is that English teaching does not pay too well – unless you manage to end up working for the British Council, and the hours can take the fun out of family life too. If you do decide to go down this route, do some research into English schools in Rome (I don’t know anything). Other places to look at are universities, through they are suffering cutbacks at the moment, and business schools – though you will find that good Italian helps enormously – but, and this is quite a big but, you don’t appear to have any teaching experience, which limits your choice of teaching establishments and your earning potential.

      Are you on LinkedIn? If not, get on there! If so, then feel free to post a link to your LinkedIn profile in a reply to this comment – you never know, someone might get in touch – this happens surprisingly often on the www.

      Does your partner work? Probably not at the moment with one child and another arriving imminently. Even so, once children are around 3 months or so, space can be found in one of Italy’s ‘azilo nido’ – day nursery. There are private nurseries (expensive €800+ a month here in Milan) and public nurseries (cheap and they can be as good as or better than private nurseries – but you won’t find English classes always). There are also waiting lists, and priority lists too, but at least your partner could work mornings, if she wanted to.

      Hope this helps a little. Give me a shout if you need to know more.

      Best regards,

      Alex

      • Alan says

        Hi Alex

        Just read your article on programmers…wow, that makes for depressing reading. I program in Java (though I could turn my hand to other languages), and in Ireland it’s well paid. I had considered the possibility of working remotely, it’s just tricky trying to find a company that actually want that. I’ve mooted the idea with my own company, but they’re not keen currently. But I could try targeting companies that do this kind of thing, some bigger companies are more open to it.

        Re teaching English, I realise it’s not as well paid, but would be willing to take a salary hit for the year. My partner would rather stay home with the kids until they’re in school, which I’m happy with too, so we’d just be living on my income. Looking at a few TEFL sites I figured you could earn about €1600 a month, does that seem about right?

        I won’t post my linked in profile just yet, but if anyone is looking for a java programmer they can post a reply 🙂

        • Alex Roe says

          Hi Alan,

          Glad my info is helpful – but do check with others too.

          Yes, the programmer situation is rather sad. I don’t think it will have improved too much since I wrote about the situation – crisis and all.

          Keep chipping away at the working remotely think. There are places on the www where clients post jobs. I know of a couple, but not being a programmer, I don’t know what they are like for work, but some people must find them OK, and I think they are a great idea. I’d suggest taking a look and see if there is anything there which you can handle.

          As for teaching English, €1600 sounds OK – as long as you get the hours. Be prepared to work mornings, afternoons and evenings – sometimes in that order. Pushing for only mornings or afternoons can put some of the schools off – they often feel their teachers should be at their beck and call, I’ve noticed. Pick a few schools near where you’d like to live and check them out via the www.

          Hopefully someone reading this might be looking for a java programmer! 😉

          If you have a moment, please pop back here and let us know how things are shaping up.

          Best,

          Alex

  35. Damon says

    Ciao!

    I’ve got a little bit of a dilemma that I’m hoping you can help point me in the right direction with. I live in the USA but most of my family lives in Italy, including my brother and sister. My wife and I both got new iPhone 4s recently and we want to give our iPhone 3G phones to my siblings. The problem is that here in the USA AT&T is the exclusive provider and neither Apple nor AT&T will unlock the phone so I can send it to them to use in Italy. Would Vodafone or TIM be able to unlock it for them?

    Grazie!

    –D

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Damon,

      You’ve got iPhone 4s already? Wow. They’ve just come out today. You moved very fast. Do you live next door to Steve Jobs?

      While I don’t know how to unlock AT&T iPhones, I suggest you search the internet for information on this, if it is possible. I think it is, but I’m not sure.

      Sorry for not being much more help, but this blog is not about unlocking iPhones – although it can help people find unlocked iPhones – in Italy.

      Best,

      Alex

      • Damon says

        Alex,

        Thanks for replying so fast. I wasn’t sure if you would have info or not but being on the ground in Italy I figured it was worth a shot. We got ours fast because we pre-ordered and mine actually showed up on 23 June.

        I’m looking forward to reading more of your blog though.

        Ciao!
        –D

        • Alex Roe says

          Hi Damon,

          Sometimes I manage to be quick. Like Apple with the delivery of your new iPhone 4!

          How are you finding the iPhone 4? No antenna problems, by any chance?

          On the iPhone 3G unlocking front, I’ve been having a look around the WWW, and found this, which you might find interesting: http://theappleblog.com/2009/08/20/apples-official-iphone-3g-unlock/

          There is plenty more on the www, Just search for ‘how to unlock at&t iphone 3gs 3.1.3’ on Google.

          Thanks for visiting, and I hope you find my blog interesting.

          Best,

          Alex

  36. Avwill says

    Hello,

    I just got back from a month long stay in Italy. I went to visit my Italian boyfriend who I met on holiday and who had visited me in the States. Our relationship while he was visited me in my country was wonderful, but when I went to Italy, I discovered a new side of him that was very perplexing and scary. This was his absolute distrust in anyone. When we went to dinner with a work colleague of his, he told me not to tell him what we had been doing or our plans for the future. He also told me that it was rude to ask questions to other people. This mentality persisted and and his inability to want help from anyone being afraid they were not doing it out of the goodness of their heart, but for something in return. I also realized that he cut people out of his life very quickly if they did something to ‘betray’ him rather than trying to understand their reasoning for making a decision that he may have not liked. Is this the general mentality of Italians?

    Thanks for any feedback,

    avwill

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Avwill,

      Is your boyfriend from the south of Italy – Naples and below, by any chance? This kind of behaviour, which I have come across before, tends to be more of a southern thing, or may arise in those who live up north but come from the Italy’s south.

      I know Italians can be cagey about plans etc, and are wary of divulging information which could be used against them (not sure how, or by whom, but Italians tend to be a distrustful of those who are not close friends or family). I have come across this directly.

      “his inability to want help from anyone being afraid they were not doing it out of the goodness of their heart, but for something in return” – Yes, this sounds like an Italian trait – south more than north, I would say. Favors have to be paid back, and you don’t know for whom you are doing the favor, and how or when it will have to be returned. Sounds crazy, but this is the way the mafia works.

      If I were you, I’d be wary of one thing which could cause problems if your relationship becomes more serious – possessiveness. Some, not all, but often men from the south, can become exceedingly possessive and jealous of their women. This means not allowing you to go out, even with girl friends, on your own. I’ve heard of one or two relationships between Italian men and foreign women which have ended as a result of suffocating possessiveness/ jealousy. The problem is that women only often find out about this after they marry someone. If you can live with this, fine, otherwise, your life can become a living torture. Throw children in, and it’s nightmare time. Again, I know of foreign women who have literally escaped Italy with their children after relationships have broken down. Things can become nasty.

      Now, I’m not saying you should dump your Italian boyfriend, but it might be an idea to start asking a few searching questions. Obviously, do not mention this reply. If you do, I suspect, you will be told that non-Italians don’t understand Italians and therefore cannot give valid opinions.

      Be wary, and you should be OK. I’ll tweet this, and see of others want to add anything. And I would add that I know of a couple of American women who are with southern Italian men, and as far as I can tell, their relationships are fine.

      Hope that helps, and I suggest you pop back here from time to time to see whether anyone has added anything.

      Best regards,

      Alex

  37. Vita says

    Hello!

    I just got excepted to Polimoda Masters program.
    I am going to be in Florence for a year.
    Do you have any recommendations of stores, cafes, places to see and visit?

    Could anyone actually give me some information about Florence, please?)

  38. Jude says

    Hi! In my native country of Sweden there is a well spread belief that Italy consists mostly of corruption and that your country is one of the most racist countries in the world right now. I am trying to bring some logic into this so I ask you.. fascist reign in a lot of the cities? Massive corruption? I know these are big questions and you do not have to answer them if you find them too big or complicated.

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Jude, or should that be ‘Hey’,

      First, I don’t think Sweden is alone in thinking Italy is corrupt and racist. Most of the news about Italy which makes it onto headlines of newspapers and the main titles of TV news is about the dark side of Italy.

      I think don’t think there are fascist reigns in a lot of cities! But, there are fascists in Italy, although they exist in France, the UK and Germany, and I’m sure there are a few in Spain too, as well as a few other countries.

      As for massive corruption, well, this could be true, and hardly a day goes by without my hearing some example of bribery and corruption. You’ll find a few examples if you hunt around this blog. Are all Italians susceptible to corruption? No, not all, but Italy does have a different concept of honesty from northern European countries, and paying money is also seen as a way to get round bureaucracy and inefficiency. And there is profiteering, and the mafia.

      It is true that Italy has been getting a lot of bad press recently, and, as a consequence, has a poor image in the eyes of the world. This is partly justified, but there are lots of good people in Italy too. The corruption exists at the top of the ladder more than anywhere else, but as a result, it cascades down to lower levels. It’s the ‘if he’s doing it, then why shouldn’t I?’ syndrome.

      There is also the popularist prime minister Berlusconi who tries his best to appeal to Italy’s masses – and he’s good at it too, after all in setting up his TV channels, he did just that. The trouble is that this approach has cheapened Italy in the eyes of the world. Sabina Guzzanti, who made a documentary on the alleged profiteering which took place after the Abruzzo earthquake, is one of a few people who are not too happy with the way things are going. However plenty of Italians quite like Mr get all the girls Berlusconi, and want to be like him. I suppose Berlusconi appeals to the ‘I’d like to be rich’ feeling most people have, and think that he might help them achieve this aim.

      Sabina Guzzanti, Beppe Grillo and a few others are unlikely to make much of a difference in my opinion, because most Italians, while they moan and groan, do not have such bad lives. Italy’s political classes don’t seem to want to do an awful lot. Oh they make lots of noise, but at the end of the day nothing fundamental really changes.

      Italy’s image problem, I suspect, is likely to get worse before it gets better. And things move slowly in Italy. I think it is the heat.

      Hope this helps you understand Italy a little better. I could write for pages about the country. Actually, I have – there are around 1,500 posts on this blog about many aspects of Italy. Wade through some of it and you might end up understanding Italy a little better.

      Best,

      Alex

        • Alex Roe says

          You are welcome, Jude.

          Let’s see if others contradict my interpretation of Italy – I have been in Italy for more than 10 years, and have been writing about Italy for nearly five years, so I think I can claim to know a little something about the country and how it works.

          Note that I know an awful lot of Italians who are lovely people and have always treated me very well indeed. And I’m still here after many years – Italy does have its plus points, and quite a lot of them!

          Best regards,

          Alex

  39. Joe Sedey says

    Alex–

    I was in Florence about a month ago and went to a number of functions in the Palazzo Vecchio. The first time we were headed for the salone dei cinquecento, and my memory is that on an outer wall near the entrance, maybe 20 feet off the ground, was a large rectangular panel (green and white, maybe terra cotta) that depicted a rhinoceros. When I asked my local hosts why there was a rhinoceros on the walls of a very very old Italian building, they had no answer (and generally don’t seem to have noticed). I thought it wasn’t a big problem, that when I got to the U.S., between guidebooks and the Internet, it would be simple to answer my question. Not true. I have found nothing in print or on the web, and the human beings I talk to look at me blankly and have nothing to add. Can you (or anyone else) tell me what it is I saw, and why it’s there?
    Thank you for your help.

    Joe

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Joe,

      I had a quick hunt – in Italian – and found out a little something which might explain the rhino a little. Apparently, the rhinoceros was a symbol of strength for the Medici family.

      Indeed, within the Audience Chamber or Hall of Justice in Palazzo Vecchio, there is a statue of Alessandro de’ Medici del Bandinelli with a rhino.

      Not sure why the rhino came to be regarded as a symbol of strength, aside from the obvious.

      Will write more when I unearth it.

      Alex

        • Joe Sedey says

          Alex–

          I believe you’ve found the right handle for the problem. The rhinoceros will almost certainly wind up connected to the Medicis (along with most of the rest of Florence, as near as I can tell). At this stage of the game, what surprises me is that I can find nothing that talks about the piece of art that first caught my eye. My recollection is that it was fairly large (4’x10′ , or so) and unusual enough that I would think someone would jump in and explain who the artist was and when it was all done and why it was placed where it is now and so forth. Someone suggested that what I’d seen was not an ancient accessory of the Palazzo Vecchio, but a modern paper advertisement of a gallery exhibit somewhere. That would provide an easy explanation of why it doesn’t show up in guide books, but I don’t really believe it. The rhinoceros-Medici connection you pointed out makes me more confident about the accuracy of my memory in general. And the courtyard of the Bargello provides a nearby example of old-time Florentines’ fondness for setting colorful shields and designs into an otherwise simple masonry wall.

          Anyhow, I think you’ve answered the “why” part of my question nicely, although I’d still be delighted to hear more about the when and how and such.

          Thanks for your quick response.

          Joe

  40. John Moran says

    Hi Alex!
    A little trivia question for you!
    Both me and my friend in Australia are huge fans of Italian diva Orietta Berti, and we are getting conflicting information about her date of birth! We both thought that 1945 was the correct date, but several sites show her birthdate as 1943! Do you have a reliable source that confim, one way or the other, the correct date of birth of this wonderful lady?
    Thank you!
    Ciao!
    John.

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi John,

      According to the Italian language entry for Berti, she was born on 1 June, 1943 http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orietta_Berti

      But, in another section of Wikipedia – dedicated to Italian singers born in the same region as Berti, 1945 is given as the year of her birth! The official RAI profile says June 1945 too. I can understand your confusion!

      I’d go for 1945, but I’ve put it to my Twitter and Facebook friends for confirmation! I know a few Italians!

      Will be back!

      Best,

      Alex

      • John Moran says

        Thank you my friend, for such a quick response!
        We had elected 1945 but it would be nice to see it confirmed from her Mother Country!
        Goodnight Alex!
        Thank you again!
        John,.

      • ricky says

        can u talk to me plz and i will be ur friend and i live in Geraldton and i need imformation about italy
        do any of u know how to find out imformation about Italy
        LEIGH ANN EVANS can u tell me how it will be like in there when u get back from thre plz
        how do the italians work in the town

        • Alex Roe says

          What do you want to know, Ricky?

          If you want information about Italy, try Wikipedia or take a look around this site. What do you want information on?

          I’ve removed your age – otherwise you might end up with some friends who are not really friends.

          Are you coming to Italy?

          Best,

          Alex

  41. Tanya says

    Hi Alex
    Just found your blog. You’ve got some intresting stuff on it i was wondering if you (or anyone else) could tell me how much money italy earns from tourism, how many jobs it provides, how tourism has affected the enviroment, how tourist trade is changing in italy-whether its growing or declining and why and how thats affecting the country.

    Grazie
    Tanya x

  42. Ben Messenger says

    Hi, I just came across your site whilst looking for information, and it seemed like this may be the best place to get some advice.

    I’m thinking of setting up a tour company in Rome. I know there’s an awful lot already, but I want to create tours that focus on the ancient history of the city, as most tour companies offer the same old tours of the same sites – and miss out an awful lot of great places. With a university background in ancient history, I just thought there may be a market for this.

    I was just wondering if you would have any idea on where I could find information on setting up a tour company in Italy – such as registration with the tourism authorities, and any red-tape I’d have to chop my way through? Or would it be possible/legal to set up the business as a UK company and run it from a Rome office?

    Thank you for any help, but no worries if you don’t know

    Cheers,
    Ben

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Ben,

      I don’t know much about setting up tour companies, aside from the fact that tour guides appear to need permits in Italy.

      I would guess that the company would be a standard Italian limited liability company (Srl) or Sas or you could simply register for VAT in Italy. Whatever you do, you’ll be hit by high, and fiddly, Italian taxes – so I’d look into forming the company in the UK, if I were you – especially if you are not going to stay in Italy for more than 180 days. If you do stay in Italy for more than 180 days, you will become liable for income tax on your personal earnings – again, something to be avoided in light of the tax regime in Italy.

      Tax paid on businesses depends upon in which country they are “controlled”.

      Before you set up something in Italy, you should read this: http://www.escapeartist.com/efam/62/Opening_A_Business_In_Italy.html

      And finally, as you are thinking of doing this, you might like the idea of hooking with someone else who is already doing something very similar, in which case, let me know and I can have a go at putting you in touch with some people.

      Note too that I am not the only one providing answers here – that’s why this post is public!

      I’ll be getting the twitter crowd to chip in too – if they wish to.

      Best,

      Alex

      • Ben Messenger says

        Thanks very much for the info and link. I’ll look into the legalities of setting up as a British company, as it seems it may be easier and cheaper. Though I would most probably be in Italy for more than 180 days, and likely for the whole year. I’m guessing that it wouldn’t count to work for 180 days, then take a month out and work for another 180?

        I would definitely be interested in getting in touch with anyone who is doing something similar – it would probably help immensely, so if you were able to put me in touch with anyone that would be great.

        Thanks,
        Ben

  43. Kelly Reese says

    Hello, I was just looking for a female to talk to about dress attire and other customs, because me and my husband is planning to go to Italy. We are from the US. Thank you so much, Kelly

  44. adele says

    Hi, my name is adele, I am an italian language student at university and will be moving to cassino, italy in the fall, but I’m a bit confused. I have a blackberry bold at the moment and I was hoping I could carry on using it in italy, what should I do or look out for when I get there to add an italian blackberry sim? I need to be able to use blackberry email and blackberry messenger, and do you no if with blackberry messenger I can contact people back in lengland with it? Thanks! Adele! Also what’s cassino like?!

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Adele,

      Provided that your Blackberry Bold is not tied to a particular plan (test this by popping an Italian sim card from a friend’s mobile once you are in Italy), you should be able to use it in Italy – although you may need to change to an Italian provider – unless you have lots of money to throw away.

      Look at the plans offered by the Italian cell phone companies Vodafone (which I use with my Bold), TIM, Tre and Wind. I would suggest that you look into getting a pay as you go card at first, and for 3 Euros a week, you can use the www from your Blackberry via Vodafone – more info on Vodafone here in English: http://www.vodafone.it/engl/index.html?tk=9616%2Cf&ty_key=190english

      I’m not plugging Vodafone particularly, but as I use them, I know their services better than those of the others.

      I don’t know about Blackberry messenger – if I were you, I’d use either Twitter (UberTwitter) or Facebook and then you can contact friends in the UK easily.

      Hope this helps.

      Best,

      Alex

  45. Tom Pears says

    In an earlier story you say “bog rolls in bulk, ” Maybe you meant buy? Our daughter in studing in Rome and needs help finding good toilet paper in bulk, inexpensive. Any suggestions?

    (Comment moved to a better location and email address removed to prevent spamming – Alex Roe)

  46. steven says

    Please can somebody answer this question for somebody that knows nothing about Italian. Can ANCA in Italian mean hip, in-croud, etc, etc.

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Steven,

      The Italian word ‘Anca’ generally means ‘hip’ in the sense of the part of the body, but is not, as far as I am aware, used in Italian to mean to refer to ‘hip’ in the sense of ‘cool’, or ‘in-crowd’. Well, I’ve never heard it used in this way, and I’ve been in Italy for over 10 years.

      Maybe one of my Italian readers could give us some more information on ‘anca’.

      Hope that helps, and thanks for asking.

      Best,

      Alex

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Anthony,

      An interesting question this – thanks for asking. Here is a little information for you, and some background on the name you like.

      The name “Randazzo” – is used as a surname here in Italy – I know one person with this surname, and others are to be found on the Italian internet.

      Several sources I’ve found on the www state that “Randazzo” comes from “rannazzu”, a word in Sicilian dialect which means ‘grosso borgo’, which would probably be ‘big village’ in English. An odd name for a boy, possibly. And it rhymes with the Italian for crazy – ‘pazzo’ and the vulgar Italian for penis – ‘cazzo’.

      I did ask a couple of Italians, my other half and a female friend of hers, and they don’t think it would make a good first name for a boy and think that an Italian child would have his leg pulled for having such a name – at least in Italy. The name may raise eyebrows – in Italy.

      Hope that helps you a little, but the decision is obviously up to you.

      Best regards,

      Alex

      • Orlando says

        My name is Orlando. I know of a man named Randazzo. He was named after his mother’s father. His name was Fredo Randazzo. Out of respect, his parents named him after his grandfather who was born in Randazzo. He said as a child he received abuse from other children but as he grew up, his name was accepted in both Italy and America. The worse of his name now is some people think it’s very old fashion. Similar to Pasqualino or Aurelio.
        Randazzo sounds old but masculine.

          • Alex Roe says

            Hi Orlando,

            Thanks for the information on the name Randazzo. I don’t think I would give a child of mine ‘Randazzo’ as a first name, but that is just me. Italians would probably avoid it too.

            I guess that in the States, and possibly the UK, Randazzo would become ‘Randy’. Randy seems acceptable in the US as a name, although I have no idea whether it is common. However, ‘Randy’ would cause problems for a child in the UK as it would most probably be associated with the colloquial term for ‘sexually aroused’ – randy. Not a great nickname for a kid, possibly.

            Personally, I think I would look for another name.

            Changing the subject a little, some Italian cities have been used as names for girls – Florence, for example and Genovefa (Genoa, possibly), so some Italian place names are used as names for people.

            As to whether names are up to date or not, well, that is another subject entirely.

            Over and out, for the moment from ‘Alex’ whose very own first name has been used to name both people and towns and cities!

  48. Iris says

    I have been obsessing with a small town in Italy. SMALL!

    Serina, Italy.

    NOT SerEna, Italy.

    I can’t find any information other than the population. The very small population.

    I have never been there, but once I get some more info on it, I will travel overseas just to spend a moment there. As weird as it sounds this is SOOOO important to me. I’ve been obsessing constantly. Nothing else matters anymore.

    PLEASE!!
    PLEASE!!
    If you have any information

    email me at:

    Pillow_pants66 at hotmail dot com

  49. Parker Lloyd Lim says

    I emailed the following to you personally but then I came across this post. Please help, Alex:

    Dear Alex,

    I am writing because I am a student here in Florence, Italy and I have read all your articles regarding the blackberry bold. I want to pick one up here for the duration of my stay (4 months) and bring it back unlocked to use in my home country.

    My understanding, from reading your articles, is that I can pick one up from any TIM retailer (since vodafone and the other providers require me to sign a contract) and be on a month-to-month plan which I can then cancel in December when I leave the country. Is this correct?

    If so, my only problem is that I cannot find a retailer in Florence. I want to go in to a store tomorrow to pick one up but I am definitely having trouble finding a place to do so! If it helps, my address is Via degli Alfani 34, Florence, Italy. Do you know which would be the closest retailer to go to purchase an unlocked Blackberry Bold with a month-to-month contract?

    Please let me know as I am currently stranded without any means of mobile communication. I would try to ask the locals around here but seeing as I speak zero Italian, it is quite hard.

    Thank you so much for the help,
    Parker Lim

    • Alex Roe says

      Hi Parker Lim,

      I saw your email too, but this may help others too.

      As I understand it, you should be able to buy a Bold along with a pay as you go card, at least with Vodafone. You can then pay for internet use as you go too – this is what someone I know does – he is Italian, but he runs his Bold via Italy’s pay as you go system – which is called ‘carta ricaricabile’ in Italy. Look for ‘carta ricaricabile’ info on both the TIM and Vodafone Italy web sites – if you understand Italian. I’ll post some links tomorrow.

      I think you should be able to use your Bold back in your country of origin, as I do not believe the Italian Bolds are locked. The only thing you might have to watch out for is the BIS service which you have to sign up for to get Blackberry’s mail system working. Not sure what happens when you change numbers – but I think you may be able to open a new BIS account with the provider in your own country.

      I’ll have a look round tomorrow for other info, and someone else I know of, might be able to help you too.

      Best,

      Alex

      • Parker Lloyd Lim says

        Dear Alex,

        Thank you for the quick reply. One of my main reasons for getting the bold is the abiity to use the Blackberry Messenger Function on the phone. Will I be able to use it with the pay-as-you-go method or would I need a month-to-month monthly plan?

        Anyway, regarding picking up the bold itself, do you know any physical TIM or Vodafone stores around my location in Florence that I might be able to walk/bus to to buy the bold tomorrow?

        Thank you again,
        Parker Lim

  50. DiMaiolo says

    Just found your site; looks like I’ll get lots of good info here. I’m beginning to plan a two week trip to Italy In a year or so to “find my roots”, as they say. The first question I have is, is Brusciano anything more than a one-horse stop in the road? I can’t find much on it and their website is in Italian, which I can’t speak yet. There’s very little on the internet about Brusciano, which is I think about 20 miles outside Naples. I’d like to learn more about the region in general and also tips for reasonable accommodations in B&B’s. I also understand there’s lodging in people’s homes? That would be very interesting! I do plan to hit the high points, too; museums, of course, and being Catholic I can’t miss the Vatican. Not particuarly interested in wines or wine country unless there’s something else there of particular cultural, scenic or religious interest. I will probably not be going with a tour. (Might as well make my first trip out of the US as difficult as possible, right?) Any suggestions, especially anything anyone can tell me about Brusciano area would be much appreciated. Thanks!

  51. hessa says

    Hello
    I am so glad to find this blog, I am planning to visit italy and go to the manufactures especially those for kids wear and buy in the wholesale price( sure I will buy big quantity), but I need the adress of the manufatures and I heared that the manufacture takes the order in special month after that it stope taking any more order, so do u have any idea?

    • Alex says

      Hi Hessa,

      This is not something I know anything about. But your question is here now, so hopefully someone else will be able to give you an answer.

      If I can find a moment, I’ll have a hunt and see what I can dig up.

      Best regards,

      Alex

    • Alex says

      Ah, good question that, Judith – here’s my stab at an answer:

      He’s fun, for a politician.
      People, Italians, like the fact that he’s extraordinarily wealthy and a self-made man.
      He is expert at working the Italian system.
      He employs lots of people.
      He holds some great parties, with gorgeous girls ready to play to every whim.
      There’s no real alternative.
      He looks good in a bandanna (!)

      Does that answer your question? 😉

      Best,

      Alex

  53. Will says

    Hi Alex,

    We are in Milan this weekend and want to watch the Lions Test against SA. Can you recommend anywhere?

    Regards
    Will

    • Alex says

      Hi Will,

      To see the match you want to watch, I would wholeheartedly recommend my local – the 442, and they are showing the Lions Test against SA next Sunday too.

      Map here: 442 Pub, Milan, Italy

      442 Football and rugby appointments here: Matches at the 442

      Sunday is ‘domenica’ in Italian, and Saturday is ‘sabato’. Remember that times are 24 hour clock often in Italy.

      Good beer too, as well as friendly staff. Might be an idea to get there early, as the place does tend to fill up when there are big matches on.

      Have fun, and thanks for being the first to ask a question too.

      Cheers,

      Alex

  54. Francesco says

    Alex, as long as I have time, I’d be glad to answers questions about Italy (since I’m a subscriber of your RSS), as I’m italian. Just in the same spirit of my comment on the post about the Lega Nord.
    Of course, if my answers are of any interests for you and your readers! 🙂 (hopefully I understood the correct meaning of your post above! 😉 )

    Francesco

    • Alex says

      Hi Francesco,

      Thanks for your kind offer! 🙂 If you see any questions which you think you might know the answer to, then please jump in. That’s what the idea behind this post is, as you, correctly, understood 😉 !

      All the best,

      Alex

    • Robin says

      Six of us plan to travel together. Thinking of staying in Umbia. Is that central enough for us to visit, Florence, Venice and rome, but also do many thing in Umbia and Tuscany?

      • Alex Roe says

        Hi Robin,

        If you stay in north Umbria and don’t mind driving, you’ll be ok for Rome, Florence & Tuscany – Venice is not close though.

        Staying in Tuscany might be better – near Florence. Also depends on how you plan getting around too. If you plan to use train – keep near major stations, such as Florence.

        Fast trains can get you to Rome & Venice quickly – but are not cheap.

        Google maps can help you plan your trip.

        Best,

        Alex