True Confessions 1: I spent two weeks in Florence and did not visit the Uffizi, passed by the Duomo once or twice, and did all I could to avoid the Ponte Vecchio. I was not there to travel like the masses, and masses there were. I was going to spend my days as a local.
True Confessions 2: I had a cheat sheet; my sister. Having moved to Florence many years ago, she married a native and had recently given birth to my godson. I was going on the auspices that she needed my older and more experienced advice. But let’s be truthful, she has always been my teacher with her innate wisdom and true north sensibility. I was a on a lark and loving every minute of it.
Nearing the end of my stay, I felt it incumbent upon me to draft a top ten list of things I wished I had known. Here then are my Italian lessons:
10. Italians charge tourists at least twice the rate of locals for lodging. Rent Villas is a wonderful service for those who want to see their apartment and read reviews before they commit, in short great for the novice. However, there are local real estate agents who can assist you in securing a reduced rate. Check out the classifieds in www.theflorentine.net for agents and apartments.
9. You can’t hail a taxi in Florence. In order to get a taxi you must find a taxi stand, not so easy to do in the center of town. I ended up asking the concierge at a hotel nearby to call one for me when I needed a cab. Although I was not a guest, they always graciously assisted me.
8. Don’t miss your taxi or there will be charge. When a hotel or another establishment calls a taxi for you, the meter starts running. If, for some reason, you miss that taxi, they will be charged a fee of seven Euros. Out of courtesy, don’t miss your taxi or you will just make it harder for the next tourist who comes to town.
7. Don’t bother with traveler’s checks. The exchange rate at the local cambio (exchange store fronts that can be found all over town) is significantly higher than the actual rate. In addition, they charge an 8 percent to 20 percent fee for the service of over charging you. Use your ATM card. You will face a nominal fee but you also get the market exchange rate.
6. Don’t be offended when you are nearly run over by the Florentines as they walk or bike. You simply do not exist for them, it is their only coping mechanism for having their city overrun with swarms of people usually following some tour guide holding a flag to keep her group from dispersing into the throng. “Excuse me” is not in their lexicon. You can still be polite. We are their guests you know.
5. Buy the Herald Tribune first thing in the morning or they will be all sold out. With so many tourists flocking to this city, the competition for the daily English language newspaper is fierce. Get in early or you will miss your daily fix.
4. Café Society does not exist in Florence. If you linger too long at a café or restaurant they will ask you to leave. Unlike most cafes in the US where one can wile away the afternoon reading and writing, there just is no leisurely afternoon to be had on the Piazzas of this city.
This is why private clubs such as Teatro Del Sale become so valuable. If you want a quiet afternoon cup of tea and the chance to read the newspaper without distraction, this is your only solution.
3. When entering and leaving a store, restaurant or any other establishment, be sure to acknowledge the proprietor with a “hello” and a “thank you,” preferably in Italian. Hospitality is an essential source of cultural pride to Italians. They value the gathering of friends and family above all else. You are being welcome into their “home” when you enter a store or restaurant. Be courteous and respectful; it is the least we can do.
