Italy bubbles with emotion, corruption, traffic jams, strikes, rallies, religious holidays and crowds.
Irate ranters will be shaking their fists at each other one minute and walking arm-in-arm the next.
It鈥檚 bella chaos, and if you鈥檙e well-organized for sightseeing and up to date on your transit info, you鈥檒l love it.
Here鈥檚 the latest, gleaned from the research done for the 2018 edition of my Italy guidebook, to help you enjoy Europe鈥檚 richest, craziest culture:
Rome, that magnificent, tangled urban forest, has been improving its tourist infrastructure and offerings. Two new sound-and-light shows in the Trajan鈥檚 Forum area are an increasingly popular evening activity: the Caesar鈥檚 Forum Stroll and the Forum of Augustus Show.
Both shows help you imagine the world of the Caesars, as colourful images are projected on ancient walls, columns and porticos while English narration brings the story to life.
And Ara Com鈥檈ra (鈥淭he Ara as it was鈥�) is a new 45-minute virtual-reality show at Museo dell鈥橝ra Pacis, which allows visitors to see what the Altar of Peace looked like in its day. The Pantheon, one of the city鈥檚 best-preserved ancient monuments that is currently free to enter, will start charging an entry fee (about $2 US) in May.
I still strongly recommend getting the Roma Pass, which is now a single plastic card that covers both sightseeing and transportation.
Rome鈥檚 main train station, Termini, has good new dining options: the modern Mercato Centrale market hall and the bright and spacious Terrazza Termini food court.
It鈥檚 now more worthwhile than ever to make the trip south, just beyond Naples, to Pompeii. The site鈥檚 best-preserved home, the House of the Vettii, with its many surviving mosaics and frescoes, is finally reopened after a long closure.
As the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence is a priority on any Italian itinerary. However, sightseers must deal, as always, with constant changes to the city鈥檚 sightseeing ticketing and entry schemes.
For instance, travellers who want to view the Uffizi Gallery鈥檚 amazing collection of Italian paintings will pay a significant price increase this year.
Peak-season ticket prices (March through October) are up more than 50 per cent to about $25 US; tickets drop to $15 in the winter. Seasonal pricing is also being introduced at the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens.
And for the first time, avid sightseers can buy a combination ticket covering all of these sights. This three-day ticket gives travellers one-time priority entry to all three sights, and will cost about $45 in peak season (half that in winter).
For the past couple of years, reservations have been required to climb the Florence Duomo鈥檚 famous dome. The sight is extremely popular, and time slots can book up many days in advance. If climbing the dome is a must for you, book online in advance of your arrival (if you wait until you arrive in town, it may be too late).
Visiting nearby Pisa is better organized and easier than ever with the opening of the new 鈥淧isa Mover鈥� train, which connects Pisa鈥檚 airport and its train station in five minutes. Pisa鈥檚 main tourist information office has moved to a convenient spot at the Field of Miracles, next to the Duomo鈥檚 ticket office.
Visitors to San Gimignano, Italy鈥檚 most overrated hill town, might be interested in a new option: gelato-making classes, offered by Sergio of Gelateria Dondoli in his kitchen down the street from his shop. Charismatic Sergio was a member of the Italian team that won the official Gelato World Cup, and his gelato really is a cut above.
Urban improvements are underway in bustling northern Italy. Arriving by train in Milan is now much more convenient, now that high-speed Italo trains stop at Milano Centrale (instead of at the less central Porta Garibaldi station).
In Venice, a new shopping hot spot has opened amidst all the elegant decay. Located near the Rialto Bridge, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi luxury shopping mall has great rooftop views of Europe鈥檚 most enchanting city.
Cruise ships are now stopping in the port of La Spezia for their excursions to Florence. And, as alighting in La Spezia puts them so close to the popular Cinque Terre region, thousands of cruisers are opting for excursions into this most spectacular stretch of the Italian Riviera.
Consequently, the Cinque Terre is experiencing more congestion than ever. The hordes converge on its five tiny ports for the lovely hikes through the national park that connect them. While segments of the regional hike are invariably closed because of frequent washouts and landslides, there are always plenty of open hiking trails in the nearby hills.
It鈥檚 always smart to be on guard against thieves in any place with tourist crowds (in Italy and beyond), but now that the Cinque Terre鈥檚 train stations are so often overcrowded, it鈥檚 especially smart to protect yourself against fast-fingered pickpockets targeting foreign visitors there.
Italy continues to be as exquisite 鈥� and exasperating 鈥� as ever. While it may seem as orderly as spilled spaghetti, the country actually functions quite well.
If you have a positive attitude, equip yourself with good information, and expect to travel smart, you will. Buon viaggio!
Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.
