6 things that surprise Vietnamese visitors when coming to Italy

Few public restrooms, people eating on the sidewalks, and having to pay for tablecloths at restaurants are some of the things in Italy that surprise Vietnamese tourists.

Reader Trinh Hang from Hanoi, who spent over 10 days in Italy earlier this year, shared many travel experiences in the country. She said that although she often saw Italy through books, movies, and travel guides, she was still amazed by many of her real-life experiences there.

Italy has very few public toilets, people sit on the sidewalks to eat, and you have to pay for tablecloths and cutlery when eating at restaurants – these are three of the things that surprised Vietnamese tourists.

Coperto - a charge at restaurants

The coperto charge in a restaurant. Photo: Trinh Hang

First-time visitors to Italy who go to restaurants will be surprised when they receive the bill. There's one "item" that never changes: the coperto, even though it doesn't appear on the menu and the visitor never ordered it.

Coperto is essentially a service charge, also known as a "seating fee." Customers entering a restaurant are required to pay this fee. Coperto covers the tablecloth, napkins, cutlery, glasses, condiments, and bread provided. Even if customers don't eat the bread, they still have to pay the coperto. This fee is usually 3 euros, although some places charge 5 euros per person.

Few public toilets

Restaurants, cafes, and food carts are ubiquitous throughout Italy, but public restrooms are quite scarce. In Rome, a vast complex of historical sites including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Palatine Hill has very few restrooms, and those that do exist are mostly located within fenced areas. Unless you've purchased a ticket to visit the sites or are dining at a restaurant, finding a restroom is difficult. Restrooms are available in shopping malls, train stations, and ports, but most require a fee, typically around 18,000-20,000 VND per person.

Popular newsstands

Newspaper stands – something that has disappeared from the streets in many countries, but remains common in Italy. Tourists can see them from cities to rural areas, selling postcards, souvenirs, and drinks. The stands always stocked with the latest newspapers.

Newsstands are where tourists can easily buy public transport cards, subway tickets, and bus tickets, and most tourists visiting Italy travel using the system. Public transportation, with its advantages of being inexpensive and convenient.

Sitting on the sidewalk to eat and drink.

Tourists sit on the ground to eat and drink all over the street. Photo: Trinh Hang.

Many tourists visiting Italy will be surprised to see locals resting, sleeping, and eating on the sidewalks, squares, or median strips, a stark contrast to the "romantic" and "luxurious" images often used to describe the country.

This phenomenon is due to several factors, possibly stemming from Italy's relaxed and easygoing nature, pleasant climate, and partly because of the overwhelming number of people visiting Italy, often exceeding the capacity of restaurants and shops.

In fact, sitting on the sidewalk, admiring thousand-year-old architectural masterpieces, watching the people go by, and enjoying an Italian-style lunch is also a pleasure.

Enjoy opera in the middle of the street.

Opera is traditionally a classical art form, usually performed in elegant theaters, with audiences typically dressed appropriately. However, in Italy, visitors can enjoy operas familiar to many Vietnamese people, such as... La Traviata, Nessun dorma, My Sun, Return to Soriento Right on the sidewalk by street artists.

Most of these performances take place in the late afternoon or evening, attracting tourists, especially in pedestrian areas, shopping centers, or old town squares.

All attractions require advance ticket purchase.

Tourists always have to queue in long lines at every tourist attraction. Photo: Trinh Hang

"Money can buy everything" - this idea doesn't apply in Italy. Due to the overwhelming number of tourists, most attractions sell tickets online in advance, and if you arrive only to buy tickets later, the chances of having to turn back are very high. Even with advance tickets, tourists need to arrive early and bring food to be prepared for long queues. Many places may require queuing for hours to get in, such as the Duomo di Florence. Florence, Duomo di Milano Milan, or Vatican in Rome.

If you're planning a trip to Italy, you should... visa application Start early, then go online to buy plane tickets, book hotel rooms, and purchase attraction tickets as early as possible to enjoy your trip.

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