Temperature Conversion: Fahrenheit and Celsius
Ambulance: 118
Road Service: 116
US Embassy in Rome: 24-hour emergency line—tel. 06-46741, non-emergency—tel. 06-4674-2420 answered Mon-Fri 15:00-17:00 (passport services Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00, Via Vittorio Veneto 121, http://italy.usembassy.gov)
US Consulates: Milan—tel. 02-290-351 (Via Principe Amedeo 2/10, http://milan.usconsulate.gov), Florence—tel. 055-266-951 (Lungarno Vespucci 38, http://florence.usconsulate.gov), Naples—tel. 081-583-8111 (Piazza della Repubblica, http://naples.usconsulate.gov)
Canadian Embassy in Rome: Tel. 06-854-441 (Via Zara 30, www.italy.gc.ca)
Telephone Help (in English; free directory assistance): 170
Directory Assistance (for €0.50, an Italian-speaking robot gives the number twice, very clearly): 12
In Italy, holidays seem to strike without warning. For instance, every town has a festival honoring its patron saint. The Vatican City in Rome closes for many lesser-known Catholic holidays—confirm their schedule at http://mv.vatican.va.
This list includes selected festivals in major cities in 2015, plus national holidays observed throughout Italy. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays—keep this in mind when planning your itinerary. Before planning a trip around a festival, verify its dates by checking the festival’s website or TI sites (www.italia.it).
In Italy, hotels get booked up on Easter weekend (from Good Friday through Easter Monday), April 25 (Liberation Day), May 1 (Labor Day), November 1 (All Saint’s Day), and on Fridays and Saturdays year-round. Some hotels require you to book the full three-day weekend around a holiday.
| Jan 1 | New Year’s Day |
| Jan 6 | Epiphany |
| Jan | Fashion convention, Florence |
| Jan 31-Feb 17 | Carnevale (Mardi Gras, www.carnevale.venezia.it), Venice |
| Early Feb-early March | Carnevale Celebrations/Mardi Gras in Florence (costumed parades, street water fights, jousting competitions) |
| Early April | Vinitaly (wine festival), Verona |
| April/May | Italy’s Cultural Heritage Week (www.beniculturali.it) |
| April 5 | Easter Sunday (and Scoppio del Carro fireworks in Florence) |
| April 6 | Easter Monday |
| April 21 | City Birthday, Rome |
| April 25 | Italian Liberation Day, St. Mark’s Day, Venice |
| May 1 | Labor Day |
| May 29 | Feast of the Ascension Day |
• Europeans write a few of their numbers differently than we do. 1 = 
, 4 = 
, 7 = 
.
• In Europe, dates appear as day/month/year, so Christmas 2015 is 25/12/15.
• Commas are decimal points and decimals commas. A dollar and a half is $1,50, one thousand is 1.000, and there are 5.280 feet in a mile.
• When counting with fingers, start with your thumb. If you hold up your first finger to request one item, you’ll probably get two.
• What Americans call the second floor of a building is the first floor in Europe.
• On escalators and moving sidewalks, Europeans keep the left “lane” open for passing. Keep to the right.
A kilogram is 2.2 pounds, and l liter is about a quart, or almost four to a gallon. A kilometer is six-tenths of a mile. I figure kilometers to miles by cutting them in half and adding back 10 percent of the original (120 km: 60 + 12 = 72 miles, 300 km: 150 + 30 = 180 miles).
| 1 foot = 0.3 meter | 1 square yard = 0.8 square meter |
| 1 yard = 0.9 meter | 1 square mile = 2.6 square kilometers |
| 1 mile = 1.6 kilometers | 1 ounce = 28 grams |
| 1 centimeter = 0.4 inch | 1 quart = 0.95 liter |
| 1 meter = 39.4 inches | 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds |
| 1 kilometer = 0.62 mile | 32°F = 0°C |
In the US, you’ll see Roman numerals—which originated in ancient Rome—used for copyright dates, clocks, and the Super Bowl. In Italy, you’re likely to observe these numbers chiseled on statues and buildings. If you want to do some numeric detective work, here’s how: In Roman numerals, as in ours, the highest numbers (thousands, hundreds) come first, followed by smaller numbers. Many numbers are made by combining numerals into sets: V = 5, so VIII = 8 (5 plus 3). Roman numerals follow a subtraction principle for multiples of fours (4, 40, 400, etc.) and nines (9, 90, 900, etc.); the number four, for example, is written as IV (1 subtracted from 5), rather than IIII. The number nine is IX (1 subtracted from 10).
Rick Steves Italy 2015—written in Italian with Roman numerals—would translate as Rick Steves Italia MMXV. Big numbers such as dates can look daunting at first. The easiest way to handle them is to read the numbers in discrete chunks. For example, Michelangelo was born in MCDLXXV. Break it down: M (1,000) + CD (100 subtracted from 500, or 400) + LXX (50 + 10 + 10, or 70) + V (5) = 1475. It was a very good year.
| M = 1000 | XL = 40 |
| CM = 900 | X = 10 |
| D = 500 | IX = 9 |
| CD = 400 | V = 5 |
| C = 100 | IV = 4 |
| XC = 90 | I = duh |
| L = 50 |
When shopping for clothing, use these US-to-European comparisons as general guidelines (but note that no conversion is perfect).
• Women’s dresses and blouses: Add 30
(US size 10 = European size 40)
• Men’s suits and jackets: Add 10
(US size 40 regular = European size 50)
• Men’s shirts: Multiply by 2 and add about 8
(US size 15 collar = European size 38)
• Women’s shoes: Add about 30
(US size 8 = European size 38-39)
• Men’s shoes: Add 32-34
(US size 9 = European size 41; US size 11 = European size 45)
First line, average daily high; second line, average daily low; third line, average days without rain. For more detailed weather statistics for destinations in this book (as well as the rest of the world), check www.wunderground.com.
Europe takes its temperature using the Celsius scale, while we opt for Fahrenheit. For a rough conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit, double the number and add 30. For weather, remember that 28°C is 82°F—perfect. For health, 37°C is just right. At a launderette, 30°C is cold, 40°C is warm (usually the default setting), 60°C is hot, and 95°C is boiling.
Whether you’re traveling for five days or five weeks, you won’t need more than this. Pack light to enjoy the sweet freedom of true mobility.
5 shirts: long- & short-sleeve
2 pairs pants or skirt
1 pair shorts or capris
5 pairs underwear & socks
1 pair walking shoes
Sweater or fleece top
Rainproof jacket with hood
Tie or scarf
Swimsuit
Sleepwear
Debit card
Credit card(s)
Hard cash ($20 bills)
Money belt or neck wallet
Passport
Airline reservations
Rail pass/train reservations
Car-rental voucher
Driver’s license
Student ID, hostel card, etc.
Photocopies of all the above
Hotel confirmations
Insurance details
Guidebooks & maps
Notepad & pen
Journal
Toiletries
Medicines & vitamins
First-aid kit
Glasses/contacts/sunglasses (with prescriptions)
Earplugs
Packet of tissues (for WC)
Daypack
Sealable plastic baggies
Laundry soap
Spot remover
Clothesline
Sewing kit
Travel alarm/watch
Smartphone or mobile phone
Camera & related gear
Tablet/ereader/media player
Laptop & flash drive
Earbuds or headphones
Chargers
Plug adapters
Flipflops or slippers
Mini-umbrella or poncho
Travel hairdryer
Belt
Hat (for sun or cold)
Picnic supplies
Water bottle
Fold-up tote bag
Small flashlight
Small binoculars
Insect repellent
Small towel or washcloth
Inflatable pillow
Some duct tape (for repairs)
Tiny lock
Address list (to mail postcards)
Postcards/photos from home
Extra passport photos
Good book
| English | Italian | Pronunciation |
| Good day. | Buon giorno. | bwohn jor-noh |
| Do you speak English? | Parla inglese? | par-lah een-gleh-zay |
| Yes. / No. | Si. / No. | see / noh |
| I (don’t) understand. | (Non) capisco. | (nohn) kah-pees-koh |
| Please. | Per favore. | pehr fah-voh-ray |
| Thank you. | Grazie. | graht-see-ay |
| You’re welcome. | Prego. | preh-go |
| I’m sorry. | Mi dispiace. | mee dee-spee-ah-chay |
| Excuse me. | Mi scusi. | mee skoo-zee |
| (No) problem. | (Non) c’è un roblema. | (nohn) cheh oon proh-bleh-mah |
| Good. | Va bene. | vah beh-nay |
| Goodbye. | Arrivederci. | ah-ree-veh-dehr-chee |
| one / two | uno / due | oo-noh / doo-ay |
| three / four | tre / quattro | tray / kwah-troh |
| five / six | cinque / sei | cheeng-kway / seh-ee |
| seven / eight | sette / otto | seh-tay / oh-toh |
| nine / ten | nove / dieci | noh-vay / dee-ay-chee |
| How much is it? | Quanto costa? | kwahn-toh koh-stah |
| Write it? | Me lo scrive? | may loh skree-vay |
| Is it free? | È gratis? | eh grah-tees |
| Is it included? | È incluso? | eh een-kloo-zoh |
| Where can I buy / find...? | Dove posso comprare / trovare...? | doh-vay poh-soh kohm-prah-ray / troh-vah-ray |
| I’d like / We’d like... | Vorrei / Vorremmo... | voh-reh-ee / voh-reh-moh |
| ...a room. | ...una camera. | oo-nah kah-meh-rah |
| ...a ticket to ____. | ...un biglietto per ____. | oon beel-yeh-toh pehr ____ |
| Is it possible? | È possibile? | eh poh-see-bee-lay |
| Where is...? | Dov’è...? | doh-veh |
| ...the train station | ...la stazione | lah staht-see-oh-nay |
| ...the bus station | ...la stazione degli autobus | lah staht-see-oh-nay dehl-yee ow-toh-boos |
| ...tourist information | ...informazioni per turisti | een-for-maht-see-oh-nee pehr too-ree-stee |
| ...the toilet | ...la toilette | lah twah-leh-tay |
| men | uomini / signori | woh-mee-nee / seen-yoh-ree |
| women | donne / signore | doh-nay / seen-yoh-ray |
| left / right | sinistra / destra | see-nee-strah / deh-strah |
| straight | sempre dritto | sehm-pray dree-toh |
| What time does this open / close? | A che ora apre / chiude? | ah kay oh-rah ah-pray / kee-oo-day |
| At what time? | A che ora? | ah kay oh-rah |
| Just a moment. | Un momento. | oon moh-mehn-toh |
| now / soon / later | adesso / presto / tardi | ah-deh-soh / preh-stoh / tar-dee |
| today / tomorrow | oggi / domani | oh-jee / doh-mah-nee |
| English | Italian | Pronunciation |
| I’d like... | Vorrei... | voh-reh-ee |
| We’d like... | Vorremmo... | vor-reh-moh |
| ...to reserve... | ... prenotare... | preh-noh-tah-ray |
| ...a table for one / two. | ...un tavolo per uno / due. | oon tah-voh-loh pehr oo-noh / doo-ay |
| Is this seat free? | È libero questo posto? | eh lee-beh-roh kweh-stoh poh-stoh |
| The menu (in English), please. | Il menù (in inglese), per favore. | eel meh-noo (een een-gleh-zay) pehr fah-voh-ray |
| service (not) included | servizio (non) incluso | sehr-veet-see-oh (nohn) een-kloo-zoh |
| cover charge | pane e coperto | pah-nay ay koh-pehr-toh |
| to go | da portar via | dah por-tar vee-ah |
| with / without | con / senza | kohn / sehnt-sah |
| and / or | e / o | ay / oh |
| menu (of the day) | menù (del giorno) | meh-noo (dehl jor-noh) |
| specialty of the house | specialità della casa | speh-chah-lee-tah deh-lah kah-zah |
| first course (pasta, soup) | primo piatto | pree-moh pee-ah-toh |
| main course (meat, fish) | secondo piatto | seh-kohn-doh pee-ah-toh |
| side dishes | contorni | kohn-tor-nee |
| bread | pane | pah-nay |
| cheese | formaggio | for-mah-joh |
| sandwich | panino | pah-nee-noh |
| soup | zuppa | tsoo-pah |
| salad | insalata | een-sah-lah-tah |
| meat | carne | kar-nay |
| chicken | pollo | poh-loh |
| fish | pesce | peh-shay |
| seafood | frutti di mare | froo-tee dee mah-ray |
| fruit / vegetables | frutta / legumi | froo-tah / lay-goo-mee |
| dessert | dolce | dohl-chay |
| tap water | acqua del rubinetto | ah-kwah dehl roo-bee-neh-toh |
| mineral water | acqua minerale | ah-kwah mee-neh-rah-lay |
| milk | latte | lah-tay |
| (orange) juice | succo (d’arancia) | soo-koh (dah-rahn-chah) |
| coffee / tea | caffè / tè | kah-feh / teh |
| wine | vino | vee-noh |
| red / white | rosso / bianco | roh-soh / bee-ahn-koh |
| glass / bottle | bicchiere / bottiglia | bee-kee-eh-ray / boh-teel-yah |
| beer | birra | bee-rah |
| Cheers! | Cin cin! | cheen cheen |
| More. / Another. | Di più. / Un altro. | dee pew / oon ahl-troh |
| The same. | Lo stesso. | loh steh-soh |
| The bill, please. | Il conto, per favore. | eel kohn-toh pehr fah-voh-ray |
| Do you accept credit cards? | Accettate carte di credito? | ah-cheh-tah-tay kar-tay dee kreh-dee-toh |
| tip | mancia | mahn-chah |
| Delicious! | Delizioso! | day-leet-see-oh-zoh |
For more user-friendly Italian phrases, check out Rick Steves’ Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary or Rick Steves’ French, Italian, and German Phrase Book.