May I ask you a question? We took the expressway from Naples to Rome, which should be A1. We got on from the northern entrance of Naples, and the lane we took did not have a Telepass sign, nor did it have a horizontal bar blocking it. But when we pressed the button to take the card, no card came out. There was a long line of cars behind us, so we had to get on the expressway and go to Rome. As a result, we got a ticket, which should be a fine. The normal expressway fee from Naples to Rome should have been paid at the exit manned by staff. We still have to pay more than 60 euros at another place ourselves, because we don't think we took the wrong lane. So I wrote an email to Telepass's website to appeal, but more than 10 days have passed and we still haven't received a response. The ticket says we must pay within 15 days, otherwise there will be a fine. May I ask if you have encountered a similar situation and what should we do next? Thank you ?
Italy Q&A
Hello everyone! I just visited Cinque Terre on July 29th. It was very difficult to find a parking space (I don't know if it's because it's the weekend). I suggest it's more convenient to take a train from La Spezia to visit Cinque Terre. Trains from La Spezia to Levanto run every half an hour and stop at all five villages. We drove to Riomaggiore first and bought tickets there for 16 euros per person, which allowed unlimited rides all day, including buses and restroom fees. Among the five villages, Manarola has the best scenery. It is said that the night view is also special, but we didn't plan our time well and left Cinque Terre before it got dark. We arrived around 10 am and left around 8 pm, spending about ten hours. We visited all five villages, and the scenery was quite similar. Monterosso, the northernmost village, is mainly a beach resort. Vernazza, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are similar, while Corniglia, after getting off the train, requires a bus ride to reach the top of the town. After 8 pm, the train back to La Spezia runs every hour. I hope my experience can be helpful to friends who are planning to visit Cinque Terre. ?
Italy Q&A
Two trips to Italy in two years, passing through Sicily, Dolomites, Tuscany, and some other cities. Personally, I feel that the security in Italy is not a big problem. Tourist attractions are always crowded, which is unavoidable anywhere. Just be mindful of your belongings, keep some loose change in your pocket, and don't expose large amounts of cash. We added a small combination lock to our backpacks for extra security. Thieves also choose their targets, just like in our own country. I've seen many foreigners leaving their bags far away while taking photos, and their belongings were not stolen. There are armed police guarding various attractions in Italy, so I didn't feel unsafe at all ?
Italy Q&A
I just got home today. Let me share my experience of renting a car in Italy for your reference. I picked up the car on October 6th and returned it on the 28th, a total of 22 days. I rented from AVIS for a total of 374.6 euros. They tried to sell me insurance, but I refused and said I would take responsibility for any issues. They didn't force me to buy the insurance in the end. They pre-authorized 94.86 euros on my card as a deposit. I booked a BMW 3 series, but they gave me a BMW X1 with navigation. I had heard about people getting downgraded cars before, so I didn't expect much and didn't argue about getting the X1. When I picked up the car, there were noticeable scratches on the front and back. I asked the AVIS staff to record them before I drove off, and they used a yellow marker to mark them on the contract, then circled and signed them with a black pen. The gas tank was not full, and they marked it with a stamp. The car wasn't very clean when I picked it up. When I returned the car, I made sure it was relatively clean. I told the person who received the car that all the scratches were old and showed him the previous markings. I also said that I take good care of the car, and he said I was a good renter . He told me there were no issues and I could leave. I was still worried about any potential problems, so I took new photos of the car from all angles with the date displayed. It's only been a few days since I returned the car, so I don't know if there will be any issues ?
Italy Q&A
The enthusiasm of the people of Sicily, Italy, is a passionate and unrestrained one. In Rome, the enthusiasm you see is a refined routine. For example, when you go to a restaurant, the waiter will recommend two special dishes for the day. When you ask what they are, he will tell you about the volcano beef and swan roasted fish... The prices are all on the menu. Each dish is about 25 euros, not bad, right? When you're halfway through the meal, they will bring you a glass of ice wine, telling you it's complimentary, and shake hands with you... As for the swan roasted fish, they will enthusiastically ask if you need help opening it. I firmly say no, but they will still help you open it as if they didn't hear me... Let's talk about the bill. When you pay, they will tell you it's 293 euros, plus a 10% service charge, and fish is charged by weight (the fish is at most 1.5 pounds, and the beef is only the size of a fist, definitely not 2 pounds), and the water before the meal is 10 euros. Also, when taking a taxi, make sure to use the meter... And there are a lot of pickpockets there, so be careful of women wearing scarves. Even if you put your bag in front of you, it won't help. They will use the scarf to block your line of sight... They usually work in groups... Even so, Italy is still very, very beautiful. It feels like walking in a historical museum, and shopping is also very enjoyable... Wishing friends a pleasant journey ?
Italy Q&A