Italy
Visit any Italian restaurant in the United States and you are undoubtedly familiar with the Italian flag, Italian food and if you order the kids’ meal probably also an Italy map that contains one or more interesting facts on Italy. Yet none of that can prepare you for the emotions that are bound to overtake you when you actually set foot on the warm soil of Italy for yourself. A rich history, at the cutting edge of European culture, and in many ways a trendsetter throughout the continent, Italy has so much to offer to the modern day tourist. In many ways, to understand where you have come from means to understand Italy, and when you arrive it is a good idea to purchase a map of Italy so that you may plan a sightseeing tour.

Another good idea is to bring an Italian dictionary. While many people will speak English, the elderly in the market places after dark who like to play card games and simply sit and people watch may not, and yet these are the very citizens of Italy at whose feet you want to sit to learn more about what makes the city tick. As you peruse the restaurants of Italy in search for authentic Italian recipes stay away from the touristy places and instead visit those that could be considered a hole in the wall. The food is usually ten times better than at the big eateries, and the recipes are family heirlooms that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Italian music – at least the stereotypical ditties – is played in the tourist areas, which is also where you will see the familiar Italy flag and Cinzano ashtrays. Italian culture is an interesting mix of stereotypical behavior – in part because it is expected by the tourists – and individualistic expression of a joie de vivre that is second to no European nation. Take the time to learn Italian before you leave on your trip, and soak up some of the Italian charms that make the cities so irresistible, especially to romantic souls. If you have the good fortune to spend Christmas in Italy, take a lot of time to visit the various cathedrals and festivals and get into the holiday spirit! You will be amazed how different the atmosphere is from the commercially charged dispiritedness that oftentimes plagues an American Christmas in the shopping malls of the North American continent.