I don't even know why I'm watching (I'm Italian, I know all this) but it's making me smile so much!! The love for my country can be heard through each word. Thank you!

I’m a retired American/Swede who 4 years ago moved to a small town near Palermo. I’m a history nerd so I’ve traveled extensively in Italy. Yet, there is so much to see that I probably don’t have enough years left to see everything. For me, from Naples south is the best part of the country. The food, espresso, people and the caos suits me perfectly. Viva Sicilia!

So my husband caught you on public tv.., 2019 we travel to Europe with carry ins only oh thank you Steve ! Someone tried to pick pocket him … foiled he got a money belt because of Steve! Your advice has saved us from scams so many! You are the best advisor !

Mr Steves, I m italian,I just want to tell you,from the bottom of my heart,thanks,thanks so much for your beautiful things u say about Italy,u re a great man

Italians are great people with such rich history and culture.

You are the best ambassador for travellers. Love your practical advice. Love how you encourage travellers to “chill” when things are not on schedule and ppl hang out in piazzas.

Italy is one of my favorite countries to visit Venice The Coliseum, leaning tower of Piza and the food pasta etc.

I'm not traveling anywhere but I enjoy Rick's travels because it makes me feel as though I've been there! Thanks, Rick, I've been a fan for years!

Italy is like eye candy. I visited 3 years ago. Such a beautiful country.

I love seeing all of the Italian native people commenting on this! It shows us that he is providing positive and accurate information that those of us traveling there can use. I am considering going to Italy for 2 years for my masters degree. I am trying to learn how to speak Italian now and want as accurate cultural information as I can to help me prepare. At the moment, I do not know enough Italian to watch cultural videos in Italian. So I'm glad to know I can trust this take so well.

I so love Italy! Best people, food, wine and EVERYTHING in the world!

Went to a local soccer match and learnt the best italian swear words ever! loved it!

This guy is a National Italian monument!

Rick's presentation is superb! No one can match Rick's knowledge and enthusiasm for travel!

I am a native from Rome, after many years in the USA I will move back to Italy soon, I love Steve’s informations and love for my country.

@26:33.. you just reinforecd the importance of humbleness..as a magic key to really enjoy our time on earth, just beautiful, thank you Rick🙌🙏🌟

I wish I was there... RICK STEVE IS AMAZING

I like very much the way Rick Steves talks about my country, I think he's like a modern day's Lord Byron. Always great and accurate videos!

Thanks Rick; I love Italy !

Rick Steves is awesome !!!

I know this is an older video but you are so spot on. One the best meals I've had in the world was at a lunch spot next to a shipyard I was working in for two weeks in Viareggio. This was a meal that would have cost $50-60 in the US and was 4.5 euros next to the shipyard for buffet for the yard workers.

BTW as native Italian I understand how much Italians are pretty nice to tourists who make an effort to be polite and who try to communicate somehow. Italians are extremely nice when you have little kids in your group. That has been my experience.

We’re going to Milan Christmas…..this video makes me more excited than I already am! Thank you & can’t wait to experience what awaits. First Country on my Bucket List is Italy.❤️💥🍷🥩🍝

This is gold!

So gratified to find this child has gone home with his family. SUCH GOOD NEWS. Lucky child to have these parents.

Visiting Italy in a couple of weeks, LOVE this video!

I'm glad I visited Cinqua Terre back in 1986 when it was relatively unknown. What a drag to try to enjoy it with a whole cruise ship being there!

I’m all for off the beaten track! That’s the real italy!

You are incredible Rick Steves, there will be one time in my life that I will travel to Italy with you, it will be very fun and so many learnings.

Thanks, Rick! Now I REALLY want to go to Italy!

So true. ! Have been to Italy & Sicilia 4 times.

My husband and I will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary this year and we will be touring Italy as per Rick's final suggested tour. Dolce vita!

Brillant teacher!

I love Venice n Rome beautiful visit!!!

Thanks so much for sharing! Loved your shows for years and we're planning to go back to Italy, this time Sardinia and Sicily, in a couple months, and plan to stay in B&B's most of the time and try to experience both islands the way the locals do. Your advice is always sound and well appreciated.

Thank you Rick for this video this is the best video i've ever seen to explain my country i avdice you to visit my city Palermo you'll love it!

Delightful presentation that inspires, thank you

Thanks Rick

All of your videos are great, thanks for posting. I just bought your Best of Italy book!

Yes, embrace Italy , i had so much fun, I met a lovely young lady in a market, she spoke to me in Italian , i said sorry i don;t have much Italian-thats OK she said we can speak english and she spoke it and understood as if her native tongue. The young ( under 30) have a much more global view than their parents, if you want answers speak to the younger generation Trains are only way to travel, but book 3 months in advance for BIG discounts You can go to Maranello and drive the latest Ferrari for e300, i really suggest thats worth the trip, as is a visit to the Ferrari museum. You only need to know One word of Italian......Bongiorno -you greet everybody with this & they speak back in english- they pick your accent, see that you are making an effort & help you out, as Rick says eat what the house speciallity is, Food is king in Italy

I plan on visiting this year

HOLY CRAP I'm craving a fresh Italian street-side cafe cappuccino and a nice little bowl of fresh pasta with cream sauce now... I miss Italy so much!!!

Wow ! Great video ! Thank you for sharing all those travel skills 👍👍👍

Thanks 🙏 precious tips !

Play this video in every taxi, airport and stations

My husband and I are preparing for our trip to Europe in a few weeks and we were so happy to stumble upon this video. One of the biggest things we were worried about is finding the best food places, since we have only a short time in each country, and your tips were so helpful. We also purchased some of your books. Thanks for the tips as usual!

Idea... Photo copy passport. Leave original in hotel, walk about with the photo. If you loose this, so what, original is in room!

Enjoyed this!

Thank you good sir!

Indeed very useful, thanks!

Auntie pasta. Love it! I wanna go with you on a tour.

Thanks!!

Wow! Cool!!!

Wow what a great informative talk!

Wonderful video!

REALLY AMAZING....VERY GOOD PRESENTATION & INFORMATIVE....

Italy is my like ..bello

Thanks Rick..

Going to Sicily next Thursday!!

Going to Rome tomorrow ❤️

Super Video , Very informative and fun.

Thank you for posting this video, I appreciate it. I love Rick Steves travel shows they are wonderful, entertaining and insightful and fun they give me a look into European culture and cuisine and customs. Thank you. Be safe healthy and happy Jesus Christ loves you. God bless you 🙏 be well 🙏

Dear Sir, I highly enjoyed your video, but you forgot that in the list of dishes during lunch or dinner, we usually serve also a SIDER that is usually brought to the table with the SECONDO, not in the same dish, but yes in the same moment. So you start with your Antipasto(if you like, not obligatory), then a Pasta as the FIrst dish, then the SECOND a SIDER served int hat same moment to let you enjoy the meats9beef or fish or poultry) with tasty vegetables that can smooth the taste of the meats, then you can end with the DESSERTS which in Italy can be a choice between fresh fruits (cut= MACEDONIA or not cut)or ice creams or cakes/pastries freshly made on the day, and please do not forget your digestion! you can so ask a coffee at the end of all this, that could even be CORRETTO ..yes "corrected" by adding some alcohol, but many can ask the alcohol also separately from the coffee and they would ask so for a digestive..or DIGESTIVO . Yes, do not go in restaurants with PUSHERS IN nor with the menu in English cause they do are for tourists which mean higher prices and a taste that is not original cause at least just adjusted to what we think tourists could like. But attention to these places that offer room for scams in the ingredients. Once it happened to me, local, to go eat in one of these places and they served the CARBONARA pasta with just olive oil, onion and pork belly..NO EGGS no substance(yes Sir no creams at all in the Carbonara Sauce, it should be only the red of the egg, maximum also the white, but NEVER CREAM)! that was done just to scam the tourists. In the tube, watch out for those who push you in at the moment of the opening of the carriage's doors, there is a pickpocket there! They are very quick in touching you without you can feel it and find your pocket; usually one of the pickpockets is holding a baby, and if they are not in contact with their help on the side, they hide the walled in the baby nappy cause they know no one would go check there!. As soon they are joined by their helper they move your wallet from the nappy to the helper who quickly will go far away from the main pickpocket. So if you catch the pickpocket in action, look also out for his helper and block them both reporting at the Police or MIlitar forces there around. A common scam on the streets is to put on your hand a flower, a bracelet or say that you lost something that wants yours at all and how you handle the object they will ask you for money and become aggressive, so do not accept to be stopped in your way from any seller and do not take anything would be offered to you. Stay safe and enjoy our country, remember it is much better to visit than to live there!

Amazing 😊

What a great teacher!

Great vid, really enjoyed it!

..too bad he doesn't cover much Rome-south (south of Rome throughout Sicily a must-see)

For your first trip to Europe,take a Cosmos bus tour that visits 6-7 countries. Then return to the places you liked best for extended stays.Their tour guides are the greatest, you will learn as you ride. My first tour was 3 weeks long, in October, no crowds.

I think you should include Mantova, the Ville Venete, Ferrara, Bologna, and...and... everywhere you go, remember, there is something wonderful: even italian people sometimes are surprised about their land. Some years ago, I went to Pontremoli, in the castle I found the Stele.. the most ancient and mysterious heritage of this land! Bye bye, you are always welcome!

I saw a huge sign on a restaurant in Riva del Garda while visiting a former exchange student that said "Frustuck", German for breakfast. We didn't eat there. Our favorite area is Lecce in the heel of the boot. Few crowds, very little rush, no Germans and no Americans. There are few English speakers in the south, so a little language helps. Any romance language helps and the local language is probably not standard Italian anyway. In Gallipoli I spent an evening speaking Portuguese with an elderly gentleman speaking the local dialect for many hours. It worked great. Spanish probably would have worked as well. Oh, and no Americans and no Germans also means no pickpockets. They aren't Italian anyway, they're usually from Eastern Europe and prey on tourists in dense crowds.

Hey Rick. Hope this message gets through to you. So a few years ago, we're in Orvietto, watched a couple get married in that wonderful cathedral, stumble across a really nice looking place for lunch, down a side street, and ask for a table. (We had not noticed it in your book). I sit down and place your guide book on the corner of the table. The owner sees the book, and rushes over, enthusiastically thanking us for visiting, and telling stories about you. We had a fab meal, drinks on the house, and photos with the owner. What a delightful connection you have with these lovely folks, to have it spill over into our holiday. Now I'm in Rome, on my own, walked my feet off visiting all the great outdoor sites, and feeling hungry around 10:30 pm. I zeroed in on one of the lovely rustic eateries you recommend, and found I was nearly too late to get a meal. However, as soon as I showed them your guide book, viola! Not only did I eat well, but I was not rushed out the door. What a fabulous way to end the day before stumbling off to my hotel. Thanks to you. We applaud the efforts you go to in bring travel into the lives of folks who might not venture forth otherwise, and making travel better for us adventurous types. Off to Italy again in a few months. Can't wait. Cheers.

Many little troubles in trasportation have been solved, trains are better, info are clear in different languages and online services are better than many countries in europe offer. I think a tourist could visit Italy in a easier and safer way now

This has me so excited about my trip to Milan & Stresa next week. It’s a long flight from Australia, but can’t wait to live & eat like a local in Italy. Anybody have recommendations on where to eat like a local in Stresa, Italy?

Thanks for such an informative video. How can I know that if there is any planned strike in April -May 2019

Thanx important information! Great talk on fact to learn stepping overseas... Aotearoa Amazing Love xo Betty

I was in the Navy in 1972 & 1973, did 2 Mediterrian cruises. I visited Naples & Genoa I liked Genoa, great city to walk around in, nice people, I was going on 20 in 1973, I was treated very well by the women in Genoa, better than a lot of American women, they have class, the same with Spain. I liked the architecture of the older buildings in Genoa, the clean city parks there.

OMG. They have a book for Mediterranean Cruise Ports???? Boy, I could have used that on my Viking Cruise a couple years ago!

I wish about this...

....some very good advises here by Rick.....ok, I agree...visit the main famous sites and towns packed with tourists - but explore other places too...there are so many medieval and old towns to see, (Ravenna, Vicenza, Bologna...) beaches in the south, mountains in the north, hills in the center....less crowded...and the food ..go local, avoid fancy - expensive restaurants - go to family restaurants and "Trattoria" where the waiter is not fancy dressed but the food and the prices are great. Remember a friend telling me...."Wanna eat well when you are driving around Italy...? Stop where you see trucks parked....truck drivers know where to eat on the road...and they pass the word if a place is good or not..." :-)

Wow! Your return business is amazing!!!

My first Italian trip is Milan-Venice-Rome. My next Italian trip will be Siciliy and Sardinia.

Hey Rick, nice vid, thanks. Do you happen to have videos of "secrete places to visit" Italy or France? I know you won't read this, but anybody else have any ideas. Southern France and Florence north??

I am going to Italy in 6 years for my high school graduation

Are there any native Romans on here that can give me some recommendations on places to eat in Rome, mom and pop restaurants? I will be visiting in may cant wait, Thanks!!

My cousin Lisa went to Italy.

Ahhhhh bella Italia! Amo questo paese è una cultura ricca e sorprendente e naturalmente, ha una storia e un'architettura incredibili. Un paese davvero sorprendente, da Nord a Sud. Grazie per la condivisione.

What to do with a weekly pass? Do I have to insert or put on the yellow signal?

The amount of people in that crowd- that’s how many people are on one block in Rome

Hi Rick, When you have time off, where do you go on vacation? 🤔

Heading to Rome tomorrow!!

Rick, where is the best place for Chinese food in Italy?

Hahaha 00:42 into the video 🤣 perhaps you could use Switzerland next you tell that joke? (said the dane 🇩🇰 currently living in 🇨🇭 but with house and family in beautiful Sardinia 🇮🇹)

Word.

My family and I are going to spend Christmas in Italy this year (2017)! We will be visiting some relatives in the Caserta area.Any thoughts in particular on what we can expect that time of year in that area? I really want to visit Pompeii.....a lifelong dream...........I read that weather that time of year isn't too bad....mild winters? We hope so! I know many things will be closed but we hope to do some sightseeing. I don't mind cooler weather and less crowds.

Yes, us Neapolitans are intense

👍

What is that Tuscany Steak house? 🙏🏼

Genial 🎓

Whats the name of that steakhouse?

We are planning a vacation October 2021 I’m curious about the bed-and-breakfast he required about Almost halfway through a little nice old lady I cannot find the place does anybody know it