Alisha & Artur
Alisha & Artur
Travel
Here is your master guide for all things travel for the nervous nellies out there.
Here are some guides to help you out
What you need before you get on the plane:
Passport
Adaptor
Downloaded Google Maps and Google Translate
Credit card (not American Express)
A Smile
Adaptors
Europe has different plugs than America. You can get an adaptor on Amazon. This will make it so you can use your phone, camera, laptop, etc. UK has a different plug so if you are going to the UK you will need a different plug for there as well.
You can find those here
If you want to use a device such as a hairdryer, curling iron, razor, toothbrush first check its voltage and make sure it is 220-240 volts. If it is outside of this range you will need a convertor as well.
Please see those here
How to rent a car
Check with your credit card as they may have deals for you. Costco is also known to have car renting deals as well.
Documents Needed For Renting a Car and Driving Legally in Italy
You’ll need the following documents:
Driver’s license from your home country. You may want to read our post Can I Rent a Car in Italy with a US Driver’s License?
International Driving Permit if you are not a resident of the European Union. It’s required by law. The rental car company may or may not ask, but you can be stopped by the police and asked for it. Learn more in our post International Driving Permit for Italy – How and Why to Get One.
International ID (passport)
Credit Card (unless you have made arrangements with the car rental company to NOT use a credit card)
Please find a guide here
How to download offline maps
-Go to Google Maps on your phone.
-Select your profile photo and go to 'Offline Maps'
-Select 'select your own map' and find the area you want to download.
-You can now use this map without data or wifi and save locations to this map. Extremely helpful for navigation and for looking for restaurants/activities.
Currency and Money
-Check with your bank about your travel benefits. Make sure your card does not have international fees attached. Consider taking out a travel credit card for additional benefits. American Express is rarely accepted. Best to use Mastercard or Visa
-Most places in Europe take card but it is always smart to have cash on hand. When withdrawing from an ATM be sure to use a bank ATM to avoid fees.
-Always select no to currency conversion both at ATM's and when using your card. This will charge you a fee for no reason. Always pay in the local currency.
-Current exchange rate is 1 USD to .91 Euros.
Transportation
Like the US some taxis can be sketchy. Italy has Uber and Bolt but isn't super popular, especially in the smaller cities. The buses and train systems are the best bet. Everyone in Italy uses the train and bus and these are very well connected.
For information on how to use the train, please see here.
For information on how to use the bus, please see here.
Don't forget to validate your tickets when you ride.
How to download a translator
Pisa to Castello Bonaria
Take the followng train/buses from Pisa Centrale to Campiglia Marittima:
-C657Grosseto
-RV4131 Roma Termini
-4027Grosseto
-REG19331Grosseto
Note there may be additional trains that take that route, you can check on the ticket machines or with the ticket agent. Train rides are around 1 hour.
From there you can take a local bus or taxi to the hotel. Please allow for delays or schedule changes when planning your trip.
How to download a translator
-Download Google Translate
-Go to languages and Download what language (Italian) you want to use as well as English
- You can now translate whatever you need. You can also use the voice recorder and camera to translate people or menus live. Very useful for restaurants!
How to book your trip
How to book your trip
Booking flights within Europe:
Ryanair and Wizzair are both budget airlines. They have great prices and go to atypical locations. Be sure to double check their luggage requirements as they are more strict with baggage. Ryanair and Easyjet has a lot of cities that fly to Pisa which is the closest city to the wedding.
A tip is to book a round trip ticket to a popular place like Amsterdam or London and then from there fly Ryanair or Wizzair to Italy.
Google flights is great for checking all airlines and options available. You can turn on flight alerts to get emailed about price changes for a flight you want to watch.
Hate Flying?
Europe has great bus and train connections. You can take a train anywhere you want in Europe. A good bus company is Flixbus that uses giant neon green buses that are impossible to miss. They even has an app for tracking your bus.
Great sites to use for booking activities. App versions available
How to book hotels
Pro tip: Looking for flights directly from the US to Italy can be expensive. You can book a round trip flight to a more popular airport such as London, Amsterdam or Frankfurt at a lower price. From there you can book a budget flight with an airline like RyanAir or Wizz air to Pisa or Florence at a lower price. Just be sure to check the luggage allowance for each airline.
To help inspire you here are some movies based in Italy:
Letters to Juliet
EuroTrip
The Tourist
The Lizzie McGuire Movie
Under the Tuscan Sun
Call Me By Your Name
House of Gucci
Eat Pray Love
Gladiator
Life is beautiful
Spartacus
The Godfather
The Italian Job
Roman Holiday