Italy in summer is not a backdrop, but a state. One that can be wonderful - if you understand it. And one that can be surprisingly merciless if you get it wrong.
It's not the obvious things that ruin the day. It's the small mistakes that make the Dolce-Vita-feeling on holiday - and the travel guide doesn't warn you about all of them. Here are ten mistakes that many people only make once - because the learning effect is painful, loud, expensive or simply unpleasant.
Looks like the Caribbean, but is actually Apulia 
Sunset in the bay of Polignano a Mare in Apulia 
Sunset on the endless beach of Rimini 
Crystal-clear water on the beach at Gallipoli in the Gulf of Taranto This beach castle in Campania is still under construction - the chairs are still missing 
End of a day at the beach in the Maremma in Tuscany 
The sunset on the beach in Gallipoli in Apulia A sunset by the sea in Tuscany
1. set the alarm clock
Rome at 8 a.m., Pompeii tomorrow at noon, the day after tomorrow Florence with a full programme: Anyone who believes that you can Summer "organising away" runs straight into the wall. The high season is no time for efficiency. "Excursion today, beach tomorrow." Sounds sensible, but often fails due to sudden summer thunderstorms or humidity that feels like deep-frying oil.
Anyone who visits the historic centre at 8 a.m. and wants to go to bed at 7 p.m. is living against the rhythm of the country. Italy starts slowly but finishes late. The most relaxed part of the "day" begins when many holidaymakers are already in the shower.
2. travelling without a shadow strategy
"A little heat is fine." No, you can't. Not between 12 and 4 pm - and certainly not on the piazza, concrete or stairs. If you don't have a cap, water or a destination in the shade, sooner or later you'll end up in the pharmacy or in the pharmacy price range.
3. think a Lido is a "rip-off
A beach with sun loungers, parasols, showers and toilets costs money: a Lido is not a public beach. If you go to the free (free) section with your towel, you will miss out on the comfort. In the north of Italy, significantly more beach sections are operated as lidos than in the south.
In some places, the free beach is located in less charming places on the harbour or canal - you should find out about this before booking, or not get annoyed afterwards. Especially in more familiar places, you can also try a charming little price negotiation. (In Apulia, the Lidos currently before the takeover).
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4. eating out spontaneously at 8pm - without a reservation
The most famous pizza in the world in Naples 
A round of antipasti in Campania Gnocchi with gorgonzola and walnuts, eaten in Verona in autumn The display of a pasticceria in Naples A plate of antipasti in Campania Every bite is an explosion of flavour: typical sweets from Naples This is what a traditional pizza in Naples looks like
"We just see what's open." Only works in holiday resorts like Riminiwhere you have a virtually endless choice of restaurants on the promenade and will probably find a place somewhere (even here it can take a while - we speak from our own experience). In other places, if you look for a restaurant at 8pm without a reservation, you will almost certainly find a long queue and probably end up with pizza from a box on the kerb.
- The big pasta quiz: Can you recognise all the pasta?
- 10 basics so you don't stand out in the restaurant
5. take 12,000 steps in flip-flops
They feel light and airy at first, but by the end of the day, all you feel is pain in the soles of your feet: Historic cobblestones, uneven alleyways, heat and waiting times usually don't mix well with flip-flops, espadrilles and cheap sandals. If you make the mistake once, switch to trainers on the second day. Or painkillers. Or have to take a day off first. (At the latest in the evening for dinner, you can take off the Plastic slippers ideally off anyway).
6. choose the wrong ice cream parlour by colour
"Looks colourful, must be good" - often a fallacy. Artificially bright colours, dozens of varieties, mountains of cream: usually a sign of industrial gelato. If you recognise vanilla with a dot structure or pistachio that isn't neon green, you're on the right track. (More also under the "Tourist traps in Florence").
- Favourite place Tuscany - and what's really behind it
- The 60-second quiz: How quickly can you recognise Italy?
7. complaining about the heat in the heat
Italy knows no hectic pace at 38 degrees. If you try to keep to appointments, routes and plans like at home, you will fail because of the air. Heat is ignored here - or at most commented on with ice cream. Anything else is ridiculous.
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8. travelling without cash
Especially in summer, you need cash in Italy - for an ice cream at the beach kiosk, for the hawker by the sea, for the ageing vending machines on the beach promenade.
9. think you could do something spontaneous on 15 August
Ferragosto is holier than Christmas. Restaurants are full, as are hotels on the coast - just like the motorways. Even the Ferragosto festivals in small towns are usually not an "insider tip", but are fully booked until the tomato season after next. If you want to do something without a reservation, you need good nerves and luck.
