Passing by that unassuming yellow box on the platform without pausing to stamp a train ticket is not a mistake any traveler makes twice. Forget or lack the psychic ability to intuit that such a thing as ticket validation exists and you could wind up paying twice or three times the amount in fines as the fare cost you in the first place. In Florence in particular, although I have encountered the same phenomenon in Milan, Pisa and even Rome, it is as if some conspiratorial effort is in play against tourists. The agent at the ticket window will make no mention of validation, nor will the uniformed figures milling about Santa Maria Novella. The yellow boxes themselves are not marked. In fact, the only time you will hear mention of the stamp is when the conductor notes that you do not have one and demands outrageous compensation for your negligence. Should you find yourself in this position, play up the ignorant tourist thing (you’ve proven yourself to be one anyway). Sincere apologies and self deprecation have been known to incur sympathy from the authorities. You might be let off with a five euro slap on the wrist.
If you plan to spend more than a week in the city of Florence, a room in a decent hotel will cost you a small fortune. The beds in the hostels near the station are reasonably priced and highly recommended for those who are not bothered by the noise and a little grime. If, however, you’re in the market for the security and privacy the hostel scene cannot afford, and if you don’t mind making your own bed and coffee in the morning, and if you are on a budget, then you just might want in on this secret. Vacation rentals provide travelers able to commit to a week with all the comforts of home for as little as sixty euro per night for two people, and, because they are furnished with kitchens, tenants can save on dining out for every meal as well. Look for a place on the Oltrarno if you’re interested in authentic Florence. You’ll be able to mingle with the locals at the morning markets, and still be a ten-minute stroll from the city center.
Speak Italian. This secret to saving spiccioli was not always a secret, but seems to have become one in light of the fact that most Florentines have a working knowledge of the English language. Try speaking Italian to a Florentine, and if your pronunciation is deplorable and your grammar worse, you will surely garner appreciation for your efforts and a response in your native tongue. Per favores, grazies and mi dispiaces can lower a cab fare, the cost of a painting by an artist in the Piazza degli Uffizi, the price of apples in the market at Santo Spirito. In addition to endearing you to the locals, a basic repertoire of words and phrases can save you from ordering something you did not want in a restaurant or boarding the wrong bus in an effort to reach Cortona or any number of costly mistakes.
Aperitivo is a secret well kept from foreigners in Italy. A traditional light meal intended for enjoyment with vermouth, the ritual has evolved over two centuries into a cultural staple as well as a cheap means of sustenance in cities riddled with cutesy but pricey tourist trap restaurants. When in Florence and when on a budget, it is best to forego establishments that offer menus in several languages, grinning waiters and ambiance reminiscent of a certain scene from "Lady and the Tramp" for these less conspicuous hot spots where a satisfying dinner, complete with glass of wine, can cost less than the competitors’ coperto. While you are not likely to find many culinary masterpieces among the dishes on offer, what you will find is the perfect opportunity to try foods you otherwise might not for fear of spending too much on an entrée that is not to your taste. Aperitivi are usually served between 7 and 9 p.m. and are as varied as the restaurants in which you will find them so long as you’re looking hard enough.
We all know just how important it is to network. No man is an island and all that, but we somehow forget that the importance of creating friendships (or at least acquaintanceships) applies in short term situations; a trip to Florence, for example. If you find a fantastic gelaterria, which is not a difficult thing to do in Florence, return to it, especially if it’s a small one. You might easily score a wink and a nod and a free gusto now and then. If you are satisfied with the purchase of a leather jacket or handbag from one of the innumerable merchants at San Lorenzo, go back and ask the shop owner who he might recommend for a pair of gloves or even ceramics. In my experience, the shop owners are happy to help. One once walked with me from his shop on the perimeter to a stall in the market and bartered on my behalf. Don’t be shy. Strike up conversations with the people you encounter on a daily basis; the man from whom you purchase an English newspaper, the man who serves you a cappuccino in your favorite bar. Florence is full of secrets that only the Florentines can divulge. Get them talking.
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The guest post above was written by Theresa Schroeder. Theresa has a collection of writings, poetry & fiction, which can be viewed here. Her poems “Archive” and “In Absence of a Muse” have appeared in small literary anthologies. The Damages is her first extant work, composed in part during her extensive travels abroad in the UK and Italy. You can also check out her blog, The Peregrine Firefly: The Incomplete Meanderings of a Compulsive Foreigner.
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