A Few Thoughts On Italian Fashion

by Dave Seminara on

It’s 85 degrees outside and even hotter inside the train carriage, but a young Italian couple dressed in layers – shirts, sweaters, jackets and scarves – is adamant about keeping their windows sealed tight despite the lack of air conditioning. A poet from New Zealand named Gerry is dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, as am I, and we’re roasting. We want the windows open; they want them closed. It’s unclear if they don’t want the wind to ruffle their hair, or if they’re not as hot as we are, but the cultural difference is clear.

Italians dress for the season, not for the weather at hand, so I amused myself last week as the mercury soared near the 90 degree mark watching Italians continue to dress in what could be considered winter or spring attire. Every time I saw someone all bundled up in a down coat and scarf, despite the heat, I’d feel the need to point them out to my wife. “Look at that guy,” I’d say. “It’s in the 80’s and he’s wearing a down coat!”

Even men in uniform get in on the act. I’ve seen both soldiers and train conductors wearing colorful scarves coiled tightly around their necks despite the heat. They look cool but it makes no sense to me. Who would want a scarf tied tightly around their neck like a noose on an 85-degree day? Italian men, that’s who. The scarf-wearing soldier was also brandishing a man purse – try pulling that look off in the United States Marine Corps and you might end up in Guantanamo.Children are bundled even more, especially babies. I saw one baby swaddled in so many blankets that it looked ready to join Roland Amundson’s North Pole Expedition, despite the 80-degree weather. North Americans, particularly cold weather people like me (I’m from Buffalo), have a different sense of warmth but fashion obviously plays a role as well.

Most Italians don’t use dryers, so all you have to do is walk through a neighborhood on a sunny day to see people’s wardrobes hanging on clotheslines for all to see. They like to dress in layers and they usually look good, if uncomfortable. North Americans place more of a premium on comfort. Sure, we might go out in sweat pants, or, God forbid, pajamas, but by God, while we might not look great, we will feel good.

This past weekend in Assisi, it was fascinating to see Italians and foreign tourists mingling together on the same streets. Americans looked ready for the beach; Italians the ski slopes. At one point, we were waiting for a bus in an unforgivingly sunny spot with no shade, and I was standing near a man wearing a button-down shirt, a sweater and a down jacket totally zipped up. He wasn’t a terrorist concealing a bomb; he was just an ordinary Italian bundled up for a sunny, 85-degree day. Dressing for summer in April is like ordering a cappuccino after 10 a.m. or having pizza AND pasta – it simply isn’t done in Italy.

I can understand some Italian but I don’t speak the language. That’s a shame, because I wanted to grab the man by his down coat, shake him, and say, “Good lord, man, what on earth is wrong with you! It feels like July out here, why are you all bundled up?”

Aside from the layered, season-yes, current conditions-no approach, Italian men also wear their clothes at least a size or two smaller than North American men might. I’ve also seen the odd Italian youth sporting the baggy, have a look at my underwear jeans, but for every one of them, there are 100 holdouts that like ’em tight.

Thankfully, younger Italian men seem to be moving away from the skimpy, tight speedo bathing suits at the beach, but older Italian men are still into this look. On the facial hair front, designer beards seem to be in, ditto for prominent, chunky glasses, man purses and brightly colored apparel with brand names.

And despite all the cultural differences, you still see quite a few Italians wearing outfits bearing the Stars and Stripes, and, even more common, the Playboy logo. Here’s hoping that the weather in Italy will become more spring-like, so the poor Italians don’t have to sweat it out in their spring clothing until the calendar tells them it’s time to get comfortable.

[Photos by ЕленАндреа and Elmo H. Love on Flickr]

Travel For The Inexplicable Human Connection

by Grant Martin on

Editing a contribution to the site from Jill Paris the other day I was reviewing her bio at the end of the article and took note of the reason why she travels: “for the inexplicable human connection.”

Those connections affect all of us when we travel, whether we know it or not, and it’s a big part of what makes the journey so special. For me, personally, I have wonderful stories of meeting random groups of friends on the steps of Montmartre as well as terrible, dark confessions of trips gone awry and of love lost. But the threads of all of these narratives help weave the tapestry of my life, and with them, I’ve become a better and stronger person.

Luke Rudkowski’s journey through France were affected by a kind stranger named Joel, the sort of person that opens his home to travelers and greets them with kindness and compassion. It’s a story of budget travel and of short lived relationships of the road — and it’s told perfectly above.

Italy’s New Ferrari Museum

by Dave Seminara on

Can you imagine driving a 1935 Alfa Romeo 208 mph on a public highway? Or how about a limited edition Maserati that was once owned by Evita Peron? These are just two of the remarkable cars on display at the stunning new Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, Italy, which opened on March 10. The museum is adjacent to the boyhood home and workshop of Enzo Ferrari, the legendary driver and founder of Ferrari, and is located in a striking, bonnet shaped building that took 8 years and more than $20 million to build.

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The museum tells the story of Ferrari’s life and how it fits into the greater context of the automotive history of the Modena region, known as The Motor Valley, home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati and other luxury car manufacturers. Ferrari was a racecar driver before he founded the company that would become Ferrari and the museum shows some of the 1930’s era Alfa Romeo’s he raced in as a young man.

The exhibits on Ferrari’s life are interesting but the museum’s real attraction is the collection of more than two dozen classic cars, which come from private collections and will be rotated every six months or so. One of my favorites was the aforementioned 1935 Alfa Romeo Bimotore, a racecar that was designed with two engines. The drivers realized that the car’s two-engine design made it impossible to handle on a racetrack, so they took it out on a public highway near Florence and it set a record by topping 208 mph. Apparently there were no police wielding radar guns in those days.
But if I could take one of these cars home with me it would surely be the 1948 Maserati A6 1500. Only 61 of these beauties were made and vehicle #57 was reportedly owned by Evita Peron. I asked the museum curators what this and the other cars were worth and they could only guestimate that most were worth well over $1 million.

These days, owners of Ferraris and other luxury vehicles are being targeted by the Italian tax authorities for audits, so for those who love these cars but don’t want the scrutiny, this museum is a great place to dream.

If you go: The museum is a five-ten minute walk from Modena’s train station. Modena itself is a beautiful small city but you can also stay in Parma and visit Modena as a very easy day trip. The train ride is only 30 minutes and tickets can be had for about 5 euros each way. If you want to see some modern Ferraris, go to the older Ferrari museum in nearby Maranello. You can buy a joint ticket for both museums at either location.

Tips For Renting Vacation Apartments Or Homes In Italy And Beyond

by Dave Seminara on

Italy is an addictive place. You get a taste of it, and you want more. Indeed, one could spend a lifetime exploring Bella Italia and still not see everything. But with the Euro still relatively strong against the Dollar, it isn’t the most budget friendly travel destination for American travelers.

If you want to spend a week or more in any one town or city in Italy, you’ve probably considered renting a furnished apartment. Below you’ll find some tips for navigating the selection process and making the most of your experience.

Weigh your options- and your baggage. If you travel light, and don’t mind packing and unpacking frequently, renting an apartment might not make sense, unless you plan to spend a significant amount of time in one place, i.e. at least a week. Some landlords in Italy will rent by the night, but most do not. If you have kids or are less mobile, using one place as a base makes sense.

Take a look at the places you want to visit and look into the logistics of making day trips from your base. In some cases, the places you want to visit might not be easy or inexpensive to do as day trips. In choosing your base, try to find a place that’s a transportation hub and is big enough to have a wide variety of restaurants. Car rentals can be prohibitively expensive in Italy, especially if you can’t drive a stick, and gas is pricey, so finding a good hub and choosing your rental home or apartment near public transport is especially critical.Consider looking before you leap. There are a host of great sites for browsing vacation rentals, including Trip Advisor’s FlipKey, VRBO, HomeAway, Wimdu, AirBnb,9 Flats, Owner Direct, BB Planet, Ancora Italia, and a host of others. Depending on how long you plan to stay in a place, how risk averse you are, and how important it is not to unpack multiple times, you might consider booking a hotel or B & B for a night or two and then checking out apartments in person before you commit. You can make contact with owners through the aforementioned sites, set up appointments, and pick the one you like best.

This option is more time consuming, but if you want to make sure you find a place you like, it might be the best idea because it can be hard to gauge what an apartment is like based on website photos. (It’s amazing how misleading photos can be in some cases) When you’re on the ground, you can also gauge what the neighborhood is like, and you might be able to negotiate a better deal in person. That said, if you’re traveling during the high season in Italy, you might end up getting leftovers if you wait until you arrive to book.

Watch out for events and major holidays. If you plan to find an apartment after you arrive, contact the local tourism office and find out if there are any major events, festivals or conferences going on at the time you’ll be there. If you arrive in town during an unusually busy period without a reservation, you might be out of luck.

Make a list of the amenities you need. In contacting a host of different property owners, it’s easy to get mixed up with who promised what, so make a list of the things you think you need. For example, number and size of beds required, WIFI, A/C, shower with bathtub, crib, washing machine, (you won’t find dryers in Italy) dishwasher, etc.

Double check their location on Google maps. A lot of owners will try to be vague on the exact location of the apartment and won’t reveal the exact address until you pay them. Don’t accept their assurance that the place is centrally located on face value, and multiply all time estimates by 2. So if they say it’s a ten minute walk to town, assume it’s 20 to be on the safe side. (At least)

Clarify Internet capability if you need it. If a place advertises WIFI, you can expect it will generally be fast enough to send and receive email, but if you need to do more than that, it’s best to let the owner know that you need to work while you’re in the apartment. Ask them how fast and reliable their Internet connection is. If they’re noncommittal, and you need reliable Internet, look elsewhere.

WIFI can be very hit or miss in Italy, and you might find yourself sitting in your windowsill searching for neighbors’ unsecured connections. If you check out the place in person, I highly recommend bringing your laptop or mobile device and doing an Internet speed test on premises. If they have a modem, bring your own Ethernet cord and plug in- you’ll get better speed.

Watch out for Italian beds. Most mid range and high-end hotels in the U.S. have very high quality beds. Do not expect that level of comfort while renting apartments in Italy. In Italy, box springs aren’t commonplace and many apartment owners skimp on quality when it comes to buying mattresses. I’ve slept in beds that are about as soft and comfortable as the Rock of Gibraltar.

You can ask owners how comfortable the bed is and they will invariably tell you it’s comfortable but some are more convincing than others, and if they hesitate and waffle, you can bet that the bed isn’t very comfortable at all. Of course, the only way to find out for sure is to go check the place out in person, or comb the online reviews of the place.

Don’t be afraid to haggle. Depending on the situation, you might be able to get a substantial discount if you ask for one. The closer you inquire to your date of arrival, the better your chances. If an owner’s apartment is vacant a couple days before your arrival, an offer of 75-80% of their asking price might sound better to them than getting nothing for the week.

Clarify what’s included in the price. Some apartments charge extra for utilities, and items like heat can be very, very expensive in Italy. If you have to pay extra, get a firm range on how much the utilities might cost up front. Many owners also charge “cleaning fees,” so it’s also best to clarify that up front as well.

How equipped is it? Most apartment rentals will include enough supplies to do some basic cooking, but what’s included varies wildly. Some places will expect that you buy your own soap, toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, etc. and some will not. If you’re only going to be there for a week, and need to go out and buy lots of essentials, the cost can add up quickly, but if the place is very well equipped, it can save you a lot of time and money.

Try to avoid payment in full, if you can. Even places that look great can sometimes have lots of problems that aren’t immediately apparent. If you’re staying in a place for a while, ask if you can pay for the first night or two up front and then pay the rest later. That way, if there are serious problems with the apartment, you have some leverage to extract yourself from the commitment. I’ve found that owners who have the best places tend to be fine with this arrangement, while the ones who have dodgy places are the most likely to object and want full payment immediately.

Ask how things work. Some landlords will assume you’ll figure out how all the various appliances work, but I think it’s always a good idea to walk around, test everything and ask questions before they leave.

Overlooked London: The HMS Belfast

by Sean McLachlan on


The United Kingdom used to have the largest navy in the world and it still packs a major punch today. One ship from the glory days is the HMS Belfast, docked on London’s South Bank near London Bridge. This World War Two light cruiser also saw service in Korea and is now open to the public under the auspices of the Imperial War Museum, one of the best war museums anywhere.

Clambering up and down the nine decks and into turrets and engine rooms is lots of fun, and the video displays and signs tell you all about the history of the ship and life on board. One interactive display, the Gun Turret Experience, puts you in the middle of a WWII battle. In the Operations Room you can control an entire fleet at sea.

If you go in the winter, visit in the afternoon and catch the early sunset over the Thames, its bridges, and both its busy banks. Watching nightfall from the prow of this historic ship is a memorable experience.

The HMS Belfast is undergoing remodeling and will be even better when it reopens on May 18.

Check out more London attractions most tourists miss in our Overlooked London series!

Top photo, courtesy Steve Parker, shows the HMS Belfast as it appears today. The bottom photo, courtesy the Imperial War Museum, shows the ship bombarding the coast of Normandy in support of the D-Day invasion.