“Here’s how you do not get stuck in Italy”: the Independent publishes an anti-fraud vademecum for British tourists
The tourist of Asian origins Luke Tang did not go right down the 560 euro bill that was seen in a restaurant in Venice for a meal based on fish, and to take the man’s defenses was the British newspaper Independent . In fact, the important English newspaper not only reported the news of the man’s misadventure – who lives in Birmingham – but instead drew up a veritable vademecum on how “do not get plucked on holiday in Italy”.
The journalist Julia Buckley then threw down a behavioral guide in 7 points to avoid unpleasant surprises when traveling in the Belpaese, specifying – to be fair – that the risk of salty accounts exists in any tourist city, even in the his London. The idea of the British media came after many readers had left disgusted comments about the news of Luke Tang, in some of which he even said he wanted to boycott Italian tourism.
“There are few things to remember in Italy that can protect you from problems, and, being Italy, they mainly rotate around food” specifies the Buckley in his piece, before listing the seven precautions to keep in mind: do not sit down in bars to consume coffee or prosecco, never order fresh fish for lunch or dinner, check the cost of the covered and the amount of dishes served, check that the English and Italian menus coincide, claim the detail of the drink , be careful about taxi fares.
“Whether you are in the most touristy bar in Rome or in tiny cafes in a Calabrian village, the usual practice is to practice a higher price for customers who sit than those who consume standing” the reporter recommends, which tells also to have worked in a small bar in the Marche region and to know this practice well. As for the fish, however, Buckley writes: “Fresh fish in Italy is normally priced by weight, so unless you bring a scale below, you are at the mercy of restaurateurs.The vast majority will price correctly, but as everywhere the rotten apples will take advantage of it, I’ve been cheated like that, even though I speak fluent Italian, which does not mean you can not order fish, but you have to order it carefully. ”
Another possible surcharge may be due to the cost of the cover, which in England seems to be less common than from us: “It could be 50 cents, or 4 euros in a really elegant place.You can not avoid it, but if you offer something else ( bread, bruschetta, olives) – it is better to check if it is included.The bread is usually included in the roof, but not always “. Same for limoncello after a meal, usually offered by the house (but not always).