Italian All-in-One For Dummies (77 page)

Going to the beach and spa

Italy has 7,600 kilometers of coastline, so it's no surprise that Italians and tourists alike flock to Italy's famous beaches, which can be both
sabbia
(
sahb
-byah) (
sand
) or
scoglio
(
skoh
-lyoh) (
rock
), each with its decided advantages (and clientele). Most beaches have that most wonderful of Italian institutions called
il bagno
(eel
bahn-
yoh). This is not a bathroom or a bath, but a combination bar/beach club/restaurant, where you can show up and rent an
ombrellone
(ohm-brehl-
loh
-neh) (
beach
umbrella
) and
un lettino
(oohn leht-
tee
-noh) (
a lounge chair
) for the day, week, or month. Here, you and the children can also play
beach volley
(
beach volleyball
) or
racchettoni
(rahk-eht-
toh
-nee) (similar to beach tennis, but without a net), or rent a
pedalò
(peh-dah-
loh
) (
paddle boat
).

Italy also has many wonderful naturally heated
terme
(
tehr
-meh) (
thermal springs
) and spas. Some of these are quite well-equipped, and you pay for their services (like Chianciano, Montecatini, and Fiuggi). Other
terme
can be accessed for free in places like Vulcano, Ischia, and Calabria.

Visiting castles, palaces, and estates

Travel to any remote area of Italy, and you'll find
castelli
(kah-
stehl
-lee) (
castles
),
palazzi
(pah-
laht
-tsee) (
palaces
), and
tenute
(teh-
nooh
-teh) (estates). Their presence tells the story of a frontier territory, a crucial place located along strategic routes for commercial traffic. These lands' strategical advantages made them objects of contention between peoples. Castles, palaces, and estates played a crucial role in the defense and control of these disputed territories and are an integral part of the
patrimonio culturale italiano
(pah-tree-
moh
-nee-oh koohl-tooh-
rah
-leh ee-tah-lee-
ah
-noh) (
Italian cultural heritage
), the history of the urban fabric and the countryside. A recent census shows that about 17,000 palaces, villas, castles, and gardens exist in Italy.

Taking a Tour

Whether you're in a city or rural area, you can usually find fun and interesting sights to see. Bus tours are organized in great detail for the most part, and the price generally includes the cost of the bus, lunch, dinner, and the services of a tour guide. A guided tour or day-trip, called
una gita organizzata
(
ooh
-nah
jee
-tah ohr-gah-nee-
dzah
-tah) (
an organized tour
), may be the most efficient, cost-effective, and informative way to check out nearby attractions. You can ask these questions to get information about available tours:

Ci sono gite organizzate?
(chee
soh
-noh
jee
-teh ohr-gah-need-
dzah
-teh?) (
Are there any organized tours?
)

Quanto costa la gita?
(
kwahn
-toh
kohs
-tah lah
jee
-tah?) (
How much does the tour cost?
)

C'è una guida che parla inglese?
(cheh
ooh
-nah
gwee
-dah keh
pahr
-lah een-
gleh
-zeh?) (
Is there an English-speaking guide?
)

Dove si comprano i biglietti?
(
doh
-veh see
kohm
-prah-noh ee bee-
lyeht
-tee?) (
Where do you buy tickets?
)

Talkin' the Talk

Lucia and Renzo are in a tour office, talking to a tour agent and deciding which trip to go on the next day.

Lucia:
C'è una bella gita sul lago di Como domani.

cheh
ooh
-nah
behl
-lah
jee
-tah soohl
lah
-goh dee
koh
-moh doh-
mah
-nee.

We can take a nice trip to Lake Como tomorrow.

Renzo:
Vuoi andare, vero?

vwohi ahn-
dah
-reh,
veh
-roh?

You want to go, don't you?

Lucia:
Sarebbe carino. E tu?

sah-
rehb
-beh kah-
ree
-noh. eh tooh?

It would be nice. What about you?

Renzo:
Non amo le gite in autobus.

nohn
ah
-moh leh
jee
-teh een
ou
-toh-boohs.

I don't like bus trips.

Lucia:
Ma è una gita a piedi!

mah
eh
ooh
-nah
jee
-tah ah
pyeh
-dee!

But it's a walking tour!

Renzo:
Ottimo! A che ora inizia la gita?

oht-
tee-moh! ah keh
oh
-rah ee-
nee
-tsyah lah
jee
-tah?

Great! What time does the trip start?

Agent:
Alle sette e trenta.

ahl
-leh
seht
-teh eh
trehn
-tah.

At seven-thirty a.m.

Renzo:
Quanto dura?

kwahn
-toh
dooh
-rah?

How long is it going to last?

Agent:
Circa cinque ore.

cheer
-kah
cheen
-kweh
oh
-reh.

About five hours.

 

Booking a Trip outside of Italy

You never know — you just may want to book a trip to another country while you're in Italy. When you're ready to book your flight or hotel, you may want to consider using
un'agenzia viaggi
(ooh-nah-jehn-
tsee
-ah
vyahj
-jee) (
a travel agency
). There you can get plane tickets, hotel reservations, or complete tour packages.

As you walk by the travel agency, undoubtedly your eye will be drawn to special, all-inclusive package deals to Malta, Tunisia, and the Canary Islands, to name a few, in ads like this one:

INCREDIBILI OFFERTE!! Gran Canaria, La Palma. Euro 616 a persona. Comprende: volo + hotel + tasse e commissioni. Colazione a buffet.

(een-kreh-
dee
-bee-lee ohf-
fehr
-teh! grahn kah-
nah
-ryah, lah
pahl
-mah.
eh
-ooh-roh sehy-
chehn
-toh-
seh
-dee-chee ah pehr-
soh
-nah. kohm-
prehn
-deh:
voh
-loh pee-
ooh
oh-
tehl
pee-
ooh tahs
-seh eh kom-mees-
syoh
-neh. koh-lah-
tsyoh
-neh ah booh-
fey.
)

(
Incredible deals! Gran Canaria, La Palma. 616 euros per person. Includes flight, hotel departure fees,and buffet breakfast.
)

Talkin' the Talk

Alessandro has just seen a sign advertising the Canary Islands. He's talking to Giorgio, a travel agent.

Giorgio:
Buongiorno, mi dica.

bwohn-
johr
-noh, mee
dee
-kah.

Good morning, can I help you?
(Literally:
Tell me.
)

Alessandro:
Vorrei fare un viaggio alle Isole Canarie.

vohr-
rey
fah
-reh oohn
vyahj
-joh
ahl
-leh
ee
-zoh-leh kah-
nah
-ryeh.

I'd like to take a trip to the Canary Islands.

Giorgio:
Dove, esattamente?

doh
-veh, eh-zaht-tah-
mehn
-teh?

Where, exactly?

Alessandro:
Tenerife o La Palma.

teh-neh-
ree
-feh oh lah
pahl
-ma.

Tenerife or La Palma.

Giorgio:
Un viaggio organizzato?

oohn
vyahj
-joh ohr-gah-nee-
dzah
-toh?

An organized trip?

Alessandro:
No, vorrei soltanto prenotare il volo.

noh, vohr-
rey
sohl-
tahn
-toh preh-noh-
tah
-reh eel
voh
-loh.

No, I'd like to book just the flight.

Giorgio:
E per gli spostamenti interni?

eh pehr lyee
spoh
-stah-
mehn
-tee een-
tehr
-nee?

And what about moving around between islands?

Alessandro:
Mi sposterò in autobus e traghetto.

mee spohs-tehr-
oh
een
ou
-toh-boohs eh trah-
geht
-toh.

I'll get around by bus and ferry.

Giorgio:
Quando vuole partire?

kwahn
-doh
vwoh
-leh pahr-
tee
-reh?

When do you want to leave?

Alessandro:
La prima settimana di febbraio.

lah
pree
-mah seht-tee-
mah
-nah dee fehb-
brah-
yoh.

The first week of February.

Giorgio:
E il ritorno?

eh eel ree-
tohr
-noh?

And return?

Alessandro:
La terza settimana di febbraio.

lah
tehr
-tsah seht-tee-
mah
-nah dee fehb-
brah
-yoh.

The third week of February.