i can't speak for the entire italy but i can speak about rome and the smol town where i live.
wow. i literally have more things i dislike but the question asked about the things that i like so here they are:
• people don't give a damn (in a good way)
no matter how you look, what size you are, what race you are, what you wearㅡpeople barely give a damn. i can go to the subway in shitty clothes and not die of humiliation.
a lot of people dress really well. italians are very fashionable and a lot of people just dress really shitty (like me), and that's actually what i love about the people here. you do you.
well, you'll probably get stared at by the elders. grannies here just love to stare.
• public transportation is quite easy and very accessible. we have the subway stations that go all around the cities (milan is better than rome's, in my opinion) and we also have a lot of buses. if you're lucky, they come and leave on time. we also have regional trains and express trains that can take you all around italy and even europe.
• healthcare! i did not realize and appreciate the healthcare system here until i became an adult. if you got sick, as long as you have the health card, you can get a lot of benefits and even get cured without any financial hassle. you can get monthly check ups for free and get discounts on medicines that you'll need.
• food, of course. italian cuisine isn't famous for nothing. the dishes are simple but somehow really good on the taste buds.
• lastly, it's just safe (pickpockets aside). there's barely any major crimes and cops in my town just sit in the town's coffee shop all day chatting. lots of chatting.
for tourists, i would recommend visiting all the tourist spots in rome (lol i can't believe i worked as a receptionist, catering to tourists). but seriously, everything is so easy to get to.
vatican is overrated. but if you're religious, then go. you would most likely not meet the pope. i haven't even met the pope. he's always in that house, doing the mass from the window. 💀 (you also wouldn't understand the mass if you go on sunday because it's pure italian language) but this is a good place to shop for souvenirs!
trevi fountain is my all time favorite spot but it's really crowded so you should go early or really late if you wanna see it and take pics properly. don't forget to drop a penny and make a wish! (just for the mood idk if they come true)
colosseum/colosseo is beautiful. if you like historical places, this is the place to visit first. it's especially really pretty at night.
pantheon: you would hear about this place because it is famous but i'm never really sure why. i don't find it interesting and i've already forgotten what i studied in history back in school. but it's worth a picture, i guess
castel sant'angelo; it's a castle and a museum and there's a huge park where you can relax. i often used to walk on the nearby bridge with my friends. it's pretty :')
pizza navona; it's a fountain. i used to work a part time job nearby and eat by the fountain. you can take pictures and... eat. there's a lot of food to consume surrounding that area.
spanish steps; if you wanna work out just... climb up the stairs lol but seriously, it's good for pictures and many street artists are usually in this area! you can request an art and watch them do it and pay for 15€ the least. there are also a lot of shops! you can walk and walk until you reach "via del corso" which is literally a street filled with shops and people shopping. there will be musicians and dancers sometimes. you can stop by and give them support.
there's many mooore! please tell me if you guys are ever visiting rome. i can be your tour guide though i have 0 recollection of history.
more tips for tourists:
• keep that bag in check. the pickpockets here are s k i l l e d. they won't hurt you but you might lose something without realizing it asap.
• if you're on a budget trip, book B&Bs instead of hotels. they are cheaper and you can get almost the same kind of service depending on how well rated the B&B is. if you don't know wth is a B&B, it means bed & breakfast. they'll provide you a room and a private bathroom (usually) and breakfast.
• do not eat in the restaurants/coffee shops near the tourist spots, issaaaa scam! lol you can literally walk a little farther away from wherever that tourist spot is and avail the same quality of food for a cheaper price :')
• bring dictionary or keep the internet with you. most people don't speak english.
• bring a map whether it's a literal map (you can usually get it for free from where you're staying) or a google map. most people don't know shit about directions because most people you'll see aren't locals.
• if you're staying for a week, buy the subway ticket that lasts for a week. it's unlimited for 7 days and will help you cut the expense of buying the one that expires in about 2h after validation. you can also use that for buses.
• oh and don't buy food/drinks from your b&b/hotel because they are definitely overpriced. go to the nearest grocery store. there are lots of them.
but if you're rich, ignore everything i just said. hope to see u someday in rome. may covid-19 completely disappear soon.
