2. Women cannot go out alone in Italy without being harassed.
While that may have been true 30 years ago, Minchilli says that things have gotten a bit better these days. That said, she says that "Italians have a slightly different definition of harassment. For most Italian males, following a woman down the street with their eyes is a major form of compliment. "
McCabe agrees, asking "Do Italian men notice women more than their American counterparts? Perhaps. But that usually means a polite hello or a smile. Italy is an absolutely safe and pleasant place for women to travel alone and I've done it many times."
3. Pickpockets are everywhere in major Italian cities.
"Aren't pickpockets a problem in major cities everywhere?" Minchilli asks. "I think that many tourists get to Florence, Venice or Rome and since everything looks so beautiful, get into a 'this is Disneyland' frame of mind and forget this is the real world, and these are big cities."
She adds that major monuments and crowds can be distracting and that part of the problem is that many tourists are coming from small towns and cities where pickpockets are not a problem.
"My advice," says Minchilli, "is always to leave as many credit cards, documents and cash in your hotel safe, and just be aware at all times."
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4. It's hard to eat healthfully in Italian restaurants because you're expected to order a four-course meal, from an antipasto to a primo, and a secondo, followed by dessert.
The Italian diet, Minchilli points out, is one of the healthiest in the world.
"I could write a book about it, " she says, "and in fact I did, but here are a few facts to keep you on track. You never have to order a four-course meal in a restaurant. One course, plus a vegetable or antipasto, is just fine if that's what you want."
McCabe notes that while there are rituals to Italian meals, bending the rules is not that difficult.
"I think when someone first arrives in Italy they might follow the 'traditional' menu but they soon realize they can't walk all of that off," she says. "Italian waiters are generally very accommodating. There's no wrong way to order."
It's helpful to remember, that portion sizes are much smaller in Italy, Minchilli adds, "So if you want to order that extra course, go ahead. It's probably less food than you thought. Order from the 'contorno' or side dish part of the menu. Ask your waiter what fresh vegetables there are for the day, and order some of those as one of your courses."
5. Pizza is pretty the same in Italy as it is back home in the U.S.
You might change your mind when you go to Italy, say both experts.
"Even though pizza has had a major upgrade in places like San Francisco, L.A. and New York, the stuff that comes with the delivery man to your front door has nothing in common with what Italians are eating," Minchilli says. "When Italians go out for pizza, they head to their local pizzeria, which usually has a wood-burning oven. Once there each person orders their own, single serving-sized pizza. Pizzas rarely have more than three toppings and sometimes less, and are never overloaded with cheese as they are in the States."
McCabe also claims that pizza is much better in Italy, adding that "in the Naples episode of the Dream of Italy PBS series, I take a pizza-making lesson with a master and learn the ins and outs of traditional pizza margherita. There is even debate within Italy if the pizza in Naples is better than anywhere else in the country. Some say it is the local water. Others credit the fresh local ingredients like buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes grown in rich soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius."
One thing most critics agree upon is that the pizza tastes different depending on where you travel in the country. Minchilli points out that pizza in Naples has a softer, thicker crust while in Rome it's paper-thin and a bit crispy. And if you're traveling to the north of Italy?
"You better hope there is a southern Italian slinging pies," Minchilli says, "since it's definitely not a northern Italian thing.