What to check when entering a bar, and not be like us..

Ahhhh, che bella Italia... the land of culinary delights, excellent aperitifs, and many other specialties..

Aperitivo is the Italian answer to happy hour; both Italians and us tourists enjoy it haha.

It can be happy for the locals and worse for the tourists, just like it was for us. Because we didn't check the cocktail prices with the bartender before, we paid a nice sum of money of 65 €; if we had been more careful, we would have paid only 28 €.

Here are some tips to avoid this:

1. Always check prices before ordering.

2. If there are no written prices on the menu, ask for them.

3. Read reviews about this bar/restaurant etc.

4. Ask if they charge if you sit on the patio.

5. The further away you are from the tourist zone of the bar, the less likely you are to get scammed.

6. When the waiter brings you the bill (don't forget to ask for it), make sure it's the original bill, not just a written total number.

For the most part, the whole experience in Italy is a fantastic one that you won't soon forget.

"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries." ~ Aldous Huxley

Bon voyage. :)