muffin

I am leaving on Saturday for Florence and according to the weather it looks like rain. Is it appropriate in Europe to carry an umbrella or will I look like a rude American? I honestly have only been to Europe twice so I am not sure of the etiquette reguarding umbrellas but I don't want to get wet if I can help it.

Thanks!

Lesli

Take an umbrella, and use it if the weather warrants. That is perfectly appropriate, and the Italians use them, too.

I would not suggest an enormous "golf" umbrella however, as sidewalks are narrow in Florence.

muffin

Yes thanks I figured a small umbrella would be more appropriate!

Ingenieur

You can also just buy one from a street vendor if you need one. There is a street vendor near the train station where I picked one up for 2 euros.

kybourbon

Buy your umbrella in Florence. They have ones with Tuscan scenery. Bought on for my mother with cypress trees.I can't remember the price but it wasn't expensive.

tcl

kybourbon:

What a cool and practical souvenir! I'll keep it in mind if it rains during my stay in Florence.

mitchdesj

I always pack my smalled folded umbrella;
the cheap umbrellas they sell on corners don't last 5 minutes in heavy rain...

Graziella5b

I agree with Mitch, bought one in Rome under heavy rain in the corner of Via Condoti, and lasted less than the rain that day.
A folded cheap one from K mart is my companion of many trips and if I loose it I shall not cry over it.

Singletail

Why anyone would think carrying an umbrella would mark them as "rude" much less as an American is totally beyond me.
Standing out in the rain, to use a classic phrase, without one might mark you as a stupid (American), however!

kybourbon

tcl - I wish I had bought one of the umbrellas for my self. I will on my next trip. Mom also likes nice wastebaskets and I found a leather one in Florence which was collapsible (sp?)and was easy to transport but very nice.

m_kingdom2

If it looks like it might rain then carry an umbrella, when you see Europeans with umbrellas up in the rain where do you think they produced them from? It is such common knowledge, so common I'm amazed it hasn't crossed your mind.

'm amazed how ignorant Americans are of European ways - they're not as elegant and as chic as you may like to make out.

I would like to suggest where you might carry it, but I won't be so vulgar!

nytraveler

I must admit - and for the first time - that I agree with m_kingdom - although not the suggestion.

What in the world is unbrella etiquette? When it rains you put the umbrella up - when it stops you fold it - you try to avoid stabbing people with it. This is universal as far as I know. Why in the world would Italy be any different?

muffin

Just to let everybody know I brought a small maroon umbrella that worked out very well. We had one day that rained quite a bit and we had to walk back from the Acadameia (seeing David) back to hotel Calezzulio that was pouring and windy. The rest of the days were sunny and glorious! Everybody had umbrellas even people on bikes! Our group did use care not to poke anybody but I think on occasion I did see an accidental "poke" or two. OOPS!

Scarlett

I think people who live in less urban areas are not as used to the usage of umbrellas as city people.
There have been so many times that I have dodged and ducked umbrellas spokes, aimed right at my eyes, caught in my hair, knocking me around..so I think that someone trying to be well mannered with an umbrella is fine..at least it shows a mannerly person not wanting to be rude.

CarolA

As soon as it starts raining, people will appear to sell you an umbrella. (When it quits, they will sell you sunglasses!)

Carmen

Umbrellas may be acceptable in Europe, but here in the Pacific Northwest, tourists are about the only people who use them. Here, we perform a kind of "duck-and-dash" maneuver that doesn't keep your hair dry, but usually keeps the mascara from running. That was one of the first bits of advice I got from my next-door neighbor when I moved to Oregon 13 years ago. Of course the whole hooded rain jacket look isn't particularly chic I'm hoping I won't need either when I visit Florence next year!