Questions for Italy Experts
 

These questions may seem naive, but I have not been in Italy for 25 years, and am leaving shortly with a family. I realize Italy is not a third world country but am wondering whether it is necessary to bring certain items:

1. We would like to do some picknicking. Can I purchase plastic utensils, plates and cups at supermarket, or elsewhere?

2. Travelling with 3 teenagers, I'd like to cut down on the amount of toiletries they bring. Can they readily obtain typical items such as sunscreen, mouthwash, ect. at a supermarket or pharmacy.

Thanks for any information

Hi flinn, the answer is yes to all of your questions.

I always take just very small containers (sample or travelsize) of bathroom items. It sure cuts down on the weight of ones carryon.

If you don't see a supermarket look for a UPIM (sort of like our Target stores here in the US), they will be a good place to shop. Imagine you are staying in a hotel, if so your hotel can advise you as to the nearest store for the items you need.

How fun, to return to Italy after 25 years! Wishing you and your family a beautiful trip.

I would bring sunscreen from the US so you are sure of getting what you want. Otherwise, buying mouthwash, etc. there is a good idea so you don't have to tote it.

You will find Italy much changed- mostly in good ways! But Nessundorma is right- now that they have brand proliferation, finding exactly what you want is as difficult as it is here, and it's all in Italian! Also, i have always found the prices a good deal higher, too, for smaller packages.

Also look for COOP stores. They are in all the towns now and have replaced many of the little "mom and pop" shops. They carry food and toiletries and have all the basics and then some...

Yes COOP store's, I forgot about them. I have never had a problem buying anything I wanted in Italy (in the way of so called bathroom supplies), even in small cities.

Italy has changed, in many ways for the better, but in some ways the changes are not better. But nothing remains the same no matter where you are.

The problem with buying things like sunscreen and mouthwash is the labeling and the instructions. In Italy they are all written in Italian. Not knowing or understanding exactly the ph level or the type of mouthwash that one needs can lead to buying the wrong item. If you are allergic to butter cream, you may not know that you are buying a sunscreen with butter component in it - trust me, unless you speak Italian very well, there's no way that a supermarket or sundry store saleslady in a town in, say, Sorrento, will be able to tell you that.

Yes, we do run out of or forget to bring certain things when we travel, but we also learned that it is important to bring one's own skin and hygienne needs that may appear to be basic but have specific or certain personal nuances.