Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
(
www.wwoof.it
) For a membership fee of €25 this organ-
isation provides a list of farms looking for volunteer workers.
Women Travellers
Italy is not a dangerous country for women to travel in. Clearly, as with anywhere in the world, women trav-
elling alone need to take certain precautions and, in some parts of the country, be prepared for more than
their fair share of unwanted attention. Eye-to-eye contact is the norm in Italy's daily flirtatious interplay.
Eye contact can become outright staring the further south you travel.
Lone women may find it difficult to remain alone. In many places, local Lotharios will try it on with exas-
perating insistence, which can be flattering or a pain. Foreign women are particular objects of male attention
in tourist towns like Florence and more generally in the south. Usually the best response to undesired ad-
vances is to ignore them. If that doesn't work, politely tell your interlocutors you're waiting for your
marito
(husband) or
fidanzato
(boyfriend) and, if necessary, walk away. Avoid becoming aggressive as this may
result in an unpleasant confrontation. If all else fails, approach the nearest member of the police.
Watch out for men with wandering hands on crowded buses. Either keep your back to the wall or make a
loud fuss if someone starts fondling your behind. A loud '
Che schifo
!' (How disgusting!) will usually do
the trick. If a more serious incident occurs, report it to the police, who are then required to press charges.
