First Time - Southern Italy - page 19

» Hotels All levels of price and quality, from cheap-and-charmless to sleek-and-exclus-
ive.
» Farm-Stays Perfect for families and for relaxation, agriturismi (farm stays) range from
rustic farmhouses to luxe country estates.
» B&Bs Often great value, options span rooms in family houses to self-catering studio
apartments.
» Pensions Similar to hotels, though pensioni are generally of one- to three-star quality
and family-run.
» Hostels You'll find both official HI-affiliated and privately run ostelli (hostels), many
also offering private rooms.
Money
Credit and debit cards can be used almost everywhere with the exception of some rural
towns and villages.
Visa and MasterCard are widely recognised. American Express is only accepted by
some major chains and big hotels, and very few places take Diners Club.
ATMs (known as Bancomats) are everywhere, but be aware of transaction fees. Some
ATMs in Italy reject foreign cards. If this happens, try a few before assuming your card is
the problem.
For more information, Click here .
Bargaining
Gentle haggling is common in markets. Haggling in stores is generally unacceptable,
though good-humoured bargaining at smaller artisan or craft shops is not unusual if mak-
ing multiple purchases.
Tipping
» When to Tip Tipping is customary in restaurants, optional elsewhere.
» Taxis Optional, but most people round up to the nearest euro.