MORE Italy Travel TipZ from YOUR Boots on the Ground in the Boot!
♦ It’s a numbers game…well, there is no doubt that numbers are important and since they (e.g., dates, currency, time of day) are written differently in Italy (and in most European countries), it is very important to know those differences.
♦ Missing a flight or connection, arranging a transfer, showing up at the wrong time of day, booking an accommodation, train or event, reading the date or dollar amount…these are all scenarios that are part of your travel planning and experience, and they require familiarizing yourself and knowing how numbers are written here…
• Time of Day
⇒ Learn to read time according to the 24-hour international/military clock, i.e., NO a.m. or p.m.!
Rule of thumb: The easiest way to convert is to just subtract 12 from any number from 12 to 24.
Example: 13 o’clock international time would be 13-12 or 1:00pm (0 hour is midnight, 12 is noon).
The 24-hour international clock is used in airports, train stations, etc. (and on your reservations), so it is important to know and understand.
• Dates
Dates are written differently. The month and the day of the month are reversed!
⇒The DAY is written first, then the MONTH, then the YEAR or DAY/MONTH/YEAR.
When reading schedules, booking flights or trains, making any reservations (e.g., accommodations, events) or filing out a form, be sure you read and write the dates correctly to avoid confusion!
Example:
June 12, 2025, would be written 12/06/2025 (or 12/06/25). This is NOT December 6, 2025!
• Money
⇒ You will be using euros (€) in Italy and amounts/prices are written like this:
€10,00 (or sometimes 10,00€) = $10.00
A comma rather than a decimal separates dollars and cents, so $250.00 = €250,00
• MORE:
And, in my book: Victoria’s Travel TipZ – Italian Style⇐
