2 Comments

  1. Rick
    September 8, 2013 @ 5:46 pm

    Hey Andy, I totally get what you’re saying. My wife and I visited the Amalfi Coast in Mid-April of 2012 and it was like a dream. Prices were lower and the crowds were minimal. We still had great weather and in fact even enjoyed the pool one day. Just two weeks later a friend of ours went and said it was “mobbed.” Two completely different experiences.

    I’m not sure if there’s a place in Europe more “seasonal” than Italy. This might because the Italians themselves all take their vacations that time of year. And of course there’s the old truth that tourist places become tourist places because they are so appealing. Even after they become victims of their own success, people still come because the underlying essence of the place remains–even if it’s hard to find behind the souvenir shops and bad restaurants.

    One thing that is inexcusable, though, is the rip-offs. There’s just no justification for it and in the end, it hurts everybody. It’s amazing that those places can be so short-sighted. Sure, he got your money and you’ll might not ever go back to his town. But as word continues to get out (and it is), the tourists in general are going to stop coming. This practice infuriates me, but hopefully blogs like yours and other media outlets will continue to expose these idiots. You should post the name of the place if you remember it.

    Great post, as always! You’re “rant” is completely justified!

    • Andrew
      September 9, 2013 @ 2:48 pm

      Hiya Rick, thanks so much for the comment.

      I can well imagine that the shoulder seasons are nicer. I expect it has something to do with the cruise ships as well, though I don’t really have data. The ships dump people nearby and they flood in, or they come before or after? Dunno.

      The rip off was annoying and very surprising to me. I have been traveling in Italy for years without any problems like that. A restaurant with high prices is about the worst that I can remember. I feel like there is a lack of respect from shop owners of the tourists. There is probably also a lack of respect from tourists that this town is someone’s home, so the blame is not in one spot.

      According to the sign on the place when I find it in Google Street view, the place is called Caffe Royal Restaurant. I wonder if every place on the street was doing it. I was full enough to not want to try anyone else. The place we had for lunch was really good and decently priced, so it definitely isn’t everyone.