Workaway Italy could prove to not only save you money since Italy can be expensive, but help you to understand local, Italian life.
For many, Italy is their dream country to visit and for good reason too!
Italian architecture, history, food, landscapes, beaches, and fashion, are some of the many attributes that draw people to Italy.
Another prominent reason is the fact that so many emigrated from Italy to places all around the world, making Italian culture spread far and wide.
Though authenticity may have weakened as it spread, the cultural diaspora is obvious if you consider how popular ‘Italian’ food is all around the world.
As Italy has become more and more popular as a destination, many tourist hot spots like Venice, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi coast, etc, have become packed and very expensive.
Even with this, Italy still has many other beautiful and less crowded places to visit.
Getting off the beaten path in Italy is still possible, especially if you volunteer and live with locals to learn their way of life.
Read Anda’s first-hand experience of volunteering in the gorgeous Italian countryside here.
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What To Expect Culturally
Italy is known for moving a bit slower than others.
This slower way of living might not be considered ‘efficient’ and yes, it means that things might not get done quickly.
Is that wrong though? People often find more joy in the simple, slower pleasures of life rather than constantly dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, etc.
Want to know more about slowing down for more meaningful travel experiences?
Check out my all-encompassing guide to slow travel.
In Italian cities, you can expect the pace of life to be faster than the rural countryside.
If you want to do remote Workaway in Italy though, start preparing yourself to experience a slower pace of life.
Like I said before, this is not bad, just different!
Food Is The Cornerstone Of Italian Culture
Food plays a major part in Italian life.
Meals, especially lunch and dinner, are regarded as an important way to bring a family together.
It is so essential that my Italian friend described it as a sort of ‘ritual’.
With Italy’s high standard of food, I am not surprised that mealtime, especially dinner, is a cornerstone of their way of life.
If you do a homestay through Workaway, try to mentally prepare to eat dinner at a later time (usually after 8 PM) too since this is quite normal in Italy.
Dinner time can vary though. Usually, it is earlier in the north and especially in the winter months, and at later times in the south and the summer because the daytime is till later.
Did you know that the slow food movement started in Italy? Read more about it here.
Discover how you can connect with locals by visiting local markets together, attend a local taught cooking class, or share a meal in a local home.
If you are interested in finding the most authentic food experiences, read my guide here.
In Italy, the culture of meeting people to socialize is largely done at cafes and bars.
Though a cafe sells coffee and a bar sells alcoholic drinks, in Italy, they are both referred to as a ‘bar’.
Usually, if you are looking to meet with a friend in the morning, you would go to the bar (cafe) for an espresso, cappuccino, or macchiato.
In larger cities and towns there will probably be more choices to choose from compared to rural places.
To socialize in the late afternoon or early evening, you could go to a bar (selling alcohol) for ‘Aperitivo’.
This is where you sit outside if it is summer or inside during the winter, to have a cocktail with some small snacks.
Aperitivo is from 6-8 PM and one of the most popular cocktails for this is an Aperol Spritz.
Aperitivo is traditionally from Venice, though it has been adopted all around Italy.
If you are in the Venice region, they will often serve you a cocktail and then you have it standing or sitting in the main square rather than outside the bar.
Related: Awesome hostel jobs in Italy
Another thing to mention is Apericena.
This takes the word ‘Aperitivo’ and combines it with the word ‘cena’, which means dinner in Italian.
Instead of having a few small snacks with your cocktail, there is a food buffet.
This is a more modern thing that is popular in cities but not necessarily in rural areas.
Religion In Italy
Religion is approached differently than what you might be used to.
Unlike where I am from, community or social activities are not based around a particular faith or religion.
Catholicism has had and still does play a huge part in Italy’s culture, but an individual’s faith is a more personal matter that would not be discussed that much.
What To Pack For Workaway Italy
What you need to pack will vary depending on what region of Italy and the season that you plan to volunteer.
The essentials for the northern mountains will be much different than a seaside or city Workaway experience.
Here are a few items that will be essential for exploring at most times of the year.
Polarized sunglasses (when the sun does come out, it can be very strong so I suggest these because they help me and I have sensitive eyes)
Indestructible water bottle (a great purchase for saving money and cutting back on single use plastic. These ones are basically indestructible and perfect for hiking adventures)
Hiking pack (this brand has amazing quality and can be used for more than hiking. Mine is often my travel bag or everyday bag since it has a laptop sleeve)
Durable adventure sandals (I can easily say this brand is the best I’ve ever used, the sandals last for 5-10 years and come in so many amazing colors and styles. I have two pairs and love them!!)
Waterproof hiking boots (If you love to hike, then these will be essential to you. Waterproof boots will come in handy if you plan to Workaway in the off season months)
International travel adapter (I bought one of these 3.5 years ago and have used it everyday overseas and it still works great)
Common Types of Workaways In Italy
- Farming
- Homestay
- Gardening
- Renovating projects
- Child care
- Language practice
- Rebuilding abandoned towns/villages
Check out these 99 amazing and diverse Workaway projects to fuel your passion for travel.
Where To Stay In Between Workways
Chances are, if you are traveling by public transport, you will be transiting through cities or having to stopover in a city.
For city stays, book cheap hostels on HostelWorld.
For both cities and countryside, Booking.com is an excellent option since they have such a wide range of rooms, apartments, and even whole houses for both affordable and moderate prices.
Homestay is great for finding local families to stay with at an affordable price.
You get to feel right at home when you arrive and it’s perfect for long term stays.
If you need accommodation but have not had the chance to arrange a Workaway, it’s good alternative to hostels and hotels.
Get €20/$25 off your first Homestay trip!
If you can’t find a suitable Workaway, make sure to check out TrustedHousesitters to find house and pet sitting opportunities in Italy.
Recommended Places In Italy To Try Workaway
Cities To Visit/Stay
Bologna
A small university city that is very young and alternative.
It is beautiful with an extremely rich culture and there’s always so much going on.
The countryside around it is nice and it’s easy to visit other beautiful small cities in the area.
Turin
A metropolitan city that is very livable as the public transport is good and the city center has very limited traffic.
In general, it’s not a chaotic city. It is full of trees, a lot of baroque architecture, and porticoed roads.
Perugia
A nice city with a medieval city center at the top of a hill combined with a new city all around it. The region is beautiful and the city isn’t too big.
Stunning Lakes To Visit
Lago Maggiore
Lago di Como
Lago di Garda
Lago Trasimeno
Beautiful Provinces That Are Lesser Known/Touristy
- Trentino Alto Adige
- Piedmont
- Liguria
- Emilia Romagna
- Marche
- Umbria
- Abruzzo
- Puglia
- Sicily
Books To Read Before Visiting Italy
- Ratking by Michael Dibdin
- The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
- A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
- Turning Tuscan by Sam Hilt
- My Love Affair With Italy by Debbie Mancuso
Italian Authors
- The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
- The Garden of the Finzi Continis by Giorgio Bassani
- The Moon and the Bonfire by Cesare Pavese
Best Time To Do Workaway Italy
The best time to volunteer in this Mediterranean country would be in the ‘shoulder’ season.
This means that you would avoid July and August as they will be the busiest and the hottest months.
Instead, visiting in April, May, the beginning of June, September, and early October.
These months should be less crowded and still warm.
Even in the colder months, November to March, Italy is still worth visiting as it has a lot more to offer than just a sun holiday.
Prices tend to rise to accommodate summer tourists, so visiting in the colder months will help you save when you travel to or from Workaway experiences.
Travel Insurance For Workaway Italy
Italy’s healthcare system is regarded as one of the best in the world as it is ranked 2nd and third-best medical performance worldwide by the WHO (World Health Organisation).
“Emergency medical service is always free of charge. First aid is provided by all the public hospitals: for urgent cases, it is completely free of charge for everyone (even for the undocumented), while a copay (about $35) is sometimes asked for non-urgent cases. Emergency medical service in Italy is 118. – Healthcare in Italy”
Though emergency care is covered in Italy, it is still important to cover yourself in case something goes wrong beyond that.
Travel medical insurance is great for things that would not be covered by the Italian emergency healthcare like the co-pay fees, emergency dental, travel delay, lost checked luggage, natural disasters, personal liability, etc.
Now, if you are one of the people that claim it is not a necessity, think again!
It is by far one of the most important purchases for your trip.
If it is a matter of cost, well… if you can not afford it, you probably should not be traveling.
I always use SafetyWing because they have wide coverage and are the most affordable.
Read more: 12 Tips To Find The Best Work Abroad Travel Insurance
Visas While Doing Workaway Italy
For EU & EEA nationals
Entering Italy will be fine as you are a citizen of the European Union or EEA.
For Non-EU nationals
Check this website to see if you need a visa to enter Italy as a ‘tourist’.
The requirements to obtain a tourist visa will vary depending on which country you are a citizen of.
If you are already in the Schengen area, you will not go through immigration as you enter Italy as you already entered through a different country.
It is important to be aware that if you don’t need a visa (citizens of countries on the visa waiver program) you can enter and stay in the Schengen for up to 90 days.
The immigration control could give you less, though they probably won’t.
These 3 months count for all of the Schengen area, not one particular country in the area.
Staying 3 months in Italy and then flying to Malta or Denmark will not reset your tourist visa since they are both still within Schengen.
Generally, Workawayers do not apply for a work permit or work visa because Workaway is classed as ‘volunteering’.
A lot of countries see it as volunteering because the Workawayer is not paid a wage but some do.
They could view the act of receiving food and accommodation as a form of payment for which you would need a permit.
This is very much a gray area that Workaway.info does not talk about.
It is important to say that there is no specific Workaway Italy visa.
You can read more about entering Italy and volunteering here on the official website so you can decide for yourself.
Please note that this blog post is only for information purposes and should not be regarded as a substitute for immigration or legal advice.
Added Tips For Workaway Italy
#1 Language
At most, learn as much Italian as you can before volunteering.
At the very least, you should learn common Italian phrases that will come in handy.
Having this small book of Italian phrases should help if you are stuck, use the Lonely Planet Italian Phrasebook & Dictionary.
Now some would consider this a stereotype or generalization so do not take it super seriously.
Generally, the more you travel south to Italy, fewer people will know English.
With that being said, another generalization is that though there is a lack of English, people tend to be warmer and friendlier.
Of course, there are some areas that this wouldn’t be the case because it has been more developed like Naples and the Amalfi coast.
In no way am I saying that this is meant to cast a bad light onto the country.
I would not (and believe others should not either) judge a country on how well they speak English.
I have expressly written about fighting the ‘speak English’ mindset in this article about mindful traveling.
I am writing this to warn you to not have a particular expectation or be surprised if it is a little more difficult for you.
I would suggest that you put a priority on learning and practicing Italian if you are to volunteer anywhere in Italy and even more so if you will go to the southern regions.
I am recommending this because I think it will help you make the most out of your time there.
Usually, if you try to speak Italian, it will show people that you care and are trying. On this subject, my Italian friend said,
“I don’t think anyone would be offended if you butchered Italian. I think most people would find it cute and think, ‘Oh look at them. They are trying so hard. This is so nice.’”
So do not worry if you might mess up, people will be more likely to give you some grace and help you with whatever you need the best that they can.
#2 Stereotypes
There are many rude and negative stereotypes about Italy and Italians.
While you are there, keep an open mind and make sure to not assume things, especially if you are living with locals through Workaway.
#3 Fresh, Organic Produce
Take advantage of amazing, organic produce.
Produce and sometimes other great quality food items can be bought at the ‘mercato’ which means market in English.
They are what we know as a farmer’s market or an open market.
These will be outside and sometimes with tent coverings overhead.
Locals will buy their vegetables and fruits from there and not usually at the supermarket, which is called ‘supermercato’.
These will always be inside like a normal supermarket that you are probably used to.
#4 Public Transport
Trains are run at the national level by ‘Trenitalia’, but busses are done differently depending on the region/province.
There are also a few different types of trains:
The fastest trains: Frecciarossa / Frecciabianca
Medium speed: Intercity
Slower speed: Regionale
Short distances: Metropolitan
Has this guide helped you prepare for Workaway Italy? Check out these complete Workaway guides for New Zealand, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
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