“Rome is dangerous”  
This is a rather silly idea that I think outdated guidebooks must have instilled in people’s minds in the past.  Rome, any way you paint it, is not a scary or dangerous city.  In fact little changes between daylight and moonlight, and very few areas are really nasty and scary places to be (which you’d be hard-pressed to find as a visitor).  Crime is primarily organized (ha ha) or passive- meaning that your worst experience here will involve getting off a bus and realizing someone stole your wallet.  The only really bad scene in Rome will be in some of the city’s loud and wild late night clubs, where plenty of patrons wait for you to get too tipsy to notice your purse is walking away.

“Venice smells”
I hear this all the time, namely from people who I wager have never been to a port let alone Venice before.  Venice smells indeed, if you mean it smells like the SEA!  While I wouldn’t go swimming in its canals, mainly due to boat traffic, I can promise you that the rumor is untrue:  Venice is magical and smells how you might expect a city floating on a lagoon to smell: like the enchanting waves that surround it!

“Naples is gross and covered in trash”
Ok, so while it may be true that Naples is not the picturesque city that Italian guidebooks choose to grace their book cover, Naples is simply an amazing city that no one should discourage people from visiting.  They have historically had lots of trouble with garbage collection (ie: strikes) but this is not a phenomena that plagues the city 365 days a year and personally I rarely have encountered mountainous heaps of garbage there (at least no more than you might find anywhere else in Italy where a few dumpsters must hold an entire street’s refuse for the day).  Naples is a city densely layered with history and character.  The Neapolitans are friendly to visitors and you can expect to spend a  lot less money in accommodations and food compared to other Italian cities.  Not to mention the museums here have priceless ancient artifacts, especially from Pompeii.  If you’re a traveler with grit and the desire to see more than just “fancy” Italian cities, Naples is a MUST!

“You don’t have to tip in Italy”
If you see a “tip” jar at a bar, a pub, it’s not there for decoration.  While it may be true that not everyone expects tips here, it’s not the case that you automatically don’t have to tip anyone. No-Tipping folks claim that you since you pay an extra charge to sit at a restaurant called the “coperto”, you don’t have to pay any gratuity.  That’s fine if you feel that 1 euro per person is enough to cover a tip for the service you received BUT if you really think your waiter did a great job, hand him/her some extra coins after the meal.  With private drivers, taxis, and tour guides, it’s also a nice gesture and good idea to tip.  How much do I mean by tip?  Whatever you feel is appropriate…there is no magical 15% formula here.

“Cheap wine must be bad wine”
Folks visiting Italy from countries like the USA especially have the idea that “good” wine must cost a small fortune (thanks Napa).  The good news is that in Italy, you can get stellar wines for less than 10 Euros, easily.  Keep that in mind when you are buying wine to bring back to a friend!  Also, the best value at a restaurant is usually the “vino da tavola” (table wine) or the “vino della casa” (house wine).  These are young and inexpensive wines made by local wineries from local grape varieties (and sometimes international ones like Merlot).  Don’t feel like dropping 20 Euros on a bottle for lunch?  Just get a mezzo litro of some regionally made house wine and get a taste of what the locals sip on!