What’s new in Italy? Another 24 hour scheduled transportation strike today has affected travel in Rome, Venice, Naples, Palermo, Bari, Torino, and other cities across Italy. Seventy-five percent of Italy’s buses ground to a halt this morning, and even some of Alitalia’s planes were grounded as some pilots participated in the strike.
Photo by High Contrast on Wikimedia Commons
Italians are used to these strikes and take it in stride, saying, “ci arrangiamo,” or “we do the best we can.” I guess it is their version of one of my mantras while traveling in Italy, “it is what it is.”
Usually these scheduled strikes, called scioperi in Italian, are publicized in advance so as a traveler in Italy it would be wise to google Italy transportation strikes and check whether any of your travel plans may be affected.
It is always better to know in advance so you can make alternative arrangements. Taxi drivers sometimes strike and frequently the trains are involved in four hour strikes or longer. Today even the vaporettos in Venice are involved.
Shelly Starkey
Hey, I’m going to fwd your blog to our eldest daughter (Brianna) – she loves Italy. I hope that is okay. love michele starkey
________________________________
margieinitaly
Thank you Shelly for forwarding my blog to your daughter. I am honored. Always happy to hear when someone else shares my passion for Italy!!!