One of the most delightful things about authentic Italian food is its simplicity. Dishes are rarely composed of more than a handful of ingredients, and the interventions and cooking techniques applied to those ingredients are minimal. Likewise, Italian kitchens themselves are generally simple, and small.

Driving in Italy requires two things. An abundance of courage, and a complete lack of shame. Without these, my polite and perplexed foreign motorist, nought but fear and chaos shall you endure. 

Aperitivo literally translates to "to open" - as in, to open the stomach before a meal. In reality it refers to the practice of enjoying a drink prior to dinner, along with a selection of snacks, ostensibly designed to prepare your body for the meal ahead.

Of course, your first task will be to enjoy an Italian breakfast. There are many delightful bars throughout the town, but my favourite for the exceptional quality of the pastry and the terrifyingly stern efficiency of the barista is Pasticcieria Dianda. Another excellent option is Pinelli, however the ordering and payment fiasco there is not for the faint of heart.

It might not be the most polite topic of conversation, but being caught short in Italy without a plan can be quite the ordeal for the uninitiated. Many of the emergency strategies that exist at home are not options here. And so to prevent any discomfort (or much worse in dire cases), here is my guide to public toileting in Italy.

Walk slightly out of the main tourist area. And then walk into pretty much any greengrocer or delicatessen you see. The older and more dated the signage out front and decor within, the better. If you can see a flickering fluorescent tube light from the front window, you know you’ve hit the jackpot. 

It hardly needs saying that Italy is serious about coffee. While many other countries drink it, few other places on earth are as culturally inseparable from it. And it is this entanglement between a simple beverage and a national identity that results in the many unspoken rules governing how it should be enjoyed.