SLS ITALY FAQe

     Following are a few simple FAQ you may be wondering about Vasto, Italy:

What kind of weather can one expect to find in Vasto in May?

Sunny and dry, rarely rains, with temperatures ranging 15-30 degrees Celsius. Generally, evening temperatures are unlikely to fall below 15 degrees Celsius, while noon may easily be 25-30 degrees C. Infrequent rain, mistral sometimes blows for three days. Bring light clothes – absolutely no wool – but denims, a cotton sweater or a light blazer.

How much money should I expect to spend? Do I bring cash or traveler's cheques?

The cost of dining and staying in town are much more reasonable than they are in Rome, Milan, Florence. Due, however, to the local currency, Euro, skyrocketing against the dollar, things are more expensive than they used to be. That said, those looking to get by on a budget can easily do so. For lunch – the main meal of the day – 10-15 euro will get you a nice pizza, or pasta dish, and small carafe of decent wine; normally, you would add an antipasto, or a second, that is a main dish; that, or an antipasto, for an extra 7-10 euro. Big eaters would spend approx euro 35. ATM machines are numerous and easily accessible. Forget traveler's cheques. You can use your credit cards to make purchases or pay for your dinner in most centrally-located stores and restaurants. Most cafes and pubs, however, do not take credit cards. Importantly, the local lifestyle is dominated by the passeggiata, leisurely strolls up and down the piazza, or the Loggia Ambling, and Belvedere; that, and a passion for conversation in the numerous local cafés provide much of the entertainment. The vastesi can often be seen drinking a quick stand-up espresso coffee – about $1.25 – or sitting down with a cappuccino and a free local paper, a little gossip or some people-watching – a wonderful and very cheap way to spend one’s off-time. Of course, there are aperitifs, some served with hors d’oeuvres, for about 3-4 Euro, and with no pushy waiters. Au contraire, you’ll find the opposite problem, trying to get their attention. A bottle of good wine in a risto costs 15 dollars; at the supermarket about 8 dollars.


Other expenses?

Excursions are NOT included in the Program. Trains are cheap; for example, a 50-mile ride to Pescara costs 7 dollars. Shoppers can find bargains for clothes, bags, shoes, leather goods, but brands can also be very expensive. Gold jewelry is comparatively a good buy, as it’s traditionally 18-carat, rather than 14. Electronic and sports goods are typically more expensive than in US/Canada, so bring your sneakers, hiking and jogging gear.

I am bringing a fairly expensive laptop; how safe is the hotel where we're staying?

Like in any other hotel in any other city, there are certain precautions participants should take to ensure their belongings are safe. The hotels are not densely populated at this time of the year, and the hotels are directly managed by trusted owners.

How safe is the city?

Safe. Vasto is a small town and though it’s no longer true that everyone’s related to everyone else, and everybody knows everybody else, it is still a fairly close-knit community, and this helps make it safe and secure for locals and visitors. Vastesi are typically quite reserved, not many speak more than a mouthful of English, so bring your pocket dictionaries, and a mobile phone, if possible. By and large, it's safe unless you engage in an unsafe kind of conduct, such as wandering alone idly late at night or getting into a heated discussion with a visibly inebriated jerk.

Still more questions?

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