If you're looking for a camera while on holiday in Italy, look for the phrase 'fotocamere digitali'. This can be particularly useful if you lose your camera or need to report it missing or stolen to the police.
In a visit to the Italian Riviera some years ago, I left my camera in my hold luggage and arrived at the airport to find it missing. I didn't bother to inform the local police as I assumed that my holiday insurance would cover the item.
Thinking I had my camera covered, I set off on my fly-drive holiday assuming that everything was fine and put in a claim for my stolen camera when I returned from holiday. However, I was informed over the phone that I needed to have reported the theft to the police for my insurance to be valid.
All in all it made for a much more expensive holiday than I'd budgeted for and in future I'll always make sure I report the theft of any valuables, otherwise there's no point in buying insurance in the first place.
If you're looking to replace your stolen camera while you're on holiday, you may baulk at the idea of wandering into a camera shop and starting a conversation if your Italian language skills are a little rusty. There's no need to be afraid though. The use of the simple phrase 'fotocamere digitali' will lead you to the camera section.
From there, you can ask the assistant to point out the various camera functions or simply examine them yourself. Most camera functions are fairly self explanatory and as cameras are largely made overseas and bought worldwide, they can generally be set up using various language settings, which usually include English. So, why not be brave and give it a go?
