It’s easy to see why millions of Britons flock to Italy every year. From beautiful beaches to one-of-a-kind historic sites and delicious food, there’s something for every type of traveller in this favourite European spot.The Amalfi Coast enchants people with its glistening waters, while Rome’s Colosseum impresses crowds day after day. But for all of Italy’s many draws, there are innumerable tourist traps and hidden charges that can make a trip here surprisingly costly.Getting there on a budget isn’t an issue; there are return flights to Milan in August for £42, Bologna for £56 and Venice for only £59. Hotels are also often reasonably priced, particularly if you’re not after luxury.Once there, however, it seems tourists are often subjected to scams and extra costs they hadn’t accounted for in their holiday budgets.One holidaymaker wrote about their trip recently on Reddit, describing how they were ‘overcharged at restaurants in Naples (extra drinks or pricier liquors added to receipts)’. In another incident, the user claimed that ‘a shop owner charged me for a necklace and bracelet but took advantage that I was talking with my sister and “forgot” to give me the necklace that I paid for’. Italy attracts millions of visitors every year with its historic sites, food and culture but a trip there can become more expensive than you might expectOne example of an unexpected cost to contend with in Italy is ‘coperto’ – which is added to the end of the bill after dining in a restaurant. When you sit down to eat in the UK, you expect that at the very least your seat, and perhaps even bread rolls and butter, are provided on a complimentary basis. However, tourists should be aware that on holiday in Italy, these basic amenities can incur an additional charge: usually a few euros per person that covers tableware, linen and bread or nibbles. It confuses some. Indeed, one holidaymaker complained on a tourism group on social media: ‘Currently in Venice and simply loving it but what is it with all the charges for bread and crisps?’We don’t order them, even when they are brought to the table we say: “We haven’t ordered these”, to which they reply it comes with the drinks and then we get charged! Can we refuse to pay?’ There have been other accounts of tourists left baffled with their bill after dining out, and one includes two Americans who ended up paying €44 for ice cream. Nicole Ann and her partner had been visiting the popular Piazza Navona in the Italian capital last month when they received the hefty bill.The couple ordered two ice creams, each meant to have two scoops at a price of €12. One unexpected cost for many tourists is ‘coperto’ – which is often added to the end of the bill after dining in a restaurant in ItalyHowever, they received two ice creams with three scoops each for €12, equating to €4 per scoop. The parlour also added whipped cream for an extra €2, a small macaron for €3, and a small cannolo for €5. This came to a staggering €22 per ice cream in total. The tourists reluctantly ended up paying the €44 bill. In a Facebook group for holidaymakers in Italy, Nicole, originally from Florida, bemoaned the ‘tourist trap’, declaring the dessert ‘the worst ice cream I’ve ever had’.Nicole Ann said she only realised she had been ripped off when she saw the receipt, as she claimed the ice cream shop had given the impression that the extras were free.In the Facebook comments, many tourists reported similar experiences and shared their frustration. ‘This is a scam, but it seems to be very common in tourist areas,’ one user commented. Travellers who like to share meals with their fellow holidaymakers may want to look out for an extra charge on their bill. Sharing meals with your fellow holidaymakers can add on extra charges too sometimesSeveral tourists have reported having to cough up for splitting a meal with someone, including one American traveller, who wrote on Facebook: ‘We didn’t have a problem sharing meals, but some restaurants did charge a fee for sharing. ‘Portions were smaller than we found in restaurants in the United States.’In another incident, a tourist who wanted to share a sandwich with his girlfriend in a café in Lake Como noticed ‘diviso a metà’ and an additional €2 added to his bill.The owner of the café defended the charge and, according to The Guardian, said: ‘To cut it in half took us some time, and work must be paid for.’We had to use two plates instead of one and the time to wash them doubled. And then two placemats.’ Similarly, an Italian couple in Alba ordered a crema catalana and asked for an extra teaspoon so they could share it. However, they were baffled to find a €1.50 extra charge for ‘due cucchiaini’ – two teaspoons – according to The Telegraph. One tourist who wanted to share a sandwich with his girlfriend in a café in Lake Como noticed ‘diviso a metà’ and an additional €2 added to his bill (stock)When paying for a hotel room, most tourists would assume bedding and towels are included in the price – but this isn’t always the case in Italy. One tourist took to Tripadvisor to describe the ‘rather odd situation’ they found themselves in regarding a booking they had made at a hotel in Florence. They checked the booking details beforehand and initially made sure it had ‘AC, a safe’ and other key amenities. They ‘didn’t pay close attention to sheets and towels having an extra fee’.Another holidaymaker claimed they were charged €34 (£29) ‘for sheets and towels for three people’ during a stay in Rome. It’s also not unusual to have to pay to use a public bathroom in some areas in Italy too, and one tourist recommended on Reddit: ‘Have some 50 cents coins and €1 coins with you.”Usually, the bathroom costs either 50 cents or €1. Some people get p****d if you hand them €5 and they have to give you change.’