Travel Info

Favoured by the warm influence of the Mediterranean Sea and by the protection offered by the Alps Montains from the cold winds of the north weather in Italy can be perfect for spending your vacation. The winters are warm and rainy and the summers are hot and dry. Still the climate varies from the northern regions to the southern ones , and from the seaside to the central Apennines. In the Alps region the winters are long and cold making them ideal for skiing . While in the Po plains and the Apennines winter is foggy and chilly in the coastal areas and the peninsula south of Florence is mild and pleasant. Summer can be very dry and sunny especially in Sicily and Sardinia, but on the seaside is mitigated by the sea breezes and in the Alps and central Apennines is cool and humid.

Traveler checks are widely accepted in all italian cities and major tourist areas. Many shops and restaurants will accept major credit cards with no problem and some of them even show the logo in their front.
The italian currency is Euro. Euro denominations are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 for notes and coins are issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 euros. If you have a credit card or a debit card you cand use it at ATM , wich in Italy are called bancomat .There is also the possibility to exchange your traveler checks for euros or cash in some money at local banks. Banks are opened from 8:35 a.m. to 1:35 p.m. and from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m every day excepting Saturday , Sunday and national holidays. If you come to Italy in vacation and want to exchange your own currency for euros you can use an exchange office ( in italian Ufficio di Cambio) or ATM machines and banks. Important tip: the best rate of exchange that people can get is using a bank or a post office!.

If you visit Italy in your holiday it is important to be aware of the heavy fines imposed on tourist who are purchasing counterfeit goods from purses to watches, belts and other luxury bearing famous fashion trademarks.When you leave or arrive in Italy your luggage is going to be checked by the custom officers in order to see if you are bringing more than your personal effects. For tourists from the European Union the only necessary paper at the custom office is the identification card. Citizens of the U.S.A. and Canada are required only valid passports when entering or leaving Italy. For the members of the remanining countries a request for VISA is absolutely necessary to be aloud to visit Italy.

It is better to visit Italy having an insurance policy before getting there. In case of medical emergencies tourists should go to the local hospital emergency room or dial 118. If you need a treatment or a medical assistance you can use a doctor or use the advise of the pharmacists. Pharmacies timetable is similar with the shop times but one or maybe two in each town are opened non-stop. The term for doctor is Medico, for pharmacy is Farmacia and for the first aid service is Pronto Soccorso.

Calling from Italy back home or to other countries is easy because there are many public phones available throghout the country that can be operated using coins or by buying a calling card . Cards can be bought from everywhere, from postoffices to newsagents. Here is a list with some phone numbers that a tourist should know when sightseeing Italy: 113 for emergency police help , 115 for the fire department, 116 for the A.C.I. (Italian Automobile Club) - for road side assistance, 118 for medical emergencies and 176 for international inquires.