Travel Tips

Banks, Foreign Exchange Bureaus and ATMs
Banks are open from 8.00/8.30am-1.30pm and 2.30/3.00-4.00pm from Monday to Friday.

Foreign exchange bureaus are available for tourists at airports, railway stations, major hotels and popular tourist resorts and abroad without any time limit.

Almost all banks have ATM machines, called Bancomats. Using your ATM or credit card at one of these machines will provide the best exchange rates and can save you considerably over the use of Travelers Checks.

Customs and Currency Regulations
There are no limits on importing euro or other currencies. Exporting currency from Italy is free up to a maximum of ten thousand euro or the equivalent in foreign currency. Customs authorization is required for higher sums.

The Euro is the Italian currency in circulation to-day and consists of coins of .01, .05, .10, .20, .50 cents and coins of 1,00 and 2,00 Euro and bank-notes of 5,00, 10,00, 20,00, 50,00, 100,00, 500,00 and 1.000,00 Euro.

The Italian customs authorities allow duty-free importation of the following articles (for non-commercial reasons and subject to declaration at the frontier): 200 cigarettes or 100 small cigars or 50 cigars or 250 gr. of loose tobacco: 1 litre of alcohol over 22 degrees or 2 litres of alcohol under 22 degrees; 2 litres of wine; 50 cc of perfume; 500 gr. of coffee. Tourists from EC countries can import larger quantities of duty-free goods (Inquire at customs).

In addition to personal effects, visitors are also allowed to bring in jewelry, two cameras, one video camera, one radio, one television, one tape recorder, one bicycle, one boat (with or without motor), two pairs of skis, two tennis rackets, one canoe, one surf board. These limits apply only to non-EU citizens.

Documents Required to Travel to Italy
In the chief towns of the provinces and almost all the tourist centers there are various bodies which provide information about staying in Italy. These organizations can be identified by their initials: APT (Azienda di Promozione Turistica), IAT (Informazioni Accoglienza Turistica), AAPIT (Azienda Autonoma per l'Incremento Turistico). Information offices are also widespread.

Minors travelling with parents, and who do not have a personal identity document, must be included in the passport of one of the parents.

Driving licenses and other traffic documents valid in other countries are recognized in Italy. A green card (or an equivalent international insurance certificate) is required for citizens from non-EU countries. An  International Drivers License issued by the AAA is recommended for visitors from the U.S. and Canada.

Pets are allowed to enter only if they are in good health and vaccinated against rabies.

A permit issued by an Italian consulate and endorsed by the frontier police, is required to bring in a hunting weapon.

Emergency Breakdown Services
Emergency breakdown services in Italy are run by ACI (Automobile Club d'Italia). The service operates 24 hours a day throughout the road network.

On the motorways breakdown services can be called through the yellow emergency posts located approximately every 2 km. Information about breakdown services is provided by the 18 ACI representatives at the frontier posts for entry to Italy.

Insurance
Citizens of EC countries who have the appropriate documents issued by their health authorities are entitled to national health care treatment.

Citizens of other countries are advised to take out insurance before their journey to cover possible health care and hospital expenses.

Museums
Opening hours are not uniform, although they are generally from 9am to 1pm/2pm. They are usually closed on Mondays. Inquiries about opening times and tickets can be made at the tourist offices or the museums themselves.

Petrol
Almost all the service stations in the country are equipped with pumps for lead-free petrol (95 octane) and diesel fuel. The fuel distribution network for gas-propelled vehicles is reasonably developed, especially in central Italy (ask for information at the ACI offices).

Service stations are open from 7.00am to 12.30pm and from 3.00pm to 7.30pm. At weekends and on public holidays they operate an alternating shift system, generally only in the mornings. Service is guaranteed 24 hours a day on the motorways. Automatic pumps, which accept 10,00, 20,00 and 50,00 euro bank notes, function in the evenings and at night. Carrying petrol in jerry cans is prohibited.

Post, Telegraph, Telephone
Post and Telegraph Offices are generally open from 8.00am-1.30/2.00pm from Monday to Friday, Saturday 8.00-11.45am. There may be shorter hours on the last day of the month or special occasions. Some counters (e.g. registered mail, telegrams) have different hours and in the main cities they may also open in the afternoon.

The telegram service can also be contacted by telephone, number 186.

Internet Cafès can be found in all cities and most towns.

Throughout Italy direct dialing is possible for continental and intercontinental communication. If there are difficulties an operator service can be contacted by dialing 15 for European countries or 170 for countries outside Europe.

Public telephones are available in every provincial chief town and there are also public telephones in over 300,000 bars and other premises.

In addition there is an extensive network of public telephone boxes which function using coins or phone-cards, sold in values of 5,00 or 10,00 euro at branches of SIP (the state telephone company), tobacconists, stations and other public places. However, due to the explosive use of Cell-phones the public telephone booths are not maintained as they should be.

Branches of SIP also provide a telephone credit card allowing phone calls in Italy and abroad without any time limit.

Public Holidays
1st and 6th January
Easter Sunday and Monday
25th April (Liberation Day)
1st May
15th August
1st November
8th, 25th and 26th December

Shops, Shopping
Opening hours of shops vary from region to region. In general shops are open from 8.30am to 12.30pm and from 3.30/4.00pm until 7.00/7.30pm from Monday to Saturday. They are usually closed on Monday morning.

Department stores and shops in tourist centers may remain open all day and, sometimes, until later in the evening.

The shops where one can buy typical products with the "made in Italy" label (clothing, leather goods, shoes, jewelry, art objects) are located in the historical centers of the cities. Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga in Milan, Via del Corso and Via Condotti in Rome, Via Toledo in Naples and the shops on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence are famous worldwide.

Shopping is less expensive in the department stores, found in various cities, and in the chain-stores run by major clothing companies. 

Time Zone
Italy is in the Central European time zone. Daylight Savings Time (+ 1 hour) is in force from the end of March until the end of September, as in almost all european countries.

Traffic Regulations
Speed limits are fixed at 50 km/h in urban areas, 110 km/h on main roads outside urban areas, 90 km/h on secondary and local roads and 130 km/h on motorways.

The new highway code recently introduced in Italy following EC directives also stipulates that one must not drive at a speed which is so slow as to hinder the flow of traffic.

There are speed limits of 80 km/h on all roads outside urban areas and 100 km/h on motorways for cars towing trailers or caravans. The wearing of seat belts in front and rear seats is obligatory. An appropriate harness system, taking account of height and weight, is obligatory for children from 3 to 12 years of age and less than one and a half metres tall.

The use of portable telephones is prohibited if they require intervention by hand to function.

The wearing of a helmet is obligatory on two wheeled vehicles. The flashing of headlights is permitted to signal an intention to overtake. The vehicle being overtaken must facilitate the maneuver and not accelerate. In cities the use of dipped headlights is allowed on all vehicles.

Finally it should be noted that, because of air pollution, the authorities in large cities may restrict the movement of motor traffic.

Transportation
Italy functions as a crossroads for Mediterranean air routes. Alitalia and other domestic airlines provide daily links between the Italian airports.

The rail network is adequately developed and widespread, especially between major urban centers and tourist areas. In recent years rail transport has experienced numerous technical innovations which have led to greater efficiency and speed. Rail ferry services, carrying cars, depart from Civitavecchia (Rome) and Villa San Giovanni (Reggio di Calabria) providing access to Sicily and Sardinia.

Special tariffs are available for tourists (information in travel agencies and railway stations). Note that train tickets must be stamped, before the journey, using the special machines provided in the stations.

Car ferries and hydrofoils link the mainland with the two main islands, the Tuscan and Campania Archipelagos, the Aeolian Islands, Ustica, the Egadi Islands, the Pelagie Islands and Pantelleria. Regular shipping services operate on the pre-Alpine lakes (Maggiore, Como, Garda, Iseo).

Public and private coach services link the cities and almost all population centers.

There are bus, tram, trolleybus and taxi services in the cities. Rome, Milan, Naples and Genoa also have underground railways. The main international car hire companies have branches all over the country. 

Useful Telephone Numbers
Emergency aid services: 113
Carabinieri: 112
Fire brigade: 115
ACI (Automobile Club of Italy): 116
The ACI assistance center can be contacted through the number (06) 4477.
News about motorway traffic conditions can be requested through the number (055) 2697.
Sailing conditions: 144 66 1906
Weather reports: 144 66 1911
Snow conditions: 144 66 1902
News reports: 144 22 1900
Entertainment news: 144 66 1908.

Direct dialing abroad from Italy
To call a telephone number in one of the countries listed below it is necessary to dial:- the number given in the table (international prefix + code for country)- the local code number of the particular city or area- the specific number required

European Countries
Lithuania 007012, Albania 00355, Luxembourg 00352, Austria 0043, Macedonia 00389, Belgium 0032, Malta 00356, Bulgaria 00359, Monaco (Principality) 0033, Croatia 00385, Netherlands 0031, Czech Republic 0042, Norway 0047, Denmark 0045, Poland 0048, Estonia 007014, Portugal 00351, Finland 00358, Romania 0040, France 0033, Russia 007, Germany 0049, Slovak Republic 0042, Great Britain 0044, Slovenia 00386, Greece 0030, Spain 0034, Hungary 0036, Sweden 0046, Iceland 00354, Switzerland/Liechtenstein 0041, Ireland 00353, Turkey (European) 0090, Latvia 007013, Yugoslavia 00381. NB Phone calls for states in the former USSR can be made from the departments in Rome and Milan. 

Countries outside Europe
United States of America 001, Argentina 0054, Japan 0081, Canada 001, South Africa 0027. Some countries can be reached through the "countrydirect" service, allowing the cost of the call to be debited to the receiver. The numbers to dial are: Argentina 172 1054 USA 172 1011, Canada 172 1001 " 172 1022, Japan 172 1081 " 172 1877.