Italy Travel Facts & Tips

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Captial City	Rome

Dialing Code	(00) 39

Emergency Numbers	Ambulance 118, fire brigade 115, police 112/113

Weather	During summer, the south is far hotter than the north. There is generally a big temperature difference between the north and south – especially in the mountain regions with their heavy winter snowfalls. In winter, it can be -2°C and snowing in Milan, while it is +12°C in Rome. The wettest area is the north of the country (the wettest and coldest months are October-December, the hottest months are July and August). The average annual temperature In the Po Plain is about 13°C; in Sicily, about 18°C and in the coastal lowlands, about 14°C. The Po Valley and the Alps are characterized by their cold winters and warm summers.

Tourist Board website	www.italiantourism.com

Most Famous For	Pizza and pasta, wine, the Romans, Renaissance art

Useful Phrases	buongiorno (hello), grazie (thanks), mi scuzi (excuse me), quanta costa? (how much is it?), sta scherzando! (you’re joking!)

Accommodation	Italy’s major cities and tourist areas offer a good variety of accommodation, from hotels to family-run bed & breakfasts and room rentals, although hostels are rather rare. Camping is very common in Italy, but especially during summer, you should book in advance to guarantee your spot as it becomes very popular. In rural areas in Tuscany, Piedmont, Umbria, Abruzzo, Sardinia and Apulia there are also farms that offer accomodation, which provide a great way to discover the ‘real’ side of the country. They offer good and healthy food, wonderful natural beauty and an all-round great experience at low-budget prices.

Business Hours	Shops are generally open from 09.00 -19.30 Mondays to Saturdays, although some of them close from 13.00 - 15.00. Sunday all shops are closed, except kiosks at train stations and most petrol stations.

Visas	Citizens of countries that are included in the Schengen (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden) do not need a visa. United States citizens, Canadians, Australians, New Zealand citizens, Irish nationals and British citizens must have a valid passport. A visa is not required for stays of up to 90 days. South Africans need a valid passport and a Schengen visa.

Tipping	In restaurants service is generally included in the bill. In addition in most restaurants there is the so-called "coperto" (cover charge ranging between approx 1-3 Euros) which is automatically added to the bill too. Since waiters do not earn that much in Italy, tipping will definitely make the staff happy, but you are not obligated to do so. You would generally tip 5-10 per cent of the price. Tipping hotel porters and taxi drivers is appreciated, especially when they have been helpful with your luggage. Again this is not compulsory but certainly quite usual.

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