Travel Tips to European Countries: Italy

About the county

Italy , the birthplace of pasta and pizza provides a wide range of choices for artwork lovers to experience. A temperate climate exists here with very hot summers and not so cold winters. The weather is the best in spring and autumn with pleasant temperatures and scenic views. At that time of the year, the place isn’t crowded much and things can be enjoyed in leisure.  Incase of emergency call 112. For fire call 115 and for ambulance call 118.

Best Time To Visit

April to June, when it’s not too crowded or hot

Culture

Italian is widely spoken and is the official language. English isn’t very familiar to the locals. Family ties are of utmost importance here and hence social courtesies mean a lot to the locals. There is a great impact of the Roman Catholic Church on the culture here. There is a high content of chlorine in tap waters, so bottled water is recommended for staying fit during the trip. Since Italian is spoken on a wide scale, it is highly recommended to learn few common Italian phrases which can be of great use. Social gatherings call for formal wear, but one can dress in casuals otherwise. At some religious places, sleeveless shirt and shorts are frowned upon. So they are better avoided. Purses and wallets should be well guarded and in case of any theft, police should be informed about the incident.

Experiences that should not be missed

·        The first thing to check out is the leaning tower of Pisa, where Olympics originated.

·        At places like museums and art galleries, photography, especially flash photography is restricted. Check out the ticket counter for more information.

·        Italy should be majorly discovered on foot for a thorough viewing of all the beautiful buildings and monuments. Coaches and trains are a good option to get to a tourist spot.

·        Hiring a car and driving through the beautiful Tuscan countryside

·        Feeling history surround you in the ruins of Herculaneum or Pompeli

·        Queuing for hours to enter the Uffizi Gallery in Florence

·        Venturing offshore to the less-touristy islands of Sicily and Sardinia

·        Wandering along the canals of Venice and shelling out the euro for a gondola ride

·        Window shopping in Milan’s Golden Quad or Rome’s Via del Corso

Shopping

Shops here are open from 9am to 8pm, closed for lunch. Quality of goods is great although the prices are very less. Items like crystals, lacework, leather good, and jewelry can be bought at the stores. Remember to hold on to the receipt. Tipping of 10% is customary along with the service tax levied on the bill. Italy is famous for top designers of the world, so do buy clothes and accessories to update your wardrobe. Cruises have formal gatherings in the evening, so ensure to buy a cocktail dress or some formal wear, though casuals can be worn at other times.

Try local delicacies:

Eat polenta (cornmeal), baccala (salted cod), risotto nero(flavoured with squid ink), sfogliatella (pastry filled with ricotta), panettone(fruit bread eaten at Christmas)

Drink espresso (strong coffee), Chianti (Tuscan wine), marsala (sweet wine),grappa (grape-based liqueur)

Further Pleasures:

To read: Umberto Eco’s masterful The name of the Rose, medieval whodunit with a difference.  Guiseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s The Leopard charts the demise of Sicilian royalty and rise of Italian nationhood

To listen: Pavarotti, one of the world’s most beloved tenors; Andrea Bocelli, wildly popular for his renditions of popular classics; and Javanotti, known for his wacky rap styling

To watch: Roman Holiday for a romantic fix or try Fellini’s classic, La Dolce Vita; for a modern view, L’Ultimo Bacio explores issues affecting Italy’s 30-something

Electricity

The voltage used is 220 volts and 50 Hz frequency.

Getting there

Alitalia is the national airline of Italy.  Many other flights connect to Italy from USA, Canada and Australia and there is big competition to attract passengers giving a wide range of offers to travelers.  Rome airport is located 26 km away from the city and it takes 45 minutes to get there from the airport.  Trains connect directly to Termini Station from where one can take taxi to get to their destination. Duty free shops, bank, car hire and restaurants are the other services provided at this airport. Milan has another famous airport here, which is at a distance of 45km away from the city.

Brindisi , Ancona, Naples and Venice are the major seaports of Italy.

Italian State Railways connects many European cities. But, Eurostar provides the fastest train service.

If choosing to drive, don’t forget to carry international driving license and international insurance certificate. Roads connect Italy to France, Austria and Switzerland. Many coach services are provided from the neighboring countries.

Duty Free Items

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250g of tobacco

2liter of wine and 1liter of spirits (over 22 per cent) or 2liter of fortified or sparkling wine

50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette; 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract (if over 15 years of age)

100g of tea or 40g of tea extract

Gifts not exceeding €89. 96 (if entering from an EU country), €175 (if entering from a non-EU country).