Italy Information

Trevi Fountain Rome

Italy is located in the southern part of Europe. It is famous for its land shape, resembling a boot. A long peninsula, surrounded on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea and on the east by the Adriatic, Italy is bounded by France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia to the north. The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula’s backbone; the Alps form its northern boundary. The largest of its many northern lakes is Garda; the Po, its principal river, flows from the Alps on Italy’s western border and crosses the Lombard plain to the Adriatic Sea. Several islands form part of Italy; the largest are Sicily and Sardinia.

Time Zone – Italy is GMT +1

Climate - Italy has many different regions with different weather conditions, however, generally speaking, Italy is a Mediterranean country with plenty of sunshine and mild weather.

In the Alps, temperatures are lower and winters can be long and severe. Milan, Florence and Rome have a Mediterranean climate similar to that in southern Italy because they are protected by the Alps but winters are severe and summers torrid in the Po valley. Venice can be hot and humid in summer and, although not too cold in winter, it can be unpleasant if wet or when the sea level rises and acque alte (literally ‘high waters’) inundate the city. This is most likely in November and December. In Florence the weather can be quite extreme but as you travel towards the tip of the boot, temperatures and weather conditions become milder. Rome has an average summer temperature in the mid-20s (Celsius).

Population and Religion - Italy has a population of 51.9. million. 85% of the population are Roman Catholic although there is no state religion and religious freedom is permitted.

Venice

Languages - Italian is the official language although English is widely spoken.

Currency - The local currency is the euro. You can change money in banks, at the post office or in a cambio (exchange office).

Credit Cards - All major credit cards are widely accepted and ATMs are also widely available.

Banking Hours - Bank business hours are standardised across Italy. Business hours for banks in Italy commence at 8:30 and continue until 1.30pm when they close for lunch. These banks open again in the afternoon only for one hour from 3.30pm. Banks in Italy are open from Monday to Friday.

Passport and Entry Requirements – Must have a valid passport. Australians and New Zealanders do not require a passport if visiting Italy for less than 90 days. If your driving licence has been issued by a non European country you must have an International Driving Permit.

Australian Consulate-General
3rd Floor, Via Borgogna 2
Milan 20122 Italy
Telephone:+39 02 776 741
Fax:+39 02 776 74242
E-mail:Australian-Consulate-General-Milan@austrade.gov.au

Australian Embassy in Rome
via Antonio Bosio, 5
00161 Rome
tel: (+39) 06 852 721
fax: (+39) 06 8527 230

New Zealand Embassy
via Zara 28
00198 Rome
tel: (+39) 06 441 7171
tel: (+39) 335 203 769 (after hours)
fax: (+39) 06 440 2984

Health – Visitors entering Italy are not required to undergo vaccinations prior to their arrival.

Duty Free - A traveller arriving from a non EU country can bring a maximum amount of cigarettes of 200 pieces (1 carton). A traveller circulating through EU countries can bring a maximum amount of 800 cigarettes (4 cartons). 2 Litres of wine or 1 litre of hard alcohol.

Voltage and Plugs - Electricity in Italy is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC).

Phone & Internet - The International Telephone Code for Italy is +39.
Italy is technologically advanced and internet and mobile phone carriers are plentiful.

Safety and Dress – Italy is a safe country for travellers. There are no dress restrictions.

Tipping – A 10% gratuity in Italian restaurants and cafes is customary if you are pleased with the service. Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped but you should tip porters in hotels.

Medical & Emergency Services – Opening hours for pharmacies in Italy are from 9am to 12.30pm and again from 3.30pm until 7.30pm. Most pharmacies are open on Saturday mornings although it’s rare to find them open in the afternoon on a Saturday and Sunday.

There are special provisions for Australian and New Zealand citizens who are entitled to free medical check ups. All tourists, irrespective of their nationality, can be treated in all Roman hospitals. The standard of medical care in Italy is high.

Emergency Numbers
ROME The common emergency number for Rome is 113. The number for medical assistance is 118 and the number for fire brigade is 115. In case of accidents on road or breakdown of car, help can be accessed by dialing 116.

Water - The tap water is safe to drink.

Alcohol - There are no restrictions on the consumption of alcohol.

Food & Drink- Italy is famous the world over for its beautiful cuisine. Breakfast can be a cup of rich Italian coffee or a cappuccino and a croissant. Sandwich bars are popular for lunch with toasted ciabatta sandwiches, called ‘pannini’, a favourite. A full sit down Italian dinner will consist of an appetizer (anti-pasto), a pasta/shop (primo), meat/fish (secondo) which is normally accompanied by a salad and sometimes vegetables (contorno). Alternatively you can grab a pizza in one of the country’s many pizzerias.

The most popular drink in Italy is wine and it is drunk with nearly every meal. It can be purchased in restaurants in quarter, half and litre bottles, the cheaper option is to buy it from supermarkets. Most spirits and beers are served in Italy – be sure to check out local Italian beers such as Peroni and Dreher and Italian brandies like Stock.

Entertainment - Entertainment options in Italy are diverse and range from the traditional, incorporating a blend of many cultural and and historic influences, to nightlubs, bars, opera, theatre and live music. Regional entertainment varies and combines both modern and traditional cultural aspects.

Florence Cathedral

Shopping – From haute couture to leather goods, fine wines, jewellery and much more, Italy is famous for its fabulous shopping. Florence is one of Italy’s top cities for shopping and is known for designer fashions, leather goods, gold, and fine stationary. Shopping in Rome is fantastic, from fashion boutiques to flea markets.

Shops in Italy generally open at 9am and stay open until between 1 and 2pm when they close for lunch. Afternoon shop opening hours are generally from about 4 to 8pm. Most shops open for at least a half day on Saturday while others treat it as a normal working day. Few shops are open on Sundays. Large supermarkets and department stores are the exception to this and many of them open for half a day on Sunday while throughout the rest of the week they are open from 10am to 7.30pm.

A value-added tax of around 20%, known as IVA (Imposta di Valore Aggiunto), is slapped onto just about everything in Italy. If you are a non-EU resident and spend more than €155 on a purchase, you can claim a refund when you leave. The refund only applies to purchases from affiliated retail outlets that display a ‘tax free for tourists’ (or similar) sign. You have to complete a form at the point of sale and have it stamped by Italian customs on your departure from Italy.

Public Holidays, Celebrations & Festivals:

• New Year’s Day-1 Jan
• Epiphany-6 Jan
• Easter Sunday-8 Apr
• Easter Monday-9 Apr
• Liberation Day-25 Apr
• Labour Day-1 May
• Anniversary of the Republic-2 Jun
• Assumption of the Virgin-15 Aug
• All Saints’ Day-1 Nov
• Day of Immaculate Conception-8 Dec
• Christmas Day-25 Dec
• Santo Stefano-26 Dec