Travel tips Italy: general information

Info and Description

Are you planning your holiday in Italy , but you do not know the Bel Paese well? Here are some useful tips on currency, the language used, religion, medical assistance, emergency numbers to call in case of need, schedules and major holidays, not to risk arriving in Italy completely unprepared. To learn more read our tips on when to go to Italy , what to bring and how to move in Italy.

Time zone

Throughout the peninsula the time zone corresponding to the Greenwich meridian is applied (GTM 1) but with the application of summer time in summer, so at the beginning of spring the clock hands are moved forward one hour and beginning of autumn, the solar time is restored.

Italian currency

Since 2001 the currency used in Italy is the euro. There are eight coins (1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 euro) and seven banknotes (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euro).

Credit cards accepted

As well as being in contact, in Italy it is possible to pay with the most common credit cards . Usually accepted credit cards are shown at the entrance to shops and clubs. By paying with a credit card you may be asked to show proof of identity.

Mance

As for the heats, in Italy there are no consolidated rules. The tips are not mandatory even if it is customary to leave a figure equal to about 10% of the amount of the account in the event that the customer is satisfied with the service received.

Official language

The official language is Italian . Depending on the region there are also very different accents and dialects. There are, however, two regions in which in addition to Italian there is an official second language: Valle d'Aosta, which also speaks French and Trentino Alto Adige, which also speaks German .
Then there are some circumscribed areas in which idioms other than Italian are used, although not official: in Friuli-Venezia Giulia there is a Slovenian language band, in Calabria and in Puglia there are areas of Greek language. In Sicily, in the Piana degli Albanesi, lies the most important Albanian community in Italy: it is commonly spoken Albanian, an idiom used also in official documents and in road signs.

Religion

The Italian Constitution guarantees freedom of worship. Most of the population follow the Catholic religion , but there are also many minor religious communities of Christian or Catholic inspiration and others that refer to religions such as Islamism, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Medical assistance

In Italy, foreign visitors from EU and non-EU countries have exactly the same rights as Italian citizens as regards free emergency medical treatment in the emergency rooms of public hospitals. Health care benefits for EU citizens in Italy , supported in public facilities can be fully repaid. In order to facilitate payment and reimbursement procedures, it is best to have the European Health Insurance Card with you. The benefits of Italian private health care must be paid at the time of service and any reimbursement may be requested upon returning home.
The entry visa in our country is issued only after stipulation of a health insurance, necessary for health care in Italy for non-EU citizens . Health insurance entitles you to healthcare in Italy and in the entire Schengen area for the entire duration of your stay.
For minor disturbances you can also contact the pharmacies , where you can ask for advice or buy over-the-counter medications. During busy periods, the main tourist resorts offer health care facilities in Italy for foreigners with multilingual staff and available to tourists 24 hours a day.
For more information you can consult the portal of the Ministry of Health

Emergency numbers

If you have to face problematic or dangerous situations, you can contact the security forces responsible for the security of citizens and foreigners staying in Italy. Just call the national emergency numbers : 112 Carabinieri , 113 State Police , 115 Firemen, 117 Finance Police , 118 Health Emergencies .

Call in Italy

To call an Italian telephone number from abroad, enter the international code 0039 (39) followed by the user's phone number. To call from Italy to another country, you must dial 00 ( 39) and the country code of the country to which you are calling, followed by the user's phone number. To make calls within Italy, simply dial the number without a country code. Before leaving, it is advisable to contact the operator in your country to activate the international roaming service if it is not already active automatically.

Internet connection

Whether you are traveling for leisure or for work , now internet is essential. In Italy, in many structures there is the possibility of connecting to the web directly in the room or in the common areas. On our site you can choose from a wide range of farms with wi-fi. There are also numerous Wi-Fi access points in airports, railway stations and other public transit and waiting areas.

National holidays

In Italy the calendar of national holidays consists of 12 days : January 1 - New Year, January 6 - Epiphany, Easter (the date varies from year to year, Easter Monday (the day after Easter, April 25 - Anniversary of Liberation , 1 May - Labor Day, 2 June - Republic Day, 15 August - Assumption of the Virgin Mary, 1 November - Feast of Ognisanti, 8 December - Immaculate Conception, 25 December - Nativity of Jesus, 26 December - St. Stephen .

Look at the facilities on our website and book your holiday in Italy in one of our farms, B & B, holiday homes and apartments throughout Italy.