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General Information On Italy |
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Passport and Visa Requirements Embassy Information Books About Italy Health Matters A Few Tips About Safety! Language Information For Italy Travel Etiquette for Italy
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Passport and/or Visa Requirements:
For information concerning entry requirements for Italy, travelers can contact
the Embassy of Italy at 1601 Fuller Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, telephone:
(202) 328-5500, or the Italian Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Detroit,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, or San
Francisco. There is also a lot of good information available from the Italian
Tourist Office, 212-245-4822.
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Embassy
Information:
U.S. citizens who plan to be in Italy for more than a
few weeks, or who have friends or relatives who may wish to contact them, should
register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Rome or at one of the
three U.S. Consulates, where they may obtain updated information on travel and
security in Italy. The U.S. Embassy in Rome is located at Via Veneto
119/A, telephone: (39-6) 46741.
Additionally, U.S. Consulates are located in Florence, at Lungarno Amerigo
Vespucci 38, telephone (39-55) 239-8276/8/9, or 217-605; Milan, at Via Principe
Amedeo 2/10, telephone (39-2) 290351; and Naples, at Piazza Della Repubblica,
telephone (39-81) 5838111. U.S. Consular Agents are located in Genoa, Via
Dante 2, telephone (39-010) 584492; Palermo, 18/BIS Via Re Frederico, telephone
(39-091) 6110020; and Trieste, at Via Roma 15, telephone (39-040) 660177, fax
(39-040) 631240
Books and other informational resources:
Acquerello Italiano
is a bi-monthly Italian audio magazines for the intermediate to advanced speaker
that is designed to take their speaking and listening comprehension to the next level. Every issue,
which is published by Champs-Elysees,
takes the form of an hour long radio broadcast featuring interviews with Italian celebrities as well as up to date news from the
worlds of art, business, literature, politics etc. Previous guests on the programs
include Giulio Andreotti, Alberto Tomba and Federico Fellini. Each magazine comes with a complete transcript and a comprehensive glossary
together with optional linguistic exercises. Available on both CD and cassette.
I have always found that it is always a better, and much more enjoyable trip,
when you can at least speak a little of the language of your host country.
Check the Eyewitness Travel Guides Italy. Both Barnes and Noble and Amazon each have thousands of books on travel, and several on Turkey. Check them out. I also find that Fodor's guides are very good.
Invitation to Italy - A trip to Italy is unlike any other trip imaginable. A beautiful, confounding, exciting, educational experience that will be remembered for a lifetime. Italy is cluttered with beautiful old towns and buildings, but more important, Italy is crowded with beautiful, friendly, congenial people. After 112 wonderful nights in 63 different places during eight trips to Italy, beautiful Italy, we don't remember anything that wasn't a few hundred, or even a couple of thousand years old. The purpose of our book is neither to boast about, nor to celebrate our travels. Whether traveling in a car, a train, or in an arm-chair, the reader will become acquainted with the wonderful people they will meet, and the fascinating places they may visit as they travel through the enchanting country of Italy. The title, Invitation to Italy was carefully selected. A vacation should not be a destination, it should be the journey. We have been able to travel with the idea that "it has been here for many years, and if we miss it this time, it will still be here the next time we are in the area." Relax and Enjoy. This book suggests "Why Not Travel" thousands of other books try to tell you "How to Travel." (This description of the book was written by the authors.)
Check Fodor's 1999 Florence, Tuscany and Umbria (Fodor's Gold Guides)
and see if you don't agree.
"Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy" by
Frances Mayes describes this wonderful area of Italy as
no one else can. Another good book by Mayes is
"Bella Tuscany: The Sweet Life in Italy"
"Midnight in Sicily"
by Peter Robb is another good read on Italy.
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Archaelogy
Odyssey Archaeology Odyssey Magazine is published by the editors of Biblical Archaeology Review, and features a wider focus than BAR by presenting the archaeology of ancient cultures such as Egypt, Greece, Rome and Mesopotamia - "the cradle of civilization." |
Here are some good, and interesting, travel guides for Italy:
"Eyewitness Travel Guide: Italy"
by Deni Bown. It is filled with information you need to know for your trip.
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Archaeology Articles are written by professionals and edited for the general reader. |
Of course "Rick Steves' Italy 2000"
gives you an overview of this wonderful country as only Rick can.
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Biblical
Archaeology Review Archaeological findings are explored to uncover the mysteries of the past, primarily as they relate to Biblical writings. Pictures, graphs and charts, and maps help communicate this fascinating information which helps the reader understand the historical events described in the Bible.. |
In "City
Secrets Rome"
, which is edited by Robert Kahn, you will find all of those sometimes out-of-the-way places you would never have thought to see.
Click here for language
helps, dictionaries,
electronic translators,
language software and other helps for learning
a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the
country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip
more. Jim.
One of the best ways to get good travel information is to check with folks who know a lot about the area in which you plan to visit. I recommend that after you get the general information you are seeking about Italy, you check with
Allexperts - Italy
where you may ask volunteer experts questions about travel and tourism, and attractions for free! Allexperts and Getting Away With Jim Bruner, working together to give you the best in reliable travel information.
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Medical Facilities:
One cannot help but be concerned when traveling about what to do if you become
sick or injured. Medical facilities in Italy are adequate for most
emergencies. Many hospitals in major cities have at least some personnel who
speak English. I once had someone on tour who became ill and she was taken care
of quite nicely. However, you may find that public hospitals in some areas
sometimes do not maintain the same standards as
hospitals in the U.S. It is recommended that travelers obtain insurance that would
cover a stay in a private Italian hospital or clinic. In public hospitals,
patients are billed some time after discharge. Private hospitals usually require
cash payment before discharge and neither credit cards nor foreign medical coverage
is generally accepted. Further information on health matters
can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control
international travelers hotline on (404) 332-4559. You should also check
my page on Health Matters.
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Travel Warnings,
Advisories, Areas of Instability and other safety information:
Italy has a very low rate of violent crime, little of which is
directed toward tourists, and a very safe place in which to travel.
However, petty crimes such as pick pocketing, theft from parked cars, and purse
snatching, are serious problems -- especially in large cities. Most thefts
occur at crowded tourist sites, on public buses, or at the major railway
stations such as Rome's Termini, Milan's Centrale, Florence's Santa Maria
Novella, and Naples' Centrale. Carrying wallets or purses should be
avoided when possible. When carried, shoulder bags should be held tightly under
the arm with the clasp facing the body. Waist packs may be worn in the
front, although they can unobtrusively be opened and sometime cut off from the
body with a knife or scissors. Extra cash, credit cards and personal
documents are better left in a hotel safe. Travelers should only carry what cash
or checks are necessary with any large amounts in a money belt. I always
keep photocopies of passports and financial documents, credit card, drivers
license, travelers' checks, and excess cash in my money belt keeping only what I
believe I will need in my pocket.
Thieves in Italy often work in groups or pairs. In most cases, one thief distracts a victim while an accomplice performs the robbery. This was recently done to Pat and I in Milan. However, all we lost was a package with a T-shirt. Groups of street urchins are known to poke tourists with newspapers or pieces of cardboard to divert their attention so that another urchin can pickpocket them. In one popular routine, one thief throws trash or waste at a victim; a second thief assists the victim in cleaning up the mess; and the third discreetly takes the victim's belongings. Criminals on crowded public transportation slit the bottoms of purses or bags with a razor or sharp knife, then remove the contents through the bottom. The best thing to do is just be very careful.
Theft of small items such as radios, luggage, cameras,
briefcases, and even cigarettes from parked cars is a major problem.
Robbers in southern Italy take items from cars at gas stations (often by
smashing car windows). Tourists should immediately report thefts or other crimes
to the local police station. In a scam practiced on the highway running
between Rome and Naples, one thief punctures the tire of a rental or out-of-town
car. An accomplice signals the flat tire to the driver and encourages the driver
to pull over. When the driver stops, one thief helps change the tire, while the
other takes the driver's belongings.
The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to
the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. U.S. citizens can
refer to the Department of State's pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" for
ways to promote a more trouble-free journey. The pamphlet is available from the
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC
20402.
Language Information
For Italy
Click here for language
helps, dictionaries,
electronic translators,
language software and other helps for learning
a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the
country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip
more. Jim.
Travel
Etiquette
Behavior and customs vary greatly from country to country. We
discuss the correct travel etiquette so that you won't be caught out.
TravelEtiquette was formed to offer a unique reference
point on essential etiquette advice and information for worldwide
travel. Our features and articles are written by professional
journalists and experts - who have a particular interest, or a
background in this area. So – know before you go. Visit
TravelEtiquette so you will know how to, as the old adage states, “When in Rome,
do as the Romans do.”
Italy Phone Adaptor
- Modifies the Italy outlet to accept one US style RJ11
connector and one Italy connector to allow use of connection for both the US
line and the Italy phone line simultaneously.
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