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Villas to rent in Italy - Luni Holidays |
 Information about Italy.In this section we aim to give you some general information which we hope you will find useful when visiting this beautiful country. At other points of the site we have information about specific places, activities, food and wine and a host of other information to help you to get the very best from your holiday home in Italy. Airports and airlines.Italy has over thirty domestic and international airports servicing airlines from around the world. For detailed information about routes and timetables please contact the individual airports of departure/arrival or visit the websites of the individual airlines given below. For more details on the five arrival airports close to Lunigiana and Liguria as well as a guide to "no frills" carriers from the UK see our Air Travel Guide. Airports.
Major airlines.Airlines are listed in alphabetical order with their Italian telephone numbers and appropriate websites.
Animals - Certificates required by customs.Dogs and cats. Entry is permitted if the animals are accompanied by a certificate of of origin and health issued by a foreign public health authority recognised in Italy and bearing all the identification particulars of the animals and their owners. The certificate must state that the animals are healthy and have received rabies vaccination at least 20 days and not more than 11 months from the date of the certificate. Other animals. Birds, fish, frogs and tortoises may enter if accompanied by a certificate of origin issued by the authorities in the country of origin stating that the animal has been subjected to a health examination and is immune from infectious diseases. Protected species A CITES certificate must be produced, in accordance with the Washington convention, for the entry of protected species.
Customs formalities and documents.Visitors to Italy are required to have the following documents; Identity card issued by the commune of residence for citizens of the EU, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, Malta and Turkey. Valid passport and entry visa for non-EU citizens. Note: a driving license is not considered to be an identity document. Cars, motorcycles and trailers. Log book and international insurance.
EmbassiesThe Italian Republic maintains normal diplomatic relations with all the countries in the world, and the diplomatic missions of nearly all of the European and non-European nations are to be found in Rome. Some smaller countries delegate larger powers to represent their economic and political interests. There are also foreign consular missions in the major Italian cities. The following is a list of the major embassies starting with the member countries of the European Union.
Emergency numbersIn Italy emergency calls can be made from all public and private telephones free of charge and at all times.
To call an ambulance from a mobile phone 167 510 869
Health and visitors with disbilitiesHealth The Italian health service is recognised as being the second best in the world, only France being judged better. Citizens of European Union states qualify for comprehensive health care on condition that they have a valid identification document. They should also have an E111 form (not compulsory). Citizens of non-European Union states that have agreements with Italy can obtain temporary health care; those from states with no agreement with Italy must take out private insurance. Visitors with disabilities. There are facilities for the care and assistance of the disabled all over Italy. Organised on a regional basis there are many specially equipped organisations, both public and private that offer care and assistance. For a detailed list contact the tourist information office in the region you intend to visit or visit the website of the Ministry of Health at www.sanita.it
Postal services and telephonesPostal services The following services are available at post offices:
Stamps can be bought from post offices and tobacconists Post boxes vary in colour depending on the service provided; red post boxes are for ordinary internal mail red and blue post boxes are for priority mail, and blue post boxes are for international mail. Telephones Calls to and from Italy To make international calls from Italy dial the international code of the country you are calling followed by the area code (if any) and the telephone number. To call Italy from abroad dial 0039 followed by the area code including the initial zero, and the telephone number. For mobile phones dial 0039 followed by the telephone number minus the inital zero. Public telephones Public telephones are available in many places such as bars and restaurants in addition to public phone booths and may take coins, credit cards or telephone cards. Cards can be bought from news stands, tobacconists, bars etc. You must break off the corner of the card or it will not work. Calls to emergency numbers are free. Mobile phones The GSM system covers all of Italy and call charges depend on the international roaming agreement between your national contractor and their Italian counerpart. Visitors from the United States should check that their phone is compatible with European frequencies. Operator services.
Public holidaysThe following are public holidays in Italy:
Opening times and ShoppingOpening times. Banks. Although there is no national rule, transactions can normally be made between 8:30am and 1:00/1:30pm and between 2:30/3:00 and 4:00/5:00pm Monday to Friday. In larger towns some counters may be open on Saturday morning. Post offices. Post offices open either part-time or full-time. Opening hours are:
Museums. National museums should close for one day per week but they often stay open every day from 9:00am to 5:00pm especially in the high season. In summer this is sometimes extended to 11:00pm. Shops Shops are normally open from 9:30 to 7:30/8:00pm with a about a 3 hour break for lunch. In the north this is usually from 12:30 to 3:30 and from 2:00 to 5:00 in the south, especially in summer. However more and more shops are staying open through the lunch "hour" especially those in the large city centres and main summer resorts. Restaurants. In the north restaurants are normally open from 12:00pm to 3:00pm and from 7:00pm until almost midnight. In the south opening and closing times tend to be a little later. Most restaurants close for one or two days per week. Closing days are decided by the restaurant owner and vary widely. Petrol stations. In towns stations are open from 8:00am to 1:00pm and from 2:30pm to 7:30pm. Many stations now offer automated self-service 24 hours per day and accept both cash and credit cards. On motorways service stations are open 24 hours per day. Shopping VAT (Value added tax) is charged on purchases at the following rates: 20% on services, drinks, clothing etc, 10% on mineral water, medicines etc, and 4% on the staples such as bread and milk. Visitors from countries which are not members of the European Union can enjoy tax-free shopping at shops displaying the "tax-free shopping" sign.
TimeItaly is in the as Central Europe time zone which is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Summer time (Central European Time + 1 hour) is in force from the end of March to the end of October as is the case in almost all European countries. |
