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Italy Travel Information

About Italy

Situated in Mediterranean Europe, Italy has land frontiers with France in the northwest, Switzerland and Austria in the north and Slovenia in the northeast. The Ligurian Sea, the Sardinian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west, the Sicilian Sea and the Ionian Sea in the south and the Adriatic Sea in the east, surround the peninsula.

Rome

Situated on the River Tiber, between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the 'Eternal City' of Rome (Roma) was once the administrative centre of the mighty Roman Empire, governing a vast region that stretched from Britain to Mesopotamia. Today, it remains the seat of the Italian government and home to numerous ministerial offices, but is superseded by Milan, in the industrial north, for business and finance.

The legendary beginnings of Rome are related in the tale of Romulus and Remus. Princess Rhea Silvia, ravished by Mars, the God of War, gave birth to the twins and abandoned them to fate. The River Tiber carried them to the Palatine Hill, where a she-wolf mothered the babes until their discovery by a shepherd. Romulus later killed Remus, before going on to found Rome in the marshy lowlands of seven hills. The anniversary of Rome's foundation -21 April 753BC is marked by a public holiday.

The historians' version is no less astonishing, and traces the rise of the city from unimportant pastoral settlement (the earliest remains date from the ninth century BC) to vast empire, ruled over by a string of emperors from Julius Caesar to Nero. Although Rome's power has waned, the city remains the essence of European civilisation.

Rome saw a second period of development during the 15th century Renaissance, when the Papacy took up permanent residence in the city. Ruins dating from Rome's glory days lie within an area known as Roma Antica (Ancient Rome), and include the monumental Colosseum, and the Foro Romano (Roman Forum) - a crumbling legacy of pagan temples, broken marble and triumphal arches. Buildings from the Renaissance period are concentrated within the centro storico (historic centre), situated between Via del Corso and the Tevere (River Tiber). Here, a labyrinth of narrow, winding, cobbled side streets opens out onto magnificent piazzas, presided over by Baroque churches, regal palaces and exquisite fountains. The romantic Piazza Navona with Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers, Piazza di Spagna and the sweeping Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain immortalised by Fellini's La Dolce Vita (1959), all lie within walking distance of each other. Modern life continues amid this theatre of breath-taking monuments, as thousands of years of history are animated by more recent innovations: Sophisticated boutiques, rowdy pizzerias and a merry-go-round of cars, buses and mopeds.

Across the river, to the west, lies the Vatican State, home to the Pope and spiritual centre of the Roman Catholic Church. South of the Vatican one finds the bohemian quarter of Trastevere, packed with trattorie and small wine bars, and further south still, the Testaccio district, renowned for night clubs and live music.

Tourism is a major source of income, and visitors come and go throughout the year. The city is blessed with a warm Mediterranean climate, making it particularly pleasant to visit in autumn and spring. In August it is hot and sticky and most of the locals head for the coast, many shops and bars close for the summer break, and the streets are strangely empty save for visitors.

Until recently, Rome was frequently criticised for being noisy, chaotic and poorly maintained. However, when the year 2000 promised an influx of an estimated 30 million pilgrims, the city flourished as decades of urban renewal came to light: Tons of scaffolding were finally dismantled to reveal beautifully restored facades, cleverly revamped museums and a much improved public transport system..

Milan

The city of Milan is more than 2500 years old. Its location determined her great strategic importance, attracting every European conqueror or ruler. Little is left of the city's past glory; On three occasions Milan has been totally or partially destroyed by war. Visiting Milan, you cannot miss the Duomo, a Gothic cathedral built in 1386, which is the symbol of Milan. Beside the Duomo, stands the Royal Palace, a fine example of Neo-classical architecture. The Scala, the most important opera house in the world, is also located in Milan. The museum, attached to the opera house, contains important objects and materials, such as the Verdian collection.

We have divided our guide to local accommodations into several geographic areas and alphabetically. You can begin browsing for lodging options in Milan by selecting one of the options shown below.

Industrial Milan, with its traffic and smog, its frenetic activity and enterprise, capital of fashion, luxury, business and fog, always displays its artistic, historic and cultural heritage with a certain shyness, but for the attentive visitor it can also show itself to be a hospitable and welcoming city, without grandeur or showiness. Tourists visiting the Lombard capital are very naturally struck by the traditional promenade along Corso Vittorio Emanuele or in Montenapo' and Via Spiga, by the pleasure-seeking atmosphere of society night-life, by the poetry of certain views, art-nouveau palazzos and windows, little architectural jewels to be discovered in every corner. Milan also increasingly attracts Italian and foreign visitors to a series of not-to-be-missed events: fashion shows, Trade Fairs, major sports and cultural events. It manages to renew itself continually, through proposals in pace with the concerns and desires of its inhabitants.

Venice

Venice is only one of several island-and-canal cities in the Veneto lagoons. The historic center of Venice's millennia-old glass trade is the island of Murano, while the rather more distant island of Burano is famed for its lace-making, a spin-off of its more prosaic tradition of weaving fish nets. Venice's most rural neighbor island is Torcello, covered with farms and forests. Here, too, is the earliest church in the area, founded in 1008, and filled with Byzantine mosaics.

Out toward the open sea is the long sand spit called the Lido, famed for it's belle ?poque hotels, casino, and beaches. This is where Venetians have for centuries adjourned to relax, catch some fresh air, and dally in the surf.

Although not part of the lagoon, Padua is linked to Venice by the Brenta Canal, along which wealthy Venetians built summer homes in the 16th century. A trip up the canal, along with lunch and tours of the old villas, makes for a nice day out from Venice.

Venice lies at the center of a shallow lagoon created by the estuaries of three rivers and protected from the Adriatic by a fragile line of sand bars. Through the centuries, Venetian engineers modified these elements to provide a better environment for the life of the city: two natural channels through the lidi were blocked to minimize flooding and the lidi were reinforced by massive sea walls. The rivers had been diverted to prevent silting up of the lagoon; one-third of the lagoon has been filled in, and the next major intervention will be the installation of movable flood barriers across the ports. The lagoon is 32 ½ miles long from the mouth of the river Sile (North) to that of the Brenta (South). It covers an area of more than 193sq. miles navigable channels, some natural and some excavated by man; they are marked by wooden or concrete piles. Apart from Venice itself, there are about 40 islands in the lagoon, half of them uninhabited.

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Area

116,500 square miles (slightly larger than Arizona).

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Population

57,700,000 (Rome, 2,775,000; Milan, 1,369,000; Naples, 1,067,000).

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Climate

Italy has a temperate climate due to the moderating influence of the sea and the protection given by the Alpine barrier from the cold north winds. Nevertheless, the weather varies considerably according to how far one is from the sea or the mountains. The winter is very cold in the Alps, cold and foggy in the Po Plain and the central Apennines; mild and even warm on the Ligurian coast, the Neapolitan coast and in Sicilia. The summer is hot and dry, but the temperature is mitigated on the coast by sea breezes and in the Apennines and Alps it is pleasantly cool. In mountain areas, winter is ideal for skiing, and summer for excursions, hiking, etc. Seaside and lake resorts, with their excellent hotel facilities, have an intense tourist season in the summer, while the cities that are rich in art treasures are ideal in spring and autumn.

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Entry

By Road. The main border crossings with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia are open 24 hours a day year-round. Some mountain passes are closed during the winter. Blue signs with white letters distinguish state and provincial roads.

By Air. There are many domestic links between the Italian airports. Major cities each have their own main airport/s, which has connections with the towns.

By Sea. Italy has a total of almost 8,490 Km./ 5,275 miles of coastline, including the peninsula itself and all the numerous islands in the seas around the country. There are many services linking the islands by sea to the mainland: the main links are by car ferries and hydrofoils. In addition, ships from all the countries around the Mediterranean are moored in the well-equipped Italian ports. The main Italian ports of embarkation for the large islands of Sicilia and Sardegna are: Genova, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Fiumicino, Napoli and Villa San Giovanni.

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Visa

A visa is not required for a U.S. or Canadian citizen holding a valid passport unless he expects to stay in Italy more than 90 days and/or to study or seek employment. If, after entering Italy, the tourist decides he would like to stay more than 90 days, he can apply, once only, at any police station (questura) for an extension of an additional 90 days. he will be asked to prove that he is a bona fide tourist with adequate means of support and that he does not request the extension for study or employment. As a rule, permission is granted immediately. Non-American citizens should check current visa requirements with the nearest Italian Consulate before departure.

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Customs

Luggage is examined on entering and leaving Italy. Free entry is allowed for personal effects: clothing (new and used), books, camping and household equipment, fishing tackle, 1 pair of skis, 2 tennis racquets, portable typewriter, record player with 10 records, tape recorder or Dictaphone, baby carriage, 2 still cameras with 10 rolls of film for each camera, 1 movie camera with 10 rolls of film, binoculars, personal jewelry, portable radio set (subject to a small license fee), 400 cigarettes and a quantity of cigars or pipe tobacco not exceeding 500 grams (1.1 lb).

All items mentioned above may be imported duty-free only on condition that they are for personal use and are not be sold, given away or traded. A maximum of two bottles of wine and one bottle of hard liquor per person may be brought in duty-free. The bottles must be opened. A maximum of 4.4 lbs. of coffee, 6.6 lbs. of sugar and 2.2 lbs. of cocoa are allowed duty-free.

Overseas tourists arriving in Italy after visiting other countries are allowed to carry with them souvenirs purchased in other countries up to a total value of $500 and only a verbal declaration is required. Purchases may include up to a half-liter of perfume.

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Language

Majority: Italian.

Minorities: German, French, Slovene, and Ladino.

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Time

In terms of standard time zones, Italy is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the USA and Canada. Daylight saving time in Italy goes into effect each year usually from the end of March to the middle of October.

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Currency

The new monetary currency is the Euro which is divided as follows: bills of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500; coins of 1, 2, 5, 10 Euros, 20 and 50 cents.

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Credit Cards

The most reputable establishments in Italy accept major credit cards. The ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) in Italy are known as Bancomat. There are many to be found in the large cities and even in small towns. It would be best to have the two most popular and widespread banking systems -- Cirrus and BankMate - to ensure compatibility.

Top Cities in Italy