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TRAVEL TIPS &
RESOURCES |
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Hefty fines are
imposed on Tourists
purchasing
counterfeit goods
while visiting Italy |
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As part
of our
ongoing
commitment
to
ensure
the
safety
and
security
of
travelers,
the
Italian
Government
Tourist
Board
strongly
recommends
that
tourists
do not,
under
any
circumstances,
attempt
to
purchase
any
counterfeit
items,
as this
may end
up
costing
them
well
more
than an
authentic
product. |
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As of
May 2005
a new
legislation
was
implemented
(which
carries
fines of
up to
10,000
Euros
for
people
caught
purchasing
counterfeit
products,
and
criminal
charges
for
anyone
caught
selling
counterfeit
goods.)
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It aims at a
national wide
crackdown on the
sellers and buyers
of counterfeit
items, i.e. purses,
sunglasses, watches,
belts, etc bearing
luxury labels such
as Prada, Gucci,
Fendi only to name a
few. |
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Customs Regulations |
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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,
computer, CD player
with 10 CD's, tape
recorder or
Dictaphone, baby
carriage, 2 still
cameras with 10
rolls of film for
each camera, 1 movie
camera, 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). |
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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 not be
open. A maximum of
4.4 lbs. of coffee,
6.6 lbs. of sugar
and 2.2 lbs. of
cocoa are allowed
duty-free. |
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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 litre of
perfume. |
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Exports from Italy |
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There are no
restrictions on
gifts purchased in
Italy except for
antiques and works
of art. These
require the
authorization of the
Ministero dei Beni
Culturali e
Ambientali. |
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Canadian Regulations
on Purchases Abroad |
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Any person residing
in Canada returning
from a trip abroad
can qualify for
personal exemption.
All articles
acquired abroad,
whether purchased or
received as gifts,
or purchased at a
duty free shop,
either abroad or in
Canada, must be
declared by the
traveler on return
to Canada. |
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U.S. Regulations on
Purchases Abroad |
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Each
U.S.
tourist
may
bring
back to
the U.S.
duty-free
$400
worth of
goods
purchased
abroad.
The
goods
must
accompany
the
traveler.
A flat
rate of
10% is
assessed
on the
next
$1,000
worth of
goods
purchased.
Parcels
containing
gifts
may be
sent
from
abroad
to the
U.S.
duty-free,
providing
the
total
value of
such
parcels
received
by one
person,
one day
does not
exceed
$50.
Each
package
should
be
marked
"Unsolicited
Gift".
The
amount
paid and
the
contents
of the
package
should
be
declared. |
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Passport Regulations |
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A visa is not
required for a U.S.
or Canadian citizens
holding a valid
passport unless they
expect to stay in
Italy more than 90
days. No visas (and
no extension to
previously issued
visas) may be
granted to tourists
who are already on
Italian territory. |
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For other questions
on passport or visa
regulations check
the official Italian
Embassy website:
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http://www.italyemb.org
http://www.esteri.it |
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Traveling With Your
Pet |
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As of October 2,
2004 a new European
Union regulation (EC
998\2003) applies
for the
non-commercial
movement of pet
animals (cats, dogs,
and ferrets) in the
European Union
Member States. Pets
may enter Italy only
if accompanied by
their owner or a
person responsible
for them on behalf
of the owner during
their movement in
Italy, and are not
intended for sale.
Up to a maximum of
five pet animals are
permitted. |
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In
accordance
with the
above EC
Regulation,
it is
mandatory
to
obtain,
for each
pet, a
European
Community
Veterinary
Certificate,
issued,
in the
country
of
origin,
by a
certified
veterinarian,
containing
information
about
the
pet's
general
state of
health
and
proving
there is
an
effective
vaccination
protection
against
rabies:
animals
under
the age
of three
months
may not
travel
to
Europe
since
the
anti-rabies
vaccine
is not
administered
before
the pet
is three
months
old. |
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Pet animals must be identifiable
by a clearly readable tattoo or
an electronic identification
system (microchip/transponder),
which provides the pet owner's
name and address. The
certificate (issue date not to
exceed 30 days prior to the
departure date) is valid for 4
months from the date of the
official veterinarian's
signature or endorsement by the
competent Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (USDA
U.S. Department of
Agriculture's) or Canadian Food
Inspection Agency, and is
equivalent to the EU Pet
Passport. The certificate forms
are available from Italian
diplomatic of consular
representatives, whose
authentication or certification
is not needed. |
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To introduce pet animals in
Italy from third countries, it
is not necessary to subject the
animals to tick or echinococcus
treatments. Parrots, parakeets,
rabbits and hares also require
health certificates, and, upon
entering Italy, are subject, to
examination. |
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In Italy, it is mandatory to use
a muzzle for dogs that walk on
the streets or any open space
without a leash, and a muzzle
and a leash for dogs in public
places and public
transportation. |
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Registration for Tourists |
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The formality of registering
with the police within 3 days of
a tourist's arrival in Italy is
attended to by the hotels one
stays with. If staying with
friends or in a private home,
the visitor has to register in
person at the nearest police
station within a 3-day period.
In Rome there is a special
police information office to
assist tourists. |
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Vaccination Certificate |
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No vaccinations are required to
enter Italy or to reenter the
U.S. and Canada. |
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Emergency Telephone Number |
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For Medical Emergency dial 118 |
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Healthcare and Medical
Assistance |
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Tourists requiring urgent
medical care should go to the
nearest hospital emergency room
(airports and many train
stations also have medical teams
and first aid facilities). Those
with serious illnesses or
allergies should always carry a
special note from their
physicians certifying in detail
the treatments in progress or
that may be necessary. |
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Pharmacies (Farmacia), generally
follow shops times (approx. from
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from
3:00 to 7:30 p.m., Monday to
Saturday, but in large cities
many are open no-stop.
Night-time service is provided
on a shift basis. Business hours
and night shifts are displayed
outside of each chemist's (they
are also published in local
papers). Before departure, it is
advisable to procure a document
certifying coverage by the
national health-care service. |
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Health Services and Insurance
Policy
Italy has no medical program
covering U.S. and Canada
citizens. Therefore, U.S. and
Canadian tourists are advised to
take out an insurance policy
before traveling. First Aid
Service (Pronto Soccorso) with a
doctor on hand is found at
airports, ports, railway
stations and in all hospitals.
Medicines can be obtained only
from the pharmacy, whether they
are on prescription or over the
counter.
Tax
refund for purchases made in
Italy by non-resident visitors
According to the Italian law,
based on the European Community
provisions, as a non-resident
visitor, you can claim a refund
for goods and services tax paid
for goods intended for personal
or familiar use purchased in
Italy. For more information see:
Agenzia delle Dogane [Italian
Customs Agency] official web
site
www.agenziadogane.it
Companies specializing in
refunding sales tax
www.premiertaxfree.com
www.globalrefund.com
Travelers Checks
Will shops in Italy accept
traveler's checks?
In major Italian cities and
tourist areas traveler checks
are accepted. The rate of
exchange is calculated on the
daily rate of exchange shown on
the newspapers.
ATMs
and Debit Cards
Can I use my Credit Card/Debit
Card in Italy?
Yes. Most reputable
establishments will accept major
credit cards. Those
establishments accepting credit
cards will post the logos in
their front windows, just as
they do in the USA and Canada.
Are
there ATMs in Italy? Will I need
to know Italian to use the ATMs?
Yes. The ATM (Automatic Teller
Machines) in Italy are known as
Bancomat. There are many to be
found in the large cities and
even in small towns. The
machines operate just as they do
here; at the beginning of the
transaction, it prompts the user
for the preferred language.
Using a credit card, or even
better, a debit card or your
local bank ATM card is very
easy. One must first locate
either the Cirrus or BankMate
symbol (on the Bancomat and on
your card) to insure the card is
usable on that particular unit.
Cirrus and BankMate are the two
most popular and widespread
banking systems in the world so
they are the best to have. If
you are unsure about the
compatibility or the banking
systems, contact your credit
card company or local bank.
After discovering the system is
compatible, simply withdrawal
money as you would at home. Of
course, in Italy the money will
be dispensed as Euros, but when
you return home, your bank will
have converted the Euros into
dollars using the most
beneficial exchange rate
possible. Be careful though when
using credit cards, as many
banks are now charging large
fees of 2.5% to 4% for cash
advances which negate any
advantage of using the Bancomat
in the first place. One's best
bet is to use your regular ATM
card and simply withdraw money
from your account just as you
would do at your local bank.
Banking
Hours
Banks in Italy are open Monday
through Friday from 8:35 a.m. to
1:35 p.m. and from 3:00 - 4:00
p.m.; in many tourist areas they
are open no-stop from 8.30 a.m.
to 4p.m. and closed all day on
Saturday and Sunday and on
national holidays. The afternoon
one hour opening may vary from
city to city. Travelers checks
can be exchanged for Italian
currency at most hotels and
shops and at the foreign
exchange offices in main railway
stations and at the airports.
EURO €
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.
What is
the exchange rate?
To find the current exchange
rate between US Dollars,
Canadian Dollars and Euros,
please visit
www.xe.com
How to
Get Euro
Once in
Italy, how do I convert my
dollars in euros?
Tourists reaching Italy without
foreign currency can obtain
Euros through any bank, ATM
machines, or exchange office (Ufficio
di Cambio) at airports, seaports
and railway stations in the main
cities.
It is advisable to keep receipts
of currency exchanged in case it
be necessary to reconvert euros
back into dollars before leaving
the country.
Money
Belt
Maybe. Crowded tourist sites all
over the world are at pickpocket
and gipsy risk and Italy is no
exception. One should always be
on alert for these petty
thieves, but a good offence is
the best defence. Keep your
money hidden preferably in an
inside pocket or money belt.
Emergency Telephone Numbers 12
Phone Directory Assistance 112
Carabinieri 113
Emergency Police Help 115
for the Fire Department 116
Road side assistance 118
Medical Emergencies 176
Public telephones are available
throughout Italy. Either local
or international calls require
the use of a phone card (Carta
Telefonica) which may be
purchased at any newsstand,
tobacco shop or "bar"(coffee
shop).
Area
Codes (Prefisso
Telefonico) Following are the
area code numbers for some of
the principal cities of Italy.
Ancona 071
Cagliari 070
Messina 090
Rome 06
Aosta 0165
Campobasso 0874
Milan 02
Siena 0577
Bari 080
Catania 095
Naples 081
Turin 011 |
Bergamo 035
Catanzaro 0961
Palermo 091
Trento 0461
Bologna 051
Florence 055
Perugia 075
Trieste 040
Bolzano 0471
Genoa 010 |
Pisa 050
Venice 041
Brescia 030
L'Aquila 0862
Potenza 0971
Verona 045
Brindisi 0831
Livorno 0586
Reggio C. 0965
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Country
Direct Service. From phones in
major cities, to connect to a US
long distance service, dial:
1721011 for AT&T
1721022 for MCI
1721877 for US Sprint
The numbers above work for Rome,
Milan, Florence, Naples, Venezia,
Torino, Catania, Vicenza,
Livorno, Olbia, Bologna,
Brindisi, Cosenza, Formia,
Genova, Latina, Padova, Palermo,
Perugia, Pescara, Pordenone,
Pisa, and Trieste.
When calling from pay
telephones, just insert 200 lire
coin. You automatically reach an
operator in the country of
destination, avoiding all
language difficulty.
Canada
can be reached by dialing
1721001.
Internet Cafes
No matter how responsible you
try to be with your phone card,
you can run up quite a bill when
you call your parents/ your
kids/ your significant other.
E-mail may be an alternative and
less expensive mean of
communication.
Whatever e-mail service you use
in your daily life, I would set
up web-access mail for your trip
(like the mail offered by
Yahoo!, Hotmail, etc.). It is
the easiest to use abroad since
the only software and
configuration you need are built
right into the browser. Set this
account up before you leave
home, so you don't waste
valuable time abroad.
It is getting easier and easier
to find Internet cafes and clubs
in Italy. Some, among many:
Directory of the Italian
Internet Cafes: http://www.ecs.net/cafe
Postal
Service
General Delivery Service
Mail can be addressed c/o Post
Office by adding "FERMO POSTA"
after the name of the town. The
addressee can claim mail at the
Central Post Office upon
identification by passport.
Example:
Mr. John Smith
c/o Ufficio Postale Centrale
FERMO POSTA
00187 Rome, Italy
Stamps
Stamps may be purchased only at
tobacco shops and at the Post
Office. Always check at the
counter for the exact fare to
the country of destination
Post
Office Hours
Post Offices are open from 8:30
a.m. - 5:00 p.m. On Saturdays
they close at 12:00. Post
Offices at airports and main
Post Offices in large cities are
open 24 hours a day for
registered mail and telegram
services.
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Region |
Veneto |
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Province |
Belluno. |
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Elevation |
325 m |
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Population |
20,560 |
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Demonym |
Feltrini |
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Time |
CET(UTC+1) |
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Postal |
32032 |
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Dialing |
0439 |
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Patron |
St.
Victor |
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