Italy Tourism: Fast Facts

American Express-- Offices are found in Rome at Piazza di Spagna 38 (tel. 06-67641), in Florence on Via Dante Alighieri 22 (tel. 055-50981), in Venice at San Marco 1471 (tel. 041-5200844), and in Milan at Via Larga 4 (tel. 02/721-041). See individual city listings.

Business Hours-- Regular business hours are generally Monday through Friday from 9am (sometimes 9:30am) to 1pm and 3:30 (sometimes 4) to 7 or 7:30pm. In July and August, offices might not open in the afternoon until 4:30 or 5pm. Banks are open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 1 or 1:30pm and 2 or 2:30 to 4pm, and are closed all day Saturday, Sunday, and national holidays. The riposo (midafternoon closing) is often observed in Rome, Naples, and most southern cities; however, in Milan and other northern and central cities, the custom has been abolished by some merchants. Most shops are closed on Sunday, except for certain tourist-oriented stores that are now permitted to remain open on Sunday during the high season. If you're in Italy in summer and the heat is intense, we suggest that you, too, learn the custom of the riposo.

Drugstores-- At every drugstore (farmacia) there's a list of those that are open at night and on Sunday.

Electricity-- The electricity in Italy varies considerably. It's usually alternating current (AC), varying from 42 to 50 cycles. The voltage can be anywhere from 115 to 220. It's recommended that any visitor carrying electrical appliances obtain a transformer. Check the exact local current at the hotel where you're staying. Plugs have prongs that are round, not flat; therefore, an adapter plug is also needed.

Embassies & Consulates-- In case of an emergency, embassies have a 24-hour referral service.

The U.S. Embassy is in Rome at Via Vittorio Veneto 119A (tel. 06-46-741; fax 06-48-82-672). U.S. consulates are in Florence, at Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci 38 (tel. 055-266-951; fax 055-284-088), and in Milan, at Via Principe Amedeo 2-10 (tel. 02-29-03-51; fax 02-2900-1165). There's also a consulate in Naples on Piazza della Repubblica 1 (tel. 081-583-8111; fax 081-761-1869). The consulate in Genoa is at Via Dante 2 (tel. 010-58-44-92). For consulate hours, see individual city listings.

The Canadian Consulate and passport service is in Rome at Via Zara 30 (tel. 06-445-981). The Canadian Embassy in Rome is at Via G. B. de Rossi 27 (tel. 06-445-981; fax 06-445-982912). The Canadian Consulate in Milan is at V.V. Pisani 19 (tel. 02-67581).

The U.K. Embassy is in Rome at Via XX Settembre 80A (tel. 06-422-00001; fax 06-42202334). The U.K. Consulate in Florence is at Lungarno Corsini 2 (tel. 055-284-133; fax 055-219-112). The Consulate General in Naples is at Via Dei Mille 40 (tel. 081-4238-911; fax 081-422-434). In Milan, contact the office at Via San Paolo 7 (tel. 02-723-001).

The Australian Embassy is in Rome at Via Alessandria 215 (tel. 06-852-721; fax 06-852-723-00). The Australian Consulate is in Rome at Corso Trieste 25 (tel. 06-852-721). The Australian Consulate in Milan is at Via Borgogna 2 (tel. 02-77-70-41).

The New Zealand Embassy is in Rome at Via Zara 28 (tel. 06-441-7171; fax 06-440-2984). The Irish Embassy in Rome is at Piazza di Campitelli 3 (tel. 06-697-9121; fax 06-679-2354). For consular queries, dial tel. 06-697-91211.

Emergencies-- Dial tel. 113 for ambulance, police, or fire. In case of a car breakdown, dial tel. 803-116 at the nearest telephone box; the nearest Automobile Club of Italy (ACI) will be notified to come to your aid.

Language-- Italian, of course, is the language of the land, but English is generally understood at most attractions such as museums and at most hotels and restaurants that cater to visitors. Even if not all the staff at a restaurant, for example, speaks English, almost always,one person does and can be summoned. As you travel in remote towns and villages, especially in the south, a Berlitz Italian phrase book is a handy accompaniment.

Legal Aid-- The consulate of your country is the place to turn for legal aid, although offices can't interfere in the Italian legal process. They can, however, inform you of your rights and provide a list of attorneys. You'll have to pay for the attorney out of your pocket -- there's no free legal assistance. If you're arrested for a drug offense, about all the consulate will do is notify a lawyer about your case and perhaps inform your family.

Liquor Laws-- Wine with meals has been a normal part of family life for hundreds of years in Italy. Children are exposed to wine at an early age, and consumption of alcohol isn't anything out of the ordinary. There's no legal drinking age for buying or ordering alcohol. Alcohol is sold day and night throughout the year because there's almost no restriction on the sale of wine or liquor in Italy.

Mail-- Mail delivery in Italy is notoriously bad. Your family and friends back home might receive your postcards in 1 week, or it might take 2 weeks (sometimes longer). Postcards, aerogrammes, and letters weighing up to 20 grams sent to the United States and Canada cost .75€ ($1); to the United Kingdom and Ireland, .62€ (80¢); and to Australia and New Zealand, .75€ ($1). You can buy stamps at all post offices and at tabacchi (tobacco) stores.

Newspapers & Magazines-- In major cities, it's possible to find the International Herald Tribune or USA Today, as well as other English-language newspapers and magazines, including Time and Newsweek, at hotels and news kiosks. The Rome Daily American is published in English.

Passports-- For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. For general information, call the National Passport Information Center (tel. 877/487-2778). To find your regional passport office, check the U.S. State Department website.

For Residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a €12 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) or at most main post offices.

For Residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or Australian Passport Information Service, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

Police-- Dial tel. 113, the all-purpose number for police emergency assistance in Italy.

Restrooms-- All airport and rail stations, of course, have restrooms, often with attendants who expect to be tipped. Bars, nightclubs, restaurants, cafes, gas stations, and all hotels have facilities as well. Public toilets are also found near many of the major sights. Usually they're designated as WC (water closet) or DONNE (women) or UOMINI (men). The most confusing designation is SIGNORI (gentlemen) and SIGNORE (ladies), so watch that final i and e! Many public toilets charge a small fee or employ an attendant who expects a tip. It's also a good idea to carry some tissues in your pocket or purse -- they often come in handy.

Taxes-- As a member of the European Union, Italy imposes a value-added tax (called IVA in Italy) on most goods and services. The tax that most affects visitors is the one imposed on hotel rates, which ranges from 9% in first- and second-class hotels to 19% in deluxe hotels.

Non-E.U. (European Union) citizens are entitled to a refund of the IVA if they spend more than 155€ ($202) at any one store, before tax. To claim your refund, request an invoice from the cashier at the store and take it to the Customs office (dogana) at the airport to have it stamped before you leave. Note: If you're going to another E.U. country before flying home, have it stamped at the airport Customs office of the last E.U. country you'll be in (for example, if you're flying home via Britain, have your Italian invoices stamped in London). Once back home, mail the stamped invoice (keep a photocopy for your records) back to the original vendor within 90 days of the purchase. The vendor will, sooner or later, send you a refund of the tax that you paid at the time of your original purchase. Reputable stores view this as a matter of ordinary paperwork and are businesslike about it. Less-honorable stores might lose your dossier. It pays to deal with established vendors on large purchases. You can also request that the refund be credited to the credit card with which you made the purchase; this is usually a faster procedure.

Many shops are now part of the "Tax Free for Tourists" network (look for the sticker in the window). Stores participating in this network issue a check along with your invoice at the time of purchase. After you have the invoice stamped at Customs, you can redeem the check for cash directly at the Tax Free booth in the airport (in Rome, it's past Customs; in Milan's airports, the booth is inside the Duty Free shop) or mail it back in the envelope provided within 60 days.

Telephone-- To call Italy from the United States, dial the international prefix, 011; then Italy's country code, 39; and then the city code (for example, 06 for Rome and 055 for Florence), which is now built into every number. Then dial the actual phone number.

A local phone call in Italy costs around .10€ (15¢). Public phones accept coins, precharged phone cards (scheda or carta telefonica), or both. You can buy a carta telefonica at any tabacchi (tobacconists; most display a sign with a white "T" on a brown background) in increments of 5€ ($6.50), 10€ ($13), and 20€ ($26). To make a call, pick up the receiver and insert .10€ (15¢) or your card (break off the corner first). Most phones have a digital display that'll tell you how much money you've inserted (or how much is left on the card). Dial the number, and don't forget to take the card with you after you hang up.

To call from one city code to another, dial the city code, complete with initial 0, and then dial the number. (Note that numbers in Italy range from four to eight digits in length. Even when you're calling within the same city, you must dial that city's area code -- including the zero. A Roman calling another Rome number must dial 06 before the local number.)

To dial direct internationally, dial 00 and then the country code, the area code, and the number. Country codes are as follows: the United States and Canada, 1; the United Kingdom, 44; Ireland, 353; Australia, 61; New Zealand, 64. Make international calls from a public phone, if possible, because hotels almost invariably charge ridiculously inflated rates for direct dial -- but bring plenty of schede (change) to feed the phone. Calls dialed directly are billed on the basis of the call's duration only. A reduced rate is applied from 11pm to 8am on Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday. Direct-dial calls from the United States to Italy are much cheaper, so arrange for whomever to call you at your hotel.

Italy has recently introduced a series of international phone cards (scheda telefonica internazionale) for calling overseas. They come in increments of 50, 100, 200 and 400 unita (units), and they're available at tabacchi and bars. Each unita is worth .15€ (20¢) of phone time; it costs 5 unita (.65€/85¢) per minute to call within Europe or to the United States or Canada, and 12 unita (1.55€/$2) per minute to call Australia or New Zealand. You don't insert this card into the phone; merely dial tel. 1740 and then *2 (star 2) for instructions in English, when prompted.

To call the free national telephone information (in Italian) in Italy, dial tel. 12. International information is available at tel. 176 but costs .60€ (80¢) a shot.

To make collect or calling-card calls, drop in .10€ (15¢) or insert your card and dial one of the numbers here; an American operator will come on to assist you (because Italy has yet to discover the joys of the touch-tone phone, you'll have to wait for the operator). The following calling-card numbers work all over Italy: AT&T tel. 172-1011, MCI tel. 172-1022, and Sprint tel. 172-1877. To make collect calls to a country besides the United States, dial tel. 170 (free), and practice your Italian counting in order to relay the number to the Italian operator. Tell him or her that you want it a carico del destinatario (charged to the destination, or collect).

Don't count on all Italian phones having touch-tone service! You might not be able to access your voice mail or answering machine from Italy.

Time-- In terms of standard time zones, Italy is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the United States. Daylight saving time goes into effect in Italy each year from the end of March to the end of September.

Tipping-- This custom is practiced with flair in Italy -- many people depend on tips for their livelihoods. In hotels, the service charge of 15% to 19% is already added to a bill. In addition, it's customary to tip the chambermaid .50€ (65¢) per day, the doorman (for calling a cab) .50€ (65¢), and the bellhop or porter 1.50€ to 2.50€ ($1.95-$3.25) for carrying your bags to your room. A concierge expects about 15% of his or her bill, as well as tips for extra services performed, which could include help with long-distance calls. In expensive hotels, these euro amounts are often doubled.

In restaurants and cafes, 15% is usually added to your bill to cover most charges. If you're not sure whether this has been done, ask, "È incluso il servizio?" (ay een-cloo-soh eel sair-vee-tsoh?). An additional tip isn't expected, but it's nice to leave the equivalent of an extra couple of dollars if you've been pleased with the service. Checkroom attendants expect .75€ ($1), and washroom attendants should get .50€ (65¢). Restaurants are required by law to give customers official receipts.

Taxi drivers expect at least 15% of the fare.

Useful Phone Numbers-- U.S. Dept. of State Travel Advisory: tel. 202/647-5225 (24 hr.). U.S. Passport Agency: tel. 202/647-0518. U.S. Embassy in Rome: tel. 06-46-741. Canadian Embassy in Rome: tel. 06-445981. U.K. Embassy in Rome: tel. 06-42200001. Australian Embassy in Rome: tel. 06-852-721. U.S. Centers for Disease Control International Traveler's Hotline: tel. 877/394-8747.