You will find below all the information we gathered before leaving for Italy to have a good time without unpleasant surprises !
Sommaire
General information
Capital: Rome
Population : 60.6 million (2016)
Area: 301,336 km²
Spoken languages: Italian, but also French in Valle d’Aosta and German in the autonomous province of Bolzano
Currency: Euro
Entering the country
Visa: Visas are not required for residents of EU states member and the Schengen area, you just need an identity card or passport up to date.
For other countries you will find more information on the website of the Italian Police.
Pets: Any dog or cat traveling in the European Union must be identified (chip and / or tattoo), validly vaccinated against rabies and accompanied by a European passport provided and completed by a veterinarian before being transported.
Customs: Arriving from a neighboring country, there is no systematic border control, however if you want to be in good standing you must respect the following points.
- For travelers arriving from another EU Member State, there is no limit on the amount of purchases or personal goods taken within the EU.
(except for cigarettes and alcohol see details here) - For travelers arriving from a non-EU country there are limits on the market value and the import of alcohol and cigarettes. The details are here.
Security: No particular security problem in Italy but as in every country, it is necessary to pay attention to pickpockets and to remain attentive to your personal effects in the touristic area and public transportation.
If you have any problem, as in each country of the European Union, you must dial the 112 to reach the emergency services.
You can communicate with them in the local language or in English.
Tourism
Main course: Pizza, Pasta, Risotto, Fish, Ham
Cheese: Mozzarella, Parmigiano – Reggiano, Gorgonzola, Pecorino
Desserts: Tiramisu, Pana Cotta, Panettone
Drinks: Wines, grappa (eau de vie), Vermouth and of course coffee!
Tipping: Tips are not required. The custom is to leave a sum equivalent to 10% of the price if the customer is satisfied with the service received but it is up to you.
Payment: In addition to cash, the credit card is spread throughout Italy, logos are displayed at the entrance of restaurants and shops indicating accepted credit cards.
Driving in Italy
Italians are known for having a “sporty” driving to stay polite and especially in the south of the country.
We had no problems during our various trips but we have to say that we come from Paris which must help 😀
Here are some info:
- You must drive with the headlights on during the day on motorways and highways.
- The maximum permitted blood alcohol level is 0.5 g of alcohol per liter of blood.
- A license issued by an EU member country is valid in Italy. A license issued in a non-EU country requires an international permit or sworn translation.
- Speed limit of 50km/h in City, 90km/h for secondary roads and 130 for highways.
- The mandatory equipment on the vehicle are the warning triangle, first aid kit, emergency vest.
Drone regulation for recreational use
- You can’t fly over people or groups of people, you must stay at a distance of 50m from them
- Day flight only and keep the drone in sight within 200m
- Flight limit height is 70m
- The drone must weigh less than 25kg
- The drone should not fly over the beaches (summer season), national parks, urban areas, infrastructure, railway, highway, etc without permissions.
- Stay at a distance of 5km from the airports
All these information are given for information only and in a general way, search more precisely depending on where you going to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
If you think of additional information that could help travelers or if some information is no longer correct, please leave us a comment below 🙂
The information in this article comes from the following sites:
http://www.italia.it/
http://www.poliziadistato.it/
http://www.routard.com/guide/italie/
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs/
https://www.uavsystemsinternational.com/drone-laws-by-country/italy-drone-laws/
