A–Z Travel Tips
A
Accommodation
One of the pleasures of travelling in Tuscany and Umbria is enjoying some of the excellent accommodation, which ranges from luxurious villas to modest country retreats to old-fashioned town-centre hotels. Another popular choice is the agriturismo, or farm stay. To be labelled as such, a property must have fewer than 30 beds and earn most of its income from agricultural pursuits. As a result, you are pretty much guaranteed a stay on a genuine farm, though rooms and prices can vary greatly (try www.agriturismo.net).
Tourist information offices can provide a detailed list of nearby hotels and agriturismi. The internet has made it much easier to locate the accommodation that best suits your needs, with scores of agencies and hotel or villa owners promoting their properties through websites with photographs, descriptions and comments from previous guests.
I’d like a single/double room. Vorrei una camera singola/matrimoniale or doppia
With bath/shower Con bagno/doccia
What is the price per night? Quanto costa per una notte?
Airports
Tuscany is served by two international airports, one in Pisa (8km west of Florence) and one in Florence; the latter mostly handles flights from London and other European cities, while Pisa has flights from a wider variety of UK airports. Travellers to Umbria are best served by Rome’s airports and the centrally located one in Perugia; those travelling to northern or eastern Umbria could also consider the airports in Bologna and Ancona.
Pisa’s Aeroporto Galileo Galilei (PSA) is connected to Pisa Centrale train station by the PisaMover (daily 6am–midnight; every 5–8 minutes; €2.70) from where regular trains leave for Florence (journey time varies between 50 and 80 minutes depending on the train you take; €8.40). For airport information: tel: (050) 849 300, www.pisa-airport.com.
Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR) in Florence is 5km (3 miles) northwest of the city in Peretola. A bus connects the airport with the bus station in central Florence (journey time: 30 minutes; from 5am–11pm; €6). For airport information: tel: (055) 306 1830, www.aeroporto.firenze.it.
St Francis of Assisi Airport (PEG) in Perugia offers flights from a limited range of destinations, including Ryanair flights from London Stansted. The airport shuttle bus, which connects with the train station in the centre of Perugia, costs €8. For airport information: tel: (075) 592 141, www.airport.umbria.it.
Rome is served by two airports: Leonardo da Vinci (better-known as Fiumicino, the town where it is located 30km/18 miles southwest of Rome on the Mediterranean) and Ciampino, closer to the city and used mostly for charter and low-cost flights.
Leonardo da Vinci (FCO; www.adr.it) handles dozens of international flights a day. The airport is exceptionally well served by public transport. The Leonardo Express leaves from a station in the terminal complex for Rome’s Termini train station (every 15 minutes between 6.30am and 11pm; €14).
From Ciampino (CIA; www.ciampinoairport.co.uk), you can take a coach (www.terravision.eu) from outside arrivals that leaves approximately once an hour for Rome’s Stazione Termini (journey time: 40 minutes; €6 one way, cheaper if pre-booked). From Stazione Termini you can make connections to Florence, Perugia and other points throughout Tuscany and Umbria.
If you plan to rent a car while visiting Italy, you will find it convenient to pick one up at Leonardo da Vinci’s car-hire facilities and follow signs to the GRA, the motorway that encircles Rome, which in turn takes you to the A1 autostrada, the motorway that runs up and down the country, connecting Rome with such cities in Tuscany and Umbria as Orvieto, Perugia and Florence; the total travel time from Leonardo da Vinci to Florence is less than three hours.
B
Bicycle Hire
The countryside of Tuscany and Umbria is prime cycling terrain, and there are rental outlets in many cities and towns. Local tourist boards also provide a wealth of information on this popular Italian pastime. In Florence, bicycles can be hired at low prices at the stand in front of the Santa Maria Novella station (and at other locations) through an initiative set up to complement public transport, and ridden in the bicycle lanes throughout the city centre. In Lucca, where the bicycle is the most popular form of transport, there is a rental company, Chronò (www.chronobikes.com), on Corso Garibaldi. A useful English-language website on cycling in Florence and Tuscany is www.florencebikepages.com. For the really keen, there is even a chain of hotels tailored to cyclists: www.italybikehotels.com.
Budgeting for Your Trip
When determining your budget, think of Florence and the rest of Tuscany and Umbria as two separate entities. Florence is expensive, while the rest of Tuscany and Umbria is more moderate in terms of cost. In Florence, for example, you can expect to pay €120 to €180 for standard double-room accommodation. Outside Florence, you can probably find the same room for €70 to €120.
However, meals are not terribly expensive in Florence or anywhere else in Tuscany and Umbria. Depending on where you eat, of course, you can usually enjoy an excellent meal for two (excluding wine) for about €60; pizza or a salad for lunch will be about half that. Museum entry fees (and those for churches in Florence) are in the €2.50–€8 range, with tickets for museums in Florence sometimes costing over €15. Bus fares are lower than in most European cities, usually not much more than €1 per ticket.
C
Camping
Camping is permitted only in designated areas – usually crowded and not particularly appealing spots. The two campsites nearest Florence are notable exceptions: Camping Village Internazionale Firenze (Via San Cristofano, Impruneta; www.campinginternazionalefirenze.com) is a wooded park on the banks of the Arno; Camping Village Panoramico (www.campingpanoramicofiesole.com) is a very beautiful campsite on a hillside above Florence on Via Peramonda in Fiesole. Tourist information offices include campgrounds in their accommodation listings. A helpful website is www.camping.it.
Car Hire
One sure way to save money when hiring a car in Italy is to make arrangements before leaving home. All major companies have outlets in Italy and provide very competitive rates, especially for rentals of a week or more. A tax of 19 percent is added to all car rentals, and you may incur a surcharge of 10 percent if you pick up and drop off your car at the airport.
The minimum age required to hire a car in Italy is 18 and the driver must have held a license for at least a year.
Hertz: Via Borgo Ognisssanti 137, Florence; tel: 055 239 8205; www.hertz.it
Europe Car: Via Borgo Ognissanti 53-55, Florence; tel: 055 290 431; www.europecar.co.uk
Avis: Via Borgo Ognissanti 128, Florence; tel: 055 213 629; www.avis.co.uk
Climate
Tuscany and Umbria are not given to great extremes of climate, although it can be hot (especially in low-lying areas) in July and August. A hillside offering cooler temperatures and a refreshing breeze is never too far away, however; in August, there can be several degrees’ difference in temperature between Florence and nearby hilltop Fiesole. Winters are chilly but rarely bitterly cold, and snow is pretty much confined to the highest hills. Spring is long (March to May) and very pleasant, while autumn is pleasantly mild but can be rainy.
Clothing
Italians like to dress well, and they will treat you with a little more respect if you dress smartly, too. In the spring and autumn, you will need a sweater or two and a raincoat, and in the winter it’s best to dress warmly, as many buildings are old and draughty. Only the most expensive restaurants require jacket-and-tie formality, but you will want to dress well, even if casually so, for dinner. Shorts and sleeveless T-shirts are not considered proper clothing for a church visit – in fact, at some churches an attendant is posted at the front door to check for immodest attire.
Crime and Safety
Tuscany and Umbria are relatively safe, though pickpocketing and purse-snatching are now commonplace in Florence. Some common heists are those perpetrated by gypsy children or women carrying babies, who surround you and create a distracting commotion while cleaning out your pockets. Vespa-riding bandits, who snatch purses while whizzing by at high speed, are also a menace. If a theft occurs, make a statement at the police station within 24 hours if you want to make an insurance claim.
I want to report a theft. Voglio denunciare un furto.
My wallet/passport/ticket has been stolen. Mi hanno rubato il portafoglio/il passaporto/il biglietto.
D
Driving
Central Italy’s roads are well marked and meticulously maintained. The major hazards are your fellow motorists, who tend to drive fast and often recklessly. Two words of advice: drive defensively.
Drive on the right and pass on the left. At junctions and roundabouts, traffic on the right has the right of way. Drivers and passengers must wear seat belts, and motorcyclists must wear helmets. All cars must be equipped with a red warning triangle and a bright orange vest for the driver to wear in the road in case of breakdown. If you bring a car from the UK or Ireland you must adjust the headlights for right-side driving.
Italy’s major motorways, autostrade, are four- to six-lane toll roads on which the maximum speed (rarely observed) is 130km/h (80mph). The A1, Autostrada del Sole, cuts through Tuscany and Umbria on its run up the peninsula from Naples to Milan, providing a quick connection with Rome and the rest of the country. On this and other autostrade, machines dispense tickets at the entrances; when you exit you pay the toll for the distance you’ve travelled. Tolls tend to be high – for up-to-date information on toll fees and the motorway network, visit www.autostrade.it.
The speed limit on secondary roads is 90km/h (55mph); in towns, it’s 50km/h (30mph). In case of an accident or breakdown, dial 113 (your call will probably be answered by someone who does not speak English) or the Automobile Club of Italy on 116 (where your call may be answered by an English-speaker). Roadside phones, usually yellow, are placed at frequent intervals along major roads. And rest assured, any Italian driver who stops to assist you is likely to have a mobile phone, even if you don’t.
It is usually difficult (and often illegal) to park on the street in urban areas. Look at signs carefully – parking is often restricted to residents only, or you have to pay at a kerbside machine, which will deliver a receipt (indicating the expiry time) that you must display on the dashboard. Many cities and towns have municipal car parks and garages at the fringes of their historic centres; use these whenever possible. Florence is ringed by parking facilities from which shuttle buses transport visitors into the centre.
Some common terms you are likely to encounter on traffic signs (usually accompanied by the international symbol) are:
curva pericolosa dangerous bend
deviazione detour (diversion)
divieto di sorpasso no overtaking
divieto di sosta no stopping
lavori in corso roadworks
pericolo danger
rallentare slow down
senso vietato/unico no entry/one-way street
vieto l’ingresso no entry
Some useful phrases:
driving licence patente
car registration papers libretto di circolazione
green insurance card carte verde
Can I park here? Posso parcheggiare qui?
Are we on the right road for…? Siamo sulla strada giusta per…?
I’ve had a breakdown. Ho avuto un guasto.
E
Electricity
220V/50Hz is standard. Visitors from other countries may require an adaptor (una presa complementare), and those from North America will need a converter as well. Better hotels often have special outlets for some North American appliances.
Embassies and Consulates
These offices are the places to go if you lose your passport, are embroiled in police or other bureaucratic dealings, or are otherwise in need of assistance. The US Consulate in Florence is at Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci 38, tel: (055) 266 951; https://it.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/florence. Citizens of other English-speaking countries can turn to their embassies in Rome:
Australia: Via Antonio Bosio 5, tel: (06) 852 721, www.italy.embassy.gov.au
Canada: Via Zara 30, tel: (06) 85444, www.canadainternational.gc.ca
New Zealand: Via Clitunno 44, tel: (06) 853 7501, www.mfat.govt.nz/en/embassies
Republic of Ireland: Villa Spada, Via Giacomo Medici 1, tel: (06) 585 2381, www.embassyofireland.it
South Africa: Via Tanaro 14, tel: (06) 852 541, www.sudafrica.it
UK: Via XX Settembre 80a, tel: (06) 4220 0001, www.ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk
Emergencies
The general emergency number is 113. Call 112 for the carabinieri (national police), 115 for the fire brigade and 118 for an ambulance.
police alla polizia
fire brigade ai pompieri
Fire! Al fuoco!
G
Getting There
By air. Travellers from the UK have many options for flights to Tuscany and Umbria. Alitalia (www.alitalia.com) and British Airways (www.britishairways.com) offer regular flights to Florence from London and both also serve Pisa from London. Between them low-cost airlines Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) and easyJet (www.easyjet.com) also offer flights from London and other British cities to Pisa and Rome, as well as flights to Bologna, Perugia and Ancona.
From North America, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, you can either fly into Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport and make air or land connections from there, or make a connecting flight in another European city before flying into central Italy. (Rome is preferable to Milan as it is closer and the connection between international and domestic flights in Milan requires a time-consuming change of airports.) North American travellers also have the additional option of taking advantage of the direct Delta (www.delta.com) flight from New York to Pisa. Alitalia, Delta, American Airlines (www.americanairlines.co.uk) and United (www.united.com) are among the major carriers that fly between the United States and Rome. Air Canada (www.aircanada.com) provides a service to Rome from major Canadian cities, while flights from Australia and New Zealand generally have a stopover in Hong Kong or Bangkok. South African Airways (www.flysaa.com) and Alitalia provide frequent services between Johannesburg and Rome, usually with a stopover in another European city.
By train. A sophisticated rail network links Italy with countries throughout Europe. If you are adding Tuscany and Umbria to a sojourn elsewhere in Europe, you will find that many international trains make stops in Florence and Pisa. The Eurostar service has considerably decreased travel times from London to Italy; on the most direct route, you can make the 2.5-hour trip to Paris and then connect to an overnight train to Pisa or Florence (a trip of 8–10 hours). Another option is to connect in Paris to one of the new high-speed trains that whisk you to Milan in just under 7 hours, and from there make connections to Florence (another 3 hours). For timetables and general information, contact the Ferrovia della Stato (FS, the Italian state railway), which has an informative website at www.fsitaliane.it. Another good source of information is www.voyages-sncf.com.
Budget options. If you are planning extensive rail travel in Europe, consider one of many available rail passes. A Eurail Global pass (available only to travellers who do not reside in a European country) allows unlimited travel through 28 European countries (the UK is a notable exception) for periods of 15 days–3 months, or for 5–7 days within a one-month period, or for 10–15 days within a two-month period; and the Eurail Select pass combines three to five bordering countries (check www.eurail.com). But if you simply want to get from one city to another, it may be considerably less expensive to purchase a one-way ticket. For information in the US contact Eurail (see above).
Europeans can buy an InterRail Pass, which is available in a variety of validity periods and allows for travel in 30 countries. For information, see www.interrail.eu/en.
By car. Italy is connected to the rest of Europe by an excellent road network. Even the trip to and from the UK has become much easier since the launch of the high-speed rail link under the channel that connects Folkstone with Calais (www.eurotunnel.com). Cars and passengers are whisked through the tunnel in 35 minutes; the service runs around the clock with departures every half-hour and sometimes more frequently.
Agencies specialising in tours of every corner of Tuscany and Umbria abound. Tourist offices and hotels can provide lists of these companies. In Florence, Florence Guides, an organisation of professional tourist guides authorised by the city council, includes many English-speaking native Florentines who delight in introducing visitors to their city. Details of their tours can be found at the website, www.florenceguides.com. Another company is Context, which offers mini-seminars and city walks with international scholars specialised in areas like art, architecture and social history. Its website outlines the walks on offer and also features an interesting blog, www.contexttravel.com.
Many tours to the region include some interesting educational opportunities. Some language programmes that welcome students of all ages for courses from two weeks to several months are the British Institute of Florence, Piazza Strozzi 2, 50123 Firenze, tel: (055) 267 781, www.britishinstitute.it, and the Università per Stranieri, Piazza Fortebraccio 4, 06122 Perugia, tel: (075) 57 461, www.unistrapg.it. Shaw Guides are a good source of information on educational holidays; visit www.shawguides.com.
We’d like an English-speaking guide. Ho bisogno di un guida che parla inglese.
H
Health and Medical Care
The good news is that, in terms of health, Tuscany and Umbria are among the safest places on earth to travel. You are not likely to encounter any unusual strains of infectious ailments, and health care is good.
Travellers from other EU countries should carry a European Health Insurance Card, which entitles them to free treatment; in the UK, consult the NHS website www.ehic.org.uk. US visitors who are not covered by their existing insurance when travelling abroad can purchase additional travel insurance (check with your insurance carrier about this optional coverage). You will often be asked to pay for treatment upfront, so keep all receipts. A good source for information on health concerns is the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). Consult www.iamat.org for details.
Because of the large volume of foreign travellers, Florence has created a special tourist Medical Service, located at Via Roma 4, tel: (055) 475 411.
Pharmacies (farmacie) have green crosses above the entrance; in each town one pharmacy stays open late and on Sunday on a rotating basis, and the after-hours locations for the month are posted in all pharmacy windows. The pharmacy in the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence is open 24 hours a day.
Water is considered safe to drink, though Italians prefer bottled water, which is very inexpensive, and travellers from abroad may be wise to follow their example.
I need a doctor/dentist. Ho bisogno di un medico/dentista.
I have a stomach-ache. Ho mal di stomaco.
I have a fever. Ho la febre.
I have sunstroke. Ho un colpo di sole.
I
Internet
Italians are very internet savvy. In the larger cities like Florence, Pisa and Siena you will find free Wi-Fi points everywhere you go and the service is still expanding; but even the smaller towns are adapting quickly.
L
LGBTQ Travellers
Italians (especially in the north) tend to accept homosexuality but, still rooted in family traditions, may not tolerate public displays of affection. On the other hand, this is a country where friends of the same sex often walk down the street arm-in-arm, so there’s quite a bit of latitude about what constitutes such a display. Florence is one of the most gay-friendly cities in Italy, and Elba one of the most popular resorts with the LGBTQ community; the latter has some spiagge gay (gay beaches). Azione Gay e Lesbica, Italy’s national gay organisation, has an office in Florence at Via Pisana 32r, tel: (055) 220 250; you can check its website, which has listings of bars, bookshops and other resources throughout Italy, at www.azionegayelesbica.it.
Maps
Tourism offices offer free maps of the historic centre in most cities. For a good road map, check out the frequently updated Touring Club of Italy’s Tuscany and Umbria maps, available in local bookstores, as well as Insight Guides Flexi Map Tuscany
Media
Florence’s most popular newspaper is La Nazione – it publishes regional versions for most Tuscan towns. Other papers include La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera. English language magazines are hard to find but major international newspapers are usually available the day after publication.
Money
Currency. Italy uses the euro, divided into 100 cents. Notes come in denominations of €500, €200, €100, €50, €20, €10 and €5. There are coins for €2 and €1, and for 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent.
Currency exchange. Banks, which are generally open Mon–Fri 8.30am–1pm and 3–4pm (some open Sat morning in tourist areas), are a good option for currency exchange, despite their inconvenient hours. Major banks in cities and at least one bank in most towns have currency exchanges. Train stations and post offices also usually have currency exchange windows.
Credit cards. Credit cards are widely accepted. No one accepts travellers cheques anymore other than at an American Express office. Visa and MasterCard are the most widely accepted credit cards, and many establishments do not take American Express cards.
ATM machines. These usually offer more favourable exchange rates than currency exchange offices. It’s a good idea to check your bank’s policies regarding withdrawal fees and daily limits before you leave home.
O
Opening Hours
Many museums remain open continuously throughout the day. Shops tend to close at lunchtime for two or more hours. The following can vary in some cities and towns.
Banks: 8.30am–1pm and 3–4pm, Mon–Fri (Sat morning in some areas).
Bars: 7am–11pm, often as late as 2am (many bars also serve food).
Churches: Very early in the morning until 12.30pm and 3–6 or 7pm (they open every day but discourage visits during mass).
Museums: six days a week, often 10am–6pm, or the same hours with a midday closure from 12.30–3pm.
Restaurants: 12.30–2.30 or 3pm for lunch, 7.30pm–10.30pm for dinner (they usually close one day a week).
Shops: 9am–1pm and 3.30 or 4pm–7 or 8pm.
P
Police
There are three kinds of police in Italy: vigili urbani, who deal with petty crime, traffic, parking and other day-to-day matters (including the concerns of tourists asking for directions); carabinieri, the highly trained national force who handle serious crime and civilian unrest, protect government figures and perform other high-profile tasks; and polizia stradale, who patrol the roadways. Any of these forces may answer a 113 emergency call, though the carabinieri have their own emergency number, 112. The main police station in Florence is at Via Pietrapiana 50r.
Where’s the nearest police station? Dovè il più vicino posto di polizia?
Post Offices
Generally post offices are open Mon–Fri 8am–1.30pm and Sat 8.15am–12.30pm. Stamps can be bought from post offices or from tobacconists. Whatever you send and however long you travel, chances are you will be back home long before it reaches its destination. If you want something to arrive with alacrity, consider using FedEx, www.fedex.com/it, or another international delivery service.
Many post offices also exchange money. Post boxes mostly red, normally set in the wall and marked with Poste.
I would like a stamp for this letter/postcard. Vorrei un francobollo per questa lettera/cartolina.
Public Holidays
Tuscany and Umbria celebrate many local festivals, as well as all the national holidays. These are:
1 January New Year’s Day
6 January Epiphany
March/April Easter Sunday and Monday
25 April Liberation Day
1 May Labour Day
2 June Republic Day
15 August Ferragosto and Assumption Day
1 November All Saints’ Day
8 December Day of the Immaculate Conception
25 December Christmas
26 December St Stephen’s Day
T
Telephones
Public phone boxes, which are phone-card-operated, are becoming harder and harder to find. Pre-paid phonecards are available from tobacconists, newsstands and some bars. Italian area codes begin with a ‘0’. Dial the full area code (e.g. 055 for Florence), even for a local call. For international calls dial 00, then the country code, then the city or area code, without the ‘0’ (except for mobile numbers), then the number. Foreign mobile-phone users must dial the international access code even when calling an Italian number from within Italy (00 39). To avoid hotel surcharges on international calls, use a call card issued by BT and AT&T among other companies.
Almost all mobile phones should work in Italy; to make sure, check to see if yours supports GSM900 and GSM1800 frequencies. It can be expensive to use your mobile abroad – before you go check with your provider on how to arrange cheaper calls. Alternatively, particularly if you are staying longer, consider swapping your SIM card for an Italian SIM, obtainable from cell phone shops.
Time Zones
GMT plus 1 hour in winter, plus 2 hours in summer. Clocks are advanced one hour in April and turned back one hour in October.
Tipping
A 15 percent service charge is added to most restaurant bills, but a little extra for good service is appreciated. Tip bellboys €1 per bag. Taxi drivers: round up the fare to the nearest euro and add one more.
Toilets
Public toilets can be hard to find, and you usually have to pay to use one. Facilities in stations are often poorly maintained. For the price of a coffee you can use the toilet in a bar. The gents’ is designated by uomini or signori, the ladies’ by donne or signore.
Where are the toilets? Dove sono i gabinetti?
Italian National Tourist Office (ENIT; www.enit.it) offices include:
Canada: 365 Bay Street, Suite 503, Toronto, Ontario M5H 2V1, tel: (416) 925 4882, email: toronto@enit.it.
UK: 1 Princes Street, London W1B 2AY, tel: (020) 7408 1254, email: info.london@enit.it.
US: 686 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065, tel: (212) 245 5618, email: newyork@enit.it; 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 172, Chicago, IL 60611, tel: (312) 644 9335, email: chicago@enit.it; 1085 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 575, Los Angeles, CA 90024, tel: (310) 820 1898, email: losangeles@enit.it.
Italy: Regional tourist offices: Tuscany: Via Vittorio Emanuele II, Firenze, tel: (055) 462 801; Umbria: Corso Vannucci 96, Perugia, tel: (075) 5041
Many towns have tourist offices that can often provide detailed information that is not available from regional tourist offices.
Piazza del Comune 12, Assisi, tel: (075) 812 534
Via Cavour 1r, Firenze, tel: (055) 290 832, www.firenzeturismo.it
Via della Repubblica 15, Gubbio, tel: (075) 922 0693
Via Carducci 10, Lucca, tel: (0584) 962 233, www.luccaturismo.it
Piazza Don Minzoni 1, Montepulciano, tel: (0578) 757 341
Piazza del Duomo 24, Orvieto, tel: (0763) 341 772
Piazza Matteotti 18, Perugia, tel: (075) 573 6458
Piazza Duomo 7, Pisa, tel: 050 550 100, www.turismo.pisa.it
Piazza Buonamici 7, Prato, tel: 0574 24112, www.pratoturismo.it
Piazza Duomo 1, Siena, tel: (0577) 280 551, www.terresiena.it
Piazza della Libertà 7, Spoleto, tel: (0743) 238 920
An extensive public transport network makes it easy to move between major cities and towns without a car, although having your own transport does make it easier to visit the delightful rustic settings for which the regions are famous. Tourist offices will usually provide bus and train timetables and fare information; in fact, if you explain where you want to go and when, staff will usually look up times for you. Timetables are posted at train stations and can be consulted at the automated ticket machines. Stamp your ticket in one of the machines on the platform before boarding the train; you may be heavily fined if you don’t.
Florence, Perugia, Siena, Pisa and other cities in Tuscany and Umbria (and even many small towns as well) have excellent local bus systems. Tickets can be purchased at newsstands and generally cost around €1.20. Most bus systems offer 24-hour tickets and multi-day passes, which give a small discount. Stamp your ticket in one of the machines when you board the bus; failure to do so can result in a hefty fine. Florence is one of the many Italian cities implementing a bicycle-sharing system (Mobike) to complement the public transport system. Riders can buy daily and weekly passes for access to the various bike deposits throughout the city. The first of three tram lines being constructed in Florence is now up and running.
When is the next bus/train to…? Quando parte il prossimo autobus/treno per…?
one way andata
round trip andata e ritorno
first/second class prima/seconda classe
What’s the fare to…? Qual è la tariffa per…?
V
Visas and Entry Requirements
Citizens of EU countries need only a valid passport or identity card to enter Italy. Citizens of the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa need only a valid passport, although a special visa or residence permit is required for stays of more than 90 days. To facilitate the replacement process in case you lose your passport while travelling, take photocopies of your passport; leave one copy at home, and keep another with you, but separately from the passport.
Currency restrictions. While there is no limit on the amount of currency you can bring into Italy, you must declare any currency over the amount of €10,000 upon leaving the country if travelling to a country outside the EU.
IVA. A Value Added Tax of 23 percent is added to all purchases in Italy. In many cases, residents of non-EU countries can claim a refund for part of this tax on purchases over a certain amount at one shop – if they are willing to follow some complex procedures. There’s lots of good, straightforward advice (specific to Italy) on the English-language pages of www.agenziadoganemonopoli.gov.it/portale/ee/citizen/vta-refund.
W
Websites
The following is a list of helpful English-language websites.
www.firenzemusei.it – Ticketing website for Florence’s State museums and exhibits
www.visitflorence.com – Comprehensive up-to-date information about Florence
www.mugellotoscana.it – Mugello valley information
www.perugiaonline.com – Perugia tourism information
www.assisionline.com – Assisi tourism information
www.orvietoonline.com – Orvieto tourism information
www.welcometuscany.it – Comprehensive up-to-date information on Tuscany
www.visittuscany.com – Tuscany Tourism Office official site
www.umbriatourism.it – Umbria Tourist Board official site
www.accessibleitaly.com – Useful website for travellers with disabilities
Y
Youth Hostels
There are hostels in Florence, Perugia, Lucca and some other towns. The Associazione Italiana Alberghi per la Gioventù (AIG) can provide a list of hostels and a free booking service. AIG, Viale Mazzini 88, 00195 Roma, tel: (06) 9826 1462, www.aighostels.it, email: info@aighostels.it.