Italy Information

Full country name: Italian Republic
Area: 301,230 sq km
Population: 57.99 million
Capital City: Rome
People: Italian
Language: French, German, Serbian, Croatian, Italian
Religion: 84% Roman Catholic, 6% Jewish, Muslim and Protestant
Government: republic
Head of State: President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
Head of Government: Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
GDP: US$1.45 trillion
GDP per capita: US$25,100
Inflation: 2.6%
Major Industries: tourism, engineering, textiles, chemicals, food processing, motor vehicles, clothing and footwear
Major Trading Partners: EU (especially Germany, France, UK, Spain, Netherlands), USA
Member of EU: Yes
Facts for the Traveler
Visas: EU citizens require only a passport or ID card to stay or work in Italy for as long as they like. They are, however, required to register with a questura (police station) if they take up residence and obtain a permesso di soggiorno (permission to remain for a nominated period). Citizens of many other countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Switzerland and Japan, do not need a visa if entering as tourists for up to three months. Passports may not be stamped upon entry, so that three-month rule can be interpreted with a certain flexibility. If you are entering for any reason other than tourism (for instance, study) or plan to remain for an extended period, insist on having the entry stamp. Without it you could encounter problems when trying to obtain a permesso di soggiorno. Non-EU citizens who want to study at a university or language school must have a study visa. These can be obtained from your nearest Italian embassy or consulate.

Health risks: rabies (This is only found in the Alps), Leishmaniasis (This is found in coastal regions), Lyme disease
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1 (+2 in summer) (Central European Time)
Dialling Code: 39
Electricity: 230V ,50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric
When to Go
Italy is at its best in spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November). During these seasons, the scenery is beautiful, the temperatures are pleasant and there are relatively few crowds. Try to avoid August, as this is the time that most Italians take their vacations, and many shops and businesses are closed as a result.

Currency: Euro
Getting There & Away

For travel between Italy and other parts of Europe, including the UK, buses are the cheapest but most tiring type of transport, although discount rail tickets are competitive and budget flights can be good value.
For the rest of the world flying would seem the easiest option although boat passages are available.
Visitors travelling to Italy will find that flights are numerous and fares are competitive.
Unless you're pushed for time, train travel is a great way to enter Italy from within Europe.
Buses to Italy are numerous but can't really compete with the convenience of the train.
Ferries service Sicily from Naples, while Sardinia can be reached from Genoa, Livorno and Naples.
Ferries connect the country with Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, Malta, Albania, Croatia and Spain.

Getting Around
Given the excellent network of relatively cheap bus and train services in Italy, both are a great, stress-free way of seeing the country - and of being part of the great Italian travelling public. Bus travel is the less expensive of the two, but as there are many different operators it is less straightforward than train travel. Your own wheels give you the most potential freedom and flexibility, although both fuel and autostrada (motorway) tolls are rather expensive. Domestic air travel can be costly and is probably worth it only if you are really short of time.
Buses are fast and reliable, whether they are traversing local routes linking small villages or zooming along autostrade between cities. They come into their own to reach destinations not serviced by the trains.
If you want to see more of the Italy, renting a car is a great way of getting off the beaten track. Roads are generally good throughout the country, and there is an excellent network of freeways, although you do have to pay tolls.