Italy

Italy has hot summers and cold winters. The south experiences mild, wet winters and very hot summers. Rain generally falls in October, January and early Spring. Pack lightweight clothing with a few warm layers in Spring and early Autumn, plus rain gear. In Winter, bring a jacket in the south and a warm overcoat in the north. Summers can be hot and humid, so bring light summer clothes with a light jacket for the evenings.

Respect the siesta! Especially in summer and rural areas, many shops and museums close between 1 – 3pm. And even a hungry face pressed up against a window won’t convince your local ristorante to open earlier than 7pm. Italians greet each other with a kiss on each cheek, go with the flow, get under the cultural skin, enjoy their open-hearted welcome.  

Good Morning/Day: Buongiorno
Good Evening: Buonasera
Hi: Ciao
Please: Per favore
Thank you: Grazie
Yes: Si
No: No
Do you speak English? Parla inglese?
How much? Quanto costa?
1: Uno
2: Due
3: Tre
4: Quattro
5: Cinque
6: Sei
7: Sette
8: Otto
9: Nove
10: Dieci

Thieves in highly touristic areas tend to be professional – be vigilant about your money and ID. 
Consult your local doctor for general immunisations and visit http://smartraveller.gov.au for current safety and travel information.

Italy uses a round, 2-prong plug.

The official currency of Italy is the Euro.
Bank hours are 8:30am - 1:15pm and 3:30pm - 4:30pm Monday to Friday.
1 Euro (€) = 100 Cents (c)
Banknote denominations: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, €500
Coin denominations: 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, €1, €2

Keep receipts until you have left restaurants or bars, as occasionally there are spot tax checks on owners. Credit cards are accepted in the larger cities (mostly Visa and Mastercard), and you should have no problems using them in shops and restaurants. However, smaller shops, especially those in rural locations, may ask you to pay in cash or have a minimum amount required to use a credit card.

Average costs:
Soft drink/Mineral water/coffee = €3-5
Salad or sandwhich lunch with drink = €15
Dinner at a midrange restaurant = €30-40

Italy is a member of the Schengen Convention. Nationals of countries including Australia and New Zealand don’t need a visa for stays under 90 days. We recommend standard travel insurance for Italy.

- Stand in a bar to eat or drink, it reduces the cost of sitting by almost half. 
- Follow those crooked alleys and eat a street or two away from the main tourist strip, you’ll find local prices and often better food.
- Drink the house wine – always. You're in wine country! Chances are it will be delicious – and you’ll find great wines, who knows, their ‘local’ wine might just happen to be a drop from Montepulciano.