Travel information Italy

Most motorways in Italy are toll roads (strade a pedaggio). The current toll rates can be found here: autostrade.it/en/pedaggio. You can pay in cash or by credit card (toll gate Carte) or sometimes with an Irish debit card, without PIN code. You can also buy a toll badge, which is valid in 4 countries: Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. This can also be bought online at tolltickets.com/en  Can't pay? Then the toll gate will open anyway, and you will receive a ticket and have to pay afterward at, for example, a manned toll gate further down the road or online.

Many Italian cities have established environmental zones, called Zona a Traffico Limitato (ZTL). The rules are complicated and vary from city to city. There is no environmental sticker as in other countries. An environmental zone is indicated by a zona trafico limitato sign. High fines apply. It is best to park outside the zone and continue by public transport or on foot.

Current fuel prices and petrol stations: https://www.autostrade.it/en/aree-di-servizio1 Fuelling on the motorway is always a lot more expensive than along ordinary roads. Prices are lowest at self-service pumps (fai da te/self service).

Electric vehicle?  Italy does not have that many charging points.  Especially in the south and Sicily, they are harder to find. Charging points along the way can be found on this route planner: https://abetterrouteplanner.com/ of chargemap.com

It is compulsory to have a warning triangle and a safety vest in the car.

The shortest route to central and southern Italy is via Basel - St Gotthard tunnel - Milan.

The shortest route to northeast Italy including Lake Garda and Venice is via Innsbruck - Brenner Pass.

The main traffic rules in Italy can be found here. Busy weekends are 29 July and 5 August.

Tap water in Italy is generally safe to drink. If a tap is labeled Acqua non potabile (no drinking water), it is better to drink bottled water.

In Italy, bakeries and butchers open sometime between 07:00 and 08:00. Around lunchtime, they are closed for a few hours and then they are open until around 19:00. Many bakeries are also open on Sunday mornings. On Mondays, many shops are closed. The big supermarkets are open every day, all day, and often into the evening, They are often found just outside the cities, and in addition to food, they sell everything from books to washing machines. Well-known supermarkets include Esselunga, Ipercoop, Eurospin, and Conad, but in Italy, you will also find Lidl and Aldi.  Cigarettes and medicines are not for sale in supermarkets.

If you eat out at the campsite, you can often go early. If you go out to a restaurant outside the campsite, bear in mind that there will often be nobody there before 8 pm.  You can have a simple 3-course menu for around €15 (13 GBP) . Check the menu or the bill: if it says Servizio, the tip is already included. Coperto is the amount the restaurant charges for the use of crockery, table linen, cutlery, etc., and has nothing to do with tipping.

Italian health care is of good quality.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles you to necessary medical care in the event of illness or an accident during a temporary stay in Italy. Often it is not necessary to advance healthcare costs yourself. The personal EHIC can be found on the back of your health insurer's health insurance card or in their app.  Read more about the European Health Insurance Card EHIC

In the pharmacy, you can find all kinds of medicines and self-care products. Italian doctors are always very generous with the provision of medicines.

In case of hospitalisation or when specialist medical care is needed, it is best to contact your insurance company directly.

In Italy, COVID-19 measures no longer apply. It is also not necessary to get vaccinations.

Italy is a large country with great geographical differences. As a result, there are various climates.

• Central and southern Italy has a Mediterranean or Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers.
  
  
• Much of the north of the country has a maritime climate with relatively mild winters, no extremely hot summers, and precipitation throughout the year.
  
  
• During the summer period (June, July, and August) it is warm to very hot in large parts of Italy. Especially in the south (near Naples and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia) the temperature can reach up to forty degrees. Especially in large cities such as Rome and Naples, it can become unpleasantly stuffy. On average, there are no major differences in summer temperatures, in practice, it is possible due to the length of the country that differences in temperature of fifteen degrees between north and south are measured at the same time. In the higher parts of Italy, it can even be twenty to twenty-five degrees cooler than in the far south of Italy at that time.
  
  
• When there is rain on Lake Garda in the summer, this is almost always accompanied by thunderstorms, which can sometimes be very intense.

Google translate will of course get you a long way, but it is also nice to know some phrases. We will help you get started:

In Italy, you pay with the euro. The price level is on average slightly lower than in the UK. You can pay almost anywhere with your regular debit card or with a credit card. There are many ATMs in Italy. Please note: withdrawing money with a credit card is usually not free.

At the time of publishing the 1 EURO = 0,87 Pound sterling

• If you are traveling to Italy, you will need a valid passport or ID card with which you can identify yourself. You don't need it to cross the border.
  
  
• For up-to-date Foreign Travel Advice view here.
  
  
• The voltage found in the UK and Italy is exactly the same (230V and 50Hz).
  You will not need a transformer/converter but you should bring a travel adaptor as there are three associated plug types, types C, F and L.  Plug type C is the plug that has two round pins (most common), plug type F is the plug which has two round pins with two earth clips on the side and plug type L is the plug type which has three round pins.   

• Important holidays in Italy:

• Italy is a dog-friendly country, all breeds are allowed, but they must be at least 15 weeks old. In public places, your dog must be on a leash and muzzled. For your dog or cat, you need an EU pet passport, available from the vet. Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before travel. The mandatory chip must have been inserted before the rabies vaccination (may be on the same day). More information can be found here.

Tip: photograph your passport/ID, insurance card, bank card, emergency numbers, and other important items before departure. Email or app them to yourself or other travel companions, so you still have important data at hand in the event of loss or theft.