Italy-Travel Warnings

Holidays and Days off
 
Knowing the public holidays that may happen during your time studying, working, or volunteering in Italy is important, as many businesses and services will be closed.  Because of the deeply Catholic culture in the country, many religious holidays will be publicly observed.

Official holidays in Italy include: New Years Day, Epiphany (January 6), Easter Sunday and Monday, Anniversary of Liberation (April 25), Labor Day (May 1), Republic Day (June 2), Assumption Day (August 15), All Saints Day (November 1), Immaculate Conception (December 8), Christmas Day, and St. Stephen's Day (December 26).

Some holidays are not considered public anymore, but may be observed in certain regions and among members of certain religions, including: St. Joseph's Day (March 19), Day of the Dead (November 2), and National Unity and Armed Forces Day (November 4). 

The following are not public holidays, but have been made holidays by law: Flag Day (January 7), International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27), The Lateran Pacts (February 11), and Europe Day (May 9).

Additionally, most Italians go on their summer holidays in July and August, so prices will go up along with the temperature.  While spending a summer abroad in Italy, it's good to know you’ll be spending a bit more money, especially in tourist-geared cities.

Customs Rules

Keeping your receipts is important while traveling in Italy, so you have proof of what you have and have not purchased for officials who may give you trouble at customs. Italy charges a 20% Sales Tax, which can add up pretty fast; another good reason to keep your receipts.

For travelers from outside the EU, Italian customs allows the following when coming into Italy: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 2 litres table wine, or 1 litre of alcohol.
When coming back to the U.S. from Italy, a traveler can take back up to $400 US of foreign good duty-free, as long as they have been outside the country for 48 hours.  Those over the age of 21 can bring back 1 litre of alcohol. 

Communication 

Public telephones are available in most places around Italy. To make calls, one must determine if the public phone takes coins or phone cards, or scheda telefonica, which are widely available at most shops.  Some may take both; other may take only one.  Additionally, some can accept credit cards.
Internet cafes are popular in Italy, so if you need the Internet on the go, if should be fairly easy to find one to use for not a lot of money. 

Tipping 

Restaurants generally include tips in the bill, but if service is especially good, you may leave an extra small tip.  If the restaurant does not put a service charge on the bill, a tip of about 10% is acceptable, and not necessary.  Taxi drivers usually aren't tipped, but be sure to tip the bellmen at higher-end hotels.

Safety 

Pickpockets are a problem in more tourist-geared areas such as Naples and Rome.  While traveling abroad in Italy, wearing a money belt under your clothing can greatly reduce the chance you'll be pick-pocketed.  Purses and camera straps should be word across the body to make it more difficult to be snatched off of you.  Also keep an eye out for groups who appear to be beggars; they can often gang up on you to distract you while others grab your valuables. For those who would travel by car while traveling in Italy, car-theft, especially cars with foreign license plates or rental-company stickers, is especially an issue in Rome, Campania, and Puglia.  Do not leave items in plain view, especially overnight. Women are not specifically in danger in Italy, but Italian men, especially in the south, can be very forward.  It's best to ignore unwanted stares and verbal advances, but if a man gets inappropriately touchy, it's best to report it to police.

Emergency Phones

Some emergency numbers to keep handy as a foreigner when volunteering, working, studying, or teaching in Italy:

Emergencies, EU-wide (multilingual operators): 112
Fire Department: 115
Emergency Police: 113
Financial Police (if a business cheats you): 117
Medical emergencies/ambulance: 118
International inquiries: 176