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The climate in Italy

The climate varies considerably from the north to the south of Italy.
In the north of the country – the area between the Alps and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines – the climate is harsh, with very cold winters and very hot, particularly humid summers. In central Italy the climate is milder, with a smaller difference in temperature between summer and winter and a shorter and less intense cold season than in the north; summers are longer, but the sultriness of the northern cities is mitigated by the sea. In southern Italy and the islands winters are never particularly harsh, and spring and autumn temperatures are similar to those reached in the summer in other areas of Italy.

Average temperatures

Temperatures vary widely in Italy, in the north, centre or south of the country. The table below illustrates the monthly average minimum and maximum temperatures for three cities, one for each climate area.

Milan

Month Min. Temperature Max Temperature Rainfall
January 28.4 ° F 41 ° F 2.5 in
February 32 ° F 46.4 ° F 2.4 in
March 37.4 ° F 55.4 ° F 3.2 in
April 44.6 ° F 64.4 ° F 3.2 in
May 51.8 ° F 71.6 ° F 3.8 in
June 59 ° F 78.8 ° F 2.5 in
July 62.6 ° F 84.2 ° F 2.6 in
August 62.6 ° F 82.4 ° F 3.6 in
September 57.2 ° F 75.2 ° F 2.7 in
October 46.4 ° F 64.4 ° F 3.9 in
November 39.2 ° F 50 ° F 3.9 in
December 33.8 ° F 41 ° F 2.3 in

Rome

Month Min. Temperature Max Temperature Rainfall
January 37.4 °F 53.6 °F 4.0 in
February 39.2 °F 55.4 °F 3.8 in
March 41 °F 59 °F 2.6 in
April 46.4 °F 64.4 °F 2.5 in
May 46.4 °F 73.4 °F 1.8 in
June 59 °F 80.6 °F 1.3 in
July 62.6 °F 86 °F 0.9 in
August 59 °F 86 °F 1.2 in
September 59 °F 80.6 °F 2.6 in
October 51.8 °F 71.6 °F 3.7 in
November 44.6 °F 60.8 °F 5.1 in
December 39.2 °F 55.4 °F 4.3 in

Palermo

Month Min. Temperature Max Temperature Rainfall
January 48.2 °F 57.2 °F 3.9 in
February 48.2 °F 59 °F 3.7 in
March 50 °F 60.8 °F 3.1 in
April 53.6 °F 66.2 °F 2.3 in
May 59 °F 73.4 °F 0.9 in
June 66.2 °F 80.6 °F 0.5 in
July 71.6 °F 86 °F 0.2 in
August 71.6 °F 86 °F 0.8 in
September 68 °F 80.6 °F 1.8 in
October 60.8 °F 73.4 °F 3.9 in
November 55.4 °F 66.2 °F 3.7 in
December 50 °F 60.8 °F 4.2 in

What documents are required to enter Italy?
European Citizens whose country is under the authority of the Schengen Treaty may enter Italy with nothing more than a valid identity card or passport. Citizens from all other countries must show their passport on the border; where a visa is required, this must also be presented to the border authorities and must indicate the length of the holder’s stay and his or her destination. Visa applications – specifying the reason for the trip –  must be made to the Italian Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence, and are generally issued 90 days after the application was been made.

Once visitors arrive in Italy, those who will not be staying in a hotel or similar accommodation facility must register with the local police headquarters within 8 days of their arrival in the country. Visitors staying in hotels or other tourist accommodation facilities will automatically be registered upon reception there.

Are their any restrictions on goods that may be brought into the country?
There are no limits to what may be bought or carried on trips within the European Union, provided such purchases are for the traveller’s own personal use.

Documents required to drive in Italy
Driving licences issued by any of the EU member states are valid throughout the European Union, including Italy.
Drivers in possession of a licence issued by any EU country do not require an international driving permit or a sworn translation of their own licence.

General rules for driving
Driving licences issued by any of the EU Member States are valid throughout the European Union, including Italy.

Drivers with a licence issued by any EU country do not require an international driving permit or a legal translation of their own licence.
To drive in Italy, you must be over 18. Keep right and overtake on the left. Dipped headlights must be used on two-lane motorways. When driving through towns and villages, the horn may be sounded only in the event of an emergency. Trams and trains have right of way.

The use of seatbelts in both the front and rear seats is compulsory, and failure to keep them fastened may result in fines for both drivers and passengers. On three-lane motorways, the lane on the right is reserved for slow vehicles and vehicles that are not overtaking. At crossings, vehicles approaching from the right always have right of way. Seatbelts must be fastened both in the front and the rear (provided the vehicle is fitted with them). Fines may be issued on-the-spot to drivers and passengers stopped by the police and found travelling without their seatbelt fastened.

Mopeds below 150cc may not be driven on motorways under any circumstances. Helmets are compulsory to drive all motorcycles and mopeds, whatever the engine size.

What are the speed limits?
Cars and motorbikes (vehicles with engine size over 150 cc):
urban areas 50 km/h (31 mph);
minor out-of-town roads 90 km/h (56 mph);
major out-of-town roads 110 km/h (68 mph);
motorways 130 km/h (81 mph).
In the event of rain on snow, the limit is lowered to 110 k/h on motorways and 90 k/h on trunk roads.

In order to ensure that these limits are complied with, numerous speed cameras have been installed throughout the road and motorway network to keep electronic checks on speed.

Cars with trailers or caravans: in urban areas, the speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph); on minor out-of-town roads 70 km/h (44 mph); on major out-of-town roads 70 km/h (44 mph); on motorways 80 km/h (50 mph).
Camper vans weighing over 3.5 tonnes and under 12 tonnes: in urban areas, the speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph); on minor out-of-town roads 80 km/h (50 mph); on major out-of-town roads 80 km/h (50 mph); on motorways 100 km/h (62 mph).
Compulsory equipment on board : triangle; spare tyre; extinguisher (recommended) and reflective safety jacket, which must be used outside towns and villages in the event of a stop during the night or in poor visibility conditions, or when stopping on emergency lanes or lay-bys.
Insurance : Civil Liability insurance is compulsory. For visitors arriving from abroad, the best option is the Green Card, an insurance policy that can even be taken out at the border and is valid for 15, 30 or 45 days.

Drinking and driving : in Italy, driving is not permitted with a blood alcohol content superior to 0.5 grammes per litre, in line with the European average.

Useful numbers and emergency numbers :
Police 113
Fire Brigade 115
Ambulance 118.

Safety

Italy is a safe country. However, should you find yourself in a difficult situation, it is best to turn to the police forces in charge of safety for Italian and foreign nationals residing in or visiting the country.

Emergency numbers

An efficient, modern, integrated network, with the switchboards of the various police forces, emergency services, organisations and agencies is ready to respond to emergency calls from anywhere in Italy. Access to this network is simple and quick: all you have to do is call the national emergency numbers, which are well known and easy to remember.

113 – State Police

112 – Carabineers Police Force

117 – Guardia di Finanza (Finance Guard)

115 – Fire Service

118 – Health emergencies – Ambulances

803.116 – Road Rescue

1515 – Forest Fire

1530 – Coast Guard – Sea Rescue

Local Police

What currency is used in Italy?

Since 2001, the currency used in Italy is the euro. One euro is divided up into 100 euro-cents. There are eight different coins (1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro-cents) and seven notes (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros).

Credit cards

As well as in cash, purchases can be paid for using the most common credit cards. This payment system is common in Italian shops, which generally display the symbols of the credit cards they accept on the outside door. If you pay by credit card you will be asked to show an identity document. Travellers cheques (in USD or Euros) can also be cashed in Italian banks.

Tips

Tips are not compulsory and in Italy there are no generally established rules, although it is common practice to leave a sum amounting to around 10% of the bill if you are satisfied with the service you have received.
Esistono otto monete metalliche diverse (1, 2, 5, 10, 20 e 50 centesimi e 1 e 2 euro) e sette banconote (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 e 500 euro).

Language

Italian is the official language of the country, although accents and dialects may vary widely from one region to another. A large number of local dialects are spoken in Italy.

There are two regions, however, which have a second official language: the Aosta Valley, where French is also spoken, and Trentino Alto Adige, where German is also spoken. In these regions, road signs, as well as place names, for example, appear in both languages. There are also a number of small areas in which languages other than Italian are used, although these languages do not have official status: in Friuli-Venezia Giulia there is a Slovenian-speaking area, and in Calabria (in the Bovesìa area) and in Apulia (in the Grecia Salentina zone), Greek is spoken in some areas. In Sicily, in Piana degli Albanesi, you will find the largest Albanian community in Italy, where the Albanian language is widely used, even in official documents and on road signs.

Religions

The Italian Constitution guarantees freedom of worship. Most of the population is Catholic; there are also, however, a large number of minority religious communities, some of them of Christian or Catholic inspiration, such as the Apostolic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), the Waldensian Evangelical Church and the Holy Orthodox Archdiocese, as well as Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist communities.

Making calls to Italy

To call an Italian telephone number from outside Italy, either from a landline or a mobile phone, you will need to add the international dialling code for Italy, which is 0039 (+39), followed by the telephone number you require.

To call another country from Italy, you will need to add the international dialling code for the country you are calling, followed by the telephone number you require.
To make calls within Italy, dial the number you require without adding the international country dialling code.
To make calls from public telephones (which you can find on the street, in some bars, restaurants, etc and in shopping centres), you may use coins or phone cards, which can be purchased from tobacconists, news kiosks and telephone shops. Mobile phone reception in Italy is based on GSM technology, which is not compatible with that of a number of countries (including the USA and Japan), unless you have a three-band mobile phone.
Before travelling to Italy you should contact your telephone services provider to activate the international roaming service (if it is not already activated automatically).
Making international calls from a mobile phone may be very expensive, and it is often advisable to purchase a phone card to call home from a public telephone.

Internet and e-mail usage

There are numerous internet points and cafés offering internet access. In many hotels (especially higher-category ones) a direct internet connection is provided in the rooms. In addition, in Italy you will find Wi-Fi access available in many airports, hotels, train stations and other public places where travellers pass through or stop off.

What time is it in Italy ?

Italy is in the Central European Time (CET) Zone, 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), and observes Daylight Saving Time: at the beginning of spring the clocks go forward an hour in order to take advantage of an extra hour of sunlight in the late afternoon/evening. At the beginning of autumn the clocks are shifted back an order to standard Central European Time.

What are the typical mealtimes in Italy ?

Italians usually have breakfast from 7.00 a.m. onwards. Hotels generally set a time (around 10.00 a.m.) after which breakfast may no longer be ordered. In restaurants, lunch is served from 12.30 to 2.30 p.m, and dinner between 19.30 and 23.00. These times are merely indicative, and may vary significantly, depending on the area of the country you are visiting: in the north they tend to be earlier, becoming later the further south you travel..

What are the shop opening hours ?

Shops are generally open from Monday to Saturday, from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 and from 3.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m., although shopping centres and department stores often stay open all day, from 10.00 a.m. to 9.00 or 10.00 p.m. Shopping centres and stores are also open on several Sundays throughout the year.

Pharmacies have the same opening hours as shops, from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 and from 3.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.; in the larger cities, some pharmacies are open 24 hours. For emergencies during the night, or when the pharmacies are normally closed, a number of them remain open, on a rotational basis. A calendar listing the nearest one open can be found on the doors of all local pharmacies.

National public holidays

There are 12 national holidays on the Italian calendar:

1 January – New Year’s Day
6 January – Epiphany,
Easter Sunday (date varies from year to year)
Easter Monday (the day after Easter Sunday)
25 April – Anniversary of the Liberation
1 May – Labour Day
2 June -Republic Day
15 August – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary ( Ferragosto )
1 November – All Saints Day
8 December – Immaculate Conception
25 December – Christmas Day
26 December – Boxing Day

Festività locali e feste patronali

The local patron saint’s day is generally a local public holiday: offices are closed and a range of events and markets are held. Below is a list of the patron saints of the capital cities of the Italian regions:

29 January – San Costanzo, Perugia (Umbria)
23 April – San Giorgio, Campobasso (Molise)
25 April – San Marco, Venice (Veneto)
4 May – San Ciriaco of Jerusalem, Ancona (Marche)
9 May and 6 December – San Nicola, Bari (Apulia)
30 May – San Gerardo, Potenza (Basilicata)
10 June – San Massimo d’Aveia, L’Aquila (Abruzzo)
24 June – San Giovanni, Genoa (Liguria)
24 June – San Giovanni, Florence (Tuscany)
24 June – San Giovanni, Turin (Piedmont)
26 June – San Vigilio, Trent (Trentino)
29 June – San Pietro, Rome (Lazio)
15 July – Santa Rosalia, Palermo (Sicily)
16 July- San Vitaliano, Catanzaro (Calabria)
7 September – San Grato, Aosta (Aosta Valley)
19 September – San Gennaro, Naples (Campania)
11 luglio – Santa Rosalia, Palermo (Sicilia)
4 October – San Petronio, Bologna (Emilia Romagna)
30 October – San Saturnino, Cagliari (Sardinia)
3 November – San Giusto, Trieste (Friuli Venezia Giulia)
7 December- Sant’Ambrogio, Milan (Lombardy)

How does the electrical system work in Italy?

In Italy the electrical current is 220 volts AC (50 Hz). Electrical sockets comply with European regulations. In most hotels you will find adaptors for different types of plugs.

Is tapwater drinkable in Italy?

The supply of drinking water is guaranteed throughout Italy. The water from taps and fountains is checked regularly, and is perfectly safe to drink, unless there is a notice indicating otherwise.

What metric system is used in Italy?

In Italy, the basic unit of measurement is the metre. The International System of Units (SI), the standard metric system in use in the European Union, defines the seven fundamental units used (metre, kilogramme, second, ampere, kelvin, mole, candela)

What sizes are used in Italy ?

Italian sizes are in centimetres, unlike US sizes, for example, which are in inches. Women’s clothing sizes generally range from about 38 to 56, men’s sizes from about 42 to 60. Adult shoe sizes generally go from about 35 to 46.
Sizes and measures can be converted by visiting one of the various internet sites that offer conversion tables.

Senior Citizens, Persons with Disabilities, Nutritional Allergies and Special Economic Conditions

Over the course of the last century tourism has become a primary social need. Not only is it an extraordinarily important economic factor, but it is also a means to increase knowledge and personal development. For all these reasons today it is essential to grant access to tourist experiences to all citizens, regardless their personal, social, economic and any other condition, that could limit such experiences.

The “Committee for the promotion and the encouragement of Accessible Tourism” was established in Italy in response to the demand of focusing the whole tourism system on each person and his needs. Accessible tourism is the highest expression of such a civilized goal and, for this reason, Italy has established a Charter of Rights for Tourists.

Accessibility, i.e. the absence of all architectural, cultural and sensory barriers, is the essential requirement to allow everyone to enjoy Italian heritage. The principle promoted by the Committee’s action is simple and very clear: individuals in their entirety and with their needs, are citizens and customers having the right to experience tourist offers completely and autonomously, receiving suitable services according to the price they pay.

Tips for Tourists

1. – Buy all tickets for travel and transport from authorized vendors only. Alternatively, purchasing tickets online sometimes guarantees extra promotions and/or discounts.

2. – Ride in authorized taxis only, marked by official signs and identification. Ask for the driver’s cost estimate for your route in advance, read rules and regulations posted inside taxi, and maintain an eye on the cab’s meter from beginning to end of your journey. Remember that any transport of baggage usually guarantees first bag free of charge. Always ask for an official receipt for the price you pay.

3.     – Check and double-check map locations for your lodging and general area of touristic interest. Measure distances from airports/stations and chosen lodging. Stay informed about lodging prices and finer details when booking and checking out.

4. – When possible, always pay with traceable instruments (debit, credit card, travelers’ checks and even smartphone), but be sure to have cash on hand for places that do not accept cards or electronic payments of any kind.

5. – Always exercise your right to ask for receipts upon payment, and pay attention to charges and look for official government signs on the receipt (vendors often attempt to pass off unofficial pieces of printed paper as receipts so as to avoid paying taxes).

6. – Seek out information points that offer maps, advice and other help in any city you visit.

7.    – Know opening hours and terms of entry in the museums, galleries, churches and archaeological sites you want to see (e.g. many monuments and institutions are closed on certain holidays, while many allow free entry to those European citizens under 18 or over 65).

8. – Do not purchase tickets of entry to museums or archaeological sites from unauthorized sellers or persons without official tour guide accreditation, and do not trust promises to advance your place in line. Remember that access to public spaces is always free.

9. – Don’t flash valuables on the street, and get away as quickly as possible from groups or individuals trying to distract you by asking for information or money.

10. – Keep all personal effects in a safe place (documents, telephones, computers and other devices), and do not entrust them to strangers.

11. – In restaurants, pizzerias, fast food and take-away establishments, always look at the menu with prices, remembering that table service usually costs more than counter service or take-away. Restaurateurs are obligated to exhibit all costs for both service and menu items.

12. – Excepting some cases, bathroom use is free in bars and restauarants. Some establishments ask for payment or a tip. Railway and bus stations often require coins for payment.

13. – The water in public fountains is potable, unless otherwise indicated, and a glass of tap water at the bar is always free.

14. – Anytime you have a bad sense of your surroundings or are confronted with danger – or your rights as a client/tourist/traveler are not respected, advise local authorities immediately.

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