BASIC FACTS OF ITALY

Italy's political system is a parliamentary democracy having a Prime Minister as head of government and a President as head of state. Italy is a founding member of the European Union and a leading Western industrial power. As a NATO member, Italy is formally supportive of the Western community of nations. Hence, democracy, free markets and a betterment of mankind are cornerstones of the official Italian profile.

Language:

Italian is the official language of the land with many dialects spoken regionally. Additionally, French, German and Croatian are spoken in border areas of the country. Engl ish is spoken by many, particularly at tourist locations.

Protocol, Etiquette, and Tipping:

Italy is a touchy feely kind of country. It is quite appropriate for men to embrace men and women to embrace women and of course visa-versa. The accepted method of embracing is to touch first left cheek to left cheek and then right cheek to right cheek with lips puckered optional. A direct kiss on the cheek or the mouth is reserved for lovers and spouses and is generally avoided between friends or mere acquaintances. Likewise men will, on appropriate occasion, “kiss̶" the hand of a lady held in high esteem. This involves a lifting of the lady’s right hand to a slightly bowed head toward the lips of the man which should never actually touch the hand. This custom is considered to be very elegant throughout the country. Men walking arm in arm is quite a common sight in the southern parts of Italy which tends to be more traditional.

Italian children are often to be found with their parents and family at late hours in restaurants, often asleep. The reason for this is that Italians rarely dine before 8:30 pm (20:30 hours) and eat for 2 to 3 hours. Don’t be surprised to find the family dog also in attendance and asleep under the table. This is all quite normal. Sitting at the table Italian style requires you to lean both forearms on the table before you. No need to hide that left forearm under the table. Try eating your spaghetti by twirling the delicious strands with your fork without the spoon back-up. Very impressive! Always, when toasting with your beverage glass, look into the eyes of the person being toasted. If he or she is Italian he or she will be looking right back at you.

What is new is that there is a strict “no smoking” law in effect which includes all restaurants, cafés and most public places. Delightful, as there is no longer second hand smoke to disturb your Italian eating experience.

Go ahead and tip at the restaurants if you are happy with the meal and service. First check your bill as often a 15% service charge (coperto) may already be added. It is reasonable in such cases to leave a few euros as tips are an important source of income for service personnel.

Money:           

The official monetary u nit is the Euro which is used by 13 member states of the European Common Market, a notable exception is Great Britain. The exchange rate, Dollar to Euro and Euro to dollar varies over time but it is approximately - 1 Euro = 1.40 USD. Banks, Exchange Offices and larger hotels will exchange dollars for euros. Keep in mind, however, that hotels often give the lowest exchange rates. Passports or other officially pictured governmental identification is needed when exchanging currency. Travel Checks, ATMs, Debit and Credit Cards are in use throughout Italy.

Use this website to calculate current exchange rates: http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic

What to buy:

Italy is a shopper̵';s paradise. Products are well made and generally are held in high esteem throughout the world. “Made in Italy” is indicative of high quality in fashion, jewelry, art, glass, leather, lace, kitchen ware, sports ware, = and religious items.

Fashion: Armani, Gucci, Ferragamo, Pucci, Prada, Valentino and Versace are but a few of the leading fashion designers which dictate and lead the best in world fashion. Many boutiques sell their products with the high= est concentration found in Rome, Milan, Florence and Venice.

Jewelry: Designs are very original with much of the production coming from small studios working with gold (18k) and semi-precious stones. Jewelry stores are to be found in the larger cities as well as smaller locals.

Art: It is everywhere. Paintings, statuary, ceramics,and pottery can be purchased in high price stores or open air markets. All major cites have their market days where good buys are attainable. Remember to bargain if there is no fixed price (prezzo fisso) indicated. Start with 50% off and go from there.

Glass: Murano, an island sharing a lagoon with Venice, is the world capital of glass. It is approximately 20 minutes by vaporetto (boat) from Venice. It is best to go in the morning hours to see the glass blowing take place. All manor and designs in glass can be found at any price range. Like wise Murano glass is sold in stores throughout Italy.

Leather: Italian shoes, boots, luggage, bags, clothing, c hange purses, wallets, etc. are the best in the world, primarily because the leather is the finest produced. All leather goods are to be found throughout the country with the greatest variety to be found in the larger cities.

Lace: Delicate movement of design distinguishes Italia= n hand made lace. It is exquisitely fashioned into tablecloths, bridal gowns, bed linens, blouses and swim ware, etc. Venice and Florence are the main produc= ers with stores throughout Italy selling a wide variety of quality and styles.

DISCOUNTS! Italy allows U.S. tourists to be exempt from the VAT tax on products bought while in the country. All you have to do is bring your passport at time of purchase. The store will fill out a form which you will present at time of departure from the country. You will then be reimbursed for the tax on your purchases in your choice of currency.

Business Hours:

Banks: open from 8:30am – 1:30pm and 2:30pm – 4:00pm Monday – Friday (Weekends closed)

Businesses: open 9:00am -1:00pm and 3:30pm – 7:00pm Monday - Friday

The above is a generalization as hours may vary from north to south. The afternoon break (il riposo) is often observed.

The Geography of Italy

In order to appreciate and understand Italy, we must become familiar with its regions which comprise 116,300 square miles of land and features 5,130 mile's of Mediterranean shoreline. The 20 regions are distinct from each other, each with its own variation of an Italian theme, personality, and geography. Although no bigger then the state of New Mexico, Italy’s geography varies from the pristine Alpine regions in the north to Sicily, the largest of the exotic Mediterranean islands in the extreme south. We now invite you to visit some of the more popular regions.

The Regions of Italy

 

LAZIO REGION

Rome is the regional capital as well as Italy’s capital. At one time, Rome was also known as Caput Mundi (world capital) and center of the Roman Empire which ruled over one quarter of the world’s population. The region is incredibly rich in history and relics as well as art and culture.

Must visits: The Roma Forum, the Coliseum, Saint Peter’s (Vatican), Trastevere, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the Baths of Caracalla.

Other cities of interest in Lazio: Viterbo, Rietri, Tivoli, and Frascati.

 

TUSCANY REGION

Florence is the regional capital and the birth place of the Renaissance, which was perhaps the richest development of human individuality known to man. The ci= ty is unrivaled as the center of art, culture and graciousness.

Must visits: The Uffizi Gallery, the Pitti Palace, the Boboli Gardens, the Museu= m of the Opera del Duomo (the statue of the Pieta`), the Duomo, the Academy Gall= ery (the statue of David), Ponte Vecchio.

Other cities of interest in Tuscany: Arezzo, Grosseto, Lucca, Pisa, and Siena.

VENETO REGION

Venice is the regional capital which can be observed floating magically in its lagoon. A city of Renaissance palaces looming over its ancient canals, Venice is perhaps the most uniquely beautiful city in the entire world.

Must visits: Saint Marks Square, the Doge Palace, The Bridge of Sighs, The Grand Canal, The Rialto Bridge, the islands of Murano (glass), Buranno (lace), and Lido beach.

Other cities of interest in Veneto: Belluno, Padua, Treviso, Vicenza and Verona.

LOMBARDY REGION

Milan is the regional capital which is often called the New York City of Italy as= it is the financial and manufacturing center of the country and has a very qui= ck and dynamic atmosphere. The fashion industry, with the world’s top na= mes such as Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Versace call this northern Italian city home.

Must Visit: The Sforza Castle and art museum, the Duomo, the Brera Gallery, La S= cala Opera House, Santa Maria delle Grazie (The Last Super), and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (an array of high–style boutiques)

Other cities of interest in Lombardy: Bergamo, Como, Cremona, Varese, and Pavia Mantua.  

PIEDMONT REGION

Turin is the regional capital which is often compared to Detroit as it is the hom= e of FIAT, the largest manufacturer of cars and trucks in Italy and one of the largest manufacturers in the world. This largely industrial city was the fi= rst capital of the unified kingdom of Italy under Vittorio Emanuele II.

Must visit: the Cathedral of San Giovanni (The Holy Shroud), The Royal Palace, Sabauda Gallery (The Royal Savoy art collection), and The Royal Armory

Other cities of interest in Piedmont:
Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, and the World class ski centers of Bardenecchia (venue of the 2006 Winter Olympics), and Sestrieres.

LIGURIA REGION

Genoa is the regional capital which is to be found on the sea dividing the Italian Riviera between east (Riviera di Levante) and west (Riviera di Ponente). It is a mountainous region replete with thundering seascapes with enormous cliffs cascading down into the sea.

Must visit: Via Garibaldi, with Renaissance Palaces such as the Red Palace and the White Palace that contain extraordinary art collections, which attest to its historic, noble past. The municipal office, which features artifacts of Christopher Columbus and other famous people from the city's golden age, attract many visitors annually. The 40 tank Genoa aquarium where myriad forms of sea life are on display is the largest in Europe. The funicular ride up to Castelletto offers a magnificent view of the entire area.

Other cities of interest in Liguria: Imperia, Savona, and Le Cinque Terra towns.

CAMPANIA REGION

Naples is the regional capital which is framed by its beautiful gulf with the infamous volcano Vesuvius hovering close by. Its bay hosts the enchanting islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida.

Must visit: The Santa Lucia district for bayside views, the two thousand year old fortress, Castel dell’Ovo. The Posillipo and Magellina districts have lots of atmosphere with many restaurants to sample the local cuisine. Many fine Greek and Roman sculptures and artifacts can be admired at the Archaeological Museum.

Other cities of interest in Campania: Benevento Caserta, Sorrento, Salerno, the towns along the spectacular coastal Amalfi Drive, Amalfi, Ravello, Priano, and Positano.

 

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