Italy country information

You are on holiday in Italy. Nice! Do you have suitable clothes with you and which plugs can you use? Here you will find practical information on site.

Italy country information – facts and numbers

Official name

Italian Republic / Repubblica Italiana

Resident

Italian (m), Italian (f)

State form

• Parliamentary republic
• Italy is divided into 20 regions that are further divided into provinces.

Capital

Rome / Roma

European Union

Italy has been a member of the European Union since it was founded in 1952.

Language

Italian

Population

2017: 59.3 million

Surface

301,287 km² (almost 7.5 times the Netherlands)

Income per inhabitant per year

2018: $35,100

Average life expectancy

2015: 83.5 years

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Country code number plate

I

Italy country information – electricity

Voltage

230 volts

Adapter plug

• Electrical outlets have two round holes and can have ground clips or a third round hole for grounding.
• No adapter plug is required for the use of sockets with only two round holes or with two round holes and earthing clips.
• The use of sockets with three holes in a row may require an L-type adapter plug or a global plug

Italy country information – clothing

Take along light clothing. You need a (fleece) sweater or cardigan for those cool evenings. Long sleeves and long pants offer protection against mosquitoes in the evening. Sturdy hiking boots also offer protection against snake bites. You need sturdy sandals on the coast. Water shoes with a sturdy sole protect against sharp stones and rocks. In religious buildings you must adhere to the dress code. Women wear their skirts or pants over their knees and the arms are completely covered. Men wear long pants and the arms are covered to the elbow.

Travel season

Those who come for the beach and the sea are best placed in the summer months (May to September). Outside this high season, the seaside resorts in particular can sometimes be uncomfortably quiet. Many Italians go on holiday in August. Shops and restaurants may therefore be closed in some villages and towns. Those who go for culture would do well to avoid the cities in the summer. Cities such as Rome, Florence and Naples are then uncomfortably hot. A visit in the spring and autumn is a better idea. Winter is suitable for winter sports in the northern regions (Italian Alps and Dolomites).

Italy country information – language

• Most spoken language: Italian.
• Other languages are also spoken regionally, at least by part of the population:
• French in Aosta Valley, northwest Italy;
• German in South Tyrol (Alto Adige);
• Retro Romance in Trentino, South Tyrol, Veneto and Friuli;
• Slovenian in the area of Gorizia and Trieste;
• Greek, perhaps since the 8th century BC, in Apulia and Calabria.
• Italian, French and Retro-Romans belong to the Romance branch of the Indo-European languages.
• You can also handle English in Northern and Central Italy.

Health

• The level of medical care in Italy is high.
• Travelers are advised to take out good travel insurance. Please note that it may be necessary to pay in cash for the provision of medical care.
• In the event of a hospitalization or when specialist medical care is required, it is best for travelers to contact their insurance company directly.

Medicines

• Pharmacies are located everywhere and on Sundays and often in the evenings and at night there is a change service.
• Take special medicines with you to a sufficient degree (in the original packaging) or ask the doctor for a prescription.
• It is advisable to bring a travel pharmacy with regular medicines yourself.

Ticks

Watch out for ticks when hiking or camping in nature, as these can transmit Lyme disease.
Signal encephalitis also occurs in Italy. Encephalitis is a brain infection caused by a virus that can be transmitted by ticks. From April to November the ticks are the most active and the risk of contracting this disease is greatest.

Drinking water

In general, tap water in Italy is of good quality and can be drunk safely. If in doubt, or if a sign with the inscription Acqua non potabile (No drinking water) is attached to a tap, bottled water can be used that is available everywhere.

Food

Because encephalitis (see Ticks) can also be transmitted via raw milk from cows, sheep or goats, it is advised not to use products made from raw milk (such as some cheeses).

Vaccinations

• Vaccinations are not compulsory for Italy.
• Travelers who go hiking or camping in nature for more than four weeks in the period from March to November or who are otherwise at greater risk of being bitten by ticks are advised to be vaccinated against tick encephalitis.
• In Italy, a higher number of measles cases occur than normal. In close contact with the local population (staying with Italians at home), vaccination can be considered for anyone born after 1964 who has not been vaccinated against measles (and who has not had measles) and for children older than 6 months but not yet have been vaccinated with the BMR vaccine.

Hotels and campings in Italy

Book one of the more than 150.000 hotels in Italy at Booking.com

Booking.com

Camping in Italy

Camping is a popular activity in Italy. Around 2000 camping sites can be found throughout the country.

Types of campsites

The Italian campsites do not differ much from the campsites that are known in most other countries.
Agricamping / agricampeggio: camping with the farmer. An agricampeggio is often referred to under the broader term agriturismo.Campeggio naturista: naturist campsite.

Quality of the campsites

• The quality of the Italian campsites will sometimes vary. The best-kept and most luxuriously furnished campgrounds can usually be found in the busy tourist areas. The facilities are usually good, but warm water is sometimes missing in the south.
• The pitches are often small.
• The facilities of the mountain campsites are limited and are aimed at the sporty camper.
• In the tourist centers, some camp site managers sometimes do not take such close care of maintenance.

Glamping

In Italy, luxury camping is a growing phenomenon.A luxury rental accommodation is often equipped with a wooden floor, kitchen unit with fridge and comfortable furniture.

Camping organizations

The most important camping organization in Italy is the Federcampeggio (federcampeggio.it). She represents the interests of campers and provides information.

Camping prices

• The rates depend on the location of the site, the comfort, the region and the season. In general, the stay for children under 3 years is free and a discount applies for children between 3 and 10 years.
• The Italian rates are among the highest in Europe. Spicy rates are charged (in high season) especially at the luxury campsites in the lake area and on the coast.
• Access to facilities such as swimming pool, sauna, discos and sports competitions is generally included. For some activities a small contribution is requested, such as equipment for mini golf, tennis and horse riding, organized tours and bicycle rental.
• Tourist tax is often not included in the campsite rates.

Book camping

In general, when staying in the high season (July and August), early reservation is required to be sure of a place. That certainly applies to large and luxurious campsites.

Wild camping

Free camping is only permitted with the permission of the local authorities, the police or the landowner. Wild camping is permitted in some nature reserves.

Campers

Italy has a number of possibilities to stay especially for motorhomes:

• Presidio ecologico: These small parking spaces are usually located along busy (high) roads where a stopover with a camper is made. There are often water facilities available, but overnight stays are not permitted. The use of the places is free.
• Aree di sosta: Parking places where you can spend the night with a camper along the public road in an often quiet area without much noise. Its use is usually free. Some aree di sosta have facilities such as water, electricity or drainage, and possibly small play areas for children. A reimbursement of a few euros is often requested here.
• Aree di sosta attrezzate: Parking places along transit routes or in the city. Staying with a motorhome is permitted both during the day and at night. There are at least facilities for water. The aree di sosta attrezzate often belong to an organization such as agriturismo or agricampeggio. A reimbursement is requested.
• Aree internal al camping: Parking spaces for campers that are located at a campsite. As a rule, the facilities of the campsite may be used here. Sometimes they are located at the camper pitches, or else at the campsite itself.
• Aree esterne al camping: Parking spaces for campers just outside a campsite. Here too, the facilities on the campsite itself may generally be used.
• Campers who set out on a motorhome should keep in mind that maneuvering and parking in the old Italian towns and villages can be difficult.
• The same rules apply to motorhomes in Italy as to other vehicles.

Here you will find more information about Italy.