Practical Info A-Z

Italy has a public health system (SSN) that offers EU citizens with the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) free emergency treatment. Quality varies regionally: In northern Italy and major cities, care is good to excellent, while in rural areas of the south, there may be limitations.

• Pronto Soccorso (Emergency Room): In every hospital, 24/7. Waiting times can be long — Italy uses a triage system (red/yellow/green/white).
• Guardia Medica: Medical on-call service at night and on weekends. Free for EU citizens with EHIC.
• Farmacia (Pharmacy): Pharmacies are well-stocked and can sell many medications without a prescription. Night pharmacies (Farmacia di turno) are marked — the duty roster is posted at every pharmacy.
• Private Clinics: Shorter waiting times, higher costs. Travel health insurance is recommended.

German Embassy Rome: Via San Martino della Battaglia 4, 00185 Roma. Tel: +39 06 49213-1.

Consulate Milan: Via Solferino 40, 20121 Milano. Tel: +39 02 6231101.

Austrian Embassy Rome: Via Pergolesi 3, 00198 Roma. Tel: +39 06 844 0141.

Swiss Embassy Rome: Via Barnaba Oriani 61, 00197 Roma. Tel: +39 06 809 571.

Italy is generally safe for tourists. Violent crime against travelers is extremely rare. The main risk is pickpocketing, especially in:

• Rome: Metro (lines A and B), Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Termini Station
• Florence: Around the Duomo, on the Ponte Vecchio, at SMN Station
• Naples: Via Toledo, Spaccanapoli, Centrale Station
• Milan: Duomo Square, Metro, Centrale Station
• Venice: St. Mark's Square, Vaporetto (especially crowded lines)

Precautions: Valuables in hotel safe, wallet in front pocket, backpack on chest in crowds, no loosely hanging handbag (moped theft in Naples!). Digitally store copies of passport and credit cards.

Italy is a EU and Schengen member. For German, Austrian, and Swiss citizens:

• ID card or passport is sufficient (no visa required)
• Children: Own ID required (child passport or ID card)
• Stay: Unlimited (EU freedom of movement). For stays over 90 days, you must register with the municipality
• Customs: No restrictions within the EU for personal use (guidelines: 800 cigarettes, 10 l spirits)

Additionally, there are local holidays (patron saint of the city): Milan Dec. 7 (Sant'Ambrogio), Venice April 25 (San Marco), Rome June 29 (Santi Pietro e Paolo), Florence June 24 (San Giovanni), Naples Sept. 19 (San Gennaro), Palermo July 15 (Santa Rosalia).

Currency: Euro (€). Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are accepted almost everywhere — since 2023, shops and restaurants are legally required to accept card payments from 0 €. Nevertheless: carry cash, as small bars, street markets, and some trattorias in the countryside only accept Contanti.

ATMs (Bancomat): Widely available. Fees: Italian banks usually do not charge a fee, but your home bank might. Tip: DKB Visa or Barclays Visa for free foreign withdrawals.

Tipping: In Italy, service is included in the price (servizio incluso). A small tip (1–2 € on the table or rounding up) is appreciated but not expected. In upscale restaurants: 5–10% for excellent service.

Since 2017, the EU Roaming Regulation applies: You use your German mobile package in Italy without additional costs (calls, SMS, data). Note: Fair-use policy applies — for longer stays, your provider may charge surcharges.

WLAN: Widely available in hotels, cafes, and restaurants (often free). Quality varies. In rural B&Bs, WLAN may be weak.

Local SIM Card: For longer stays: TIM, Vodafone, WindTre, or Iliad offer prepaid cards with lots of data from 7–10 €/month. Available in shops (bring ID!).

Telephone code: +39. Important: The leading zero of the area code is NOT omitted in Italy (unlike most countries). So: +39 06 ... for Rome, +39 02 ... for Milan.

Almost all Italian cities and tourist destinations charge a tourist tax (Imposta di Soggiorno), calculated per person per night:

The tax is paid directly at the reception upon check-out (often cash only!). Children under 10–14 years are usually exempt (varies by city). The highest rates: Rome, Venice, Florence.

Italy is increasingly tolerant, but socially more conservative than Germany or the Netherlands. Same-sex civil partnerships (Unioni Civili) have been legal since 2016. Major cities (Rome, Milan, Bologna, Naples, Turin) have vibrant LGBTQ+ scenes with bars, clubs, and events. Milan and Rome host the largest Pride parades (June). In rural areas and the south, acceptance is lower — discretion with public displays of affection may be wise.

• Shops: Mon–Sat 9:30–13:00 and 15:30–19:30. In tourist areas and shopping centers continuously and also on Sundays. In small towns and the south: lunch break (pausa pranzo) strictly observed from 13:00–16:00.
• Supermarkets: Mon–Sat 8:30–20:00 (large chains often until 21–22). Sundays: many open, but some closed (especially in rural areas).
• Restaurants: Lunch (pranzo) 12:30–14:30, dinner (cena) 19:30–22:30. Closed in between! Many restaurants have a day off (giorno di chiusura), often Monday.
• Museums: Usually Tue–Sun 9:00–19:00. Closed on Mondays (major exceptions: Colosseum, Vatican, Pompeii are open daily). First Sunday of the month: many state museums free.
• Churches: Mornings 7:00–12:00, afternoons 15:30–18:30. No tourist visits during services.
• Banks: Mon–Fri 8:30–13:30 and 14:45–15:45.
• Post (Poste Italiane): Mon–Fri 8:20–13:35, Sat 8:20–12:35. Slow.

Poste Italiane is... slow. A postcard to Germany takes 7–14 days (sometimes longer). Stamp for a postcard to the EU: 1.25 €. For parcels: DHL or UPS are more reliable (and expensive). Stamps are also available in Tabacchi (tobacco shops, recognizable by the large "T").

Recommended: Travel health insurance (covers private doctors and repatriation, from 10 €/year), Travel cancellation insurance (for more expensive trips), Full car rental insurance without deductible (via credit card or insurance). The EHIC is sufficient for basic care, but does not cover repatriation and private doctors.

230V, 50 Hz — as in Germany. Plug types C (Europlug), F (Schuko), and L (Italian three-pin). The Europlug (Type C) works in all Italian sockets. The German Schuko plug (Type F) may not fit older Italian sockets (Type L has three round pins in a row instead of two). A small universal adapter (2–3 €, at the airport or electronics store) helps.

Strikes are commonplace in Italy — buses, trains, subways, airports, sometimes even museums and gas stations can be affected. Strikes are announced 10 days in advance. During a strike, there are "fasce di garanzia" (guarantee time windows) where basic service is maintained (usually mornings 6–9 am and afternoons 5–8 pm). Check before traveling: scioperi.info or the websites of transport companies.

Tipping (Mancia) is not obligatory in Italy — service is included in the price. However, a small gesture of appreciation is welcome:

• Restaurant: 1–2 € on the table or rounding up (for good service). 5–10% in upscale restaurants for excellent service.
• Bar/Café: 10–20 cents on the counter if satisfied.
• Hotel: 1–2 € per day for the chambermaid, 1–2 € for the porter.
• Taxi: Round up to the next euro.
• Tour Guide: 5–10 € per person if satisfied.

The Zona Traffico Limitato (ZTL) is the biggest nuisance for drivers in Italy. Almost every historic city center has traffic restriction zones monitored by cameras. Entering without a permit = fine of 80–100 € per entry, often weeks later by mail to the car rental company (which forwards the fine + processing fee). Affected cities include: Rome, Florence, Milan, Bologna, Siena, Verona, Naples, Palermo, Pisa, Lucca, Perugia.

• ZTL times: Vary by city (often Mon–Fri 7:30–19:30, also Sat). Some ZTLs are 24/7 (Florence city center).
• Hotel in the ZTL? Contact the hotel BEFORE arrival — they can temporarily register your license plate.
• Identification: White signs with a red circle and "ZTL" or "Zona Traffico Limitato". Often with electronic cameras (Varchi elettronici).

Within the EU, there are no customs checks. Generous guidelines apply for personal use (800 cigarettes, 10 l spirits, 90 l wine). When importing to Germany: Goods over 430 € (flight) or 300 € (car/train) are subject to customs. Artifacts and antiques over 65 years old may not be exported without an export permit — this also applies to flea markets!