Travel information Italy

Most motorways in Italy are toll roads (strade a pedaggio). The current toll rates can be found here: autostrade.it/en/pedaggio. You can pay in cash or by credit card (toll gate Carte) or sometimes with an Irish debit card, without PIN code. You can also buy a toll badge, which is valid in 4 countries: Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. This can also be bought online at tolltickets.com/en  Can't pay? Then the toll gate will open anyway, and you will receive a ticket and have to pay afterward at, for example, a manned toll gate further down the road or online.

Many Italian cities have established environmental zones, called Zona a Traffico Limitato (ZTL). The rules are complicated and vary from city to city. There is no environmental sticker as in other countries. An environmental zone is indicated by a zona trafico limitato sign. High fines apply. It is best to park outside the zone and continue by public transport or on foot.

Current fuel prices and petrol stations: https://www.autostrade.it/en/aree-di-servizio1 Fuelling on the motorway is always a lot more expensive than along ordinary roads. Prices are lowest at self-service pumps (fai da te/self-service).

Electric vehicle?  Italy has greatly improved its charging station network. Along highways and in towns and cities you can always find a charging station. In the south and Sicily, they are harder to find. Charging points along the way can be found on this route planner: https://abetterrouteplanner.com/ of chargemap.com

It is compulsory to have a warning triangle and a safety vest in the car.

The shortest route to central and southern Italy is via Basel - St Gotthard tunnel - Milan.

The shortest route to northeast Italy including Lake Garda and Venice is via Innsbruck - Brenner Pass.

The main traffic rules in Italy can be found here. In 2024, Black Saturday is July 20 and 27 and August 3 and 10.

Tap water in Italy is generally safe to drink. If a tap is labeled Acqua non potabile (no drinking water), it is better to drink bottled water.

In Italy, bakeries and butchers open sometime between 07:00 and 08:00. Around lunchtime, they are closed for a few hours and then they are open until around 19:00. Many bakeries are also open on Sunday mornings. On Mondays, many shops are closed. The big supermarkets are open every day, all day, and often into the evening, They are often found just outside the cities, and in addition to food, they sell everything from books to washing machines. Well-known supermarkets include Esselunga, Ipercoop, Eurospin, and Conad, but in Italy, you will also find Lidl and Aldi. Prices are on average slightly lower than in Ireland. Cigarettes and medicines are not for sale in supermarkets.

If you eat out at the campsite, you can often go early. If you go out to a restaurant outside the campsite, bear in mind that there will often be nobody there before 8 pm. Eating out is cheaper than in Ireland. You can have a simple 3-course menu for around €15. Check the menu or the bill: if it says Servizio, the tip is already included. Coperto is the amount the restaurant charges for the use of crockery, table linen, cutlery, etc., and has nothing to do with tipping.

Italian health care is of good quality.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles you to necessary medical care in the event of illness or an accident during a temporary stay in Italy. Often it is not necessary to advance healthcare costs yourself. The personal EHIC can be found on the back of your health insurer's health insurance card or in their app.

In the pharmacy, you can find all kinds of medicines and self-care products. Italian doctors are always very generous with the provision of medicines.

In case of hospitalisation or when specialist medical care is needed, it is best to contact your insurance company directly.

In Italy, COVID-19 measures no longer apply. It is also not necessary to get vaccinations.

Italy is a large country with great geographical differences. As a result, there are various climates.

• Central and southern Italy has a Mediterranean or Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers.
  
  
• Much of the north of the country has a maritime climate with relatively mild winters, no extremely hot summers, and precipitation throughout the year.
  
  
• During the summer period (June, July, and August) it is warm to very hot in large parts of Italy. Especially in the south (near Naples and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia) the temperature can reach up to forty degrees. Especially in large cities such as Rome and Naples, it can become unpleasantly stuffy. On average, there are no major differences in summer temperatures, in practice, it is possible due to the length of the country that differences in temperature of fifteen degrees between north and south are measured at the same time. In the higher parts of Italy, it can even be twenty to twenty-five degrees cooler than in the far south of Italy at that time.
  
  
• When there is rain on Lake Garda in the summer, this is almost always accompanied by thunderstorms, which can sometimes be very intense.

Google translate will of course get you a long way, but it is also nice to know some phrases. We will help you get started:

In Italy, as in Ireland, you pay with the euro. The price level is on average slightly lower than in Ireland. You can pay almost anywhere with your regular debit card or with a credit card. There are more ATMs in Italy than in Ireland. Please note: withdrawing money with a credit card is usually not free.

• If you are traveling to Italy, you will need a valid passport or ID card with which you can identify yourself. You don't need it to cross the border.
  
  
• The voltage found in Ireland and Italy is exactly the same (230V and 50Hz).
  You will not need a transformer/converter but you should bring a travel adaptor as there are three associated plug types, types C, F and L.  Plug type C is the plug that has two round pins (most common), plug type F is the plug which has two round pins with two earth clips on the side and plug type L is the plug type which has three round pins.  
  
  
• Important holidays in Italy:

• Italy is a dog-friendly country, all breeds are allowed, but they should be at least 15 weeks old. In public places, your dog must be leashed and muzzled. You will need an EU pet passport for your dog or cat, available from your vet. Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before traveling. The compulsory chip must be inserted before the anti-rabies vaccination (can be done on the same day). More information can be found here.  
  
  
• Italy is 1 hour ahead of the center of Ireland. We are using the Europe/Dublin and Europe/Madrid time zones.  
  
  

• Are you traveling alone with a minor child, for example, because you are divorced? Or are you taking a friend of your child with you? Then you must be able to prove that you have permission from the parent(s). You can do this with a permission slip.

  Put the phone number of a contact person in case of emergency as an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number in your phone. 

  Tip: before leaving, photograph your passport/ID, insurance card, bank card, emergency numbers, and other important items. Mail or app them to yourself or other traveling companions, so that you still have important data to hand in case of loss or theft.