Italy F1 Grand Prix - 2012

Italy F1 - General Information Guide

Italy Overview

Situated in Mediterranean Europe, Italy has land frontiers with France in the northwest, Switzerland and Austria in the north and Slovenia in the northeast. The peninsula is surrounded by the Ligurian Sea, the Sardinian Sea and the Tyrhenian Sea in the west, the Sicilian Sea and the Lonian Sea in the south and the Adriatic Sea in the east. Italy is justly famed for its beautiful countryside, heritage and amazing architecture. You will constantly stumble over theatres, buildings, art and architecture dating back to ancient Greek and Roman times. Italy has long welcomed tourists, and Italians love to entertain; they just can't help themselves. Generous and hospitable by nature, they generally want visitors to have a good time, and more than anything, they want you to become as passionate about their country as they are themselves.

Capital Of Italy

Rome

The People Of Italy

Italy has a population of approximately 57.5 million. The population growth is practically zero. There are small minorities of German in the Alto Adige, French in the Valle d'Aosta and Slovenian in Fruili.

Language

Italian is the official language of the country and the language of the majority of the population but there are minorities speaking German, French, Slovene and Latino.

Religion Of Italy

The large majority of Italians are Roman Catholic. Under the terms of the Lateran Treaty of 1929 between Mussolini and the Catholic Church, Rome was recognised as the centre of the Catholic world. Around 85% of Italians called themselves Catholics in a census conducted in the early Eighties. The rest of the population is mainly made up of Protestants, Jews, Baptists, Muslims and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Climate Of Italy

The moderating influence of the sea and the protection given by the alpine barrier from the cold north winds join to bless Italy with a moderate climate. Nevertheless, the weather varies considerably according to how far one is from the sea or the mountains. The winter is very cold in the Alps, cold and foggy in the central Apennines; mild and even warm on the Ligurian, Neapolitan coasts and in Sicily. The summer is hot and dry, but the temperature is mitigated on the coast by sea breezes and in the Apennines and Alps it is pleasantly cool.

Italy Time

The time in Italy is GMT+ 1 hour and GMT+ 2 hours from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

Italy Entry Requirements

National Identity Cards (European Residents) Citizens of European countries that are members of the European Union may enter Italy with a National Identity Card proving that they are residents of one of those countries. All other visitors to Italy must be in possession of a valid passport or travel document with a minimum validity of three months beyond the intended visiting period. Most nationalities do not require a visa for social or business visits. Tickets and Documents for return or onward travel. Nationals of all the following countries, who intend to visit Italy for a period of 90 days or less, do not need to obtain a visa: ANDORRES, ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, BRUNEI, BULGARIA, CANADA, CHILE, COSTA RICA, CROATIA, CYPRUS, CZECH REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, EL SALVADOR, ESTONIA, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, HUNGARY, ISRAEL, JAPAN, LATVIA, LIECHTENSTEIN, LITHUANIA, MALAYSIA, MALTA, MEXICO, MONACO, NEW ZEALAND, NICARAGUA, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, POLAND, RUMANIA, SAN MARINO, SINGAPORE, SLOVAKIA, SLOVENIA, SOUTH KOREA, SWITZERLAND, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, URUGUAY, VATICAN CITY, VENEZUELA. Nationals of other countries (except those European residents specifically referred to above) must obtain a visa to enter Italy. Vaccination: none required.

Italy Currency

The Euro is now the official currency of the12 EU member states (including Italy). Notes are in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euro. Coins are in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent. Tourists reaching Italy without foreign currency can obtain Euros through any bank, ATM machines, or exchange bureaus (Ufficio di Cambio) at airports, seaports and railway stations in the main cities. Foreign notes, travellers cheques are purchased by Italian banks at the current rate of exchange less a small commission.

Credit Cards And Travellers' Cheques

All major credit cards are honoured in Italy. Traveller's cheques can be exchanged for Italian currency at most hotels and shops and foreign exchange offices in main railway stations and airports.

Banking Hours In Italy

Monday to Friday: 8.30am to 1.00pm, and for an hour in the afternoon (usually 3.00pm-4.00pm). Afternoon hours may vary from city to city.
Weekends: closed, but major tourist areas may well have a bureau de change open Saturdays and Sundays
National holidays: closed all day.

In Italy, you'll get the best exchange rate when changing money at a bank. Outside banking hours, you should be able to change traveller's cheques and cash at larger hotels, though the rate is unlikely to be as good.

Water

The drinking of bottled water is advisable.

Eating In Italy

Although everyone loves Italian food, figuring out where and what to eat in Italy can pose problems for the traveller. Knowing what type of meal or snack you wish to have and considering time limitations, you may wish to consider one of the following choices:
Bar: The place to have espresso and all its variations, rolls and sandwiches, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Pay first and give the receipt to barman with order. It is usual to stand at the bar, as there is a service charge for sitting at a table. Bars in Italy are open from early morning to late at night.
Panineria: A sandwich bar, where a quick meal can be had.
Trattoria: Less formal than a ristorante, where local specialities are served.
Ristorante: The most formal type of place to eat when one is not in a hurry. The order of courses is antipasto, pasta or soup, main course, salad, and dessert, all accompanied by good wine.

Shopping In Italy

Clothes for men and women (dresses, shoes, gloves, silk ties, skirts); lacework, jewellery, leather goods (handbags, cases, boxes, luggage), ceramics, gold and silver items, alabaster; woodwork, straw, embroidery, glass and crystal ware. It is advisable to carry merchandise purchased with you in order to avoid any inconvenience. All major credit cards are honoured in Italy. A proof of purchase (receipt) must be kept.

Shopping Hours In Italy

Business hours vary from city to city. Generally, shops are open from around 9.00am to 1.00pm, then 3.30pm to 7.30pm. You will find that in mass tourist areas, shops are likely to stay open all the time, and for a lot later at night. Some stores may close for half a day during the week; some may now open on Sunday.

Iva Tax

The IVA Tax is 16.67% of the purchase price of nearly everything sold in Italy. Non-European residents shopping in Italy can claim a refund of IVA on each purchase that exceeds 150 Euro. There are no rebates of the IVA tax on hotels, restaurants or tourist services.

Tourist Offices

Most Italian towns and main city railway stations and airports have a tourist office, usually known as an APT (Azienda per il Turismo) or just officio turistico. Opening hours vary, but in larger cities and towns, should be open Monday to Saturday 9.00am to 1.00pm and 4.00pm to 7.00pm