{"id":3839,"date":"2018-06-28T15:57:05","date_gmt":"2018-06-28T19:57:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/?p=3839"},"modified":"2018-06-28T16:04:34","modified_gmt":"2018-06-28T20:04:34","slug":"go-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/go-italy","title":{"rendered":"What to know before you go: Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the ruins of Rome, to the cobblestoned streets of Siena, to the masterpieces of Renaissance art in Florence, there\u2019s so much to see and explore when you <\/span>travel to Italy<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to truly make the most of your trip, though, it\u2019s best to be prepared. Knowing what to expect in Italy can help you avoid some of the little stresses that go along with travel and spend more time on what you came for: life-changing experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some tips for making sure you\u2019re ready for your trip to Italy:<\/span><\/p>\n

What do I need to know about Italy?<\/b><\/h3>\n

President:<\/b> Sergio Mattarella<\/span><\/p>\n

Prime Minister:<\/b> Giuseppe Conte<\/span><\/p>\n

Religion:<\/b> Catholic (74%), No religion (22%), Other (3%)<\/span><\/p>\n

Date format: <\/b>DD\/MM\/YYYY<\/span><\/p>\n

Time zone: <\/b>Central European Time (EST+6)<\/span><\/p>\n

What do I need to know about Italian culture?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Language: <\/b>The official language of Italy is \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 Italian. If you\u2019re learning Italian, then this is a golden opportunity to practice. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s okay, though, if you have no knowledge of the language \u2014 people will mostly speak English in more touristy areas, and tour guides will help you navigate. Here are some <\/span>Italian phrases<\/span><\/a> that might be helpful for you to learn before you go.<\/span><\/p>\n

Etiquette: <\/b>When in Italy, be sure to shake hands with someone when you first meet them, similar to back home. Friends may give a kiss on each cheek. Be sure to bring conservative clothing in case you enter a church.<\/span><\/p>\n

Holidays: <\/b>If your trip happens to fall during a holiday, this can be an excellent way to interact with locals during your free time, though it may affect business hours for shops and sites. Check out a <\/span>calendar of Italian holidays<\/span><\/a> to see if any of them overlap with your trip dates.<\/span><\/p>\n

What about health and safety?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Safety: <\/b>As of this post, the Government of Canada has\u00a0listed<\/a>\u00a0Italy as a country where you should \u201ctake normal security precautions.\u201d Be sure to keep an eye on your luggage and wallet, and stay with your group if you\u2019re with a tour.<\/p>\n

Italians drive on the right, so you don\u2019t have to worry about looking the wrong way before crossing the street.<\/span><\/p>\n

Health:<\/b> You do not need to have any vaccines to travel to Italy, and the tap water is <\/span>safe to drink<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Weather: <\/b>Italy has a mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are cool and wet. <\/span><\/p>\n

Check out the <\/span>weather<\/span><\/a> before you go, and prepare with clothes for warm or cold weather and rain, depending on when you\u2019ll travel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Food: <\/b>Italy is famous for its cuisine, which is heavy on pasta, cheese and vegetables. Vegetarians should have little problem finding something to eat in Italy, but gluten-free options may be hard to come by.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do I use my phone in Italy?<\/b><\/h3>\n

International calling and WiFi: <\/b>The number to call for emergency services is 112. To call Canada from France, dial 001 and then the number, starting with the area code. Most hotels will offer WiFi.<\/span><\/p>\n

For information on how international calling works for your cellular provider, contact them directly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adaptors: <\/b>Italy uses a different plug than Canada, so you will need an <\/span>adaptor<\/span><\/a>. Be sure to purchase one so you are able to charge your phone abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n

What do I need to get in, out, and around Italy?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Passport and visa: <\/b>Your passport must be <\/span>valid<\/span><\/a> for six months following your date of departure from Italy. Visas are not required if you are staying in the country for less than 90 days.<\/span><\/p>\n

Customs: <\/b>Don\u2019t try to bring any raw beans, or fruits or vegetables back into Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n

Money: <\/b>Italy uses the Euro (\u20ac), the official currency of the European Union. Other types of paper currency won\u2019t be accepted, though credit cards from Canada are fine. Check with your bank to see if you\u2019ll be charged a fee for using your card abroad, and definitely notify them of your tour dates.<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out the\u00a0exchange rate<\/a>\u00a0for Canadian dollars to Euros before you go, and if you decide to change money, make sure the rate is favourable. Usually, the airport currency exchange will not offer you the best rate, and you\u2019re best off using a debit card at an ATM during your trip, but be aware of any international fees.<\/p>\n

Also, be sure to check out our <\/span>tips and guidelines for spending money<\/span><\/a> abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Are you a teacher who is interested in taking students along for the ride? Explorica takes care of all of the little details so you can focus on making your trip to Italy educational and fun. <\/span>Plan a trip to Italy<\/span><\/a> today!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From the ruins of Rome, to the cobblestoned streets of Siena, to the masterpieces of Renaissance art in Florence, there\u2019s so much to see and explore when you travel to Italy. In order to truly make the most of your trip, though, it\u2019s best to be prepared. Knowing what to expect in Italy can help Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":3840,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173,63,172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parents","category-students","category-teachers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3839"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3844,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3839\/revisions\/3844"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}