Hospitality Management

Hospitality management in Italy

TOURIST REGIONS:

Calabria in the South West of Italy is primarily a mountainous region with landscapes of natural beauty as well as being rich in art and culture. Tuscany is well known for itīs reputation as the "cradle of all-time art" The region of Lazio is known for its landscapes and ancient volcanic districts as well being the home to Italy's capital: Rome. In the North of Italy, Lombardy holds the major Italian lakes and many cultural museums with Milan as itīs regional capital.

See detailed map of Italy

CULTURE

Rome, Milan or Florence are some of the centres of Italian cultural life. Few people have developed as exquisite a taste for art and culture as the Italians. In fact the majority of Italy's cities are museums in their own right as they offer the visitor a walk through Italy's history. Music and Opera are essential to Italy's cultural life.

Italy offers visitors a gastronomy which is known by everyone and internationally popular. However there is nothing like being in a family owned restaurant where the service and food are delicious. Eating in Italy is about rediscovering pasta and coffee.

Like itīs European neighbours, Italian is more than a sport; it is almost a religion for the Italian fans. Italy's national team wins titles throughout the world and it is an example of the vitality of Italian football teams.

About 95 percent of Italy's people are Roman Catholics. Most baptisms, weddings, and funerals are held in churches, but only about 30 percent of all Italians attend church regularly. A lot of others occasionally attend church. Most young Italians remain at home until they are married and are passionately loyal to their family and family friends. Even after marriage it is not uncommon for men or women to visit their families regularly and be in daily contact.

Punctuality is appreciated but lateness is common in Italy and you should not be offended if you are kept waiting by your host for up to a quarter of an hour.

Italy has only been unified for little over 100 years, so while there is national patriotism people tend to be Sicilian or Tuscan before they are Italian.

The chaotic Italian political life is a reflection of living without stable governments. For a visitor, talking to the Italians about politics is very entertaining and a good topic for long conversations at the dinner table.


COMMERCIAL HOURS:

Shops are generally open from 9am until 1pm and from 3.30/4.00pm until 7.30/8.00pm. However this can vary from town to town and department stores are often open non-stop from 9.30 until 7.30. Pharmacies are generally open from 8.30am until 12.30pm and from 3.00pm until 7.30pm from Monday to Saturday. Banks open during the week from 8:35 a.m. to 1:35 p.m. and from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. but in some tourist areas they are open non-stop from 8.30 until 4.


WEATHER:

The Italian climate varies from north to South and from lowland to mountain top. In the Alps, winters are long and severe with snow as early as mid September. Storms from spring to autumn mean that summer is the wettest season. Winters are chilly in the North but temperatures get milder as you head south.


VISAS:

EU nationals only require their passport or ID to live in Italy but need to register with the local police in order to obtain a permesso di soggiorno which is a permit to stay in Italy. Tourists from Citizens of many other countries, including the US, Canada, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Switzerland and Japan can stay in Italy without a visa for 3 months. If you are staying in Italy to work or study it is advisable to insist on receiving an entrance stamp as it can difficult to obtain a permesso di soggiorno without it. Non-EU citizens who want to study at a university or language school must have a study visa which can be obtained from your nearest Italian embassy or consulate.


HEALTHCARE:

Italy's healthcare service ranks in the top 10 in the world for quality. However, unless you are a resident of Italy (and therefore covered by itīs National Health Plan) you will need to pay full hospital charges and { be reimbursed by your insurance provider. The alternative is to procure documents which prove you are covered by your National Healthcare Service but Italy has no policy to cover US and Canadian citizens so these nationals need their own policies.

Please make sure you are aware of any health risks in the various regions. For example, rabies is found in the Alps and Leishmaniasis in coastal areas. Also be aware of Lyme disease in late spring/summer which is transmitted by deer ticks.


OTHER:

SAFETY:

It is advisable to wear a money belt underneath your clothing in order to avoid being robbed and you should keep all important items such as passport and documents in this money belt. Please also be extremely cautious of groups of women and children asking for money, particularly around major train stations, tourist sights and shopping areas. Car theft is also a problem, particularly in Rome, Campania and Puglia and cars with foreign number plates or rental stickers are specifically targeted.


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