Essential Travel Resources
General Information, Museum Tickets, Airfare
Italian Tourism - General information on traveling to Italy.
Italian Highways - Information on highways in Italy.
Roma Turismo - General information on traveling to Rome.
Roma Pass - A practical and inexpensive way to move around Rome, as well as get tickets in advance to museums without having to wait in line.
Rome.info - Great information on Rome, hotels, itineraries, events, sites, and much more.
Go Porta Museum Tickets - Go Porta is a website where you can reserve your museum tickets in advance. You may have heard about the long lines that may await you, so you should get your visit times in advance, especially if you go in Spring, Summer, or Fall. You will receive e-mails to print out which you need to hand in at each place to pick and pay for your tickets. You are not purchasing your tickets but paying the service to reserve your times.
FlorenceArt.it - Another great website to purchase your museum tickets in Florence ahead of time, avoiding wasting time in line.
Venezia Turismo - General information on traveling to Venice.
Hello Venezia - Vaporetto (water bus) schedules, exhibits, events, guided tours, and more on Venice.
Ticketeria - A great website to purchase museum tickets in Rome ahead of time (to avoid lengthy lines..).
CheapOair Airfare deals - Best cheap airfare deals to the top travel destinations on CheapOair. Whether flying for business or pleasure, save up to 65%!
Italy by Train / Bus / Car / Organized Tours
Trenitalia - Official website for the Italian railway system. You can check on train routes, schedules, and even book your train ticket online.
Caf Tours - Company based in Florence that organized regular daily bus tours around Tuscany and other regions, as well as guided museum visits.
Site Seeings.com - A company based in Rome
that organized regular daily bus tours around Rome, Amalfi Coast, and other areas, as well as guided museum visits.
Walki Talki.com - A wonderful way to download audio information on
your iPod that you can listen to while you are in Italy! Almost (but not quite) like having your own guide telling you about the sites.
Driving in Italy - Information on driving in Italy.
Car Hire | Compare Car Rental in Italy with Entire Car Hire Italy car hire provides fantastic services and ensures genuine customer satisfaction. They provide a wide range of vehicles varying from economy cars to luxury autos. They guarantee the lowest prices for car rentals in Italy.
Maps and directions in Italy - This is Mapquest's International site, just as useful for traveling abroad.
Michelin Road Guide - Get directions through Michelin's website.
Weather - Get information on weather anywhere on the planet.
Airports
Rome Airport - Need to check on flights to Rome? Here's the official website.
Florence Airport - Official website of Peretola Airport in Florence.
Milan Airport - Official website of Milan's Malpensa airport.
Passport Services and Information - What to do to apply for a passport.
US Customs - Know what you can and can't bring back home.
Italian Consulate - Getting married in Italy? Want to apply for citizenship? Start from here.
Exchange Rate & Money
Euro to Dollar Exchange Rate - Find out the exchange rate online, so you know if it's a good time to travel to Europe!
Global Refund - Learn how you can get a sales tax (VAT) refund from your purchases while in Italy and save about 13%!
Value Added Tax - Information on the European version of sales tax, included in the item price (is not added at register). As a non-resident, you can have it refunded before leaving Europe, usually in the airport of departure.
Cell Phone Rental
Planet Fone - Some wireless companies provide service overseas upon request (Cingular is one of them), but my recommendation is that you do bring a phone with you on your trip. If your wireless provider does not offer overseas coverage, you can rent a cell phone from various sites.
World Cellphone Rental - Same as above.
Other Useful Resources
Italian Embassy in Washington DC - Are you of Italian origin and would like to apply for citizenship? Thinking of getting married in Italy? Do you need a visa to travel to Italy (if you're not a US citizen)? Want to start doing business with Italy? This is where you can get a lot of those questions answered.
Apply for Italian Citizenship - Daidree Tofano
lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and provides assistance in gathering documents, and procuring the proper authentications and translations for documents necessary for obtaining Italian citizenship via Jure sanguinis (by bloodline). Please contact her at:
juresanguinis@gmail.com
TransitionsAbroad.com - Find out info on living, working, and studying abroad.
ExpatsinItaly.com - A website dedicated to those 'who live the dream'. A great resource for those who wish to move to Italy - read suggestions and stories from those who have actually taken the big step.
Local Itineraries, Wine & Village Tourism
VillaTorreaCona.com - An amazing property, a historical estate in the heart of Tuscany's Chianti hills. The villa produces its own extra virgin olive oil and a fabulous DOCG wine. Swimming pool, great views, great location that is near Florence and good for taking daytrips to all areas of Tuscany.
AbruzzoLive.com - If you'd like more information on the region of Abruzzo, attractions, history, as well as hotels, villas, and other types of accomodations.
BestTuscanTours.it - Bicycle tours in Tuscany for active adults, the perfect way to sample Tuscany's top cycling trails, activities and gourmet attractions. Choose a tour that is right for you or contact one of the tour planning experts for a completely customized tour.
Views on Venice - Want to stay more than just one night in Venice? Then check out this apartment rental website in Venice.
PoggioCappiano.it - Learn about high-quality Tuscan extra virgin olive oil at a family-owned, natural farm just outside of Florence, Tuscany in a lovely setting, immersed in the Tuscan hills, where you can learn about how olive oil is made, taste and purchase their products.
AbruzzoVillas.com - Accomodations for all budgets in the marvelous Abruzzo region. Immerse yourself in Italian life!
Holidays-Umbria.com - Want to go a little off-the-beaten path? Choose Umbria, the green heart of Italy! Visit this website to find Villas, country homes and apartment rentals in historic towns of Umbria.
InItaly.com - Accomodations and travel information.
Wine-Tours.it - Directory of wine tours in Italy.
TuscanyDream.com - Accomodations in villas & the Tuscan countryside.
AgriturismoSantaMargherita.com - This B&B type accomodation is located on a beautiful bluff overlooking the Eolian Islands of Sicily (North Eastern coast, between Messina and Palermo). Friendly owner Gianluca will greet you in his family's restaurant on the property and will give you all the information you need on the Sicilian must-see as well as off the beaten path sites.
Case Calabria - Casa-vacanza.it
Family vacations by Italy's southern coast in the region of Calabria. Rent a summer vacation home in Italy by the crystal-blue Ionian Sea.
BedandBreakfast.it - Find a B&B anywhere in Italy.
TaccuinodiViaggio.it - Tips and suggestions on how to make the most of your trip to Italy.
DiscoverItalia.com - An Italian website (you can view it in English as well), where you can make your own travel itinerary based on interests (history, art, wine, food, etc.).
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