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Torre's Tips:
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
-A valid U.S. passport is required for entry. No visa is necessary for U.S. citizens.
-Non-US citizens, please contact the nearest consulate or embassy of the country to which you are traveling to determine your entry/visa requirements.
LANGUAGE
-Italian
CURRENCY
--The Euro. Exchange rates vary, but currently are about: 1 U.S. Dollar = .83 Euro
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
-Rome's Fiumicino Airport, also known as Leonardo da Vinci, is about 18 miles (30 km) from the city.
-There is an express rail service between the airport and Termini Station, which takes about 30 minutes and runs hourly from 7am-10pm daily. Tickets in either direction cost approximately $8 (15,000 lira).
-A taxi between the airport and the city costs about $40 (80,000 lira), including a surcharge (11,500 lira from the airport, 14,000 lira from the city). Use only yellow or white officially licensed cabs lined up at ranks.
-Major car rental companies have desks at the airport.
ELECTRICITY
-240V AC. Standard 110V AC U.S. electrical appliances won't work, but some dual-voltage models may be compatible using an adapter--check with the manufacturer.
HEALTH & SAFETY
-Just as you would when traveling to any large city, consult a major guidebook or check with your hotel about precautions to take, and use common sense.
-You may have heard of Mad Cow disease (which affects humans) and Foot & Mouth disease (which only affects livestock). As a general rule, refrain from eating meat such as beef, veal, lamb or pork of European origin. (Fortunately, many restaurants are serving meat from other countries, such as Argentina.) Check out www.cdc.gov/travel/ for further information, or ask your doctor.
EUROPEAN VALUE ADDED TAX
-Many purchases are subject to a Value Added Tax (VAT) usually about 17%. Refunds are available in many cases for non-European Union (EU) citizens. Make sure the store fills out the necessary forms for each purchase, bring all purchases and the paperwork to the Customs VAT counter at the airport prior to departure, and have them stamped. Usually, you will mail the forms from the airport and receive a credit card reimbursement.
-Each traveler returning to the U.S. is entitled $400 of goods tax-free. For any dollar amount above that, there is a percentage fee.
TELEPHONE TIPS
-Country code: 39
-City code: 06
-Dialing from the US: 011 + country code + city code + local number.
-Calling home from abroad: Ask your long-distance company (e.g. AT&T, MCI, Sprint) for rates and access numbers from overseas. It is often cheaper to buy a local phone card to call home.
CALLING CUSTOMER SERVICE:
When calling Customer Service from Italy, dial 172-1011 prior to the toll-free number printed in your confirmation e-mail.
NOTE: U.S. State Department passport, visa and travel advisory information can be found at www.state.gov/www/services.html.
