Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Wally Doerge) Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Italy Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 13:15:31 GMT STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Italy ============================================================ Italy - Consular Information Sheet August 10, 1993 Country Description: Italy is a highly developed and stable democracy with a modern economy. Tourist facilities are widely available. Entry Requirements: A passport is required. A visa is not required for tourist stays up to three months. For further information concerning entry requirements for Italy, travelers can contact the Embassy of Italy at 1601 Fuller Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, telephone (202) 328-5500, or the nearest Italian Consulate General in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, or San Francisco. Medical Facilities: Medical facilities in Italy are adequate for any emergencies that may arise. Many hospitals in major cities have at least some personnel who speak English. Most hospitals are government operated with patients billed sometime after discharge. Private hospitals often expect cash payment before discharge; neither credit cards nor foreign medical coverage is generally accepted. Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage is often useful in making claims for U.S. reimbursement of medical expenses. Further information on health matters can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline on (404) 332-4559. Crime Information: Italy has a very low rate of violent crime, little of which is directed toward tourists. Petty crime (pickpocketing, theft from parked cars, purse snatching) is a significant problem, especially in large cities. Most reported thefts occur at crowded tourist sites, on public buses, or at the major railway stations, including Rome's Termini, Milan's Centrale, Florence's Santa Maria Novella, and the Centrale in Naples. Thieves usually work in pairs, snatching purses from pedestrians, cyclists, or even from moving vehicles. Groups of street urchins are known to poke tourists with newspapers or pieces of cardboard to divert their attention so that another urchin can pickpocket them. Theft of small items such as radios, luggage, cameras, briefcases, and even cigarettes from parked cars is a major problem. Robbers in southern Italy take items from cars at gas stations (often by smashing car windows). Tourists driving vehicles with out-of-town or rental plates frequently lose valuables to the unseen partners of apparent good samaritans, who divert their attention by offering to assist with problems such as flat tires. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. U.S. citizens can refer to the Department of State's pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" for ways to promote a more trouble-free journey. The pamphlet is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Terrorist Activities: In May 1993 bombs exploded on separate occasions in Rome and in Florence. The explosion in Rome caused property damage and injuries. The explosion in Florence killed five people and injured approximately forty. In July 1993, three separate car bombings, two in Rome and one in Milan, left five people dead and twenty-eight injured. Most of the bombs were placed near public buildings (e.g. churches, museums) and all exploded during non-business hours. Officials of the Italian government have indicated their belief that the bombs are the work of criminal elements or international terrorists. U.S. citizens have not been the targets of these attacks. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Those convicted of drug-related crimes in Italy can expect jail sentences and fines. Dual Nationality: U.S. citizens who are also considered to be Italian citizens may be subject to compulsory military service and other Italian laws while in Italy. Those who might be affected can inquire at an Italian embassy or consulate regarding their status. In some instances, dual nationality may hamper U.S. government efforts to provide protection abroad. Other Information: U.S. citizens are reminded that certain Alitalia flights between Italy and various Middle Eastern points (usually Damascus or Amman) make en route stops in Beirut. (The State Department warns U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to or through Lebanon.) Registration: U.S. citizens who register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy or a Consulate may obtain updated information on travel and security in Italy. Embassy and Consulate Locations: The U.S. Embassy in Rome is located at Via Veneto 119/A, telephone (39-6) 46741, fax (39-6) 4674-2217. There are U.S. Consulates at the following locations: Florence, at Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci 38, telephone (39-55) 239-8276/8/9, or 217-605; fax (55) 284-088; Milan, at Via Principe Amedeo 2/10, telephone (39-2) 290-351; fax (2) 29001165; Naples, at Piazza Della Repubblica, telephone (39-81) 583-8111; fax (81) 761-1869; Palermo, at Via Vaccarini 1, telephone (39-091) 343-532. There is a U.S. Consular Agent in: Trieste, at Via Roma 15, telephone (39-040) 660-177, fax (39-040) 631-240. The U.S. Consulate in Genoa has closed. The U.S. Consulate in Palermo does not currently provide consular services. Travelers in Palermo should contact the U.S. Consulate in Naples. No. 93-210 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated April 29, 1993, to add information on terrorist activities, to inform travelers that the U.S. Consulate in Genoa has closed, and to revise information on U.S. Embassy and Consulate locations.