Health and Safety Tips for Traveling Abroad for your Italy vacation
When traveling abroad for your Italian vacation there are some tips that you should be aware of. First of all you must familiarize yourself with all the locations you will be visiting. Read as much as possible about the cities and towns you plan on visiting. If you are taking a vacation off the beaten path in Italy it is best to try to limit yourself to places that friends or families have recommended especially if this is your first time out of the country.The US Department of State strongly suggests that you register your travel before you leave. This applies to your vacation to Italy. Registering your travel will allow you to be contacted by family members and friends in case of an emergency. This is also especially important in case of a crisis in the country that you may be visiting. The Office of Overseas Citizens Services maintains a database of registered Americans out of the country so that you can be contacted if necessary. It is also strongly recommended that you leave a copy of your travel itinerary and copy of your passport photo page with a relative in the US before you leave for your vacation in Italy.
Many countries have regulations as to what can be brought in or taken out of the country with regards to food, pets, medications and other items. You will need to check the website of the Italian embassy for an updated list before you leave for your vacation to Italy. You may visit their website at www.ambwashingtondc.esteri.it
Many people planning a vacation to Italy may be concerned about what they can do if they get sick. Remember your US health insurance will be useless abroad and if you decide to have yourself evacuated back here for medical treatment it could cost you about $50,000. It is good to know that there are several insurance companies that provide insurance for short term travel abroad. This will probably suffice for your Italy vacation and will provide you with the peace of mind you need to enjoy your travel. Such policies are usually offered through travel agents so that may be a good place to start if you are interested in this type of coverage. At the very least you should be able to get information on what to do at the US embassy in Italy if you need to during a health emergency. They keep updated lists of doctors and hospitals in Italy. If you have a pre-existing condition be sure to carry a letter from your doctor describing your condition and history as well as any advice he may be able to provide Italian doctors if you should find yourself in such a situation. Your doctor’s letter should also include a description of any medications you are on as well as the generic names of your medications.
Many people going on a visit to Italy will be glad to know that there are no specific vaccinations required for your Italy vacation but be sure to check on the embassy’s website in case anything has changed before you leave.
Italian People and your Italy Vacation
One good reason to go to Italy for your vacation is the people. With over 58 million people in an area about the size of the state of Arizona, Italians are said to be some of the friendliest people in the world. Their love of life, food, people, art and their great culture steeped in thousands of years of history makes an Italy vacation a great choice for leisure travel. You will find that the people are charming and charismatic. They love family life and music and tend to be freely giving of their affection. During your Italy vacation you will notice that Italians are proud of their heritage and are passionate about everything they do. They are very welcoming to strangers and quick to share their food and offer their wine or even a joke or a story. So who are some of the famous Italian people that may be featured at some of the sites you may visit on your Italy vacation?One of the most famous Italian people is Leonardo da Vinci. Not only did he paint perhaps the most recognizable picture of all time “The Mona Lisa” but most people around the world have heard of him because of his painting “The Last Supper.” This has become the source of several controversies such as the one portrayed in the book and the movie “The DaVinci Code.” During your Italy vacation you will undoubtedly come across several places that are tied to the name of this famous Italian. For example he was born and spent much on his youth around Florence in the Tuscany region and later on moved to Milan. Unfortunately you will not find the Mona Lisa on your Italy vacation but the Last Supper is found in a famous church called Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.
Galileo is another famous Italian also from the Florence area known for his contributions to math, physics and astronomy. You can visit the University of Pisa during your Italy vacation if you are curious to know where things began for Galileo. You can also visit the bronze chandelier in the Cathedral of Pisa that is said to be where Galileo first started thinking about his swinging pendulum theories. He is said to have timed the swings with his pulse while sitting in this cathedral.
Marco Polo is another famous Italian. He was a Venetian who traveled and explored the world. He was buried in the Church of San Lorenzo in Venice and the house that is said to be his actual birthplace in Venice also exists and is frequented by people on vacation in Italy.
Michelangelo is also a famous Italian whose name will come up during your Italy vacation. As a painter and sculptor he was said to be a rival of Leonardo da Vinci’s. “The Last Judgment” is a huge mural he took 6 years to paint that is on a wall at the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City. It describes the apocalypse or second coming of Christ. Michelangelo also designed the dome of the St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City which you will be able to see on your vacation in Italy.
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Going on an Italy Vacation to Milan
Milan is one of the largest cities in Italy and one of the most highly developed areas of all of Europe. If you like to be in a city when you go on vacation then you must visit Milan when you are in Italy. It makes for a great combination of a city vacation amidst cultural and historic relevance. There are over one million people living in Milan. Not only is this where you will find Da Vinci’s famous painting “The Last Supper” but this city is also one of the best shopping centers of the world. Many fashion designers have their houses here and you will find opportunity for a lot of window shopping or real shopping while in Milan for your Italy vacation.The Galleria Vittorio Emanuel II is said to be the oldest shopping mall in the world. It was designed and built in the 1800s and features a huge glass and steel arch covering a long street. At its center is a large glass dome and to this day the oldest shopping mall in the world continues to be a bustling retail center with shops selling everything from books to haute couture and numerous restaurants serving tourists and residents of Milan. During your Italy vacation in Milan you will find that the Galleria Vittorio Emanuel II connects 2 of Milan’s most popular attractions. These are the Duomo and the Teatro Ala Scalla.
The Duomo is the cathedral of Milan that you may visit while on vacation in Italy. This is where the Archbishop of Milan resides. With its amazing gothic architecture this cathedral played an important role in establishing Catholic traditions and spreading the Catholic faith. In Italy, the only church that is larger than the Duomo is St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City in Rome. Most guided tours of Milan will feature a visit to the Duomo and you will get a chance to see this beautiful feat of Italian history.
The Teatro Alla Scala is a world famous opera house in Milan that you must visit on your Italy vacation. It was built in the late 1700s after a carnival fire destroyed the previous opera house. It was known to be the gathering place of the rich in Milan and had a gallery area above the boxes where the less wealthy were allowed to come to also enjoy the opera performances. After much controversy the theatre was renovated a few years ago. Most of the controversy was regarding a concern with whether the historical details would be lost. But during your Italy vacation here if you see the Teatro Alla Scala you will find that an excellent job was done in preserving the history of this great opera house.
When in Milan on your Italy vacation, you must also visit the Sforza Castle. It took 10 years to build this in the 1300s. It was built to be a defensive fortress and has undergone several reconstructions, additions and transformations over the centuries. There are several museums here that you can visit on your Italy vacation and most of them feature castle art such as defensive armor and furniture from its royal inhabitants. This castle also holds Michelangelo’s final work of art, a marble sculpture known as the Rondanini Pieta.
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Renting a Villa for your vacation in Italy
Villas are becoming an important part of planning for a vacation in Italy. In Roman culture a villa used to be a luxurious country house built by a member of the upper class as a second or third residence. It was not the main place of residence and city folks usually had 2 villas. One of the 2 villas could be easily reached from Rome if needed and the other was seasonally used and had servants permanently there to run it. After the nineteenth century, villas came to be used in reference to any type of single detached house that stood on its own with its own compound and unattached to any other homes or buildings.As with all the architecture in Rome there are some famous villas that you could visit during your Italy vacation. But villas are also now rented by tourists all over Italy. Villas allow the privacy you may want away from the crowds during your Italy vacation and also allow you to cook and enjoy fresh locally grown Italian produce. Most villas are also close enough to shops and restaurants that if you choose to immerse yourself back into the hustle and bustle with everyone else, nothing is still too far away.
Today visitors to the Tuscany region will find a wide selection of villas to choose from if they prefer this option for their accommodations. Salogi Villas offers villas and farmhouses for rent. They have villas in Tuscany but also in Venice and are able to help you locate the perfect villa to suit your needs. Many people traveling in a large group take the villa option simply for the space and flexibility it offers. It can also turn out to be cheaper per person if your group stays in a villa rather than a hotel or even a bed and breakfast during your Italy vacation. Salogi Villas may be contacted through their website at www.salogivillas.com…
Another option for your group if you will be traveling in Italy is the Piemonte Villa. It is 2 hours away from Milan and one hour away from Torino. Now this villa has 3 bedrooms and 3 baths so its maximum capacity is 6 people. It is 200 years old and surrounded by over 3 hectares of land. It is close to a small village and is high up in the hills. This house it the perfect place to enjoy the landscape on your vacation to Italy due to its amazing views of the Alps if the weather is clear. There are several vineyards you can visit in the area and great places to see. If you are concerned about having some kind of a modern feel to your stay here you may be happy to know that this villa was completely rehabbed this year.
All bathrooms, electrical and plumbing systems are new and the management here has succeeded in combining modern conveniences such as high speed internet with furnishings true to this villa’s history as an old farmhouse. The kitchen is also fully updated with everything you may need and they even have 2 extra bedrooms available if you must bring a larger group.
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