Gala Placidia's activity

You may get some help from this association: www.dogwelcome.it THeir site contains very useful information for dog owners.

Just as you say, La Dolcevita, it is a matter of finding the right balance. A total ban on tourism would be wrong and difficult to achieve; however, what can be controlled is the access of those huge ships detrimental to fragile environments. And I agree in that, without tourism, many towns and cities would disappear.

Tourism is a source of income for Venice; however, it has to be sustainable.Cruising is a pleasure, but it should not cause damage to the environment. Venice's lagoon is very fragile.

I understand that there is not such a thing as alcohool-free wine, unless we are talking about grape juice. "Vino analcolico" contains about 0.5% alcohol, same as many so called non-alcoholic beers. Now, th the reason why people who cannot drink alcohol try to find something which tastes like wine instead of grape juice is the fact that the dislike the sweetness of the juice (diabetics may also have problems concernin sugar or fructose content). Also, "vino analcolico" is quite expensive, particularly bearing in mind that it does contain some alcohol and that it does not taste that good. Probably, prices may come down in the future, but the alcoholic content, no matter how low, may still be an issue. If that 0.5% is not a major problem, II would rather dilute a tiny amount of wine in some water or soda...

Purchase taxes are the same whether you are an EU or a non-EU citizen. 

Most interesting.

Not familiar with Le Marche; however, Mondo Convenienza, throughout Italy, has interesting prices. Have a look at www.mondoconvenienza.it and compare. We bought a few items from them in Tuscany and we are happy with them.

l agree with Penny. Get a professional.

Excellent post by Raggio! May I add that a child's education is also the responsibility of the home, parents and family. The school, teachers and educatin system are all important,but the are only part of the education process. I do believe that it is important to get a wide variety of subjects at secondary level, to obtain good and sound general knowledge, which should be also fostered and developed throughout our lives.

I understand that local Councils are checking on the accuracy of the catastal data. If your house was restored by the previous owner about 5 years ago, it may have happened that they carried out the works without all the necessary permits, certificates, etc. This is quite common. We had to get new plans for our property submitted after purchasing it as the previous owner - a builder - carried out the restoration works without updating plans. Variations were minimal, but new detailed plans were necessary. So we had to comply with regulations and we are happy about it. Yes, it ends up costing a bit of money, but the property is perfectly legal and we have peace of mind... and a lighter pocket.