I usually drive to Italy with my old style UK paper drivers licence with no photo. Back in early 2020 this was also good to show for car hire. Have the rules changed since Brexit? is an old style UK paper licence still valid for car hire? The
Just in case it might help anyone not already aware. My comune is discounting the costs of IMU by 37.5% for second home owners resident abroad who are in receipt of a recognized pension as proof of retired status.
Any recommendations on an Italian bank? I have used MPS for years and they are fine and I can manage stuff online but they seem expensive, I assume to pay for an extensive branch network.
Do you mean Sant'Agata dei Goti? Nice place. Last time I was there it was festooned in USA flags to welcome New York mayor Bill de Blasio whose family came from the place.
Alan, the town name Sant'Angelo Lombardi is kinda misleading. It is in Campania in the province of Avellino. I am pretty sure the name reflects the Lombard presence in times past. Everyone had a go in Campania, the Greeks, the Romans, the Spanish, the Lombards, etc. The region is littered with lots of medieval mini castles to keep local control. Used to have a place down there but gave it up as too far regularly to drive. Great food and dramatic scenery.
A circondaria is an old term for a district. So Italy is divided into 'Regioni' (eg Campagna), within each region are the 'province' (Avellino), within each province are a number of 'comune' (Sant'Angelo Lombardi) which has a central admin centre and perhaps a number of circondarie or districts but also villages or hamlets called 'frazione'. Avellino and Benevento are beautiful 'province' for Roman and Greek history and spectacular scenery rather than manicured pretty villages (blame poor economics and earthquakes) much under rated. Too often people think that only Naples and Amalfi coast exist in Campagna.
As Alan says, that is a proper adventure! I used to do it with 3 children, no dog, and they enjoyed it. I would use ViaMichelin in France as it is very well tailored for France and Google Maps elsewhere. Check your mobile phone roaming agreement if travelling through Switzerland as usually it is not part of the cross EU agreement, that means everyone's phone, including the dog if it has one. Also stick to the speed limits in France and Switzerland as there are lots of cameras.
It is difficult to give route information as it depends where you are landing in France so I would echo Alan's advice. I generally stay at Ibis hotels as good coverage and a range of budgets. I have used the F1 Hotels in the part but now i will only use those that have been refurbished.
I also treat the journey as a great part of the holiday rather than a chore and I prefer to drive. I tend to stop a couple of nights in France, maybe sometimes in northern Italy in Aosta or lake Como. I tend to find that you can cross France through a mix of motorways (northern France) and Route Nationales for the pretty bits, Italy is more easily traversed north to south using the Autostrada del Sole otherwise, from my experience, it takes too long.
It takes me 2 nights and 2 1/2 days to get from the Midlands to Tuscany, which feels like the absolute minimum unless shared driving and going for some sort of record so I guess 4 nights from Ireland.
I've had the same, not keen but those are the rules. I've tried to reply to my branch but the bank want me to attend in person so a job next time in Italy.
It's a shame blind trusts owned by British ultra wealthy don't have to do same with their offshore wealth.
I pay utilities via direct debit. No extra costs beyond the normal costs of running an Italian current account. I also check my ENEL account online. No online for water and i use bottled gas to avoid the quarterly standing charges.
I must ask if my commune will calculate my IMU and rubbish charges.
Same here. Fly for short breaks to max time on holiday but drive for longer breaks as France, Switzerland, etc too lovely to rush and then have car available in Italy. We do use generally trains for longer trips up and down Italy for city breaks as it often avoids a dull motorway drive and city centre traffic and parking. Like many we use the Trenitalia app which has senior and group discounts and can use English version.
Sounds like fun and Lille is lovely. Train travel feels like part of the holiday rather than a chore. Piemonte very atmospheric at this time of year.
Many moons ago we used to travel to Italy on the Roma express with an over night coucette. It used to be the cheaper option compared to posh air travel. Loved it. Train travel in Europe is pretty good. Last year we travelled from Tuscany to Palermo on the overnight where the train gets loaded onto the ferry for Sicily. It was more interesting than flying and cheaper as the train was the hotel, us we had a day in Rome each way. Worth trying before the service disappears. It also goes to Siracusa.
There might be an IBAN code on the bill together with your customer reference. Might it be worth having an Italian bank account so you can setup direct debits as well as topping it up with spending money when visiting italy? I accept that an account is not cheap but I am guessing that paying by credit card has its own costs. Some people recommend FINECO bank.
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Do you mean Sant'Agata dei Goti? Nice place. Last time I was there it was festooned in USA flags to welcome New York mayor Bill de Blasio whose family came from the place.
No idea what is a pipemiere.
Alan, the town name Sant'Angelo Lombardi is kinda misleading. It is in Campania in the province of Avellino. I am pretty sure the name reflects the Lombard presence in times past. Everyone had a go in Campania, the Greeks, the Romans, the Spanish, the Lombards, etc. The region is littered with lots of medieval mini castles to keep local control. Used to have a place down there but gave it up as too far regularly to drive. Great food and dramatic scenery.
A circondaria is an old term for a district. So Italy is divided into 'Regioni' (eg Campagna), within each region are the 'province' (Avellino), within each province are a number of 'comune' (Sant'Angelo Lombardi) which has a central admin centre and perhaps a number of circondarie or districts but also villages or hamlets called 'frazione'. Avellino and Benevento are beautiful 'province' for Roman and Greek history and spectacular scenery rather than manicured pretty villages (blame poor economics and earthquakes) much under rated. Too often people think that only Naples and Amalfi coast exist in Campagna.
Thanks Alan, my paper licence has never been an issue in the past but Brexit might have changed things. I will have to bite the bullet.
As Alan says, that is a proper adventure! I used to do it with 3 children, no dog, and they enjoyed it. I would use ViaMichelin in France as it is very well tailored for France and Google Maps elsewhere. Check your mobile phone roaming agreement if travelling through Switzerland as usually it is not part of the cross EU agreement, that means everyone's phone, including the dog if it has one. Also stick to the speed limits in France and Switzerland as there are lots of cameras.
It is difficult to give route information as it depends where you are landing in France so I would echo Alan's advice. I generally stay at Ibis hotels as good coverage and a range of budgets. I have used the F1 Hotels in the part but now i will only use those that have been refurbished.
I also treat the journey as a great part of the holiday rather than a chore and I prefer to drive. I tend to stop a couple of nights in France, maybe sometimes in northern Italy in Aosta or lake Como. I tend to find that you can cross France through a mix of motorways (northern France) and Route Nationales for the pretty bits, Italy is more easily traversed north to south using the Autostrada del Sole otherwise, from my experience, it takes too long.
It takes me 2 nights and 2 1/2 days to get from the Midlands to Tuscany, which feels like the absolute minimum unless shared driving and going for some sort of record so I guess 4 nights from Ireland.
I've had the same, not keen but those are the rules. I've tried to reply to my branch but the bank want me to attend in person so a job next time in Italy.
It's a shame blind trusts owned by British ultra wealthy don't have to do same with their offshore wealth.
I pay utilities via direct debit. No extra costs beyond the normal costs of running an Italian current account. I also check my ENEL account online. No online for water and i use bottled gas to avoid the quarterly standing charges.
I must ask if my commune will calculate my IMU and rubbish charges.
Same here. Fly for short breaks to max time on holiday but drive for longer breaks as France, Switzerland, etc too lovely to rush and then have car available in Italy. We do use generally trains for longer trips up and down Italy for city breaks as it often avoids a dull motorway drive and city centre traffic and parking. Like many we use the Trenitalia app which has senior and group discounts and can use English version.
Sounds like fun and Lille is lovely. Train travel feels like part of the holiday rather than a chore. Piemonte very atmospheric at this time of year.
Many moons ago we used to travel to Italy on the Roma express with an over night coucette. It used to be the cheaper option compared to posh air travel. Loved it. Train travel in Europe is pretty good. Last year we travelled from Tuscany to Palermo on the overnight where the train gets loaded onto the ferry for Sicily. It was more interesting than flying and cheaper as the train was the hotel, us we had a day in Rome each way. Worth trying before the service disappears. It also goes to Siracusa.
There might be an IBAN code on the bill together with your customer reference. Might it be worth having an Italian bank account so you can setup direct debits as well as topping it up with spending money when visiting italy? I accept that an account is not cheap but I am guessing that paying by credit card has its own costs. Some people recommend FINECO bank.