You can find out an updated list of events in the region on the official Emilia Romagna Tourism Board site:

http://www.emiliaromagnaturismo.it/english/index.htm

Enjoy your summer!

In the daytime, bicycling is a great option, and many hotels will offer complimentary bikes to their guests. Bike and scooter rentals are easy to spot everywhere around the beach areas, and they are usually open from 8 am to midnight or later, in summer.

If you’re visiting churches, avoid shorts and tank tops, even on summer days: the guardians may enforce as a dress code to cover your arms and legs.

Whatever your budget, your trip can be a good occasion to shop: from the inexpensive street markets to ultimate fashion stores, take advantage of the ‘Italian Style’.

Follow the signs with a black italic ‘i’ on a white background. At tourist offices, people can find free maps, brochures and info about local museums, events, and accomodation options. The personnel can understand and speak English, so it’s a good starting point if you want to figure your way around.

Tourist office locations:

BOLOGNA COUNTY
I.A.T. – Airport office
AEROPORTO “G.MARCONI” ATRIO ARRIVI INTERNAZIONALI – CAP 40132
Tel 051246541 – FAX: 0514211367
URL: http://urp.comune.bologna.it/IAT/IAT.nsf 
E-MAIL:touristoffice@comune.bologna.it 

I.A.T. – Railway Station office
PIAZZA MEDAGLIE D’ORO,2 C/O STAZIONE FERROVIARIA – CAP 40121
Tel 051246541 – FAX: 0514211367
URL: http://urp.comune.bologna.it/IAT/IAT.nsf 
E-MAIL:touristoffice@comune.bologna.it�

RAVENNA COUNTY
RAVENNA
I.A.T. (Ufficio Informazioni e di Accoglienza Turistica)
VIA DELLE INDUSTRIE,14 (MAUSOLEO TEODORICO) – CAP 48100
Tel 0544451539�
URL: http://www.turismo.ravenna.it/ 
E-MAIL:teodorico.iat@libero.it�

RAVENNA
I.A.T. (Ufficio Informazioni e di Accoglienza Turistica)
VIA SALARA, 8/12 – CAP 48100
Tel 054435404 – FAX: 0544482670
URL: http://www.turismo.ravenna.it/ 
E-MAIL:ravenna1@comune.ravenna.it 

FORLI’-CESENA COUNTY
FORLI’
I.A.T. (Ufficio Informazioni e di Accoglienza Turistica)
Corso della Repubblica, 23
Tel 0543712435 – FAX 0543712434
URL: www.delfo.forli-cesena.it
E-MAIL: iat@comune.forli.fo.it

CESENA
I.A.T. (Ufficio Informazioni e di Accoglienza Turistica)
Piazza del Popolo, 11
Tel 0547356327 – FAX 0547356329
URL: www.cesenainvita.it
E-MAIL:info@cesenainvita.it

CESENATICO
I.A.T. (Ufficio Informazioni e di Accoglienza Turistica)
Viale Roma, 112 – CAP 47042
Tel 0547-673287 – FAX
URL: www.comune.cesenatico.fo.it
E-MAIL:turismo@comune.cesenatico.fo.it

RIMINI COUNTY
RIMINI
I.A.T. (Ufficio Informazioni e di Accoglienza Turistica)
P.LE CESARE BATTISTI, 1 – STAZIONE FFSS – CAP 47900
Tel 054151331 – FAX: 054127927
URL: www.riminiturismo.it/ 
E-MAIL:infostazione@riminiturismo.it 

SANTARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA
I.A.T. (Ufficio Informazioni e di Accoglienza Turistica)
VIA C.BATTISTI,5 – CAP 47822
Tel 0541624270 – FAX: 0541622570
E-MAIL:iat.santarcangelo@iper.net 

FERRARA COUNTY
FERRARA
I.A.T. (Ufficio Informazioni e di Accoglienza Turistica)
CASTELLO ESTENSE – CAP 44100
Tel 0532209370 – FAX: 0532212266
URL: http://www.provincia.fe.it/ 
E-MAIL:infotur@provincia.fe.it 

FERRARA
Assessorato Provinciale al Turismo
CASTELLO ESTENSE – CAP 44100
Tel 0532.299321 – FAX: 0532.299275
URL: http://www.provincia.fe.it/ 
E-MAIL:serv.turismo@provincia.fe.it 

Seniors from 65 and up can enjoy special rates for trasportation, and usually pay cut rates for museums and galleries. Hotels often offer discounted packages as well.

Post offices in Italy are open Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 2pm, while the central offices in major towns are open also during the afternoon, usually until 5pm.

Postal Rates

Check..

Telephone

Romagna has several area codes, one or more per province (county):
Ravenna 0544,
Forli’ 0543,
Cesena 0547,
Faenza 0546,
Rimini 0541,
San Marino 0549.

You never have to dial ‘1’ before entering area code and number, but you always have to enter the area code (called Prefisso, prefix, in Italian), even for local calls.

All calls are priced per minute, tariffs vary per distance and per company.

Phone booths usually have multi-language support explaining tariffs and dial options.

Toll free numbers start with the special area code 1800, like in U.S.

Cell phones

Cell phones in Italy are widely used and, sometimes, wildly used.
A cell phone number has a 3 digits area code, without 0 (e.g. 338, 339).

It’s always quite expensive to call a mobile phone from a home or public phone. On the other hand, rates for cell phones are quite low, and there are lots of calling plans to choose from. Unlike US, you don’t pay for “air-time” and incoming calls, but only to make calls.

All cell phones use the GSM system, like everywhere in Europe, and they are ‘empowered’ by a little chip card called SIM. You can buy a SIM card compatible with any cell phone in various outlets. The cards are pre-paid. The trasmission frequency is 900MHz, compatible with most tri-band phones.

Using a cell phone can save you money on international and long-distance calls.

International Calls

The country code for Italy is 39.
If you’re calling from US or Canada, you have to dial 01139 + area code + number to call an Italian number.
 To call abroad from Italy, dial 00 + country code (e.g. 1 for US) + area code and number. There’s no need to dial 00 to call San Marino or Vatican City: they’re assigned Italian area codes.

Fax and telegrams

Few places besides Post Offices and hotels offer fax services. Telegrams can be sent from any Post Office.

E-mail and Internet Access

Very few hotels and cafes offer Internet access, while most libraries in major towns do.

If you have a laptop with a modem, several major Internet Providers in Italy offer free internet access and e-mail.
The major ones are:
www.libero.it
www.inwind.it
www.tiscalinet.it

Remember that you will make local calls to connect, and you’ll be charged by the minute. For home phones, the rate is about 1c/minute. Hotels usually charge more, so be sure to inform yourself first.

The legal currency is now the Euro (€), as well as in most countries of the EU.
Italian Liras are no longer accepted in stores, but they may changed for Euros at local banks.

Travel checks

Travel checks are generally accepted in hotel, restaurants and shops. They’re a good idea if you don’t have a credit card.

Credit Cards

VISA, MasterCard and American Express credit cards are accepted mostly anywhere. Discover card is more rare.
Street markets and beach establishment most likely do not accept credit cards or travel checks, so keep some cash with you for those cases.

ATM and Debit Cards

You can find ATMs under the sign ‘Bancomat’. Every bank has one, and other booths exposing the sign can be found aound town.
Most of them will accept your Debit Card and provide multi-lingual support, so you should not have any problem using them.

Security

Be safe, not paranoid. Most hotels offer a safe, sometimes for each guest room, where you can leave your valuables and cash. A money belt worn under your clothes is a good place to hide extra cash. Be aware of pickpockets while walking at crowded street markets.
If you’re spending the day at the beach and you want to take a swim, don’t leave your watch and wallet exposed, but put them in a bag or a backpack and close it.

Costs

The cost of living in Romagna is cheaper than the average American town, but not much. A good hotel room at the top of the season (1-20 August) will cost about $100 per night.
Food and drink at markets can be really cheap and of high quality: check out the prices of Prosciutto, Parmesan and local wines.
Public trasportation is fairly cheap, while renting a car can be expensive, especially considering the price of gas.

Tips

Tips are not required anywhere: service is always included. Of course, a tip is always appreciated and can make you new friends.

Police or Carabinieri may randomly stop people (usually cars, not people on foot) to check documents and, especially on weekend nights, to check your alcohol level. (same limit as in US, 0.8% vol. of alcohol in your blood).

Drinking alcoholic beverages outdoor IS allowed, though drunk driving is not tolerated at all.

Jaywalking is tolerated, but be advised that it is illegal.

What if you’re arrested? Well, you have the right to call a lawyer, and absolutely the right to call your consulate/embassy to seek for help and counseling there.

Dangers

Romagna has its share of crime, particularly concentrated in big cities like Rimini and Ravenna.

There are no dangerous neighbourhoods, but you may want to avoid mall and industrial areas at night. On the other hand, you’ll see that boardwalk promenades in beach towns are crowded with families and seniors at night, enjoying themselves with no risk whatsoever.

Beggars, Romas and homeless people are common, especially at markets, but they’re almost always inoffensive.

Prostitution is not legal in Italy, but it is present, nevertheless. There is no red-light district in any town, but at night on the Adriatic Highway (SS 16), you can see women waiting for “clients”.

Emergency numbers

Several 3-digits phone numbers starting with 11 give toll-free country-wide access to emergency services:

113: It’s the equivalent of 911, use it in case of grave emergencies, crimes, accidents, etc.

112: The Carabinieri, the country-wide police with stations in every location. They maybe useful also in case of a car accident

115: The Fire Dept. In case of fire, you can call 113 or directly the Fire Station with this number.

Time zone

Italy is in the Central European Time Zone. Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).
Like most states in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Italy, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).
After the Summer months the time is shifted back by 1 hour to Central European Time (CET) or (GMT+1) 

Electricity

The electrical current in Italy is 220 volts, 50 Hz alternating current (AC).
Wall outlets take Continental-type plugs, with two round prongs. 

To use your U.S.-purchased electric-powered equipment, bring a converter and adapter. If your appliances are dual-voltage, you’ll need only an adapter. Most laptops operate equally well on 110 and 220 volts and so require only an adapter. 

Laundry

Most hotels offer a laundry service that is usually reliable and affordable, while Campings usually have a self-service coin-op laundry. Otherwise, you can go to a regolar laundry shop, “Lavanderia”, in Italian. They usually do any kind of laundry/cleaning service. Self-service laundry shops are not common, but there are some:
Ondablu
Via Emilia, 5
Pinarella di Cervia (RA)

Ondablu
V.le Vespucci, 137/e
Rimini 

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