Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Personal Security and Health
Tuscany and its cities are generally safe as long as
common-sense precautions are taken. Reports of serious
crimes are rare, but petty theft and pickpocketing are
common problems in the crowded tourist areas of
Florence and Pisa. Ensure that you have adequate travel
insurance before leaving for Italy, as it is very difficult
to obtain once you are in the country.
use an electrical device
(referred to as
vape
from the
brand name), which works by
heating mosquito repellent in
tablet or liquid form.
Vape
can repel mosquitoes for up
to 12 hours. These small
devices are available in gro-
cery stores and houseware
shops
(mesticheria)
. For a
longer stay you might prefer
to use a temporary window
net or to place a mosquito net
over your bed. Both are avail-
able from a
mesticheria
.
Do not underestimate the
strength of the sun - drink
plenty of water and use a
high factor sunscreen. Although
Italians prefer the taste of
bottled water, tap water is
perfectly safe in the cities.
Many rural homes use water
from a well - visitors may
prefer to drink bottled water.
POLICE
subjected to harassment from
whistling men on the street.
Women should not walk
home alone late at night.
Always use official taxis
which clearly display their
licence number. When you
call for a taxi you will be
given the car number, for
example Napoli 37, which
will be visible on a sticker
on the side of the taxi.
The
vigili urbani
, or muni-
cipal police
(see p313)
, wear
blue uniforms in winter and
white during summer. They
are most often seen in the
streets regulating traffic. The
carabinieri
are the military
police. They dress in black
trousers with a red stripe on
the leg and deal with a variety
of offences from theft to
speeding.
La polizia
(the state
police) wear grey trousers
with a magenta stripe. They
specialize in serious crimes.
While uniforms differ, in an
emergency the first officer on
the scene is responsible and
will help you.
IN AN EMERGENCY
HOSPITALS AND
PHARMACIES
The telephone number for
medical emergency services is
118
and the operator should
be able to assist you. Report
all serious crime to the police,
through dialling
112
.
If you are in need of urgent
medical attention, you should
go at once to the
Pronto
Soccorso
(outpatients/
emergency) department of the
nearest main hospital.
If you have a medical
problem during the night or
at the weekend, but it is not
an emergency, the
Guardia
Medica
service in Florence
is a fast and easy solution,
similar to a walk-in medical
clinic. It is open through
the night and at weekends,
and may charge a small fee
for treatment.
In the summer, major tourist
areas (including Florence and
Siena) set up a Tourist Med-
ical Centre, which operates
during daytime hours.
In Florence and Siena, the
Associazione Volontari
Ospedalieri
has interpreters
who can help with medical
LOST AND STOLEN
PROPERTY
Avoid being a victim of theft
in Tuscany in the same way
as you would at home: lock
doors, keep valuables in a
safe and never leave anything
in plain view inside a car. In
the case of robbery, you must
report the theft to the police
within 24 hours and obtain a
statement
(denuncia)
in order
to make an insurance claim.
Ask your hotel reception for
assistance in doing this.
Lost property may be
difficult to recover. Lost items
on trains can sometimes be
located by asking customer
services. In some stations, lost
bags will be put in a safe
deposit box and you will
have to pay to collect them.
A team of
carabinieri
on duty
in Florence
WHAT TO BE AWARE OF
When looking after your
personal safety, use common
sense as you would in any
large city. Pickpocketing takes
place on public transport and
in crowded piazzas, markets
and queues. Italian women
tend to keep one hand on the
closure of their handbag at all
times (zip closures are best),
while men put a hand over
the pocket in which they
keep their wallet. Young
women may occasionally be
MINOR HAZARDS
Inoculations are not necessary
for Tuscany. Mosquitoes are
an irritation. Equip yourself
with mosquito repellent as
these insects are common,
especially in the centre of
Florence, and screens on win-
dows are rare. Alternatively,
Outside a typical pharmacy
(farmacia)
in Florence
