Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Travellers with Disabilities
Italy is not an easy country for disabled travellers and getting around can be a problem for wheelchair users. Even a
short journey in a city or town can become a major expedition if cobblestone streets have to be negotiated. Although
many buildings have lifts, they are not always wide enough for wheelchairs. Not an awful lot has been done to make life
for the deaf and/or blind any easier either.
The Italian National Tourist Office in your country may be able to provide advice and may also carry a small bro-
chure,
Services for Disabled Passengers,
published by Trenitalia (Italian railways), which details facilities at stations
and on trains. Trenitalia also has a national helpline for people with disabilities at 199 30 30 60. For more information,
search on
disabili
at the Trenitalia (
www.trenitalia.com
) website and click on the English version.
In Milan and Verona, general guides on accessibility are published.
Accessible Italy
( 378 94 11 11;
www.accessibleitaly.com
)
is a San Marino-based company that specialises in
holiday services for people with disabilities, ranging from tours to the hiring of adapted transport. It can even arrange
romantic Italian weddings. This is the best first port of call.
Check out
Milano per Tutti
(
www.milanopertutti.it
)
for information on Milan.
In Ticino, see
http://ticino.ch/en/travel-info/turismo-
accessibile.
Visas
Italy and Switzerland are among the 26 member countries of the Schengen Convention, under which 22 EU countries
(all but Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the UK) plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland have ab-
olished permanent checks at common borders.
Citizens of EU member states and Switzerland can travel to Italy (and Switzerland) with their national identity card
alone. If such countries do not issue ID cards - as in the UK - travellers must carry a full valid passport. All other na-
tionalities must have a full valid passport and may need visas.
Legal residents (regardless of nationality) of one Schengen country do not require a visa for another. Residents of
many non-EU countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA, do not require
visas for tourist visits of up to 90 days. The standard Schengen tourist visa is valid for up to 90 days and for travel to all
Schengen states.
Women Travellers
The lakes area of northern Italy and Switzerland is hardly dangerous country for women. While care should be taken in
Milan (and your guard should never be 100% down), women travellers generally encounter no real problems. Be aware
that eye-to-eye contact is the norm in Italy's daily flirtatious interplay.
