Italy Healthcare and Money

By | May 9, 2022

Health care

Vaccinations

Vaccination needed receipt required
Eat Drink
malaria no
typhus no
cholera no
yellow fever no

Overview

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is valid for nationals of EU and EFTA countries. The EHIC regulates care and reimbursement of costs in the event of illness for EU and EFTA citizens. The EHIC does not include repatriation after a serious illness or an accident abroad. Statutory health insurance companies are not allowed to offer this service. Only private travel insurance companies pay for return transport. It is therefore recommended that you take out health insurance abroad for the duration of your stay, which covers risks that are not covered by statutory health insurance companies. Helping provider is the Italian health insurance company Azienda Sanitaria Locale (ASL) of the National Health Service. Address directories of panel doctors are available in the ASL branches in many cities. Free treatment is only guaranteed by the contract doctor. In general, however, you have to pay part of the drug costs yourself. Outside of office hours, you should contact the Guardia medica noturna e festiva, which is set up in larger towns. In Italy there are numerous spas, some of which date back to Roman times. The most famous are: Abano Terme and Montegrotto Terme (Veneto), Acqui Terme (Piedmont), Chianciano and Montecatini Terme (Tuscany), Fiuggi (Lazio), Porretta Terme and Salsomaggiore Terme (Emilia-Romagna), Sciacca (Sicily) and Sirmione ( Lombardy). A special grape cure is offered in Meran (South Tyrol). Check directoryaah for more information.

Food and drink

In rural areas, tap water is e.g. T. not potable, »Acqua Non Potabile« means »No drinking water«. If in doubt, drink bottled water, especially to get used to it at the beginning of your stay. When buying packaged water, you should make sure that the original packaging has not been opened.

Other risks

The standard vaccinations for children and adults recommended by the Robert Koch Institute (including against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), mumps, measles, rubella, pneumococci, poliomyelitis and influenza) should be refreshed before the trip if necessary. Nationwide, from April to October, there is a risk of transmission of Lyme disease from ticks, especially in grass, shrubs and undergrowth. Protection is offered by skin-covering clothes and insect repellents. Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is transmitted by ticks in the rural areas around Trento and Florence from April to October. Vaccination against this disease is possible. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B occur nationwide. A hepatitis A vaccination is generally recommended, especially when traveling to the southern parts of the country. Vaccination against hepatitis B should be given during longer stays and close contact with the local population, as well as for children and young people in general. Leishmaniasis, which is transmitted by butterfly mosquitoes, occurs mainly in the summer months on the coast and on the Mediterranean islands. Protection is offered by skin-covering clothes and insect repellents. Phlebotomus fever (Tuscan fever), transmitted by sandflies, occurs seasonally in northern Italy. Insect repellent and long, light-colored clothing are recommended as prophylaxis. Insect repellent and long clothing also protect against the Kala Azar infection, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. This occurs mainly in southern Italy and on the Mediterranean islands. West Nile fever, transmitted by mosquitoes, occurs in Italy during the summer months. There is no vaccination, effective mosquito repellent is recommended.

Health certificate

In Italy and other EU countries, in addition to the digital COVID-19 vaccination card (EU Digital COVID Certificate), proof of the COVID vaccination status with the vaccination card in paper form is also valid. Italy accepts the Swiss COVID certificate.

Money

Currency

1 euro = 100 cents. Currency code: €, EUR (ISO code). Banknotes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, coins in denominations of 1 and 2 euros and 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents. Note: Italy stopped minting 1 and 2 cent coins as of 2018. Prices must be rounded up to the nearest 5 cents. 1 and 2 cent coins from other EU countries are accepted in Italy.

Credit cards

Diners Club, Mastercard, Visa and all major international credit cards are accepted. Details from the issuer of the relevant credit card. Cash payments are prohibited from a sum of €1,000. Invoices of €1,000 or more can only be paid by credit card, EC card or bank transfer.

ATMs

Girocard With the Girocard (formerly EC card) such as the Maestro card, V Pay or Sparcard and PIN number, cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in the national currency throughout Europe. In many European countries it is also possible to pay with a debit card in shops. Cards with the Cirrus, V-Pay or Maestro symbol are accepted throughout Europe. Further information from banks and credit institutes. Attention: Travelers who want to pay with their bank customer card abroad and withdraw money should find out from their bank about the possibility of using their card before starting their journey.

Travelers cheques

Traveller’s checks are no longer available in Germany and Switzerland and hardly any in Austria. Traveller’s checks are accepted in a few banks and exchange offices in Italy’s larger cities.

Bank opening hours

Mon-Fri 08.30-13.30 and 15.00-16.00, e.g. T. also Saturday mornings.

Foreign exchange regulations

For travelers within and from outside the EU, there are no restrictions on the import or export of national and foreign currencies, but there is an obligation to declare funds from an equivalent value of €10,000 (in addition to cash, cash also includes travelers cheques, savings accounts, other currencies, to third parties checks drawn, the true value of precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum (gold coins containing at least 90 percent gold grade, uncoined gold in the form of bars, nuggets or nuggets containing at least 99.5 percent gold grade), precious stones (but not jewelry). )).

Currency Exchange

Traveller’s cheques, checks and foreign currency can be exchanged at banks, train stations, airports and many large hotels (although often at a less favorable exchange rate there).

Currencies

Code Symbol Exchange rates (no guarantee)
EUR 1 EUR = 1.00 €
1 CHF = 1.19 €
1 USD = 0.96 €

Italy Money