
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORY - Italy
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ITALY - NOTICE
 November 20, 1991

SUMMARY:  Hundreds of thousands of Americans visit Italy annually,
and the vast majority experience no problems during their visit.
The following information is intended to provide American citizens
with useful guidance to ensure that their trip to Italy is an
enjoyable one.  Travelers to the Middle East are warned not to take
Alitalia flights AZ-762 and AZ-763 between Amman and Rome, because
those flights make an intermediate stop in Beirut.  End summary.

PERSONAL SECURITY:
--Italy is a beautiful country with little history of violent crime
directed toward tourists.  Petty crime, however, is a problem,
especially in large cities.  Visitors should therefore take the kind
of precautions they would normally take in other large cities where
crime is a problem including:

--Leave your passports and valuables in a hotel safe or other
secure place while enjoying the scenery.  This is the simplest and
most effective precaution against theft, especially purse snatching.
 Should you be surrounded by a gang of noisy children on the street
(a common ploy in some major tourist cities), concentrate on
maintaining physical possession of your wallet/purse.

--Extra care should be taken at railway stations, while riding
public transportation and when visiting major tourist attractions.
Most reported thefts occur on public buses or at the major railway
stations, including Rome's Termini, Milan's Centrale, Florence's
Santa Maria Novella, and the Centrale in Naples.

--Thieves usually work in pairs.  Purses are often snatched from
pedestrians, cyclists, and even from moving vehicles.  The snatcher
grabs an exposed purse, wallet or package and flees, often to a
waiting motorcycle driven by an accomplice.

PRECAUTIONS:
--  Do not carry a purse.
--  Keep valuables in front pockets.
--  Carry only enough cash for the day's needs.
--  Be aware of who is around you, especially when faced with
crowds of children.
--  Make copies of your passport, travelers checks, airline
tickets, and credit cards, and keep the copies separate from the
originals.

CAR BREAK-INS:
--Every car can be a target, whether parked, stopped at a traffic
light, or even while moving.  Thieves have been known to open the
door or break a window of a car stopped in traffic in order to grab
a purse or package.  Even purses tucked beneath the car seat have
been stolen in such a manner.  Thieves on motorbikes have even
smashed the windows of moving cars and stolen items inside.

--Travelers should be wary when driving in parts of southern Italy.
 There have been many incidents of thefts from vehicles.  Often,
shortly after the potential victim has paid a toll or stopped at a
gas station, a passing car or motorcycle driver indicates that the
tourist's car has a problem with a rear tire (where there often
really is a problem, since the thieves may in fact have previously
punctured the tire).  The friendly driver and  an accomplice
volunteer to help, and while one thief is distracting the car's
occupants by assisting, the other is stealing luggage and other
valuables.

PRECAUTIONS:
--  Do not leave any valuables visible in your car.
--  Lock valuables in the trunk before setting out.
--  Always assume you are being watched.
--  Lock the car even at brief stops.

MEDICAL:   While the level of amenities and services are not
comparable to U.S. hospitals, medical facilities in Italy are
adequate to deal with any emergencies which may arise.  Many of the
hospitals in major cities have at least some personnel who speak
English.  Most hospitals are government operated, with patients
billed some time after discharge.  Private hospitals often expect
cash payment before discharge; neither credit cards nor foreign
medical coverage are generally accepted.  Tourists are expected to
settle their bills on the spot and submit claims to their insurance
companies upon their return to the U.S.  Before traveling abroad,
you should determine the degree of your medical insurance policy's
coverage outside of the U.S., and consider the purchase of
additional coverage, especially if you have special medical needs.

U.S. EMBASSY AND CONSULATE ASSISTANCE:  If you encounter problems,
call the Consular Section at the Embassy in Rome, telephone (6)
46741, or one of the Consulates General in Milan, (2) 2900-4559;
Naples, (81) 761-4303; or Florence,  (55) 239-8276/9.  The city code
in parentheses should be omitted if calling from within the listed
city.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR TRAVELERS TO THE MIDDLE EAST:   The Department
of State has learned that Alitalia flights AZ-762 from Rome to
Amman, and AZ-763 from Amman to Rome, make an intermediate stop in
Beirut.  American citizens should not board these flights because
U.S. passports are invalid for travel to, in or through Lebanon and
may not be used for that purpose unless a special validation is
obtained.  This prohibition exists because the situation in Lebanon
is so dangerous that no U.S. citizen can be considered safe from
terrorist acts.  Use of a U.S. passport for travel to, in or through
Lebanon may constitute a violation of 18 USC 1544, and be punishable
by a fine and/or imprisonment.

 No. 91-224

This amends the advisory issued October 24, 1991 to alert travelers
to the need to take precautions against petty crime in Italy.

