I usually drive to Italy with my old style UK paper drivers licence with no photo. Back in early 2020 this was also good to show for car hire. Have the rules changed since Brexit? is an old style UK paper licence still valid for car hire? The
Just in case it might help anyone not already aware. My comune is discounting the costs of IMU by 37.5% for second home owners resident abroad who are in receipt of a recognized pension as proof of retired status.
Any recommendations on an Italian bank? I have used MPS for years and they are fine and I can manage stuff online but they seem expensive, I assume to pay for an extensive branch network.
As Alan says, that is a proper adventure! I used to do it with 3 children, no dog, and they enjoyed it. I would use ViaMichelin in France as it is very well tailored for France and Google Maps elsewhere. Check your mobile phone roaming agreement if travelling through Switzerland as usually it is not part of the cross EU agreement, that means everyone's phone, including the dog if it has one. Also stick to the speed limits in France and Switzerland as there are lots of cameras.
It is difficult to give route information as it depends where you are landing in France so I would echo Alan's advice. I generally stay at Ibis hotels as good coverage and a range of budgets. I have used the F1 Hotels in the part but now i will only use those that have been refurbished.
I also treat the journey as a great part of the holiday rather than a chore and I prefer to drive. I tend to stop a couple of nights in France, maybe sometimes in northern Italy in Aosta or lake Como. I tend to find that you can cross France through a mix of motorways (northern France) and Route Nationales for the pretty bits, Italy is more easily traversed north to south using the Autostrada del Sole otherwise, from my experience, it takes too long.
It takes me 2 nights and 2 1/2 days to get from the Midlands to Tuscany, which feels like the absolute minimum unless shared driving and going for some sort of record so I guess 4 nights from Ireland.
I've had the same, not keen but those are the rules. I've tried to reply to my branch but the bank want me to attend in person so a job next time in Italy.
It's a shame blind trusts owned by British ultra wealthy don't have to do same with their offshore wealth.
I pay utilities via direct debit. No extra costs beyond the normal costs of running an Italian current account. I also check my ENEL account online. No online for water and i use bottled gas to avoid the quarterly standing charges.
I must ask if my commune will calculate my IMU and rubbish charges.
Same here. Fly for short breaks to max time on holiday but drive for longer breaks as France, Switzerland, etc too lovely to rush and then have car available in Italy. We do use generally trains for longer trips up and down Italy for city breaks as it often avoids a dull motorway drive and city centre traffic and parking. Like many we use the Trenitalia app which has senior and group discounts and can use English version.
Sounds like fun and Lille is lovely. Train travel feels like part of the holiday rather than a chore. Piemonte very atmospheric at this time of year.
Many moons ago we used to travel to Italy on the Roma express with an over night coucette. It used to be the cheaper option compared to posh air travel. Loved it. Train travel in Europe is pretty good. Last year we travelled from Tuscany to Palermo on the overnight where the train gets loaded onto the ferry for Sicily. It was more interesting than flying and cheaper as the train was the hotel, us we had a day in Rome each way. Worth trying before the service disappears. It also goes to Siracusa.
There might be an IBAN code on the bill together with your customer reference. Might it be worth having an Italian bank account so you can setup direct debits as well as topping it up with spending money when visiting italy? I accept that an account is not cheap but I am guessing that paying by credit card has its own costs. Some people recommend FINECO bank.
Others will have more experience than me but perhaps the Italian land registry site catastoinrete.it might be useful. My own experience was going to the local land office and getting a copy of what is registered so useful if you have a local friend or relative.
I have been on the consular site 'serviziconsolarionline.esteri.it' where I had previously registered and opened an account. It has an English version. I don't know whether it is harder to open an account these days as there seems to be more verification. This tells me that my county is covered by London. The Birmingham office is no longer listed, which is a pain for me as I live near Brum. The other two consular offices are Manchester and Edinburgh.
I then clicked on 'Consulates and Institutions' and chose the option to take me to 'conslondra.esteri.it', you might be able to jump straight to this site. It is also available in English and has alot of information for foreign and Italian nationals. I then chose Servizi Consolari e Visti' and then clicked on 'Servizi per il cittadino straniero' then 'cittadinaza', then 'cittadinanza per discendenza'. I then had to register an account on 'Prenot@MI' which was a real pain and it took several attempts before I managed to register an account, very frustrating. They only release appointment slots at 17:00 on Monday and Wednesdays. Once the limited appointments are gone then you have to wait for the next release. My experience with Birmingham was that the slots are all gone in a very few minutes.
I have tried ringing Manchester consulate that still seems to be open but the number defaults to London. All I can find out is that Birmingham was closed during at least August but I'm not clear if it reopened. I used to know the previous vice consul but I've long lost his number as they used to be in Fiveways. Sorry I can't be more helpful but I am going to try and visit them one morning as I will need their services.
Depends on which consular office you want to use. The main consulate in London requires that you register on their site and book an appointment online, Tuesday mornings is one of the sessions. They will only see you if you turn up with an appointment confirmation booked via their site.
I've used Birmingham vice consulate in the past which was not a great experience. I notice that people were dropping in to get advice on citizenship without an appointment. Most people there were queuing to get a passport and it was after the Brexit vote so a bit chaotic.
I think there was a vice consulate in Manchester. It depends where you live.
Good luck as not an easy process. London seems under resourced and vice consulates rely on volunteers.
Comments posted
As Alan says, that is a proper adventure! I used to do it with 3 children, no dog, and they enjoyed it. I would use ViaMichelin in France as it is very well tailored for France and Google Maps elsewhere. Check your mobile phone roaming agreement if travelling through Switzerland as usually it is not part of the cross EU agreement, that means everyone's phone, including the dog if it has one. Also stick to the speed limits in France and Switzerland as there are lots of cameras.
It is difficult to give route information as it depends where you are landing in France so I would echo Alan's advice. I generally stay at Ibis hotels as good coverage and a range of budgets. I have used the F1 Hotels in the part but now i will only use those that have been refurbished.
I also treat the journey as a great part of the holiday rather than a chore and I prefer to drive. I tend to stop a couple of nights in France, maybe sometimes in northern Italy in Aosta or lake Como. I tend to find that you can cross France through a mix of motorways (northern France) and Route Nationales for the pretty bits, Italy is more easily traversed north to south using the Autostrada del Sole otherwise, from my experience, it takes too long.
It takes me 2 nights and 2 1/2 days to get from the Midlands to Tuscany, which feels like the absolute minimum unless shared driving and going for some sort of record so I guess 4 nights from Ireland.
I've had the same, not keen but those are the rules. I've tried to reply to my branch but the bank want me to attend in person so a job next time in Italy.
It's a shame blind trusts owned by British ultra wealthy don't have to do same with their offshore wealth.
I pay utilities via direct debit. No extra costs beyond the normal costs of running an Italian current account. I also check my ENEL account online. No online for water and i use bottled gas to avoid the quarterly standing charges.
I must ask if my commune will calculate my IMU and rubbish charges.
Same here. Fly for short breaks to max time on holiday but drive for longer breaks as France, Switzerland, etc too lovely to rush and then have car available in Italy. We do use generally trains for longer trips up and down Italy for city breaks as it often avoids a dull motorway drive and city centre traffic and parking. Like many we use the Trenitalia app which has senior and group discounts and can use English version.
Sounds like fun and Lille is lovely. Train travel feels like part of the holiday rather than a chore. Piemonte very atmospheric at this time of year.
Many moons ago we used to travel to Italy on the Roma express with an over night coucette. It used to be the cheaper option compared to posh air travel. Loved it. Train travel in Europe is pretty good. Last year we travelled from Tuscany to Palermo on the overnight where the train gets loaded onto the ferry for Sicily. It was more interesting than flying and cheaper as the train was the hotel, us we had a day in Rome each way. Worth trying before the service disappears. It also goes to Siracusa.
There might be an IBAN code on the bill together with your customer reference. Might it be worth having an Italian bank account so you can setup direct debits as well as topping it up with spending money when visiting italy? I accept that an account is not cheap but I am guessing that paying by credit card has its own costs. Some people recommend FINECO bank.
Others will have more experience than me but perhaps the Italian land registry site catastoinrete.it might be useful. My own experience was going to the local land office and getting a copy of what is registered so useful if you have a local friend or relative.
I have been on the consular site 'serviziconsolarionline.esteri.it' where I had previously registered and opened an account. It has an English version. I don't know whether it is harder to open an account these days as there seems to be more verification. This tells me that my county is covered by London. The Birmingham office is no longer listed, which is a pain for me as I live near Brum. The other two consular offices are Manchester and Edinburgh.
I then clicked on 'Consulates and Institutions' and chose the option to take me to 'conslondra.esteri.it', you might be able to jump straight to this site. It is also available in English and has alot of information for foreign and Italian nationals. I then chose Servizi Consolari e Visti' and then clicked on 'Servizi per il cittadino straniero' then 'cittadinaza', then 'cittadinanza per discendenza'. I then had to register an account on 'Prenot@MI' which was a real pain and it took several attempts before I managed to register an account, very frustrating. They only release appointment slots at 17:00 on Monday and Wednesdays. Once the limited appointments are gone then you have to wait for the next release. My experience with Birmingham was that the slots are all gone in a very few minutes.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
I have tried ringing Manchester consulate that still seems to be open but the number defaults to London. All I can find out is that Birmingham was closed during at least August but I'm not clear if it reopened. I used to know the previous vice consul but I've long lost his number as they used to be in Fiveways. Sorry I can't be more helpful but I am going to try and visit them one morning as I will need their services.
Depends on which consular office you want to use. The main consulate in London requires that you register on their site and book an appointment online, Tuesday mornings is one of the sessions. They will only see you if you turn up with an appointment confirmation booked via their site.
I've used Birmingham vice consulate in the past which was not a great experience. I notice that people were dropping in to get advice on citizenship without an appointment. Most people there were queuing to get a passport and it was after the Brexit vote so a bit chaotic.
I think there was a vice consulate in Manchester. It depends where you live.
Good luck as not an easy process. London seems under resourced and vice consulates rely on volunteers.