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Archive: August, 2009

Visiting the coast for your Italy vacation

If you are like many people you need to see some water to feel like you are truly on vacation-lots and lots of water! Italy boasts some of the most beautiful beaches and resorts in all of Europe.

The Amalfi coast is just south of Naples and you may want to visit this area as part of your Italy vacation. Amalfi is a resort town also known for its lemon trees. Not only do you get the sea here but this is the region that has the famous cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and also the Mt. Vesuvius volcano. During your Italy vacation here you will find that public transportation is very easy to use especially around the Bay of Naples. If you do decide to drive around here on your Italy vacation you must remember that the roads along the coast tend to be narrow so you have to be very careful. There are several beach hotels and resorts and along with the sandy shores and green-blue waters this promises to deliver a beautiful Italy vacation.

If you would prefer a seaside vacation away from most other tourists you would do better to visit the old fishing villages along the Italian Riviera. The Italian Riviera is a portion of the Italian coast that lies between the Liguiran Sea and the mountains. The capital of the Liguria region is Genoa. During your Italy vacation in the area, you will find that fishing is a huge part of the economy here. The fishing village of Portifino is world famous and tends to be visited by many tourists but it will not be as crowded as the Amalfi Coast.

Here you will find the Statue of Christ of the Abyss placed about 17 meters under water to protect the fishermen and divers. Beach resorts in Japan and Orlando, Florida have been built to recreate the details of the Portifino Harbor on the Italian Riviera.

For more beautiful coastal scenery during your Italy vacation, you may want to visit Bordighera. This is also a fishing village along the Italian Riviera. There will probably be fewer crowds here and this place is known for being a vacation spot for the wealthy in Europe. The palms used on Palm Sunday in the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome are from Bordighera.

If you love seafood, you will have plenty of opportunity to indulge in delicious delicacies while you are visiting the coast for your Italy vacation. Seafood is a big part of these regions and you will be able to taste the freshness in the meals prepared by the restaurants you eat at along the coast during your vacation. Some of the best seafood restaurants in Italy will be found along the coastal regions.

During your Italy vacation here you will get the chance to sample some mouth-watering herb-crusted shrimp, scallop linguine and traditional halibut fish with leeks. Olive oil, garlic and Italian sweet parsley are widely used in seafood dishes here along with other Italian herbs such as basil, oregano and rosemary.

All about passports and visas for your Italy Vacation

When traveling to Italy there are several things you must have. The least of these are a passport and maybe even a visa. If this is your first time traveling out of the US you will need to apply for a passport. You may also need to apply for a passport if your old one has expired, is damaged or lost. Applying for a passport is a fairly simple process which may be as simple as a trip to the post office but be sure to start early so you can be ready for your Italy vacation. There are stories of people who have had to cancel vacations because their passport was not ready. You don’t want to do this as it will be very disappointing and also expensive especially if you have reserved an airline ticket or some sort of package vacation.

The US Department of State asks that you allow six months for them to process your passport application however some travelers have found it only took a few weeks for them to receive their passports. You can apply online however first time applicants must apply in person. The main supporting document that is required is a valid original US birth certificate. Passport applicants are sometimes surprised to find that their original birth certificate needs to be submitted to the Department of State with a promise of it being mailed back. Many people tend to be leery of this especially because they have found how difficult it is to get a replacement birth certificate. However, most report that within a short period of receiving their new passports, their birth certificates arrive in the mail safe and sound. For all the details on where the 9000 passport application accepting facilities are and how to apply for a passport for your Italy vacation you can go to www.travel.state.gov/passport

If you are a US citizen you will not need a visa to go on an Italy vacation. However you must show that your airline ticket includes a return back to the US. If you are planning to travel to Italy for reasons other than a vacation the requirements are different and usually stricter. When on vacation in Italy you can stay for a maximum of 3 months at a time but remember that this is a combined period to include any time spent in several other European countries. Italy has an embassy in Washington DC that can process visas for non-US citizens. They must go to the embassy for personal interviews. If you are going to Italy for a vacation the prime concern of the Italian government is that you plan to return to your country. Therefore they always ask for proof that you have a full-time job especially if you are a non-US citizen.

The Department of State recommends that during your Italy vacation you register your presence there with the US embassy. This is important in case someone needs to contact you for an emergency home or in case of a disaster abroad so your whereabouts can be confirmed.