Health Services and Insurance Policy
Italy has no medical program covering citizens from the US and Canada. US and Canadian tourists are therefore advised to take out an insurance policy before traveling. First Aid Service (Pronto Soccorso) with a doctor on hand is found at airports, ports, railway stations and in all hospitals. Medicines, be they prescription or over the counter, can be obtained only in pharmacies.

Time
Italy is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the USA and Canada. Daylight saving time in Italy goes into effect each year usually from the end of March to the middle of October.

Banking hours
Banks are generally open Monday through Friday from 8.35am to 1.35pm and from 3 - 4pm; in many tourist areas they are open non-stop from 830am. to 4pm and closed all day on Saturday and Sunday and on national holidays. Some banks also open in the afternoon.

Euro
The new monetary currency is the Euro which is divided as follows: bills of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500; coins of 1, 2, 5, 10 Euros, 20 and 50 cents.

Post Offices
All the Post Offices are open 8am-6.30pm Monday-Friday and 8am-12.30pm Saturday.
If you want stamps, you can buy them in tabacchi too, they will often also weigh your letter.

Shops opening times
Although shops are normally open from 9am to 1pm and from 3.30/4pm to 7.30/8pm, in some tourist areas they tend to stay open uninterruptedly from 9.30am to 7.30pm, allowing for slight variations from town to town. Large department stores like La Rinascente, Coin or Upim are open throughout the country from 9.30am to 7.30pm.

IVA tax refunds
Like most other European countries, Italy imposes a value added tax (VAT) on most goods and services purchased in the country. This tax is known as the Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto, or IVA. It is normally included in the price of most goods and services. Generally the rate stands at 20% of the sale price. Residents outside of the European Union visiting Italy may obtain a VAT refund on purchases of new goods. VAT refunds may be claimed for purchases of merchandise (not for services such as hotels, car rentals, entertainment, meals or transportation) in excess of € 155. Here is an outline of the procedures that should be followed for claiming VAT refunds on goods purchased in Italy:

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