Italy

Italy: Thousands Protest Austerity Measures

Date: September 13th, 2011 |

Tens of thousands of Italians took to the streets Sept. 6 to protest the government’s latest round of austerity measures. The strike resulted in the cancelation of flights, trains and buses and the closure of government offices. The Italian General Confederation of Labor (CGIL)—Italy’s largest union—called for the general strike and is demanding stronger action [read more]

Italy: Students Protest Economic Reforms, Disrupt Travel Throughout the Country

Date: December 1st, 2010 |

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In yet another European protest against economic reform, university students across Italy demonstrated against funding cuts they said would leave faculty positions vacant and privatize too much of the state university system. Protests disrupted transit in cities across the country Nov. 30 and erupted in violence in Rome, where the city center was entirely closed [read more]

Italy: Naples Garbage Crisis Rises Again

Date: October 27th, 2010 |

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A garbage crisis in Naples that has been going on for years has caused clashes in nearby Terzigno between police and protesters trying to prevent the dumping of Naples’ trash in their community about 12 miles east of the city. The protests have been going on for the past month but recently erupted in violence [read more]

Italy: Army Heading for Calabria to Combat Mafia

Date: October 13th, 2010 |

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Authorities plan to send the army to the southern region of Calabria to combat the powerful ’Ndrangheta mafia after the crime syndicate left a bazooka outside a courthouse in the city of Reggio Calabria as a death threat. Police believe that this criminal network is more powerful than the Sicilian mafia and extends its operations [read more]

Italy: Fake Goods Carry Hefty Price; Thuggery on the Rise in Rome

Date: June 9th, 2010 |

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It’s hard to resist a bargain, especially if it strolls right up to you on the beach, but an Austrian tourist discovered the true cost of buying a fake Louis Vuitton purse from a vendor when she was hit with a 1,000 euro ($1,195) fine for buying a $13 knockoff. The beach vendors, often Senegalese [read more]

Italy: New Room Tax in Effect in Rome

Date: January 5th, 2011 |

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Rome has a new tax on tourists it hopes will raise some $100 million annually to be used on maintenance and promotion of the city’s many attractions. The nominal fee will add a few extra euros to the cost of hotel stays depending on the class of hotel. For three-star hotels, the cost is 2 [read more]

Italy: Drivers, Beware the Limited Traffic Zones in Rome, Elsewhere

Date: November 10th, 2010 |

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Tourists in Rome and other Italian cities need to know that the cities have restricted driving zones to reduce traffic congestion. If you drive there without a permit you will be fined as much as 99 euros ($136). If your hotel lies within such a zone and you need to drive there to park or [read more]

Italy: Government to Impose Entry Fee for Visitors to Venice

Date: October 20th, 2010 |

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The Italian government is moving ahead with plans to impose an entry fee on all visitors to Venice who arrive by air, rail or cruise ship. The fee is likely to be insignificant, in the one euro range, but it will raise needed funds from the more than 20 million annual tourists to help restore [read more]

Italy: Colosseum Open for Saturday Night Tours, Underground Tunnels Also Accessible

Date: August 10th, 2010 |

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As if the eternal city of Rome didn’t have enough attractions for tourists, authorities are now providing more access to the Colosseum. Beginning Aug. 21 and for seven straight Saturdays, visitors will be able to tour the ancient monument after dark with an archaeologist. Some nighttime tours last summer proved so popular that officials decided [read more]

Europe: Heavy Snow, Cold Disrupt Travel Across Continent, Eurostar to Resume Normal Schedule Dec. 28, Venice Flooded

Date: December 23rd, 2009 |

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Severe winter weather before Christmas disrupted travel throughout Europe, causing flight delays and cancellations in the UK, Germany and Italy, and shutting down the Eurostar “Chunnel” train service between London and Paris for three days. Twenty-five-hundred passengers were stranded without food, water or air conditioning for 16 hours. The breakdown was believed to have been [read more]

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