Difference between revisions of "Italy"

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If you make a [[sign]], try writing the name of a sensibly chosen city some 200-300km in the right direction. For example, if you're heading from Milano to Napoli, few people will be going that far in one stretch. So try writing first ''Firenze'', then ''Roma'' and finally ''Napoli''. You might get there in just those three stops.
 
If you make a [[sign]], try writing the name of a sensibly chosen city some 200-300km in the right direction. For example, if you're heading from Milano to Napoli, few people will be going that far in one stretch. So try writing first ''Firenze'', then ''Roma'' and finally ''Napoli''. You might get there in just those three stops.
 +
 +
Trucks do not drive on either Saturdays or Sundays, so if you prefer to drive with them, a good time to get a ride with them is early morning on a Monday.
  
 
== Legal situation ==
 
== Legal situation ==
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== Safety ==
 
== Safety ==
  
The northern part of Italy is quite safe, but take care in the South. When pitching a tent in the wild, make very sure to stay out of sight. Roads are often not laid out for bicyclists and pedestrians which makes it harder to walk towards or find good spots.
+
The northern part of Italy is quite safe, but take care in the South. When pitching a tent in the wild, make very sure to stay out of sight. Roads are often not laid out for bicyclists and pedestrians which makes it harder to walk towards or find good spots. Some areas, especially on the outskirts of cities such as [[Rome]], can be dodgy for single female travellers for the reason that prostitutes frequent these places. When you get into a car, make sure that the driver's motives are not determined by his meat loaf.  
  
== Language ==
+
==Getting out==
  
As in any foreign country, learning some of language is recommended. Aside from Italian and local dialects, French is spoken in some areas of Piedmont and Aosta, as well as German in South Tyrol. A handful of words from a local dialect may make drivers loosen up.
+
=== North across the Alps ===
Spanish is easy for Italians to understand.
 
  
"Hitchhiking" is ''autostop'' or ''passaggio'' in Italian. Just say ''faccio autostop'' or ''cerco un passaggio'' and the name of your your destination or show your thumb, otherwise Italians would think you are asking the directions as Italy has a lot of tourists. For detailed information on speaking Italian check the [[Southern Europe phrasebook#Italian|Italian phrasebook]] on hitchwiki.
+
Take the motorway [[A23 (Italy)|A23]] (in the eastern part of Italy) to [[Austria]] (don't try to hitchhike through [[Switzerland]], it's very difficult). Follow the [[A23 (Italy)|A23]] to [[Villach]] and [[Salzburg]] to get through the Alps very easy. On that way, you will also find a lot of people heading to [[Hungary]], [[Slovakia]] and [[Slovenia]].
 +
You can also try to hitch [[A22 (Italy)|A22]] to [[Bolzano]], [[Innsbruck]] over the [[Brennero]], but it's quite difficult to find a hitch from A4 to the A22 except when it is holiday time.
  
To avoid misunderstandings for both of the above, it's a very good idea to write a sign.
+
Also, don't go via [[Milano]], it's really difficult to get out of the ring because almost everybody drives into Milano and very few stop at service areas located nearby.
  
 +
There are a lot of tourists from Austria and Germany, especially in summertime. The new European car plates start with a letter on the left side of the plate, representing the country. Most Austrian (A on a plate) and German (D on a plate) are on the way to the sea or on their way back from holidays, so if you want to go North or South, try to find Germans or Austrians (usually, they speak better English than the Italians, too).
  
 +
Another option is stay on the [[A4 (Italy)|A4]] and ask trucks on the petrol stations. Many trucks go to Austria, Slovakia, Poland and more north through Slovenia to tank diesel there because there is cheaper diesel and on the roads there aren't so many hills so it saves fuel.
  
 
+
== Regions and cities in Italy ==
 
 
== Hitching in Italy ==
 
  
 
{|
 
{|
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|}
 
|}
  
=== Towards [[Austria]] ===
+
=== Ferries between Italy and Greece ===
Take the motorway [[A23 (Italy)|A23]] (in the eastern part of Italy) to [[Austria]] (don't try to hitchhike through [[Switzerland]], it's very difficult). Follow the [[A23 (Italy)|A23]] to [[Villach]] and [[Salzburg]] to get through the Alps very easy. On that way, you will also find a lot of people heading to [[Hungary]], [[Slovakia]] and [[Slovenia]].
+
 
You can also try to hitch [[A22 (Italy)|A22]] to [[Bolzano]], [[Innsbruck]] over the [[Brennero]] but it's quite difficult to find a hitch from A4 to the A22 except when it is holiday time.
+
It's possible to hitchhike from south-eastern Italy to Greece, but it seems to be quite difficult. Find more information [[Ferries_between_Italy_and_Greece|here]].
Also, don't go via [[Milano]], it's really difficult to get out of the ring because almost everybody drives into Milano and very few stop at service areas located nearby.
+
 
 +
== Language ==
 +
 
 +
As in any foreign country, learning some of the language is recommended. Aside from Italian and local dialects, French is spoken in some areas of Piedmont and Aosta, as well as German in South Tyrol. A handful of words from a local dialect may make drivers loosen up. Spanish is easy for Italians to understand. English is less widely spread than in more northerly countries.
  
There are a lot of tourists from Austria and Germany, especially in summertime. The new European car plates start with a letter on the left side of the plate, representing the country. Most Austrian (A on a plate) and German (D on a plate) are on the way to the sea or on their way back from holidays, so if you want to go North or South, try to find Germans or Austrians (usually, they speak better English than the Italians, too).
+
"Hitchhiking" is ''autostop'' or ''passaggio'' in Italian. Just say ''faccio autostop'' or ''cerco un passaggio'' and the name of your your destination or show your thumb, otherwise Italians might think you are asking directions as Italy gets a lot of tourists. A sign can also help to avoid misunderstandings. For detailed information on speaking Italian check the [[Southern Europe phrasebook#Italian|Italian phrasebook]] on hitchwiki.  
  
Another option is stay on the [[A4 (Italy)|A4]] and ask trucks on the petrol stations. Many trucks go to Austria, Slovakia, Poland and more north through Slovenia to tank diesel there because there is cheaper diesel and on the roads there aren't so many hills so it saves fuel.
+
== Eating & Sleeping ==
  
=== [[Ferries_between_Italy_and_Greece|Ferries between Italy and Greece]] ===
+
In areas like [[Puglia]] people are so friendly that you can just basically ask if you could crash at their place if you need a place to sleep. In the South, you might also be invited for meals. Table-diving is good at service stations, at least in the North.
  
 
== Public transport ==
 
== Public transport ==
  
If there's no way around it you can simply dodge the fare as the Italians themselves say that "nobody gives a shit about the law in Italy." The conductors usually can't articulate anything beyond "Money" and "Ticket" in English, so just tell them "No money, no ticket" and they'll let you be.
+
If there's no way around it, you can simply dodge the fare on local trains. Conductors usually can't articulate anything beyond "Money" and "Ticket" in English, so just tell them "No money, no ticket" and they'll let you be -- in the worst case they'll ask you to leave at the next stop and you can resume hitchhiking or take the next train.
 +
 
  
 
[[wikipedia:Italy]]
 
[[wikipedia:Italy]]
 
[[trash:Italy]]
 
[[trash:Italy]]
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[[nomad:Italy]]
  
 
{{Template:Europe/countries}}
 
{{Template:Europe/countries}}
 
__NOTOC__
 
  
 
[[Category:Italy| ]]
 
[[Category:Italy| ]]
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[[es:Italia]]
 
[[es:Italia]]
 
[[fr:Italie]]
 
[[fr:Italie]]
[[nomad:Italy]]
 

Revision as of 14:06, 27 September 2015

Flag of Italy Italy
Information
Language: Italian
Capital: Rome
Population: 59.619.000
Currency: Euro
Hitchability: Average.png (average)
Meet fellow hitchhikers on Trustroots or BeWelcome
<map lat='42' lng='12.4365' zoom='5' view='0' height='350'/>


Italy is a member state of the European Union as well as the Schengen Agreement, and so are France, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia. Border crossing will be no problem at all. Hitchhiking is a bit less common than in France or Germany, but it's very well possible and doable.

In Italy, you will find motorways (autostrada -- A) and state roads (Strada Statale -- SS). Hitchhiking on the autostrada is generally illegal (this includes petrol stations, check the legal section of this article for details); to avoid problems you can try hitchhiking on the strade statale. It takes little bit more time, but you meet more local people and you can see the countryside.

You can get a free map of a whole Italy at almost every petrol station (autogrill) or here. This map has all petrol stations marked in the map. Getting rides on petrol stations is generally easy. Toilets are free at petrol stations in Italy. Make sure to stay on friendly terms with the staff.

If you make a sign, try writing the name of a sensibly chosen city some 200-300km in the right direction. For example, if you're heading from Milano to Napoli, few people will be going that far in one stretch. So try writing first Firenze, then Roma and finally Napoli. You might get there in just those three stops.

Trucks do not drive on either Saturdays or Sundays, so if you prefer to drive with them, a good time to get a ride with them is early morning on a Monday.

Legal situation

Quarim and a NO autostop sign.

Art. 175 co. 7, capo B of the Italian codice della strada states:

  • Sulle carreggiate, sulle rampe, sugli svincoli, sulle aree di servizio o di parcheggio e in ogni altra pertinenza autostradale è vietato (…) richiedere o concedere passaggi.
  • On roadways, on-ramps, junctions, service or parking areas and on any other area belonging to the autostrada it is forbidden (...) to ask for or grant rides.

The law is pretty clear, and while it is not at all unusual in Europe that hitchhiking right on the motorway is illegal, Italy explicitly includes service areas into the law as well. Be aware that drivers picking you up may also be fined; for hitchhikers, the fine appears to be 21 euros, for drivers up to 137 euros.

Of course it is still possible to hitch the width and length of Italy on freeways without being fined all the time. On-ramps and exits of petrol stations have big signs saying no autostop; if you stay before those, you should be fine; even if police have a problem, they will mostly just ask you to move further away from the sign. The ban on hitchhiking is not generally enforced in highway gas stations, but all the more when you're in a place where it actually is potentially dangerous to stand. It can happen that they ask you to leave a gas station and continue by train (see public transportation section for advice on how to travel for free by train). Generally it is smart to lower your thumb and try to look like a straying botanist or something whenever you see coppers approaching near the motorway.

According to this legal article (Italian), this does not apply to tangenziale, bypasses, unless they are autostrade or other high-velocity roads. All in all, it's less likely that you will encounter problems if you're not Italian -- and, if you speak Italian, don't reveal this to police (or the armed forces, carabinieri).

Safety

The northern part of Italy is quite safe, but take care in the South. When pitching a tent in the wild, make very sure to stay out of sight. Roads are often not laid out for bicyclists and pedestrians which makes it harder to walk towards or find good spots. Some areas, especially on the outskirts of cities such as Rome, can be dodgy for single female travellers for the reason that prostitutes frequent these places. When you get into a car, make sure that the driver's motives are not determined by his meat loaf.

Getting out

North across the Alps

Take the motorway A23 (in the eastern part of Italy) to Austria (don't try to hitchhike through Switzerland, it's very difficult). Follow the A23 to Villach and Salzburg to get through the Alps very easy. On that way, you will also find a lot of people heading to Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia. You can also try to hitch A22 to Bolzano, Innsbruck over the Brennero, but it's quite difficult to find a hitch from A4 to the A22 except when it is holiday time.

Also, don't go via Milano, it's really difficult to get out of the ring because almost everybody drives into Milano and very few stop at service areas located nearby.

There are a lot of tourists from Austria and Germany, especially in summertime. The new European car plates start with a letter on the left side of the plate, representing the country. Most Austrian (A on a plate) and German (D on a plate) are on the way to the sea or on their way back from holidays, so if you want to go North or South, try to find Germans or Austrians (usually, they speak better English than the Italians, too).

Another option is stay on the A4 and ask trucks on the petrol stations. Many trucks go to Austria, Slovakia, Poland and more north through Slovenia to tank diesel there because there is cheaper diesel and on the roads there aren't so many hills so it saves fuel.

Regions and cities in Italy

Region City

Ferries between Italy and Greece

It's possible to hitchhike from south-eastern Italy to Greece, but it seems to be quite difficult. Find more information here.

Language

As in any foreign country, learning some of the language is recommended. Aside from Italian and local dialects, French is spoken in some areas of Piedmont and Aosta, as well as German in South Tyrol. A handful of words from a local dialect may make drivers loosen up. Spanish is easy for Italians to understand. English is less widely spread than in more northerly countries.

"Hitchhiking" is autostop or passaggio in Italian. Just say faccio autostop or cerco un passaggio and the name of your your destination or show your thumb, otherwise Italians might think you are asking directions as Italy gets a lot of tourists. A sign can also help to avoid misunderstandings. For detailed information on speaking Italian check the Italian phrasebook on hitchwiki.

Eating & Sleeping

In areas like Puglia people are so friendly that you can just basically ask if you could crash at their place if you need a place to sleep. In the South, you might also be invited for meals. Table-diving is good at service stations, at least in the North.

Public transport

If there's no way around it, you can simply dodge the fare on local trains. Conductors usually can't articulate anything beyond "Money" and "Ticket" in English, so just tell them "No money, no ticket" and they'll let you be -- in the worst case they'll ask you to leave at the next stop and you can resume hitchhiking or take the next train.


wikipedia:Italy trash:Italy nomad:Italy