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GENERAL FAQ:
GENERAL FAQ:
How
do I convert the Tour Price to my own Currency?
Is
Chat & Tour a Tour Operator?
Do
you recommended exchanging our money for Euros before arriving?
Where
can we Exchange our money?
Are
there
ATMs available?
Are
Credit
Cards easily accepted?
Are Travellers Cheques
easily accepted?
Do
I have to pay TIPS or GRATUITIES?
What
kind of Cloths should I bring?
Which
kind of Footwear do you recommend?
Do
you recommend a Sunhat and Sunscreen?
How
can I use my cell phone in Italy? Or how can I phone home?
What
do you recommend for my safety?
Approximately
at what time can I start the Hotel Check in?
Can
I have Shopping Information?
Is
it
a problem to find snacks?
Can
you recommend your tours for people with difficulty walking?
What
can I do for special allergy, vegetarian or
religious requirements?
What
about Kids? Do you recommend your tours for kids?
What
is the difference between Lunch and Light-Lunch in Sicily, Italy?
How do I convert the Tour Price to
my own Currency?
Our
Services are quoted in Euros. We recommend using this
website
http://www.xe.com
to convert our quotes in
Euros to your own currency.
Is Chat & Tour a Tour Operator?
Chat & Tour
Srl is an authorized Tour Operator, Incoming Department and
Incentives Specialist that works on behalf of TRADIZIONE TURISMO.
Tradizione Turismo, our Company has a Full Travel Agency licence,
recived from Sicilian Tourist Board Nr. 996/VII/Tur since 30 April
2001
Tradizione Turismo by Chat & Tour S.r.l. is an allied ASTA TOP Member;
Has a TID Iata, ENIT allied company; NTA Member
Do you recommended exchanging our money for
Euros before arriving?
Since there
is relatively little opportunity to exchange money during the trip (unless you travel alone), it is advisable to arrive with a supply of
Euros to avoid any inconvenience.
Where
can we Exchange our money?
Most banks in
the U.S. are able to exchange your money before leaving for Sicily.
(Other countries may have this same option available).
Money can be
exchanged in Catania & Palermo airports and in the cities of Palermo, Catania,
and Taormina. Ask your Tour Director or Hotel Desk for more information immediately
upon arrival in Sicily.
Are
there ATMs available?
ATM's are
available in all towns and cities.
There are also ATM machines next to every bank while you are on the
tour.
Note:
While you may use your American ATM card in Italy, you are allowed
to withdraw only smaller amounts (usually about €200) because it is
a foreign ATM card. So don't panic if you're trying to
withdraw your daily maximum and it is refusing your request! (Simply
try withdrawing a smaller amount).
Are
Credit Cards easily accepted?
Yes, in the
large shops and restaurants. Some little shops or bars prefer payment
in cash.
Note:
Credit cards most widely accepted here are Visa and Mastercard.
Some localities do not accept American Express. Cards such as
Discover are not accepted anywhere.
Are Travellers Cheques easily accepted?
No
Do I have to pay TIPS or GRATUITIES?
Tips or
Gratuities are never included in our trips.
The suggested amount for the Tour Director is Euros
5,00 per day and for Bus Drivers Euros 2,50 per day.
Local Guides usually receive Euro 1,00 per sightseeing.
If you are booking an Independent Tour and you will use a Driver-Escort, please be so kind
as to
considerer tipping (out of appreciation) based on the efficiency and
service you receive.
Gratuities in restaurants are never included in the bill. The Cover charge is not a tip. If paying with credit cards in Italy, please pay
your tip separately in cash to the waiter and this should be 10% of
the total bill.
The use of public toilets requires a payment to the attendant of
Euro 0,30 cents (where applicable). Public toilet charge Euros 0,50 cents.
Do tip taxi drivers about one euro, more if it was a longer trip.
What kind of Cloths should I bring?
Pack
essentially for ALL TOURS.
Women should avoid
bare arms and shoulders in Churches (scarf or stole recommended).
Dress for hot conditions although light rainwear and warm jacket for
the evening when tempertures can drop (especially in November-April).
Anyone intending to visit Etna or the Mountainous sides of Sicily should bring warm
clothing and hiking boots or other sturdy shoes, as snow is a common occurance.
Which kind of Footwear do you recommend?
Comfortable walking shoes and sandals.
Hiking boots if planning on doing any hiking/Mt. Etna.
Do you recommend a Sunhat and Sunscreen?
Sicily isn't
known as the land of the Sun for nothing! We would definitely
recommend sunhats/sunglassees/sunscreen
during the peak season and especially in the summer months of June, July, August
when the sun is most fierce.
We
also strongly recommend bringing a two liter water bottle, small
flashlight, as
well as insect repellant.
But most
importantly, don't forget your bikini
or swimming suit!
How can I use my cell phone in
Italy? Or how can I phone home?
• To have
your country cell phone operate in Italy, contact your local cell
phone company.
• Phoning from a hotel room can be costly, as you will usually be
charged for local calls as well as for long distance, even though
you use a credit card or call “collect”.
• To avoid extra charges,
we suggest using a pay phone, phone card or mobile cellular phone.
You can also purchase a LOCAL pay phone card while in Italy.
• To make a call within Italy, dial the complete area and city code
and then the phone number.
• To make an international call from Italy, dial 00, and then the country
code, followed by the area/city code & then the number. (For
example, dialing the U.S. would be: 001 212-555-6666)
• The area code for Italy is 39.
What do you recommend for my safety?
These are our
general recommendations for ALL types of travel world-wide....it's
what we do when we travel!
These are a MUST:
-Be careful with your purse and wallet. Pick-pocketing and
purse-snatching can happen anywhere, especially in crowed places, such as
famous monuments, restaurants, bus stops (on buses), and railways stations
(on trains).
-We advise you to not give money to beggars, as this is a common
distraction for someone else to snatch your valuables.
-Do not carry all your money with you when leaving for sightseeing
or strolls. Deposit part of your money in the hotel safe in your
room or in a special belt around your waist.
-Have handy telephone numbers of your banks and credit card
companies in the event of stolen or lost credit cards.
-Make two photocopies of important documents, such as your passport, tickets
and vouchers. Keep one copy with you in a separate place and leave
another copy with someone at home.
-Keep a photocopy of your Passport apart from your Passport (in your
hotel safe, for example).
At
approximately what time can I check-in
to the Hotel Check?
Your room will
generally be ready and available to you
at approximately 2PM. If you like, you can ask the hotel to hold your
luggage until the time of check-in. Hotel check-out time is usually
between
10AM and 12noon.
Can
I have Shopping Information?
Yes of course.
-Shops are generally closed from 1:00PM to 4:00PM and close
approximately at 7:30-8PM.
-Do ask about a VAT (value-added tax) refund when you purchase more
than 155 euros of goods in one store. If the store participates in
the 'Tax Free for Tourists,' you can get the tax, called the IVA,
refunded at the last European airport on your journey.
-Keep your Currency Exchange forms if you plan to change money back
to another currency.
-Ask for a receipt of your bills from the shopping establishments.
By Italian Law, you must obtain them before leaving the premises. Do
keep track of your purchases, as Customs will ask you about them when
you return to your country.
Is it a problem to find snacks?
It's easy to
find snacks (gelato, sweets, panini) around town, usually in what
Italians call the Bar (no, it's not just for alcoholic drinks!
It's for espresso, drink, and snacks). Snacks can also be
found in Bakeries (Panificio) or grocery stores (Supermercato).
If you want to use
restaurants, however, they are open certain times of the day: 12:30 PM
until
2:30 PM and from 7:00 PM until 10:30 PM.
Can you recommend your tours for
people with difficulty walking?
Yes and
No.
Sicily is a great and amazing island BUT it is full of steps and
hills, esecially to view many of the archeaological treasures.
Honestly, it is very difficult for people requiring wheelchair
services to enjoy the highlights on our tours. It really is
too difficult for them, even if they have an assistant.
What can I do for special allergy, vegetarian or religious
requirements?
You must
advise us at the time of booking!
This is the only way to avoid misunderstanding and mistakes for meal choices,
that could be potentially dangerous or offensive.
In the Sicilian cuisine, we eat many vegetable dishes, fried food, fish, meat,
chicken and pork. We have a wide variety of cuisine and we are
usually able to accomodate your special requests while still
allowing you to enjoy traditional Sicilian foods.
Italian Law states that we cannot share your personal information
about such requests with anybody other than the restaurants with
whom we are arranging meal services.
What about Kids? Do you recommend your
tours for kids?
It depends
which kind of tour you are looking for!!!!
If you are looking for historical, archaeological or gastronomic
tours
... our opinion is that you will bore your kids to to death!
If you would like to have a tour that satisfies all of your needs ... please
get in touch with us for a suggestion. Keep in mind that a bored kid
will also drive YOU nuts and ruin the trip (this is a Mom speaking
from experience!)
What is the difference between Lunch and
Light-Lunch in Sicily, Italy?
Don't worry,
light lunch doesn't mean a small panino to get you through the day!
In Sicily, where food comes first, a light lunch refers to a
2 course meal with no
beverages included while a regular lunch is a
3
course meal with no beverages included. Don't worry, you
won't go hungry in Sicily!
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