Italy Beyond the Obvious

Navigating the Bureaucracy: How Can I Work Legally in Italy?

Living in Italy is very different from being a tourist in Italy, in large part because of Italian bureaucracy, in which the foreigner is quickly immersed upon relocation.

My story below is about getting my Italian work visa and permesso di soggiorno. It's written as I experienced it, so any errors or omissions regarding the process are my own. This is not intended to be a step-by-step set of instructions, but I purposely left it detailed in case it helps anyone going through this process. 

My new job in Italy started at the beginning of April, 2000. The relocation process of this Canadian moving from Stockholm to Milan had been set in motion the previous November: KPMG in Sweden had talked to KPMG in Italy about my work visa, my permesso di soggiorno, and my codice fiscale. I assumed it would be sorted out before I arrived.

But by my first day of work, I had obtained permission to apply for my permesso di soggiorno, and nothing else. I started making phone calls to move things forward: to Sweden, to Italy, to my company's corporate headquarters in the USA, and to the Consulate in Vancouver. I was working in the office in Milan, but technically, I was on a business trip.

The codice fiscale, thankfully, was easy to get.

By the end of April I still did not have a straight answer on the status of my work visa, except that it was "in process". Finally, after several conversations with the consulate in Vancouver, we discovered that I needed to go to Canada and apply from there, then return to Italy with a valid work visa.

A month later, I made a trip to Vancouver, and returned work visa in hand. Hooray! 

But I was still not allowed to work in Italy. 

I needed to get my permesso di soggiorno by going to the Questura in my neighborhood within 8 days. 

Arriving at said Questura with a stack of documentation, I was told that the next available appointment was in 20 days. After kicking up a fuss, I was allowed to take a number and wait with the other foreigners. Two hours later my number was called, and I discovered that I didn't have the correct documentation after all. I needed correctly-sized photos, a payment, and a letter from my company.

After that, it was 4 months' processing time. Unless, of course, I had to leave the country before that. In which case it would take only 5 days.

Well of course I needed to leave the country in the next 4 months, I said. 

I went back to the office and my boss' assistant printed up a plane ticket to France for me. The next day back at the Questura,  after another 2 hours in line, I happily submitted the correct documentation and the airline ticket.

Five days later, my papers were ready. But I couldn't get them.

In my state of stress, I had lost my claim slip. Even though my permesso di soggiorno contained my name and photo, the woman behind the sportello refused to release the papers to me. I filled out a declaration about the lost receipt, and took it upstairs to a different office. Another line, more forms, and then back downstairs.

At last: I had a valid permesso di soggiorno in hand! 

But I was still looking for an apartment, and when my address changed, I'd have to come back and get a new one at the Questura closest to my new address.

Oh, well. 

I could finally work in Italy completely legally. 

Next: I needed a bank account, an ID card, and la residenza.

  

Senso Unico photo by Sanjay

Deviazione photo from Wikimedia Commons

Diagram of Italian bureaucracy from the absolutely hilarious video Italy vs. Europe

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Montepulciano

Montepulciano is one of my favorite towns in Italy, probably because there's a little of everything, with a heavy focus on wine. Built on a hill and surrounded by picture-perfect countryside (see photo, below), it also does well in the Atmosphere, Art & Architecture categories. And so far, it's still somewhat off the beaten track.

My recommendations when visiting this fabulous town:

Wear your walking shoes, and take your time getting to the top. Montepulciano is car-free, built on a hill, and the road is a little long. But the climb is worth it.

Wine

On the way up, keep your eye out for wine shops built into the hill so that you can tour one of the authentic-feeling dark and earthy cellars. Sample some of the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, made from the sangiovese grape, or the equally delicious Montepulciano red, made with the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo grape. If you're planning abundant sampling or if you've just finished breakfast, consider hitting these shops on the way down instead.

Food

Near the top, find a restaurant with a patio that overlooks the countryside, sit outside and enjoy the fabulous views. 

Order pici pasta (if you don't know what this is, here's a photo), local pecorino cheese, and if you haven't already, try the local wild boar or cinghiale. It's easy to know which fruits and vegetables to eat when you're in Italy: as you're walking by the fruttivendolo shops, note which ones are plentiful. Those are the ones in season and worth ordering. The cachi, or persimmons are delicious in Tuscany when in season, though eating one may require some instruction from a local.

Art & Architecture

Near the top, keep your eye upwards to spot the mechanical Pulcinella: you'll find him atop a small clock tower, though you may hear him first as he rings his bell to sound the hour.

Find Piazza Grande with its beautiful architecture, and climb the tower of the Palazzo Comunale for more views of the countryside, even out to Lake Trasimeno. Visit the Duomo or cathedral to admire Taddeo di Bartolo's triptych masterpiece.

Festivals

Montepulciano is actually one of the few places in Italy that I recommend visiting in mid- or late August. Usually, I steer clear of Italy in August: the entire country goes on vacation and consequently the big cities are either chock-a-block with tourists (Rome), or semi-deserted (Milan); shops and restaurants can be closed; the beaches are crowded; hotels everywhere are full, everything costs more, and the heat can be oppressive (convinced yet?).

However: go to Montepulciano at the end of August for the Bravio delle Botti, a week-long celebration that culminates in a 10-minute race between teams formed from the town's many Contrade. The teams are made up of two "pushers" who jog while rolling a wine barrel, mostly uphill, through the town. Check out the video of the race on YouTube.

The town also hosts Il Bruscello, a mid-August festival during which actors recreate scenes from the town's vibrant history.

Getting There

If you don't go in August, I highly recommend approaching Montepulciano on a bike. Make the marble church of San Biagio part of your approach and a stop on your itinerary.

By public transport: take a train to Chiusi, which is 12 km east of Montepulciano, then take a bus from there.

Photo of Tuscan countryside by Sanjay

Photo of Pulcinella by Sanjay

Photo of Montepulciano with San Biagio from www.istockphoto.com

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In Search of Piazza Duomo

I was based in Vancouver before relocating to Italy for the third time, when a good Italian friend came to visit. I asked her what she wanted to see in Vancouver, and she pointed at the downtown skyscrapers. 

Where? I said, a little puzzled, looking towards the maze of tall office and apartment buildings that mark the center of the city. On this gorgeous Sunday afternoon, surrounded by mountains and ocean, she wanted to explore the empty streets of an urban cave. Wouldn't she rather rent a bike, I asked, and ride along the seawall?

So, we went downtown. As we were walking along the deserted sidewalks, the tall buildings blocking the warm sunshine, my friend looked disappointed: "Is this the center of the city?"

Then, I understood: she was looking for Piazza Duomo. 

It's the first thing I do when I visit any Italian town, too: I beeline to the square in front of the main cathedral, then I find an outdoor café, and order a caffé macchiato.

It's a perfect place to sit and people-watch, review a city map or the day's itinerary, or write postcards. It's usually a good photo-op, a safe place, car-free, and close to the tourist information office. A meeting place and sometimes a marketplace, and right next to an architectural masterpiece (that would be the Duomo or cathedral), why wouldn't you start here?

Some Italian towns have a more interesting piazza which is near Piazza Duomo (Siena, for example). Or sometimes the sidewalk café you'd rather sit at is around the corner. But head towards the Duomo and you'll find something matching the description above, I guarantee it. 

Vancouver's skyscrapers clearly mark the business and financial center of the city but the city has no main piazza or square or meeting place.

On the other hand, if I want to find the business district in an Italian city, I need to ask for directions. The soul of an Italian city radiates out from the Duomo.

Photo Piazza Duomo in the northern town of Lodi from Wikimedia Commons.

Photo of Piazza del Campo (around the corner from Piazza Duomo) in Siena, by Sanjay

Honeymoon Itinerary for the Adventurous Couple

An Italy Beyond the Obvious destination honeymoon itinerary for the adventurous couple was featured on the SavvyBlog at OneWed.com today, check it out!

Taormina, Sicily

A quintessential Italian cliffside town, I completely understand that Taormina causes its visitors to decide that they have fallen in love with Italy: with spectacular sea views and the oft snow-capped Mt. Etna in the distance, the town also claims ancient ruins and a 2500+ year old history. 

A no-brainer on any itinerary. Just not in high season.

Taormina is in my personal category of Places-That-Are-Definitely-Fabulous-In-Low-Season. In July and August, expect crowds. And yet, it is undeniably worth a visit.

Worthwhile:

• climb up to the ancient ruins of the teatro Greco, a Greek theatre updated by the Romans (see photo), which is still used for performances;
• spend time in town: visit the cathedral; admire the town's varied architecture; shop along Corso Umberto; visit the medieval quarter, the entrance to which is marked by a clock tower;
• take in the views from Piazza IX Aprile, or even better from the ruins of the medieval castle on top of Monte Tauro;   
• visit the gorgeous beach on Isola Bella
• in the summer, check the performance schedule of Taormina Arte to see a show in the teatro Greco. 

  
In the early 20th century Taormina became a colony of expat intellectuals, artists and writers from around Europe, and I definitely notice a more international vibe than anywhere else in Sicily. 

Personally my next visit to Taormina will be in February, because I hear its Carnevale is the best in Sicily.

Photo of teatro Greco by Sanjay

  

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Biking in the Valpolicella: When the Fog Rolls in

One of the most magical things about autumn in northern Italy is the fog.

It descends at dawn or dusk and arrives alongside a chill in the air. It can make a cathedral, only a hundred meters away, disappear. It covers the autostrada, obscures the Alps, and dims the lights. But it makes everything seem peaceful.

 

Unless of course, one happens to be cycling on a winding, hilly, single-lane road in the Venetian countryside, wearing dark clothing. Oh and did I mention I was the tour guide?

Six of us had decided to do the extra 25-mile loop in the late afternoon, and had stopped for a brief wine tasting. We still had 15 miles to go when the light disappeared.

Italian country roads are a beast unto themselves even without the fog: barely the width of two cars, most have no shoulders, no lights, and no fluorescent strips. During the day, they are a smooth path through a gorgeous setting, and fantastic for cycling. In the dark, not so much.

Then: a farmhouse! I knocked and asked to use the phone so my co-guide could come and rescue us. Mi dispiace, the woman said, if I let you in, you could rob me.

So, riding single-file, we continued through the mist. It was harvest-time in the Valpolicella, and tractors pulling large crates overflowing with grapes had been chugging past us all day. When the next one - thankfully with an empty crate - emerged through the fog, I jumped off my bike and stood in the middle of the road: per favore kind farmer, give us a lift! 

After some negotiation, we threw our bikes into his empty trailer and piled in next to them. We chug-chug-chugged to our hotel no more quickly but much more safely, and in time to share evening cocktails and a great story with the rest of the group.

Photo by -Tia-

Monteriggioni, Tuscany

In the case of the medieval walled town of Monteriggioni, a picture is definitely worth a thousand words. 

Begin appreciating this tiny town, surrounded by vineyards, during the approach. After entering its walls there really isn't that much to do: visit the wine tasting room for a sample of some very (very very!) local wines; visit the museum or the church; sit in the main square, or piazza and soak it up; or mail your postcards from the one mailbox in the town.

There is no train to Monteriggioni, so arrive by car, and park for free at the bottom of the hill. It's off the beaten track but still fairly well visited by tourists, as well as the odd pilgrim, since it sits right on the Via Francigena, the pilgrimage trail from Canterbury to Rome.

One of my favorite spots to eat in the area is La Bottega di Lornano in the small town of (where else?) Lornano, a few minutes away by car. And my all-time favorite hotel in Italy is pretty close to here, too, La Locanda dell'Amorosa. 

It's one of those places that makes you relax, sit back, and say "ahhhhhhhh".

Let Italy: Beyond the Obvious plan your trip to Italy: have a look at the sample itinerary or learn more.