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Practical information - the small things that make a stay easy

Benvenuti! Here is our friendly toolkit for the practical things every international student deals with in their first weeks in Italy: the weather to expect, how to open a bank account, how to get an Italian mobile line, useful phone numbers, where to send and receive mail. We have kept it compact and honest - and we are always at the help desk if you would rather just ask us. For accommodation and cost-of-living see Live Italy; for the visa and residence permit, see Student visa for Italy and Visa & permit support.

Italian climate

Italy enjoys a temperate climate, with the sea moderating the coasts and the Alps shielding the North from chilling winds. The variation is real and worth packing for. Milan is continental - cold winters often around 0-5 °C with occasional snow, hot and humid summers in the 28-34 °C range, brief but reliable spring and autumn; bring a real winter coat for November-February and light layers from May to September. Florence is Tuscan - mild wet winters at 5-12 °C, genuinely hot summers at 30-36 °C with the peak in late July and early August, long pleasant shoulder seasons; a light winter coat and breathable summer clothing are the right call. Turin is sub-alpine - cold dry winters at 0-6 °C with possible snow, warm summers at 25-32 °C with cool evenings, dramatic spring and autumn light against the Alps; layered clothing works best. Mantua sits in the Po Valley - damp foggy winters around 0-5 °C with the classic Po fog, hot humid summers at 28-33 °C, and a beautifully crisp autumn; a waterproof layer is genuinely useful here in winter.

Opening a bank account

Most Italian banks open Monday to Friday, 08:30-13:30 and 15:00-16:30 (some close earlier on Friday afternoon, a few offer Saturday morning by appointment); ATMs (bancomat) work round the clock. To open a standard account you need to be of legal age (18+), have a valid ID or passport, an Italian codice fiscale, an Italian address (proof of residence or a letter from the school), and to sign the standard non-bankruptcy declaration. On signing you receive the full terms and your bank coordinates (IBAN, BIC/SWIFT) - the credentials you will need for scholarships, salaries and international wire transfers. For short stays or students who only need a basic Italian IBAN, modern fintech accounts (several pan-European mobile banks) can be opened in minutes with passport + codice fiscale and are valid for rent payments and direct debits. Until your Permesso di Soggiorno is issued, traditional banks typically cannot fully open an account in your name; the receipt of the residence-permit application is generally accepted as interim proof for online-only banks.

Mobile SIM and connectivity

The most economical route for students is an Italian prepaid SIM from TIM, Vodafone, WindTre, Iliad or one of several MVNOs - generous data, EU roaming included, activation in a few hours with a valid ID and your codice fiscale. If you want connectivity from the moment you land, most modern smartphones support eSIMs that you can purchase and set up digitally before arriving - very convenient for the first week, before the codice fiscale is in your hands. For your home, fibre is widely available in city centres and ADSL almost everywhere else; contracts require codice fiscale + bank account for direct debit and setup typically takes 7-14 working days. All our campuses provide free student Wi-Fi, and most cafés, libraries and university buildings offer public Wi-Fi (some require an Italian phone number to register).

Mail and shipping

Italy's national service is Poste Italiane - branches everywhere, handling ordinary mail, registered letters (raccomandata), parcels and many bureaucratic steps including the residence-permit kit submission and bill payments. For non-EU residents, the dedicated Sportello Amico counters inside selected post offices are where you submit the Kit Immigrazione for your Permesso di Soggiorno - book the appointment in advance. International shipping runs through the usual private couriers (DHL, UPS, FedEx, GLS, BRT, SDA), most of which accept cards and collect from your address. Students enrolled in long-term programmes can use the Accademia di Italiano address as a poste-restante reference for their first weeks, before they have a stable Italian address - just ask the help desk at orientation.

Useful numbers

For any real emergency the single number is 112 - the European emergency line, which routes you to police, ambulance or fire as needed and works in English and several other languages. The Italian police forces also keep their direct lines: 113 for the Polizia di Stato, 112 for the Carabinieri and 117 for the Guardia di Finanza. For medical emergencies dial 118 (ambulance) and for non-urgent advice 1500 (Ministry of Health) - non-urgent care goes through your medico di base. For fire and rescue, call 115 for the Vigili del Fuoco.