How to Retire Without Money
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE: ITALY (page 2)
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS. There is no complication involved in getting into Italy other than having your American passport. As a tourist you are allowed to remain ninety days. After this you apply, through your hotel or through the nearest State Tourist Office, for a Permesso di Soggiorno which gives you another ninety days. If your visit is to be prolonged still more or if you are taking up permanent residence, then it is necessary to get permission from the Ministry of the Interior. You must have a reason to submit. Such reasons as "to study art" or some such. I have never heard of such permission ever being refused, it's merely a formality.TRANSPORTATION. To put it flatly, Italy makes herself easily available to the traveler. For instance, ten different airlines ply between New York and Rome. These range from our own Pan American and TWA to the Israel Airlines which stop off at Rome on the way to Palestine. Rates are the same no matter what line you choose. First class, one way, in season is $533.30 at this writing. Tourist class is $360.20 one way, in season. And the new thrift class brings it down even further.
There are a multitude of steamship lines running between New York and Genoa or Naples. Chief among them are, Italian Lines, American Export Lines, Home Lines, Lauro Lines and the Greek Line. Freighter lines carrying passengers include the Concordia Line, Costa Line, Barber Mediterranean Line and the Hellenic Lines. The minimum one way passenger rates for both freighters and liners is $175. On an average you get more for your dollar on a freighter than you do on a liner. They're less crowded, you are more apt to have a cabin of your own rather than sharing it with half a dozen and up strangers, and the food is better. Freighter trips are apt to be more lengthy too. I spent a whole month once crossing the Atlantic between Jacksonville, Florida and Amsterdam, Holland. Private cabin, private bath, private steward, and I ate at the captain's table. Total cost, $215. I wouldn't have had the same degree of comfort for double the amount on one of the big liners.
Probably the cheapest manner in which to get to Italy would be to take a student ship from New York to Holland or France and from there take the train or bus to Genoa. You wouldn't save much though. Your train fare and meals along the way would eat up most of your reduced Atlantic passage fare.
In Italy itself you'll find transportation as good as anywhere in Europe. The Italian Airlines have a fine reputation. The Italian railroads are among the fastest and most efficient in Europe, particularly if you go first class on one of the Rapido trains. Second class, on the slower trains, is almost invariably packed to the gills. You're best off booking reserved tickets ahead of time.
Bus services in Italy are unrivaled anywhere in the world. The CIAT buses are absolutely luxurious what with hostess, snack bars, lavatories, glass roofs, air conditioning-everything except a floorshow. The country is covered in extraordinary detail with bus lines, particularly with the foreigner in mind since tourism is one of Italy's most basic industries and has been for centuries.
Main highways total over 13,000 miles and Italy is easily seen by car, motorcycle, scooter or even bicycle. Every facility is available for the traveler and service stations are everywhere. There are even special pumps for scooters which supply gas properly mixed with oil. In fact, since gas is relatively expensive in Italy, as it is everywhere in Europe, there are considerably more scooters and motorbikes on the roads than there are cars.
If you plan to enter Italy by car, or any other private vehicle, send for the pamphlet Visit Italy In Motor Car which is distributed free by the tourist offices. This gives you a complete rundown including a road map of the country.
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