Skype anyone???

[Mermaid]

In my experience, needing your passport for virtually anything is largely an Italy thing. Whenever you check into a hotel they must have it to photocopy and then return it to you. Their officials check out all foreign nationals.

Be sure to tell your parents NOT to buy any replica designer bags or shoes there! Italy has been severely cracking down on this in the past few years and will stop and randomly check people for such items especially at airports. Gucci among other Italian brands have been complaining because they were losing a lot of branding protection due to this.

If caught, I believe the fine is $2,000 per item! My girlfriend was questioned at length over her A&F shirt she was wearing because she is Spanish. I was with her and had to explain she bought it with me in the States.

Thank you for the good words of advice. It's not my parents I'll repeat it to, however, but my daughter. She went wild on the streets of Florence haggling with the vendors. Fortunately she's not into knockoffs (unless we're talking Coach :roll: ) but it's an important thing to drum into kids that you don't mess with fako labels in foreign countries.