carrying your passport

terry, There's often somewhat of a "difference of opinion" on the matter of carrying Passports. My preference is to keep my Passport with me at all times, either in my Moneybelt or a secure pocket. Having it lost or stolen on a trip would be a major annoyance for me! You don't "need" to carry your driver's license unless you're driving. However if you're out day touring, it's often a good idea to have a driver's license to use as a "deposit" if renting AudioGuides. Cheers!

I belong to the "leave-your-passport-in-the-hotel-safe" school of thought. As ken said, losing your passport overseas is a major inconvenience. But I also believe the chances of losing your passport (or having it stolen) from your pocket while going about the city are much greater than from inside the hotel safe. Also passports tend to be large and not easy to carry in a pocket. I do carry other forms of ID (drivers lic.) with me, in case it's needed for credit card transactions etc. It has worked for me and not only in Italy. While traveling between hotels, you should have extreme care and keep your passport in a secure place, like a hidden pocket or anything of that sort.

Your passport is the only thing that prove you are in the country legally. I carry mine 24, 7 but only had to produce it twice in 18 years.

Note that Roberto mentioned having both your home driving license and the International Driving Permit. You need both if you are driving in Italy and arriving from a non-EU/EEU state.

Personal preference... always carry mine. Don't use a money belt, but keep it in an over the shoulder small purse. I even carry it when in the US. Just easier as I always know where it is for those last minute spontaneous international trips:)) (I would be stressed out having it in a hotel room somewhere...its all in what you get used to)

I always carry my passport, it's easier for me than having to remember whether or not I have it, since I seldom use hotel safes.

I put scanned images of our passports on Google docs so we can access them in most any circumstance, as well as copies in our luggage. For a simple identity check, I don't think a cop would care much what ID you showed. I had a friend who didn't have his passport when stopped by the Carabinieri while driving, and they just asked him to stop at their office to show it the next day. I hate to say it, but it depends on who they think you are. Middle class western tourists don't get hassled much.

Unless you are driving and get pulled over your chances to be asked to produce an id by a policeman or carabiniere in the street are as close to zero as it gets. And even if pulled over your driver's license with the intrrnational driver permit will suffice in nearly all cases. Once a carabiniere sees that you are an American or Canadian tourist he couldn't care less to check your immigration status.

When traveling in the Schengen area you are required to carry a national identity card or passport at all times. Failure to do so means that you can be detained until such time as the authorities have determine your identity.

One thing I have never understood why some tourists are so "fearful" about carrying a passport. Have carried it everyday for nearly a year of travel in Europe. Only needed it twice. However, fall into the group of better to have it and not need it rather than to need it and not have it.