AST (www.aziendasicilianatrasporti.it) is the main bus service that provides urban transport services for the city. The main urban bus terminus is the `Nodo Zama` which is next to the intercity bus station and the `Nodo Piazza del Popolo`, next to the railway station. If heading towards Ibla take buses 11 and 33 (hourly to 9 pm), or line 1 (on Sundays and holidays), or line 3 (at night). Bus tickets are available from various news stalls and tabachi. Day passes cost around €2.

If you don’t want to make the steep climb linking Ibla (Old Town) with Superiore (Modern Town), you can take the city bus departing from in front of the cathedral or from Piazza del Popolo – It’s a steep ride! The bus will let you off in Ibla (Old Town) at Piazza Pola or Giardini Iblei, which are most central for exploring the medieval and baroque town.

There is a taxi station/office at the beginning of Ragusa Ibla in Piazza della Repubblica and there are taxis at the train station in the new Ragusa.

Ragusa is a safe place to visit. Nevertheless, you should always take precautions when traveling, ie., keep your passport in your hotel safe if you can, don`t carry a great deal of cash, be vigilant about your own safety and beware of pickpockets. It is always recommended to avoid walking alone at night and in remote areas. Use the same street smarts that you would use in any large city worldwide.

The currency used in Ragusa (and the rest of Italy) is the euro (€), US dollars are not accepted. We suggest to exchange some money before the trip and have some euros on you since the rate will be a lot higher on the spot and no currency other than euro is accepted.

It is also useful to remind your bank and credit card company that you will be travelling to make sure your cards will work while in Italy. We recommend you record all your credit card numbers, as well as the phone numbers to call if your cards are lost or stolen.

Under the euro system, there are seven notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros. Notes are the same for all countries. There are eight coins: 1 and 2 euros, plus 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

Rates fluctuate, so before departing consult a currency exchange website such as www.xe.com to check up-to-the-minute rates.

For more information about tipping visit: Tipping in Italy

The best time to visit Ragusa is between May and July because the weather is perfect, and many important festivals happen during this period. Generally speaking, a great time to visit is the late spring and early fall months, which offer the best temperatures in the 70`s, ideal for temple gazing, beach lazing or hiking. These months are also the most popular times to visit, as well as the most expensive.

Between July and September the area is enlivened by the Estate Iblea, a summer festival of music and events around Ragusa. In October Ibla hosts a festival of busking and street entertainment, called Ibla Buskers. Other colorful events during the year in Ragusa include Easter and St. George`s Day processions.

Police, dial 112

Ambulance, dial 118

The local hospital is Ospedale Civile, Via da Vinci (tel. 0932-600111).

The official language spoken in Ragusa is Italian. If you don`t speak Italian we suggest learning at least a few Italian words and phrases before you arrive. This will come in handy in more remote parts of Sicily. In Ragusa, there aren`t many people who speak English, but enough of the folks in airports, hotels and restaurants understand it well enough to make basic transactions go smoothly. Even if you do speak Italian, you might not understand everything the Sicilians are saying to each other, since they may be speaking the local dialect (actually a distinct language), but they all speak Italian. We suggest you get a good English-Italian guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

Marina di Ragusa is the coast of Ragusa, and It is one of the few places in Sicilia where you can find English speakers. This area is popular for tourists, so some of the locals have learned basic English to better serve visitors.

Food is an essential aspect of Siciliano culture, and the locals pride themselves on their fresh, unique food.

Arancino is the most famous food of Sicilia, and it is delicious anywhere that you try it. Ragusa is known for their almonds, so try almond (mandole in Italian) granita or gelato when you have the chance!

Also, any seafood that you eat will be some of the freshest you will ever have. We recommend eating at any restaurant in Marina di Ragusa! Of course, you should also try the pasta, pizza, and all the cheeses possible.

The main shopping streets are Via Roma and Corso Italia. For souvenirs and typical Sicilian products the Via XXV Aprile in Ragusa Ibla has many shops with all things Sicilian to buy. There are two shopping centers in Ragusa: Centro Commerciale Ibleo – Ipercoop and Le Massarie, on the road for Marina di Ragusa.

There is a market every day of the week (excluding Sundays), but it changes zone/quarter of Ragusa. The main Market is on Wednesdays next to the football stadium `A. Campo` in Selvaggio quarter.

Note: Value-added tax (VAT) rate is currently 22% in Italy for standard goods. Travelers outside the EU can claim back sales tax on purchases over €155 if they have bought from shops displaying the `tax free` shopping sign.