#1 donno. bedemaria can answer

#1a i do not think chase has a ua card with pin

#1b get a no ex fee atm card. etrade, schwab, tdamerican for part list and use euro.

#2hertz has a very central location. we use autoeurope, then choose hertz. do not get gold points. hertz gold or whatever it is gets you to the front of the line. forget parking in the old part of florence. to get an automatic, you will have to rent something huge.

#3 i have done a lot of train in italy. a std rollaboard fits in the overhead. the storage has been at one end of the car. what's so terrible about using a bike lock? we use one. not a chain, just a thing that could pass for a ski lock do not leave luggage out of your sight at rome termini. or paris whatever, or penn central, or union station(dc) or DCA for that matter. all are also pick pocket paradise.

#4. most of the stuff we bought did not come with a vat rebate(or charge) so don't know.