I am traveling to Italy next week and don't know the best way to keep in touch with the folks at home while I am away. I will not be taking my laptop nor do I have a global cell phone, so I was thinking of getting an international calling card. Has anyone used one of these before? Any thoughts?
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
You don't need an "international" calling card, by the way. Standard calling cards work fine and can be bought at any tobacco (tabachi) stand which are everywhere.
Posted by
atlanta, ga, us
53 posts
Just got back from Italy. We bought a 5 euro international phone card to use in the pay phone system at a tobacco shop. It is very easy to use. You pretty much put the card in the slot and then dial the number including all of the appropriate access numbers. You also get a lot of minutes.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
42 posts
We bought the 10 euro card (waaaaaaaaay too many minutes). We tried to use it at a couple of pay phones as we were staying at an apartment with no phone. We could NOT get the card to work no matter what. The only pay phones we seemed to be able to use it on was at the Metro stop at the Colosseum in Rome. And even then, the english number wouldn't work so I dialed the Italian number and just guessed at what the voice was saying to me. We connected with mother for about 2 minutes and then the ladies voices came over in Italian and said something and then disconnected me. That was the only problem. The card worked after that and had a nice conversation in the middle of the metro stop ha ha. Once we got into Venice our B & B had a phone in the room so I called everyone I knew cause I had like 15 hours to use or something like that. The 5 euro card should be plenty for you.
Posted by
San Mateo, CA, USA
257 posts
We stayed in Florence, Rome and Sorrento in May and used a calling card in all 3 cities, just bought it at the local tobacchi shop. Was very easy for my girlfield to use, and we used it right from our hotel rooms in all 3 cities. If you need help, just ask the people at your hotel. Once we got the hang of it, was VERY easy.
Posted by
Napa, CA
3580 posts
All the Rick Steves books have a section in the back explaining how to use the phone in Europe, including to/from international calls. I usually end up asking someome, anyway. It can be difficult to find a phone where it is quiet enough to hear. Many are on streets or in busy places. Makes them easy to find.
Posted by
Indianapolis, IN, USA
143 posts
The international calling cards are very easy to use, and you can use them from your hotel room. Simply dial the 800 number on the card, enter the pin number on the card, then the number you are calling. Rick's books do a nice job explaining how they work. A 5euro Europa card lasted me the duration of two weeks in Italy last month. Cyber cafes to check email are all over the place as well (at least in Bologna, Rome, and Venice) - I got 30 minutes for 3euros.
Posted by
Hendersonvlle, NC
486 posts
Cyber cafes to check email are all over the place as well (at least in Bologna, Rome, and Venice) - I got 30 minutes for 3euros.
What a ripoff! Sorrento was bad too. 3€ for a half hour. In Florence, I found a place for 1.50€ for an HOUR. Around the corner from the bus station which itself is around the corner from the train station.
In Rome, I found a place near where I was staying for 1.50€ also but this was well away from the tourist area.
Posted by
Henson, Florida, USA
466 posts
Buy a prepaid AT&T calling card. You can buy it at walmart, target, etc. You need to call the 800 number on the back of the card and get the access number for Italy. It is very easy to use and it is a comfort to here the operator say AT&T when you are so far from home.