My husband and I are currently in Rome and we bought some oil paintings (great market in piazza navano). We got back to our hotel to find that they don't fit in our luggage. We need to ship them back to the united states but don't know where to go. We are staying in north Rome near piazza del popolo. And ideas, we also don't want to spend more on shipping than we did on the paintings. Thanks!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23650 posts
Unless you paid a lot for the paintings it will be very easy to pay considerably more shipping them home. Shipping to the US is very expensive. I would ask the hotel for assistance. The are UPS and FedEx offices in Rome. Start with a visit to those web sites. The best way to ship this home would be to dismount the canvas, roll and put in a shipping tube. Otherwise you will need some special packaging and that will add to the expense.
Posted by
Fort Wayne, IN, USA
2349 posts
Perhaps you could buy a larger, cheap suitcase and check that bag.
Posted by
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
1127 posts
Go to a Mail Boxes Etc and ship the package home or just buy a mailing tube and carry it on the plane. There is one at Via Francesco Carrara 1, just north of Piazza del Popolo and another at another at Via Canova 24, just south of the piazza.
Posted by
OP
Redding, CA, USA
2 posts
Fortunately they are just rolled up canvas, I couldn't imagine the price of shipping a mounted painting. We paid 70 euro each, not inexpensive, but the next day we saw somebody pay 150 euro for one of the same paintings. We did consider buying another piece of luggage since we still have an extra we can check, but we'll try mailboxes etc first. Thank you for the locations nearest us! The idea of carrying them on the plane is another good backup, we are just traveling to Siena next and don't want to deal with them and luggage on the train. Thank you!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23650 posts
It it is rolled up canvas, put it in a mail tube and use one of the services. That is important because the paintings will have to go through US customs and if the paper is not perfect it can sit in US customs forever.
Posted by
Boulder, CO, USA
719 posts
Heather, I, too, picked up a few paintings while at Piazza Navona a few weeks ago. The artist rolled the canvases in heavy paperboard and taped them up for me. We then carried the tubes on the outside of our bags for 3 weeks without any trouble or damage. We unrolled them on Saturday and both are in great shape. Very minor inconvenience (i wouldn't even call it one, really) and it didn't cost us a dime beyond the paintings. If the artist won't roll them for you (they're there every day, so I'd ask), you can pick up a tube at any shipping joint, or arts supply store.
I hand carried on the plane, though, since I wouldn't trust the baggage handlers with the paintings.