We have never taken a cell phone to Europe before but have decided to this time. Will we require a separate Sim card for Sicily and one for mainland Italy. We will be approximately 14 days in each. Also, if it is not required to have 2 Sim Cards and we land in Rome, is there a place at the airport to purchase one, and which one is recommended?
Input would be appreciated.
Posted by
California 🦋
5298 posts
Shelley,
You can use the same SIM card in mainland Italy and in Sicily,
I’ve been happy with the Vodafone SIM card during my visits to Italy.
I’m not sure there’s a Vodafone shop at the airport but there’s one at the central train station in Rome (Roma Centrale)
Make sure your cell phone is unlocked, otherwise, you won’t be able to use a foreign SIM card for it.
You may also consider downloading WhatsApp (free) as many use it in Europe (and around the world) and you can call or send texts to anyone else who has WhatsApp (as long as you have cellular data or connected to WiFi)
Wishing you a great trip!
Posted by
Wilderness
38 posts
Shelley,
Lots of info here - https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech .
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
Do you need two SIM cards when going from Ontario to Québec?
Airport SIM stores are usually resellers that are more expensive than their counterparts at Termini.
There are 4 main companies: Tim, Vodafone, Wind3 and Iliad. Avoid the kiosks at the arrivals selling "international Sim" or something similar. Iliad is the cheapest one these days and their network is ok, but they have no stores. You should book a SIM online and find an Iliad automatic machine at Termini to pick your new sim up.
To keep things easy, I'd get either a Vodafone or a TIM sim for tourists. Check carefully what's included and what isn't (usually SMS texts). You should pay 10 € for the SIM and around 20 € for the first/only month; pay in cash to avoid any possible charge after the first month.
If you get a plan that does not include texts and you own an iPhone, you'd better turn this switch off. Otherwise you could go negative and block the new Sim.
Posted by
Western Canada
3517 posts
Hi Shelley.
I bought a TIM sim card in Florence last September, from a TIM store.
In total it was E35.
It had a vast amount of data on it, and I could make calls to anywhere in Italy or back to Canada.
I couldn't use it for texting.
I found it worked better than one I got from Vodafone a few years before.
The guy in the shop set it all up for me, and it worked instantly.
WhatsApp is very commonly used in Europe, so you can use that with all the data.
It was great for maps, transport schedules and just about anything else.
I'm going to get another one in Sicily for my upcoming trip, as I think my previous one will have expired by then.
As Dario says, don't buy one at the airport.