using Verizon iPhones

Vodafone and TIM both have tourist plans available in Italy and service for either one is very good. Just make sure your phone's unlocked. Here's a link with more detailed info. Also review the "Phones & Tech" sectionin Travel Tips on this site.

I think there are options for SIM cards if you have an unlocked phone.

How much do you anticipate using your phone in Italy? If you're just going for emergency back up use, Verizon's Travel Pass is $10/day. It uses the parameters of your existing phone plan, and charges $10 for each 24 hours of use.

If you think you can get by with mostly WiFi and don't need to call/text anyone daily, you could switch off any apps that update via data until you return home. Stick with local WiFi networks, and you'd have a phone that's ready to use in an emergency but won't cost any extra unless you actually call/text/use data while abroad.

To answer one of your questions, we do plan on daily calls and texting. Also using data for social media and other smart phone apps that use background data. TIM and VODAPHONE plans look good.

Download Whatapp for free messaging and calls...

Verizon doesn't lock their phones anymore (AT&T does). So you don't need to ask Verizon to unlock your phone - they'll have nothing to give you.

But, Verizon uses CDMA technology in the US for calls, and Europe uses GSM (like AT&T). Most modern Verizon smart phones can roam on GSM, but you may need to change a setting to do so - not sure how it works on an iPhone. After you get back from Europe and put your Verizon SIM card back in the phone, you may need to change it back to CDMA to work in the US again.

FYI, you can use Google Hangouts to make free calls back to the US with your Italian SIM card, even to US landlines, instead of using SIM credit for the calls. You can use Hangouts to call Italy too but it's not free (but pretty cheap - a few cents a minute, maybe more to call Italian cell phones). So if you really need to make only a few Italian calls and not receive any, and can stick to WiFi for that, you don't need to buy a SIM at all or use any Verizon roaming plan, but you'd have to buy a $10 USD block of credit on Google Hangouts to make calls to Italian numbers.

I hope I'm not repeating stuff that has already been addressed or that you already know.
(1) Double check that the phones are capable of being used internationally and that the roaming capability is up to date before you go.
(2) We rarely use our phones while abroad so we just pay the going rate for the very few calls we make so we can't really speak to various plans for accessing the internet. Texts however are really cheap.
(3) We have all of the people and places we might call in our contact list. If we need to talk to a particular party we just highlight the particular number on the contact list and hit "Send". Has always worked.
(4) If someone in the U.S. needs us they just call our regular cell number and the system finds us no matter where we are.
(5) If you go to a Verizon location or call the regular number you may or may not get correct information. Many of their people aren't that knowledgeable when it comes to international calling.
(6) They do have an global department you can reach by calling 1-800-711-8300. They always seem to know what they are doing. If you need to, you can ask them for dialing instructions for the countries you'll be in and they will email it to you. Handy info to have if just punching a contact doesn't work.

Plan on using Skype and Whatapp when possible. I may have a different plan than you do with Verizon, so I hope this info helps. I have used both the Verizon Intl Plans that are either $40 or $85 for a month (but if the trip is shorter than a month, you have the luxury of being able to use more of the monthly limit more quickly). Each plan offers mins/text limits that work pretty well. The cellular data is where you may run over. If that is the case, I use the $10/day plan mentioned above....which works great if you have unlimited mins/text and plenty of data on your normal US pIan. It seems, no matter what plan I use, by being a typical smartphone user, it runs me about $10/day for the luxury. I will say that I am always the trip planner and organize most of the daily activities so my usage may be a bit higher than normal.

I have not had to obtain a new SIM card for my last two iPhones. Just call the Verizon international customer service to have them check your exact phone is going to work just fine over there. Also, have them email the instructions on what to do before you leave the US ( like turn off iMessages and other things that will impact your usage unexpectedly and run you over your limits) and what to do once you get there (like how to turn the phone back on so it will work properly). Take the cust service number with you so you can call once you get there if you have any issues. Also, make sure you get an email confirmation of your plan and I call a few days before leaving to check one more time and to confirm the start and end dates.

Two more things...dial assist on your Verizon iPhone will offer help with the country code issue...you can ask the intl cust service about it. Also, they have emailed me the country code calling instructions.