wall outlets in Italy

They can be either but a two prong plug will work in a three prong outlet.

Donna

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech/electric-adapters-converters

If your North American plug has only two flat prongs you are good to go with a plug adapter.

If your North America plug has two flat plus a round prong, the round one (ground) will probably bypass the plug adapter body (if its like the RS adapter I have). What that means is you are NOT grounded. Don't stand in water or use a faulty device.

If you have a 2 pronged device bought in Switzerland, it will plug in in Italy with no modifications needed. Yes, the outlet can have 3 holes, but that's not an issue (the same way that in the US, a 2 pronged plug works fine in our 3 pronged outlets).

If you have any 3 pronged devices, you should indeed have the 3 pronged Italian adapter. France, Switzerland, and Italy each have a different kind of 3 pronged plug. Some hotels will have outlets that take more than one kind of 3 pronged plug, but some will not.

I'm in Italy right now ( last night, I can't believe it). I have two kinds of two-prong adaptors, one with thin prongs, which has fit every outlet I've tried, and a couple with thicker prongs that fit some outlets easily, take a little force to fit into some, and don't fit others at all. Some outlets seem to be set up for both types but unless you're using grounded plugs, I'd suggest the thin type.

Bill,

It sounds like the Plug Adaptors you have that won't fit the power points in Italy are Schuko models with the larger 4.8 mm pins. I believe the smaller Plugs used in Italy are 3.8 mm.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets#CEE_7.2F1_unearthed_sockets_and_CEE_7.2F2_unearthed_plugs

See website for images. Everything below is a quote from above:

Italy (Type L)
Italian earthed plugs and sockets are defined by the standard CEI 23-50 which superseded CEI 23-16. This includes two models rated at 10 A and 16 A that differ in contact diameter and spacing (see below for details). Both are symmetrical, allowing the line and neutral contacts to be inserted in either direction. This plug is also commonly used in Chile and Uruguay.

The 10 A plug has pins which are 4 mm in diameter, the centres spaced 19 mm apart.
The 10 A socket can accept Europlugs.
The 16 A plug has pins which are 5 mm in diameter, the centres spaced 26 mm apart.
The 16 A socket used to be referred to as per la forza motrice[51] (for electromotive force, see above) or sometimes (inappropriately) industriale (industrial).

Large appliances are usually sold with Schuko plugs, so 16 A non-rewirable plugs are usually used only in adapters and power cords. Those appliances are always earthed, so unearthed 16 A plugs are now very uncommon, and only a few brands still sell them in rewirable version.

The dual standards were initially adopted because in Italy, up to the second half of the 20th century, electricity used for lamps and that used for all other purposes was at two different voltages (220 V single or split phase and 127 V single phase), sold at different tariffs, charged with different taxes, accounted with separated electricity meters, and sent on different wire lines that ended with different sockets.[52] Even though the two electric lines (and respective tariffs) were gradually unified beginning in the 1960s (the official, but purely theoretical date was the summer of 1974)[53] many houses kept twin wires and twin electricity meters for years thereafter (in some zones of Lazio the 127 V network was provided for lighting until 1999). The two gauges for plugs and sockets thus became a de facto standard which is now standardized under CEI 23-50. Older installations often have sockets that are limited to either the 10 A or the 16 A style plug, requiring the use of an adapter if the other gauge needs to be connected. Numerous cross adapters were used.

Unearthed Europlugs are also in common use; they are standardized in Italy under CEI 23-34 and fit most of the appliances with low current requirement and double insulation.

Appliances with CEE 7/7 Schuko-French plugs are often sold in Italy too; however most sockets will not accept them since the pins of the CEE 7/7 Schuko-French plugs are thicker than the Italian ones. Adapters are standardized in Italy under CEI 23-57, they are commonly used to connect CEE 7/7 plugs to linear CEI 23-50 sockets, but they cannot exceed 1500 watts and could make an unsafe connection in some cases.

The current Italian standards provide for sockets to have d-resistant shutters ("Sicury" patent).[54]