Has anyone use this card while in Italy? Rick Steves book suggested it. He wrote the for 5euro you get like 220 minutes...which to mean seems impossible. Any feedback would be appreciated.

I have and it was good. It was 4 years ago so I don't remember how many minutes we got for 5 Euro.

dear ESM,

Do you recall is the 5 euro you paid included calling the united states from italy?

I've gotten 225 minutes from Italy to U.S. on a 5 E. Europa card when using a home phone. Using it in a pay phone, I got maybe 15 minutes total. This was in March 2008.

Hey Holly...what do you mean by HOME PHONE? Do you mean a phone in my hotel room? Where is the best palce to buy the Europa card

Holly,


Can I email you to ask questions about my upcomng trip to Italy? we ahve never been...we are doing 3 nights in venice..then 3 in Florence, and 3 in rome

It relly is that good.

I used the 5E Europa card from my Rome hotel room and called the US for pennies a minute, same rate as from a home phone, as best I can tell. I only used it for a few minutes from a pay phone, and I know that was more expensive, but I still had a good 40 minutes remaining when I left Italy, so I gave it to a flight attendant on my return trip.

Clifbob, if you have general questions about travel, post them instead of emailing another poster, so we can all benefit from the answers. You might benefit from multiple answers too.

Thank KEYD!!!

when were you in Rome.? can you recoomend any good9reasonably priced) restaraunts? Also...can you give me some insught to the vatican. Do I need a tour guide? I was thinking of not using one..but what are your thoughts> Do I have to make a reservation in advance to see the vatican?

Hi clifbob

I live in Florence and I ONLY use the Europa card to call home to Canada. With a 5 euro card, calling from my home “land line”, I get around 300 minutes net (no connection fee) calling through one of the local numbers listed on the back (I use the Florence number).

There is an 800 number as well, and using that you get a little less time, but unless you’re like me and gab to your parents for 2 hours at a time, it shouldn’t bother you much. It’s been 5 years since I’ve used it to call from a payphone, but I remember there being substantially less time. Don’t bother using it with a cell phone as you get a whopping 15 minutes.

My experience is similar to kayd. I bought my card from a local grocery store in Bellagio. I asked the shop keeper for the best card for US and he recommended Europa card.

I only used the hotel phone and after a 10-day trip I still had minutes left so I gave the card to a friend to use.

Hi Violoncellista,

Wow..you live in Florence. I can't wait to et there on october 10. I have reservations at 2 hotels. I just have to decide which one to stay and and then cancel the other reservation. Can you suggest and great places to eat(not too pricey) and things to do(we already have reservations to the Accademia and Uffizi. I live in Los angeles and we go to a great Italian restaraunt here. The waiter used to live in Florence and suggested some places but i can't seem to find anything info about them on the web. Maybe you heard of them. Here's a quote from his email "cIAO bOB.......AS I TOLD YOU I LIVED IN fLORENCE FOR 5 YEARS ...SO I KNOW THE CITY REALLY WELL...........................OVERTHERE YOU CAN FIND THE bEST pIZZA IN THE WORLD....IS CALLEED ....SPERA pIZZERIA IN VIA DELLA CERNAIA.............MY FAVOURITE PLACE TO EAT FIORENTINA STEAKS WAS ....."anita" RIGHT IN DOWNTOWN.........AND IN VIA DEI CALZAIOLI YOU WILL FIND THE BEST ICE CRAM IN THE WORLD AS WELL........IN fLORENCE sKIP THE CENTRE TO EAT ........GO OVER PONTE VECCHIO AND LOOK FOR tRATTORIA DA cARLINO.......BEST FOOD IN TOWN! CIAO"...I'd love to hear your thoughts