birthdaygirlstrip

In both Paris and London I was able to go to Phone "cafes"(sp?) and Internet cafes---they did not serve coffee, but were rather places where I could make long distance calls for 20 cents a minute or surf the net for 1 pound per 30 minutes or so.

Does anyone know if such "cafes"(sp?) are available in Florence? When I tried to use the pay phones in Paris, they required a card that I did not have, and when I bought a card for them, the card did not work. So I made all of my calls via the internet/phone cafes (can't remember the spelling of these places). I remember that using the phones in the hotels seem a bit too pricey.

weasel

Yes there are internet cafes. The phone situation is very similar to your experience in Paris. Even if you find a pay phone many are broken. We found this to be true thoughout Italy.

WallyKringen

Internet access is a separate thing (sitting down at a computer), but in Italy you can buy phone cards that amount to maybe 5 cents a minute to the US or less, 20 cents a minute is rather high. Ask anyone when you're there, millions do it every day.

WK

birthdaygirlstrip

Thank you, Weasal!

I felt so bad when I was on the Champs de Lysee (I always mispell that--but I betcha my spoken french is great!), and I was trying to find a phone and none accepted change and I tried using the long distance card I bought and it wouldn't work...I felt so silly!

I did notice that the internet and phone places were not in the more "ritzy" of areas. But I was totally cool with that. I unfortunately, do not have a phone plan that does international calling.

2Italy

You can purchase the international phone cards at virtually any Tabacchi shops in Italy. Look for the big T sign outside of them. Be sure to ask if it is good for calls to US. As stated before they cost 5 Euros and the ones we bought were good for 200-300 minutes and they can be used on pay phones or phones in your room.

birthdaygirlstrip

Thank you so much for the advice! I will definately check it out!

Fibonacci2358

There are several locations for "Internet Train" in Florence.

Here's a listing of their addresses in Florence and the number of computers at each location.

You buy a card that has the amount of time you want and put it in a slot at the computer to access the internet. This past fall, I was asked for my passport when I asked to buy a card. That's new and had not happened when I went there before (This was the Borgo S.Jacopo location. )


Their web site is http://www.internettrain.it/wel_eng.asp


IT.Firenze.BorgoLaCroce B.go la Croce, 33/r ITShop 22
IT.Firenze.Guelfa Via Guelfa 54/56 rosso ITShop 40
IT.Firenze.IlPrato Via il Prato 89/a ITShop 6
IT.Firenze.Oriuolo via dell'Oriuolo, 40/r ITShop 25
IT.Firenze.Pontevecchio B.go San Jacopo, 30/r ITShop 25
IT.Firenze.PortaRossa Via Porta Rossa 38/rosso ITShop 32
IT.Firenze.Salviatino Via F. Nullo, 21 ITShop 9
IT.Firenze.SanLorenzo Via Zannoni, 1/r ITShop 32
IT.Firenze.SanSalvi Piazza San Salvi 1/r ITShop 10
IT.Firenze.Santacroce via de'benci, 36/r ITShop 30
IT.Firenze.Savonarola via giacomini, 9 ITShop 20
IT.Firenze.StazioneS.M.N. Piazza Stazione,14/38 ITShop 18

birthdaygirlstrip

Wow! Thank you so much!

Believe it or not, but I am taking notes on all this info......it will be of great use on my trip!

Thank you so much!

WallyKringen

Need to do your laundry in Florence while you do your internet and phoning? If you use the Internet Train so thoughtfully provided by Fibonacchi, the one at Via Guelfa 54/56 rosso ITShop 40 - there's a selfserve laundry just down the street, in the direction of the train station - they'll direct you if you don't immediately see it.

Kill two chores with one downtime.

WK