gailw

We're leaving for Amalfi on 10/2 for 9 days. SO will need to send/receive emails for business reasons while we're there. I assume that there's an internet cafe somewhere in town where we could pay for an hour of use, but I would appreciate reassurance from someone who knows for a fact that there is a place and maybe could even give me an approximate location. Thanks very much for any info.
gail

pizzocchieri

Why don't you e-mail your hotel or landlord? Internet cafes are less and less common now that so many hotels offer internet and people have other ways of connecting.

gailw

I HAVE emailed the inn owner, and asked him if they have WiFi. He isn't responding to my email. I'm a little concerned about that, obviously. However, I thought I'd try asking here about other options for internet since so many people on Fodor's travel that area. I hadn't intended to bring the laptop with us, and don't want to if we don't have to. One more thing to carry. The inn is quite tiny, only has 6 rooms, and I haven't been able to find any mention of internet in the many many reviews of the inn that I have found online.

pizzocchieri

One possible reason your landlord isn't responding to e-mail is that he doesn't have internet there and goes someplace else to use it, and hasn't been there for a few days. Or maybe he's just busy (it is still summer season in Italy).

Call him.

You can do a google search for "internet cafes on Amalfi coast" and see what you come up with. There are usually websites that have lists of addresses. But if you find one in Amalfi and it lists a telephone number, I would call them to see what the offer.

You can use 3G devices like Kindle in Italy to access e-mail, and there are smartphones. etc. I'm not a techie (and I live in Italy, so I can't advise you what to bring). The Slow Travel website usually has many long posts about how "being connected" while in Italy. If your inn-owner isn't helpful when you call him, try checking out that website.

gailw

Thanks for the advice, Pizzocchieri.
It never occurred to me that the inn owner had to go elsewhere to email, since in the past he's been pretty prompt in replying. I'm hoping he's just busy, and I'm trying to be patient. If he doesn't answer by this weekend (it will have been a week), I'll try to call him.
I did google "internet cafes in Amalfi" before I posted here. I wrote down the addresses that came up, but they were pretty old posts. SO has a (brand new) Ipad that he's pretty good at using just for emails so far, but I've read horror stories about people receiving skyrocket bills because those devices are always roaming looking for updates, and he and I are both UNtechnologically savvy and I'm fearful that we'll overlook turning off something that will cost us big bucks.
I had been hoping to disconnect him from his business while we were there (it IS a vacation, after all), so maybe this is all for the best.
Again, thanks for your continuing input.
gail

greg

Some inns in Italy I visited had just barely enough internet capacity/reliability to connect to internet to conduct reservations. They had no capacity or capability to provide services to the guest.

You should call the place directly. If you are put off by the potential phone cost, you should be using some kind of VOIP, int calling card, some 1-800 type of discount international relay services to call them at 0.02-0.06c/min.

The choice, if not your hotel or internet cafe:

1. If your internet device is pc/mac, get a USB internet key in Italy and use their 3G network.
2. If your device in iPad/phone, get a local SIM/microSIM with data bucket and use their 3G network.

Do these in large cities for better choices, or even the only choices.

ekc

I just remembered there is a cafe in Amalfi that had internet when we were there in June. I don't know the address of it, but it is right on the main road. If you are standing with your back to where the buses park, it will be on your right. If I recall correctly, there are 2 or 3 (or 4) shops all next to each other and it is on the far right end. The front and right wall of the cafe are glass and the right wall looks onto an alley or courtyard with a couple of other shops. It isn't much to look at inside, but they made a nice Aperol Spritz when I needed to escape the blazing heat and sit down!

Buon Viaggio!

Jean

I think I found the place ekc describes by going to 'streetview' in maps.google.com. No signage, just a menu in the window for "Snack Bar."

ekc, see if you can check that this is the place you meant. (Do they have computers to use or is there only internet/wifi?)

Search Amalfi, Italy, in map mode, zoom in and find the circle road (Lungomare dei Cavalieri). Click/drag the yellow man (above the zoom in/out bar) to the 2 o'clock position on the circle at the point where the road heads toward SS163. When streetview appears, use the arrows in the upper left corner to turn the camera to face inland. Find the white building with the large sign "Hotel Residence." Click on the arrows in the road to move to the right on the road in front of the hotel. The Snack Bar is at the end of the building beyond the Libreria.

FWIW, maps.google.com says there is a cyber cafe at Via Lorenzo d'Amalfi, 34. This is the main road running directly north from the circle road mentioned above. When I went to streetview for this address, it showed a boutique, but there are pizzerias, a travel agency, a photo shop and a couple of tobacco shops in the immediate area which are all possibilities.

gailw

Okay, Jean and ekc: you seem to have solved the internet access problem. Thanks so much for the research you've done and advice. I did speak to my SO earlier and he said his Ipad is on Verizon and we can't use it in Italy (or maybe it's just wildly expensive). So it's either take the laptop, or don't (my preference) and hope that 34 Via Lorenzo D'Amalfi has computers.
Now can you make my inn owner reply to my email??!

Greg, I will try to call him this weekend. At this point, I don't care what it costs. We haven't given him any deposit but we have no place to stay if he's no longer holding our reservation. Wish me luck.
thanks,
gail

ekc

Yep, the "Snack Bar" sign sounds about right. There were no computers, just wifi. i just bought an iPad and will use it in Italy next week. I bought it at Verizon but it isn't on a plan (too expensive) so I am just going to use it in the hotel where there is wifi. I have an iPhone 4S through Verizon that I used in Italy in June no problem - just had to keep it in "airline mode" to avoid the crazy charges and just downloaded email when I was near wifi.

gailw

ekc - that's very helpful info, thank you. we'll bring the laptop and head for the snackbar.

ekc

Have a great time Gail!!

gailw

Quick update: I phoned the inn and reached the owner with no problem. He said he hadn't received my emails but that they do have WiFi in reception area, so we're all set. Thanks to everyone for all the help, and I'm saving the locales of possible internet connections, in case there are any problems connecting at the inn.