Hi, Does anybody have experience with receiving mail in Italy c/o General Delivery (or poste restante) in Italy? Are Italian post offices in major cities fairly efficient and reliable? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks, Birthe

Hee!Hee!Hee!Hee!Hee! <BR> <BR>I can't wait to see the responses to this one.

Well, Micia, I'll jump! (You need your chuckle for the day, don't you?) <BR> <BR>Birthe, efficiency is not something one can expect in Italy, especially in the south. I love Italy dearly, but, after 3 1/2 years there, I knew that efficiency is simply not part of their vocabulary. Neither is reliability of service.

I lived in Rome for a couple of years and the mail service was quite slow/unreliable. We mailed everything out of the Vatican Post Office - which has EXCELLENT service. Mail anything you can out of there.

took over 2 weeks to get postcards from Italy to the US, from every town I mailed them. Some didn't make it at all.

My parents never received postcards that I thought I sent them from Rome in 1973. They're dead, and someone else owns their house now. <BR> <BR>Cards I mailed from Tuscany (mostly from Cortona and Siena)in 1997 arrived in the USA in a week or a little more. <BR> <BR>Cards mailed from a town in Sicily last year arrived in NJ, NY, CA, and MD in about 5 or 6 days. Most cards mailed from an even smaller town in remote Basilicata this past May arrived within a week. One arrived in a record FOUR days. I've received letters from Sicily within 5 days of the postmark date, and my letters have arrived in little towns in Sicily and Basilicata within a week. Packages to a little town in northeastern Sicily have also arrived within a reasonable amount of time (two weeks or so). I've sent away for travel info from Sicily and Basilicata for myself and friends, and we generally receive the items within two to four weeks of my writing. <BR> <BR>I wouldn't trust the postal system in Rome for anything, but in small towns the true far south (and Sicily)it seems that things come and go the old fashioned way without undue delay.

<BR>I used to import Italian Christmas ornaments and other items from Italy, and the shipments were made via the Italian postal system. We had to make our orders by July at the latest to get anything at all by October. Our correspondence with the vendors would take anywhere from two weeks to never to arrive. I've never dealt with poste restante, but I can only believe it is the worst of the Italian postal system, which is pretty awful at best.Use a cybercafé to keep in touch with people, and send postcards, which they will receive in 2-24 weeks. Watch "Il Postino" and think happy thoughts.

Can't comment on the 'poste restante' service. <BR> <BR>But for tourists, - if you pay a bit extra and send cards 'POSTA PRIORITARIA' (first class) I've found it as good as anywhere. <BR>I regularly receive 'posta prioritaria' post from Rome in 3 days. <BR> <BR>Most tourists are unaware of this and send post second class, - which is slow! <BR> <BR>Steve

Fodorites, <BR> <BR>Birthe wants to know if Italian Post Offices are reliable because she wants to send a letter to someone in care of the Post Office. The letter will be held at the Post Office until it is picked up? Does anyone have any experience with this? Birthe wants to get a letter to a family member who will be stopping in Verona, and there isn't an American Express Office located there. Can she write in care of a hotel that a person is not staying at? <BR> <BR>Any other suggestions?

Birthe, <BR> <BR>You might consider sending your letter via UPS, Federal Express, or DHL. There might be other services also. Sending a letter internationally through any of these services takes a few days. I know that with Federal Express you can check off a box for the letter or package to be held at their depot. You need to get an overseas airbill, and I suggest you call Federal Express to help you complete the airbill (it's a little complicated). This might be the way to go, but it is much more expensive than affixing a postage stamp to your letter. <BR> <BR>If you're trying to send money, possibly to you make the transfer through a Western Union telegram. <BR> <BR>Also check out Federal Express' web site for more information. <BR> <BR>Leslie

Thanks for all the responses, even if most misunderstood my question. At least I got a good feel for the Italian postal service! Special thanks to Leslie who got it right and gave helpful suggestions. I hadn't thought of Fed Ex. Thanks, Leslie! <BR>Birthe

Don't blame us too much.. You did ask "Are Italian post offices in major cities fairly efficient and reliable?" To which we answered. Good Luck!

Rather than having it held at the post office (scary) and having to pay the fee to retrieve your mail, send your letter in care of the hotel in Verona or wherever. Write the person's name and underneath write presso Hotel XXXXX and then the address. Presso is the Italian worrd meaning in care of. You must have this on the envelope as mail is only delivered to those whose name appears on the mailbox. You might want to give the hotel a heads up especially if you are mailing far in advance of your friend's arrival, so they'll know who it's for.

Birthe: <BR>Nobody "misunderstood" your question. <BR>The first few posters answered the question you asked. <BR> <BR>Reread your initial post. It doesn't mention a family member, nor does it mention Verona, nor does it state that you want to send mail rather than recieve it in Italy. You are, quite ungratefully, acting like all the answering posters except Leslie are stupid. <BR> <BR>Does Leslie have ESP? There is no way she could have read all of that extra information into your initial question as you wrote it. <BR> <BR>I wasn't even one of the people answering this post, but your snide little response to those who were trying to be helpful really p*sses me off.

Why don't you use the internet for mail instead of letters. Internet cafes can be located with a little research.

To you GetIt! -- this message is primarily addressed to you. Go back to elementary school and take a reading comprehension class, obviously that Evelyn Woods Speed Reading Class didn't work. It was unnecessary to insult Birthe as you don't understand simple English, possibly it is not your first language, because that is the only reason that your message should not be forgiven. How insulting you are. <BR> <BR>Birthe did say THANK YOU -- what a bunch of rude, touchy and callous people you are to write that you answered here clearly when you didn't. Those of you don't seem to be able to understand her message which was clear. She asked if people had experience "RECEIVING MAIL IN ITALY" and you all responded about "RECEIVING MAIL FROM ITALY" -- don't you know the difference between outgoing and incoming? <BR> <BR>The reason I know what Birthe is writing about is because she left a previous thread inquiring if there is an American Express Office in Verona to send a package. Since there isn't one in Verona, she left another message. I just put 2 and 2 together. <BR> <BR>In regards to email, obviously there is a "tangible, hard" item that needs to be delivered, so email won't work. And, it seems that Birthe would have the common sense to send a package "in care of" the hotel, if someone was staying there overnight, I think we can interpret that the traveler is passing through Verona. <BR> <BR>PEOPLE, BEFORE YOU CONTINUE TO CONDEMN EACH OTHER (which I seem to believe is your favorite pastime around here with all the back biting), HOW ABOUT READING THE THREADS MORE CAREFULLY. YOUR READING COMPREHENSION, IN GENERAL STINKS!! <BR> <BR>

I should have proofed my last post. The second "not" should be deleted from the 3rd sentence of my first paragraph. <BR> <BR>I am SORRY that I was so angry when I previously wrote, however, I am truly getting tired of the snippiness of some of the Fodorites here. Is it truly necessary to write such venomous things to others? Before you push that "Post My Reply" button think about what you have written? Would you like to receive a venomous post to one of your future queries for information? <BR> <BR>Do you want to be perceived by the majority of the members** here as an ignorant jack ass? Or is it that you want to be a bully today? Did someone take your favorite toy away from you today? Did someone push you around today and you didn't stand up for yourself? Do you need to take your anger out on someone innocent? Can't you control yourself? Instead, bang your head against the wall instead of insulting someone. Don't take it out on the innocent. <BR> <BR>**The majority of the people that post here are kind, thoughtful people, willing to share valuable and insightful travel information.

Birthe, <BR> <BR>You should have thanked Linda also. she understood what you were asking. <BR>I too agree with her.

Leslie - <BR> <BR>I don't care what anyone says - yours are the most hostile and venemous posts. Kudos to you! The most delightful type of angry person is the one who criticizes others for expressing negative feelings while not even acknowledging their own insults of others. <BR> <BR>Have a great day!

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