laundry
 

we are planning a 3 week trip through italy and are going to pack light....one weeks worth of clothes for each of us, myself , my husband and our 16 year old daughter. what are the chances of us finding decent laundromat services? we are starting in rome for a week so i figure we can do laundry there before we leave for tuscany. from tuscany we are looking at florence, milan and ending in venice.

thanx in advance!!!

Services, as in someone else doing your laundry? If yes, it would depend on your hotel I would think. You will be able to find a laundry to do your own though. It can be very challenging to decipher how the machines work by the bizzare instructions, but you'll figure it out. I belive you can also google "laundromats in italy" or something like that, and find a listing.

doing our own is what i prefer.....

The guidebooks aimed at the budget end of the market usually have a list of launderettes. Alternatively your hotel can direct you to the nearest one.

I can tell you where there is a self serve laundry in both Rome and Venice but don't know if they are near where you are staying. What area are you staying in at those cities?

I agree that you should have no problem finding self serve facilities in the major cities.

Look around for, or ask about a self service laundromat called "Onda Blue". They cater to tourists and the hostel crowd, and are frquently mentioned in this forum. A very nice one just off the campo in Siena, and I believe I saw another near the Coloseum in Rome. The machines can be a little confusing because you pay at a ATM type device on the wall and not at the machine as is common is other settings. I recall the instructions posted in several different languages.

..think caredfully about what you pack. I traveled to europe for 4 mo as a student and I only went to the laundromat 1x. We did laundry in our sink and avoided jeans.

I just found the URL for Onda Blue.

http://www.ondablu.com/ita/index.asp

Click on "Dove siamo" for a locator.

I have the same questions as you are having and was hoping to find out more for anyone that might know. It seem to be a lot of places have washing machines but no driers? The the self service place have driers? Would really be halpful to know. I'm be visiting Florence, Rome, and Venice. Please help, Thanks

Yes, dryers are available in laundromats, which I have used in the UK, France (multiple) and Italy (several). It usually takes a couple of hours, but we certainly do get to mix with real people, something we are not likely to do at most tourist sites!
In Aix last year, the attendant had fun showing me that all the machines were made in America! By the way, even the locals can get confused by the payment arrangements, which differ from site to site.

When we were in Italy a couple of years ago, we found a place that we could drop off our laundry in the morning, they would wash/dry/fold, and we picked it up in the afternoon. It was well worth the 10 Euro cost vs. sitting in a laundromat for a few hours. This was in Montepulciano. I'm sure Florence or Milan would have a similar place. ((b))

..I too stumbled across a fold in dry in Rome but I can't remember where. I was siteseeing and just happened to run across the service but I didn't file it as I never (well almost never..had wash and fold in Thailand just before I left so that I wouldn't have to do it myself when I returned but that is another story) use the laundromat when traveling or haven't since my boys stopped playing in mud puddles. I simply pack smart and use the sink. I still think anyone who travels (unless kids 2-12ish) can go for weeks without a laundrymat..my time is too valuable and it really is unnecessary IMO.

I have always taken laundry to places where they wash, dry, fold etc. as Budman does. If you want that type of service your hotel should be able to direct you to the nearest place, or to a "do it yourself" laundromat. Enjoy your time in Italy randola. Italy with your daughter will be wonderful!

We were just in Florence and Rome, among other places in Italy. Had zero problem finding laundromats, both self-service and the kind where they do it all for you. Seriously not a problem, I promise! (We, too, travel with very few clothes, so washing 'em is a necessity.)

I have favorites in Florence and Rome where I drop off my clothing and pick it up the next day. Personally, I am not going to spend a few hours of my precious time there doing clothes!

In Florence, I use the one in the Oltrano area. Cross the PV and walk about five minutes. There is a small square on the left with a pizzeria and some shops (kiosk in the middle). In the very back is the store. I have used them several times.

I did the same thing on our trip 2years ago - ended up doing laundry myself in a laundromat in Siena. My husband went sightseeing while I washed away - no problem washing and drying. AND as an added bonus - I had a great time! There were a few locals there and I started a conversation with my pathetic Italian - piecing together italian and English - asking questions about the town - I got some of the best advice about restaurants and sights to see and just some really great stories about Siena from my laundromat friends!!! BTW - their advice on restaurants was fantastic!!!

Excellent point, juju, I couldn't agree more! While some people may feel they're "wasting" their travel time, I don't feel that way at all. Doing as the locals do is one of the best ways to get a real feel for life in the place you're visiting, imo. Besides, it's fun!

Part of the fun is sitting in the laundromat in Sorrento on a Friday night with the couple from Canada and the two American brothers who had just spent a month traveling the countryside.