I need to take my notebook computer when I go to Italy in May if possible. I am staying with my cousin who lives in Vercelli, Italy. I have a converter for the plug. Does anyone know whether it is easy to connect wireless in Italy especially if you are not in the big towns like Rome, Milan, etc. I dont' mind bringing it but don't want to bring it and not have it work. Thanks.

My last trip to Italy was for 6 weeks in 2008. I was staying in very small Umbrian towns and had the deuce of a time finding wireless anywhere. I wasted a lot of time driving to places where supposedly there was an internet cafe, only to find out that it was closed -openings and closings seemed completely capricious. The friends of mine who lived in a small village there had completely unreliable wifi service. I couldn't ven use my cell phone unless I stood in a particular spot on the one street in their village. Now, that was just one person's experience, but I also had problems in Perugia, Assisi, Chiusi, Cortona, and Rome, though not so severe. Quite a different experience from France, where I've almost always been able to get a connection, even out in the boonies.

I think I'd start by asking your cousin.

On our 2009 trip, we had a guest with us. He used his laptop to Skype back to the US. In my opinion he spent way too much time trying to find Wi-Fi for Skype. I mean he lost 2 - 3 hours every day trying to find Wi-Fi.

On our Oct/Nov 2009 trip we selected where we stayed, in part, on their advertised WIFI availability. We had great connections in our apartment in Rome, and in our hotels in Sorrento, Pompeii, Pienza and Venice. In Orvieto, we had to go down to the main reception room to get a good signal, and they charged extra, but everywhere else it was strong in our room, and included in the rate.

For our trip to the Amalfi Coast and Capri last year, I discovered that there are 2 different plug converters that work in Italy. We took both and were glad we did because we ended up using both. So you may want to make sure that the one you have works where you'll be staying.

For our trip to the Amalfi Coast and Capri last year, I discovered that there are 2 different plug converters that work in Italy. We took both and were glad we did because we ended up using both. So you may want to make sure that the one you have works where you'll be staying.