My daughter will end her semester in Florence by traveling through France and Spain. She would prefer to travel lightly; but needs some advice on sending home directly a few belongings and mementos she does not want to trek with her. Any suggestions for the most economical or practical method? Thank you in advance.

pack it up, box it up and mail it. How hard can that be?

I am only aware of 2 ways for the average visitor to ship, Italian mail and UPS / Fed Ex. I have heard horror stories about Italian mail deliveries, especially for packages overseas. UPS & Fed Ex are expensive, you can find locations through their web site. Mail Boxes Etc. has a shop in Florence not far from the Uffizi near the Arno. That will double the cost. However I watched them package my ceramics & I was impressed with the thoroughness of the packing method. More importantly every piece arrived intact, about 9 days later. They also have a web site for locations with maps.<BR>Or she can just buy a third piece of luggage, assuming she is maxed at 2 already & pay the airline extra bag cost, usually $100 a bag, check her airline for policy. She can find lots of cheap luggage at San Lorenzo market.<BR>Luggage & airline charge would be cheaper then shipping if she has more then a carry on size worth of items.

Donna, I have shipped back extra things three or four times through the post office. They are always helpful despite the fact that the postal clerks don't often speak english and I don't speak much Italian (French, Turkish or whatever language applies to the place I am shipping from.) The cost is around 8.80 for 2KG. It takes anywhere from two weeks to 6 weeks to get arrive. You can buy boxes at the post office in most countries.

If your daughter is travelling by train, and has either a railpass or a ticket, she can send her luggage ahead to the station. Example: she's ending her journey in Barcelona, she's got a 3-country pass, she packs up her stuff in a cheap suitcase or duffel bag, sends it via train to Barcelona, and picks it up at the station when she arrives.<BR><BR>I would check with the railway companies (on line or with a phone call) to find out any rules or regs on when the items must be reclaimed, any limitations on number of suitcases, etc. She'd have to schlepp the stuff home on the plane.

I have gone to Mail Boxes Etc. in Florence and shipped there via UPS.

We used Mail Boxes, Etc., in Florence, but the location was in the university section, near Convent San Marco, north of the Duomo, etc.

Pardon the ignorance of my question but when you are shipping something back home, do you just take the product to Mial Boxes, Etc and have them wrap it for shipping? I can't see myself shopping for wrapping material, box, tape, labels, etc.

Jill, we have used Mail Boxes for exactly the reason you mention; who has time on a vacation to hunt all the supplies you need to send a box back to USA; you do indeed just take your things to them, and they do all the work. You pay for it, of course. On the other hand, if I were to be in the city for a stretch of time as Donna's dghtr. will be, it certainly would be more economical to pack it oneself and send via regular mail. <BR>When my daughter studied in France, she sent things home (winter clothes, etc.) by Surface mail, meaning ship, which can take a couple of months, but is much cheaper than air mail for lg. quantities.

This may or may not apply, but in both England and France I've had shops volenteer to wrap for mailing, no charge. I couldn't hurt to ask.