i thought i posted this before, but i couldn't find it. forgive me if this message is a repeat. does anyone know the best/least expensive way to send things from the U.S. to Italy and vice versa? time is not an issue. thanks!

I will be shipping (large) things too--please let me know what you find out!

Till recently, the checked luggage allowance for flights between Europe and Brazil has been a mere 20 kg. For my wife and girls, this translates to very "tight" if you consider that we always spend a month there. Therefore, we've been always involved in sending things back to Brazil. For this purpose, I've been using the Italian postal parcel service. You may arrange a cartoon package weighting up to 20 kg. If I remember well, this costs up to about Lit 65,000 via surface. The average time it takes to get here in Brazil is 2 months. <BR>I don't know which type of goods would make up your "things" ... Our packages invariably consisted on books, leaflets, and the like, clothing and shoes ... in other words, nothing taxable. The packages were always delivered at home, with no problems (even if customs has opened it a couple of times, in my absence, to check the content). <BR> <BR>I have never shipped a package weighting over 20kg ... I guess that you may still use the postal service but I suspect that you'll pay a whole lot more! <BR> <BR>We used the same scheme in Greece, Austria and Germany. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>

I picked-up a brochure from the Rome branch of MBE (Mail Boxes Etc.) which is also all over the US. They state "..We're shipped everything from Ostrich eggs to sofa beds." "We can even arrange for custom packing or other ways of transporting your shipment." <BR> Also call the major trucking companies (Yellow, Roadway, Overnite, etc) and ask about shipping thru them. I would pack it in a strong wooden crate because it will get tossed around quite a bit (trucks, warehouses, docks, ships). And if at all possible bring it to their loading dock, if not you might have to wait around all day and if the driver and you can't pick it up (~5ft) and put it in the truck he can't take it unless you request a "lift" truck which might cost extra. MBE's Rome branch--&gt;(089) is on Via dei Mille 38/40 00185 Roma (2 blocks N of Termini). <BR>HTH Regards, Walter <BR>

I've used MBE the past two years. I've shipped from Siena and from Milan. MBE is very convenient, in that you can get the box and all packing materials in one location. They'll box it all up and seal it while you're there. <BR> <BR>The drawback is price. MBE uses UPS to ship packages back to the US. It takes about 7 days for your package to get home. We pick up lots and lots of books, pamphlets, etc., and always have a heavy package (over 30 kg). It winds up costing us somewhere between $250-$300 per package (BTW - it's cheaper to send one heavy one than two light ones). Not a cheap solution, by any means. But we always budget this cost into our trip planning, as we don't want to drag this much weight home.

Hi Paul: I assumed MBE would be costly their brochure lists UPS & FedEx for cargo services. But the "We can even arrange...other ways of transporting your shipment" I thought might mean they could also ship by the slower/cheaper freight system, esp their "Ostrich eggs to *sofa bed* boast which would most likely be shipped in a cargo container via truck/ship. I would ask MBE next time maybe you could get the $250-300 (air-freight) price down. Regards, Walter <BR>

i shipped a box via MBE last year while in italy and it cost quite a bit. they used UPS and it was about $70 for a box that weighed under 30 pounds. there's gotta be a better way! also, i didn't need the contents right away, but there wasn't a choice. <BR>

According to relatives of mine that live in the Italian Tyrol, if you're not in a hurry the cheapest way to get a box weighting not more than 44 pounds overseas is through the Postal service. I estimate that sending the box you referred to, Sylvie, would have cost no more than $25. <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

Hi Walter. If I remember correctly, the only alternative that MBE offered was to ship via the Italian Postal Service, and as has been pointed out in this topic, they only accept packages up to 20 Kg. I've just resigned myself to the fact that I'm going to spend the $$ to ship the package via UPS, and budget my trip accordingly.

i also sent a package to the u.s. from italy via the postal service last year. if i remember correctly, it was almost $80 for a 20kg box. <BR>

i know that stores in italy will arrange for shipping your purchases home for you by boat. does anyone know anything about arranging to ship by boat? <BR>