Maire

My daughter will be in Italy for 4 months; we want to buy a hair dryer and a travel-size clothes steamer as soon as we get to Italy. I'm not sure if we'll be flying into Rome or Venice, but any recommendations where to purchase these items in either place? Also, will it cost a lot more to buy them there than in the US? Thank you.

loves_to_travel

Walmart has both of them, dual voltage at a very reasonable price.

Neopolitan

Where are the Walmarts in Venice and Rome? Fortunately I must have missed them.

2Italy

Buy them here and buy the adaptors. Make sure they work on 120/240 volts. Wal-Marts, Meijer stores, and many others carry small, travel, multi-voltage, models of these. They will probably be cheaper in the US.

Maire

My daughter's school in Italy specifically told them not to bring a hair dryer, but to buy it in Italy. Also, we're trying to save room in our luggage on the way over. Once we're in Italy, we can expand our carry-ons to hold more.

shadowcat

Hair dryers seemed to be sold in small stores that have a variety of small appliances. I bought one in Venice when the one in my apartment conked out. I'm sorry but I can't really remember exactly where the store was, but I think it was between the Rialto Bridge and the Frari Church. A full size air dryer was about 20 to 30 euro, which was more than I really wanted to spend. They went into the back and brought out a smaller, travel size one that was only 9 euro. It was just fine for my needs.

Maire

Thanks, Shadowcat.

Dayle

I think your dauther's school may be trying to ensure you get a hari dryer with the correct voltage. They may not realize that dual voltage appliances are available in the US. buy and take one if you want!

nessundorma

In Venice, if you walk down the Strada Nuova, you will find anything you need -- not just for your daughter's trip, but for the rest of your life! The Strada Nuova is easily located on any map. Just look slightly below the train station and the Jewish Quarter on any map, and you will see one wide, long, fairly straight street.

As for Roma, I wish I could pinpoint just the right street or kind of store, but I've not done that kind of shopping. However, your daughter can ask the first English-speaking Italian she meets in Roma, and she will immediately be given the best and nearest place to go. Don't sweat it.

djkbooks

Here's another huge recommendation for picking up a few plug adapters and a suitable dual voltage blow dryer and clothing steamer (I highly recommend this one - though you can probably price-shop online and do better http://www.lazarsluggage.com/frandualvolw.html)

Rowenta also offers a terrific dual voltage compact travel iron which is also a steamer. Better than just a steamer for jeans, denim jackets, chinos, etc. (as opposed to the microfiber, silk, twills the adults tend to favor when packing...).

These really do not take up much room in the suitcase, and it is ever so much more economical and practical to just bring them along than to bother shopping for them once over there.

I cannot imagine adhering to arbitrary packing instructions. If she wants to "save room", perhaps there's a friend in her group - one could pack the blow dryer, the other the steamer, and they can share?

Neopolitan

Maybe part of this college trip is to encourage the students to get out, find, and buy things locally. Seems like it would be a better learning experience for them to search out, find, and purchase an everyday item from a real "residents" type store, than getting one at Walmart before they go. Just a thought. WHY do people here decide what the teachers probably meant or insist that the teachers probably don't know what they're talking about? And where does it say the daughter is going with a group and will have someone to share it with?

Dayle

I don't understand why a school would insist students buy only Italian hair dryers. Maybe the brother runs the local small appliance shop? (Just kidding.)

Sorry, Neopolitan, you'll have to excuse me for having an opinion!

nessundorma

I suspect they have had a lot of problems with kids being unused to using dual voltage equipment or adapters, or forgetting when they are half-sleepy and just plugging their appliances into walls -- and causing a lot of blown sockets, short circuits and fried equipment.

An italian applicane, bought in Italy, won't cause those problems.

Personally, I wouldn't want to lug it anyway since I am sure Maire's daughter won't have to walk more than half a mile to find one in an italian shop.

djkbooks

I'm with Dayle...it is just ridiculous to not bring an inexpensive dual voltage blow dryer and clothing steamer/travel iron along...especially since the students are just not likely to find anything better (and surely not cheaper) appliances once they arrive.

Utterly absurd is to waste any time whatsoever once there shopping for anything they could just bring along.

Maire

As Dayle said, it may be possible that the school just wants to ensure students have the correct appliances. They said that dryers and converters have blown out electricity in older apt. buildings. Thanks to all of you for your comments and suggestions.

Ackislander

Dear DJKbooks,
Why is it "utterly absurd to waste any time whatsoever once there shoppin for anything they could just bring along"?

Will she learn anything going to Walmart to buy a hairdryer? Will it require her to develop her language skills? Will it take less time to drive to Walmart than to walk a block or two in Italy?

What important tourist sights will she be missing as she walks down the Strada Nuova or from the Rialto toward the Frari?

Neopolitan

Ackislander, thanks for supporting what I said. Meanwhile my "idea" is not unfounded. I do know that my niece who went to Russia on a language/study plan had lists of places to go and things to buy as part of her learning assingments, including things like toothpaste, notebooks, and pencils -- things that also could have easily been brought from home. Going to a country and dealing with hotel clerks and waiters is one way to learn a language. A much better way is to have to interact and make purchases in a real store not aimed at tourists.
I'm not saying this WAS the reason for the school telling them to buy a local appliance there (including the directions which probably wouldn't be in English), but I will say it's pretty bold to think it "absurd" that such a buying expedition would in any way be a "waste" from the time or learning experience they are going to Italy for in the first place.

Maire

I actually think it would be a great experience to buy these things in Italy, especially if we can find stores frequented by locals, not tourists. Of course, money may be a deciding factor.

susanna

You can easily buy a blowdryer, and inexpensivly. They are sold in little appliance stores,the pharmacy, and bigger stores like Coin and Rinascente...(sp) all located through out Rome and Venice. I am a hairdresser and bought one for about $15 on my first trip to Italy a very long time ago and it still works great, better than the american travel dryers, and I am picky!

kayd

The Italian word for small household applicances is "elettrodomestichi" and once your daughter reaches her school, there will surely be someone who can direct her to the nearest shop that sells them.
If you must have one the minute you arrive, and you use the train from FCO to Rome, there are many shops in the Termini station that sell everything travelers need-- start your search there.
I paid about 18 euros for a hairdryer two years ago.