Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
make calls to toll free
numbers in the US and UK
(convenient if you need to
contact your bank or credit
card company), though you
will be charged at the
standard rate for these calls.
For those without a laptop,
there are also many privately
operated Internet points in
Tuscany. In small towns these
may be located at the back of
a store or bar.
Internet Train
(www.internettrain.it) has 25
stores in Tuscany (with eight
in Florence); you simply buy
a charged magnetic card
which can be used across
their network.
Newspaper kiosk stocking all major newspapers and magazines
NEWSPAPERS AND
MAGAZINES
from four days to six weeks
worldwide. However, the post
office also offers a well-priced
international and national
courier service
(paccocelere)
for tracked, on-time mail.
Fedex and UPS are the main
consumer courier services.
Check www.fedex.com and
www.ups.com for offices in
Tuscany.
Mailboxes Etc.
also
ships mail using either
courier; they have five stores
in Florence and one in each
of Siena, Arezzo and Pisa.
Most Italian newspapers such
as
La Repubblica
and
La
Nazione,
publish supplements
with a regional focus.
European and American
newspapers such as
USA
Today
, the
International
Herald Tribune
and the
Finan-
cial Times
are available on
the day of issue at stations,
hotels and major newsagents.
POSTAL SERVICES
To send letters or postcards,
purchase stamps
(francobolli)
at any
tabbachi
. There is
usually a red mailbox right
outside. Mailboxes have two
slots: the one designated
per
la città
is only for destinations
within the city;
altri destina-
zioni
is for everywhere else.
For oversized letters or
packages, go to the post
office. Sub-post office hours
are usually 8:30am-2pm
Mon-Sat. Main offices stay
open until 8pm. Post offices
also provide banking services,
so for the postal desk you
must follow the correct
procedure. Take a number
from the yellow machine with
the green envelope symbol
by the entrance. The letter
“P” combined with your
number will be called out.
Priority mail
(posta
prioritarià)
now designates
regular airmail. Delivery time
is somewhat variable, ranging
TELEVISION
ADDRESSES
There are a dozen Italian TV
channels including two music
channels (MTV and DeeJay).
Many hotels have satellite TV
with BBC and CNN news in
English, as well as German
and French channels.
DIRECTORY
MOBILE PHONES
TIM
Via dei Lamberti 12, Firenze.
Via Salicotto 11, Siena.
www
.tim.it
Vodafone
Via de' Martelli 31, Firenze.
Via del Paradiso 30, Siena.
www
.vodafone.it
Florence has a confusing dual
address system. Each street
has a double set of numbers:
a red number indicates a
shop, restaurant or business,
while a blue or black number
refers to a hotel or domestic
residence. When writing to a
business, insert an “r” after
the number to distinguish it
from a residential address.
Each set of numbers has its
own sequence, so business
premises at, say, No. 10r may
well be next to a residential
address at No. 23.
MAIN POST OFFICES
Pellicceria 3, Florence.
Map
6 D3.
Tel
055 273 61.
Piazza Matteotti 37, Siena.
Tel
0577 21 42 95.
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, Pisa.
Tel
050 51 95 14.
COURIERS
Mailboxes Etc.
Florence: Via San Gallo 61r; Corso
Tintori 39r.
www
.mbe.it
Busy main hall at Florence's central post office
