Florence Survival Guide

Letters can be sent either by ordinary post or by priority mail. The ordinary post is the most economical, with a fixed rate for letters sent within Italy and the rest of Europe; it is reliable but not very quick. Postcards inside a regular stamped envelope arrive faster than a stamped postcard. Given the delays of the regular service, poste priorità, priority mail, is now the preferred way to send mail.

Priority mail requires a special stamp and a sticker and should be placed in the blue collection boxes, or in traditional red boxes marked poste priorità. Stamps (francobolli) and stickers can be bought from any tobacconist with the black and white T sign and from post offices. Sub-post office hours are usually 8:30am-2pm Monday to Friday and 8:30am-noon on Saturday and the last day of the month. Main offices stay open until early evening.

Certain rules must be adhered to when sending parcels. The package must be placed in a rigid box, wrapped in brown paper and bound with string and a seal. You may also need to fill in a simple customs declaration form. Often a stationary or gift shop in the major towns will, for a fee, wrap your package. Very few post offices offer this service. Parcels sent internationally arrive most quickly if mailed via postacelere, available at most major post offices.

Letters and parcels should be sent care of (c/o) Fermo Posta, Ufficio Postale Principale, then the name of the town in which you wish to pick them up. Print the surname clearly in block capitals and underline it to make sure the letters are filed correctly. To collect your post you need to show some form of identification (such as a passport) and pay a small fee.

Main Post Office
Pellicceria 3, Florence
Tel. 055 273 61