Italy from the Inside

Archives for May 2017

The easiest way to buy stamps in Italy

Buying stamps in Italy- Italy from the Inside

Photo by Francesca Tosolini

Usually, there are big lines at the post offices; remember though that you don’t need to go the post office to purchase stamps. You can do it at any tabaccheria (tobacconist), a store recognizable by a big white T against a blue or black background. Here you can also find the blue self-adhesive “by airmail/via aerea” sticker, that, according to the Italian postal service, is mandatory if you need to send either postcards or letters overseas (however, based on my experience, mail arrives at its destination even without it).

Once your postcard/letter is stamped and ready to go, look for the red mailboxes, which most of the times are installed right outside the tabaccherie and where you can drop your stamped mail (see photo above).

{This is an excerpt from chapter 9 “The Post Office Information” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”}

 

Welcome the Italian summer with the sgroppino

Sgroppino- Italy from the Inside

Photo by Francesca Tosolini

The sgroppino, also known as sorbetto al limone, is a drink made of lemon gelato, vodka and Prosecco (a sparkling white wine). Originated in Venice, it is a delicious and refreshing drink to sip during the hot Italian summers, especially after dinner. Don’t forget to order it if you happen to be in a restaurant or a bar.

{Part of this article is an excerpt from chapter 3 “Italian cuisine and food establishments” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”}

Hospitals in Italy

In Italy, public hospitals are the norm. They are good institutions with good doctors (dottori), however the quality of service, and I mean the “guest” service not the health service, may not be the same as the hospitals in the United States. For example, most of the time there are no private rooms, but only rooms that are shared by 2 or more people (sometimes they can accommodate up to 8 people). And quite often the buildings themselves are historical constructions that originally weren’t even intended to be health institutions, therefore they present obvious architectural limitations. Take the Venice’s Ospedale Civile for example. Built in 1675 it was the convent of the nearby Basilica dei SS. Giovanni e Paolo.

Ospedale di Venezia- Italy from the Inside

Photo by G. Dall’Orto via Wikimedia

Private hospitals (ospedali privati) or clinics (cliniche private or case di cura privata) offer services that are closer to the American ideal and have private rooms, but obviously are more expensive.

Casa di cura sign- Italy from the Inside

Casa di cura sign (Photo by paolo Tosolini)

Both public hospitals and clinics are recognizable by the International sign of a red cross on a blue background, and both offer the same quality of medical treatment.

Hospital sign- Italy from the Inside

Hospital sign (Photo by Paolo Tosolini)

{This is an excerpt from chapter 8 “Hospitals and pharmacies” of the eBook “Italy from the Inside. A native Italian reveals the secrets of traveling in Italy”}