Buying a cell phone in Italy?

Question

My girlfriend is staying in Cortona Italy, Which is a semi-small town if I am correct. She wants to either buy or rent a cell phone, rent preferred if she can. Is there somewhere to do this in Cortona Italy?

Answer 1

I recommend either buying a cell phone or a SIM card.

If her phone uses a SIM card and is Tri-Band (like many cell phones in the U.S.), then all she needs is €12 to get an Italian SIM card and she's all set!  They come included with about €5 of air time.  Then you can buy a 'RicariCard' (a card- it has a phone number to call to add air time to your phone)  from almost ANY Tabacchi (tobacco store) in Italy.  

The cheapest Cell phones in Italy are about €40 which will include an Italian SIM card.

There are Tim, Wind and Vodafone (cell phone locations) stores all over Italy- just ask around.

I don't see any benefit in renting a cell phone in Italy- you need to leave deposits, rent can get expensive and the store is not always guaranteed to be open (when you need to return it) during the listed 'business hours.'

With Cortona being such a tiny town, you really need to just ask around while there (to find out where the tabacchi are, where cell phones are sold, etc.). You're prob not going to run into someone who lives/lived there on the net.