nicktonight

Does anyone use the Italian postal service? Going to a post office in Palermo is impossible for a normal working person unless you have a whole morning to waste: Big queues build up long before opening hours with the order of arrival penciled on a paper list by the door: The internet site works quite well but I often have to send letters with something inside and get things back in stamped addressed envelopes and therefore have to drop the letters in the postbox.
Posta1 is the new rapid postal service which costs 2,80 Euros for a letter within Italy. Questions that I haven't been able to answer are: what do you put on the envelope to show that you are using Posta1 rather than the cheap rate. When you post these letters in a post office they give you a "Codice bidimensionale" to stick on the envelope but these are specific for each letter. Are they obligatory? Can you just write Posta1 by hand on a stamped addressed envelope? Incidentally you can't buy Posta1 stamps in a Palermo tabaccheria as they only stock the cheap rate stamps (if you are lucky),

philat98

This forum explains a few things. A visit to the post office is truly unpleasant at the moment.
https://community.ebay.it/t5/Archive.../491915/page/2

nicktonight

Thanks Phil, thats a very useful link explaining what the two-dimensional code is for as well

ganastasia

I cant comment on sending post, But when I used the Poste in Ragusa for some financial matters I booked a ticket online each time, and on every occasion was served within 5 minutes.

Alot of confused faces in the queue when our number was called!

nicktonight

I've always thought that Ragusa was the most civilized town in Sicily. We go there once a year to get our cacciocavallo Ragusa DOP so next time I might get some stamps too

ganastasia

The Posta Italiane - Ragusa Centrale is also a beautiful building, I recommend a short amble up to Bar Italia (by the cathedral) for a cannolo!

Do you get your Cacciocavalo from Formaggio Dipasquale?

philat98

They sell stamps on Filatelia on the Poste website. I bought some stamps from them more than 2 weeks ago and they dispatched them today so a pretty slow service. Generally in line with everything else they do. They have Xmas stamps.
I queued yesterday at an office. There were about 20 in the line and after 40 minutes only about 4 customers had entered. Added to that it was cold.

nicktonight

We get our cheese from the Casa del formaggio di Anna Dipasquale a really excellent salumeria
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modicasa

My triabls and tribulations with the post office in Modica, or at least the staff, know no bounds. Last week, I had to go to pick up a parcel which the postie had tried to deliver at 7pm. Queues around the block, made worse by the fact that you couldnt get a number, but had to wait outside in the usual melee until you were beckoned in to an empty PO at which point you got your number and went to the sportello. Why?? I asked the director if it wouldnt be more sensible to get a number and then wait outside. He answered, 'But then everyone would want one'. The PO is the perfect example of inbreeding. However, for my repeat performance, I booked a time online and was served within mintues notwithstanding the ugly stares of one and all (including the ones behined the desks). YOu dont even have to log in on the website. Try it and become public enemy number one

37100

Ha ha. I was going to suggest booking an appointment, but then remembered the walk of shame. Are the post office still picking up post from your home-with a surcharge- or has that been suspended?

nicktonight

Great to learn about this possibility of making an appointment at the PO. For those like me who didn't know there is an app UfficioPostale which finds the nearest post office and can be used to make the appointment, I tried it out on all the post offices near me in Palermo but couldn't reserve anything today or tomorrow. Thinking I had made a mistake I did a test on a PO in modica and had no difficult in reserving there for 2:15 tomorrow afternoon!

modicasa

IN theory great, Nicktonight. But it being Xmas Eve, the PO shuts at 12.30 today! Happy Christmas!

nicktonight

Luckily I cancelled - too much help need in the kitchen.! Happy Christmas to you too Modicasa and others on BExp

scrubbedexpat077

Bloody Hull! I've been away from Italy for some time and the postal system has got worse or is it just Sicily?