Italy

Time Traveler | Technology | Post Explorer

Time Traveler
  It was not until the reunification of the smaller states into the Kingdom of Italy in 1862 that a formal postal service was finally formed. The Italian postal service had a monopoly over the delivery of letters, parcels up to the weight of 20 kg, newspapers and printed documents. The monopoly was finally relaxed for newspapers and printed documents. In addition to mail delivery, the post office also functions as a payment site for social security benefits as well as a bank for basic saving accounts and filing money orders.

Technology
  Rail transport had been the predominant means of transport although its use has been on a steady decline since 1965. Road and air transport has proven to be more functional as the need for urgent, "next day" deliveries have increased between major cities. The Italian mechanization progressed significantly after the seventies with the introduction of new electronic address-reading devices at several postal centers. Recently, the Italian postal service has undergone a mega overhaul to improve its efficiency.

Post Explorer
  Ensure that you have the correct postage on your next piece of airmail you are sending out from Italy! Insufficient postage does not mean the mail will be returned, and neither will the sender pay the extra amount of postage required. The mail is simply sent by surface mail which would mean weeks and months of waiting on the receiver's part.

By writing down "FERMO POSTA" just after the name of the town on an Italian address, the receiver can simply collect his or her mail from the Central Post Office upon providing suitable identification.