Quick answer: +39 is Italy. Mobiles start with 3 and usually have 10 digits. Landlines start with 0 and have 6 to 11 digits. Unlike most countries, Italy keeps the 0: dial it after +39. Example:
+39 06 1234 5678.
How to dial Italy
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| Any mobile phone | +39 + full number |
| US or Canada landline | 011 39 + full number |
| UK, Germany or Argentina landline | 00 39 + full number |
| Australia landline | 0011 39 + full number |
Italian landlines start with 0, like 06 1234 5678 in Rome. Since 1998 that 0 has been part of the number, so you keep it from abroad: +39 06 1234 5678, not +39 6 1234 5678. Mobiles have no 0: 347 123 4567 becomes +39 347 123 4567.
Mobile and landline numbers
Mobiles start with 3 and are usually 10 digits.
Landlines start with 0. Rome and Milan have 2-digit area codes, other big cities 3 digits and smaller towns 4. Local numbers vary in length too, so a landline can have 6 to 11 digits, though most have 9 or more.
| City | Area code in Italy | From abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Rome | 06 | +39 06 xxxx xxxx |
| Milan | 02 | +39 02 xxxx xxxx |
| Naples | 081 | +39 081 xxx xxxx |
| Turin | 011 | +39 011 xxx xxxx |
| Palermo | 091 | +39 091 xxx xxxx |
| Genoa | 010 | +39 010 xxx xxxx |
| Bologna | 051 | +39 051 xxx xxxx |
| Florence | 055 | +39 055 xxx xxxx |
| Venice | 041 | +39 041 xxx xxxx |
Codes that get mixed up with +39
San Marino has its own code, +378, though its landlines can also be reached on +39 0549. Vatican City was given +379 but doesn't use it: Vatican numbers are Rome numbers starting +39 06 698.
Time difference
Italy is on CET (UTC+1) in winter and CEST (UTC+2) in summer. It changes clocks on the last Sundays of March and October, the same dates as the rest of the EU and the UK.
| Where you are | Your clocks on summer time | Your clocks on standard time |
|---|---|---|
| US East Coast | Italy is 6h ahead | |
| US West Coast | Italy is 9h ahead | |
| UK | Italy is 1h ahead all year | |
| Melbourne or Sydney | Italy is 10h behind | Italy is 8h behind |
| Argentina (no clock change) | Italy is 5h ahead in the Italian summer, 4h ahead in the Italian winter | |
The US changes its clocks on different dates, so for two or three weeks in March and about a week around the start of November, Italy is an hour closer to the US. Australia changes its clocks in early April and early October, so for a few weeks around those dates the gap from Melbourne and Sydney is 9 hours. A 9 AM call from New York reaches Rome at 3 PM.
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FAQ
Can I call an Italian 800 number from abroad?
Often not. 800 numbers are freephone lines for callers in Italy, and many don't accept international calls. Look for the company's regular number starting with 0.
How do I call a number in Vatican City or San Marino?
Vatican numbers are dialed like Rome numbers: +39 06 698 and the rest of the number. For San Marino, dial +378 and the number, or +39 0549 and the number for a landline.