Adaptor Needed in Italy

Q: I will be travelling to Rome, Italy for a conference and I would like to know what type of adaptor I need to buy to be able to use my laptop there. - Thokozani Ian Nzimakwe

A: Electricity in Italy is 220 volts with 50 cycles alternating current (AC), which is the same as in South Africa. This means that you will not need a currency converter to use your appliance. However, you will definitely need an adaptor as the wall socket consists of three round holes in a row as opposed to South Africa's triangle format. Adaptors sometimes use only the two outer holes in a two round-pronged plug. This is commonly known as the "Europlug" as it is used in many European countries and is probably the most used international plug. You should easily find an adaptor to use on your trip. You need to note that Italian plugs can be of two different sizes, with a larger pronged plug used for large applicance like refrigerators and washing machines. As a tourist, though, you will only need to use the smaller-pronged plug. (9/10/11)