Unlocking the Secrets of International Calling: Mastering Calls to and from Europe

If you need to make a phone call from Italy, don't fret – it's easier than you might think. To reach someone back home, simply dial 001 followed by their number. Many Americans find dialing European phone numbers daunting, but there's no need to stress. With our helpful tips and list of calling codes for Europe, it's a breeze to make an international call, whether you're in the United States, Canada, or elsewhere in Europe.

To place an international call, it doesn't matter if you're calling from a US landline, mobile phone, Skype account, or a number in another European country (like Spain to Italy) – it's always an international call. Here's how to dial it:

1. Enter the international access code. If you're calling from a US or Canadian landline or mobile phone, dial 011. If you're calling from a mobile phone, you can use a + sign instead of 011 by pressing and holding the 0 key. If you're calling from a number in any European country, dial 00. Again, if you're calling from a mobile phone, you can use a + sign instead of 00 by pressing and holding the 0 key.

2. Dial the country code for the country you're trying to reach. For example, dial 39 for Italy or 33 for France (see our chart below). One thing to note is that if the number starts with a 0, you should drop it (except for Italy). In some countries, phone numbers may have varying lengths, such as a seven-digit phone number or an eight-digit mobile number.

Here is a list of country codes for some European countries to help you out:

• Country | Country Code
• -----------------|---------------
• Austria | 43
• Belgium | 32
• Bosnia-Herzegovina | 387
• Croatia | 385
• Czech Republic | 420
• Denmark | 45
• Estonia | 372
• Finland | 358
• France | 33
• Germany | 49
• Italy | 39²
• Latvia | 371
• Montenegro | 382
• Morocco | 212
• Netherlands | 31
• Norway | 47
• Poland | 48
• Portugal | 351
• Russia | 7³
• Here are the country codes for several European countries: Slovakia (421), Gibraltar (350), Slovenia (386), Great Britain & Northern Ireland (44), Spain (34), Greece (30), Sweden (46), Hungary (36¹), Switzerland (41), Ireland (353), and Turkey (90).

If you're making a long-distance call within Hungary, you should dial 06, followed by the area code and phone number. When making international calls to Italy, do not drop the initial 0 from the phone number. For long-distance calls within Russia, you should dial 8, followed by the area code and phone number. If you wish to call the US or Canada from Russia, dial 8, followed by 10, then 1, then the area code and phone number.

When calling domestically within the same European country, simply dial the phone number, including the initial 0 if there is one. European phone numbers and calling standards can vary in length, even within the same country. Mobile phones also utilize their own sets of prefixes.

To call a Munich hotel from your Berlin hotel phone, simply dial the phone number. To dial it from your hotel in Italy, enter 00, then Germany's country code (49), then the area code (without its initial 0) and phone number. To call a Paris hotel from your US home phone, dial 011, then France's country code (33), then the phone number (minus its initial 0). To call a Madrid hotel from a friend's house in Germany, dial 00, then Spain's country code (34), then the phone number. To call a Florence museum from your US mobile phone, dial Italy's country code (39), followed by the phone number (with its 0).

If you're unsure, visit countrycallingcodes.com or howtocallabroad.com for more help. If calling from a mobile phone, you can enter a + instead of the international access code (011 or 00) by pressing and holding the 0 key.

To call the US or Canada from Europe, dial Europe's international access code (00), followed by the country code for the US and Canada (1), and the phone number (including area code). To call the author's office in Edmonds, Washington, from anywhere in Europe, dial 00-1-425-771-8303.