FaceTime

            Call your cell phone carrier a month ahead of time and arrange for international calling. They may send you a SIM card that is usually activated the day before you leave.  Or, you sometimes can get a SIM card in an airport upon landing. We have iPhones and while we do use our network, we also use FaceTime on WIFI. It doesn't cost anything and most hotels and Airbnb's have WIFI. It is nice to see a friendly face.  On my wife's last trip to Italy, she used FaceTime. Set your phone time to include your destination as well as where you are calling.  In this last case, my wife was in Tuscany and I was near San Francisco - a nine hour difference. Sometimes it is another day.