Traveling to Rome with diabetes requires an extra layer of planning that most travel guides never mention.
You’re not only deciding where to stay, what attractions to visit, or where to find the best pasta. You may also be wondering where the closest pharmacy is, how you would replace lost insulin or medication, whether your hotel can safely refrigerate it, and where you could find medical care in English if something went wrong.
This guide was inspired by my mother-in-law, who has Type 1 diabetes. During a conversation about traveling, she explained how much additional research goes into every trip—research that travelers without a medical condition may never have to consider.
That made me realize something: recommending a conveniently located hotel should mean more than being able to walk to the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, or Pantheon. For some travelers, it also means knowing that a pharmacy, medical care, a grocery store, and a dependable source of help are nearby.
In this guide, I’ve gathered practical information for travelers managing diabetes in Rome, including:
- Pharmacies near my recommended Rome hotels
- How to find an open pharmacy at night or on weekends
- English-speaking medical-care options
- Emergency and non-emergency medical numbers
- Information to have available if medication or supplies are lost
- Questions to ask hotels about insulin refrigeration
- Restaurant features that may make meals easier to manage
- Helpful Italian words and phrases
Although this guide was inspired by someone with Type 1 diabetes, much of the information can also help travelers with Type 2 diabetes, including those who use insulin, oral medication, glucose meters, continuous glucose monitors, or insulin pumps.
This guide is not a substitute for advice from your own diabetes-care team. Use it as a starting point for planning, and always verify pharmacy hours, medical services, medication availability, and hotel amenities before your trip.
If you’re looking for additional diabetes destination guides, check them out here.
Diabetes & Medical Help in Rome
Save these numbers before your trip so you know exactly where to turn if you need help.
- Medical emergency/Ambulance: 118
- European emergency number: 112
- Non-urgent medical assistance in Rome: 116117
- Out-of-hours medical care: 116117
- Tourist medical assistance: 116117
- Gemelli Poison Control Center: +39 06 3054 343
| For a serious medical emergency: call 112
For a serious or potentially life-threatening medical emergency, call 112. It is Italy’s single European emergency number and can connect you with emergency medical services, police, or the fire department. Calls are free, including from a mobile phone without a SIM card or credit.
For Non-Urgent Medical Help: 116117
This is an especially useful number for travelers to save.
Rome and the surrounding province use 116117 for non-urgent medical assistance. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is open to tourists and non-residents, and provides multilingual assistance.
You can call 116117 for:
- Non-urgent medical advice
- Information about local healthcare services
- Help accessing out-of-hours medical care
- Information about healthcare for tourists
- Guidance about where to seek appropriate care
Calls are handled by healthcare professionals, and the service can escalate a situation to medical staff or emergency services when necessary.
Tourist Medical Care in Rome
Rome also has a guardia medica turistica—a medical service specifically available to Italian and international tourists, it offers multilingual assistance, and can help with both non-urgent medical advice and finding appropriate local care to those who need medical attention that cannot reasonably wait.
Lazio currently lists tourist medical-care locations at:
Trastevere
Casa della Salute Nuovo Regina Margherita
Via Roma Libera 76
Near the Spanish Steps
Poliambulatorio Canova
Via Antonio Canova 19
Because locations and hours can change, I would call 116117 first rather than heading directly to one of these clinics.
Before relying on these numbers, save them in your phone and confirm your international calling access.
Quick Navigation
Before Traveling to Italy With Diabetes
The goal isn’t to plan for every possible disaster. It’s to answer the most important questions before you leave so you aren’t trying to solve them while standing in an unfamiliar pharmacy—or after realizing an essential supply is missing.
Before traveling to Rome, talk with your diabetes-care team about your plans, particularly if you will be crossing several time zones. Ask about medication timing, insulin adjustments, managing highs and lows during travel, and what to do if your normal routine changes.
Diabetes Travel Checklist
Before your trip, consider bringing:
- More medication and diabetes supplies than you expect to use
- Insulin, oral medication, and essential supplies in your carry-on
- A written list of your medications using both brand and generic names
- Copies of your prescriptions
- A letter from your healthcare provider explaining your diagnosis, medications, and medical devices
- Your clinician’s contact information
- Your travel-insurance information
- A medical identification card or bracelet
- Backup glucose-testing supplies
- Extra CGM sensors, pump supplies, batteries, or charging cables
- Fast-acting glucose or another treatment for low blood sugar
- A temperature-appropriate insulin travel case if needed
- Supplies divided between two carry-on bags when traveling with someone you trust
I would also photograph your prescriptions, medication packaging, device model numbers, and insurance documents. Store the photographs somewhere you can access even if your phone or primary bag is lost.
My Practical Advice
Create one diabetes-information folder on your phone before leaving home. Include your medication list, prescriptions, clinician’s letter, insurance information, emergency contacts, device details, and photographs of your supplies.
It may feel excessive while you’re packing. If something is lost or damaged, having everything together could save hours of stress.
Bringing Diabetes Medication Into Italy
Travelers can generally bring medication into Italy for their own personal use, but I would still travel with enough documentation to make it clear what the medication is and why you need it.
Italy has different requirements depending on the medication, and controlled or psychotropic medications have additional rules and documentation requirements. Italy’s Ministry of Health specifically requires documentation for travelers entering Italy with certain internationally controlled medicines.
For insulin and other diabetes medications, I would bring:
- The medication in its original pharmacy-labeled packaging
- A copy of your prescription
- A letter from your healthcare provider
- A list showing both the brand and generic or active-ingredient names
- The medication strength and usual dosage
- Enough medication and supplies for the trip, plus extra for delays or problems
Because regulations can change—and other medications you take may fall under different rules—verify the requirements for every prescription medication you are carrying with the Italian Ministry of Health or an Italian consulate before traveling.
Keep Medication in Its Original Packaging
Whenever possible, carry insulin and other medication in the original pharmacy-labeled packaging.
The label should clearly identify you and the medication. This makes it much easier to explain what you’re carrying if you’re questioned by airport security, customs officials, a pharmacist, or a medical professional.
I wouldn’t rely solely on pill organizers or unlabeled containers.
They’re convenient once you arrive.
They’re considerably less convenient when you’re trying to explain what’s in them to someone who doesn’t speak English.
Know the Generic Names
This is especially important in Italy.
The brand name you use at home may not be the name a pharmacist recognizes in Rome. Italy’s Ministry of Health notes that a medicine available in one country may have a different name—or may not be available at all—in another.
Before leaving home, make a list that includes:
- Brand name
- Generic or active-ingredient name
- Medication strength
- Your usual dosage
- Manufacturer, if relevant
- Exact model of your pump, CGM, meter, or other diabetes device
If you lose a medication, that little list could suddenly become extremely important.
Don’t Assume a U.S. Prescription Will Work in Rome
This is one place where I want to be very clear.
Italy recognizes qualifying prescriptions issued in other EU countries, subject to Italian dispensing rules. That does not mean a prescription written in the United States will automatically be accepted by a pharmacy in Rome.
If you need a prescription medication during your trip and the pharmacist cannot dispense it using the documentation you have, you may need to see an Italian doctor and obtain a prescription that can be filled locally.
That’s why I would still bring the U.S. prescription.
It may not function as an Italian prescription, but it gives the doctor or pharmacist valuable information about exactly what you normally use.
Pack More Than You Expect to Need
Bring enough medication and diabetes supplies for your entire trip plus extra.
Flights get canceled. Trips get extended. Sensors fail. Infusion sets come loose. Things get left in hotel rooms.
Rome is not where I’d want to discover that I packed exactly seven days of supplies for a seven-day trip.
Keep insulin, medication, and irreplaceable diabetes supplies in your carry-on luggage, rather than checked baggage.
Traveling With Needles, Pumps and CGMs
Keep diabetes-related syringes, lancets, insulin pens, pumps, CGMs and testing supplies together with your medication labels and medical documentation so they’re easy to explain during security screening.
For the trip home, remember that you’ll be going through Italian airport security, not TSA.
And before flying, check the screening instructions from the manufacturer of your particular CGM or insulin pump. Different devices can have different recommendations about X-ray machines and security scanners.
If you are flying from the United States, review the current medical-device and medication guidance from the Transportation Security Administration before departure.
One More Thing I’d Check
If you take any medication besides your diabetes medication, don’t assume the rules are the same.
Italy has specific requirements for travelers carrying medicines containing certain narcotic or psychotropic substances. Depending on the medication and quantity, a special medical certificate may be required, and the documentation can include the active ingredient, dosage, quantity and duration of treatment.
I’d rather discover that requirement before leaving home than at customs in Rome.
What to Do if Insulin, Medication or Diabetes Supplies Are Lost in Rome
Losing insulin, medication, or a critical diabetes supply while traveling is stressful. This is also one of those situations where having the information we gathered before the trip can make a huge difference.
1. Determine Whether You Need Emergency Care
Call 112 if the person is seriously ill, unconscious, confused, vomiting repeatedly, having difficulty breathing, or experiencing another potentially life-threatening emergency.
If the situation is not an emergency, but you aren’t sure what kind of medical help you need, call 116117.
Rome’s 116117 service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for residents, non-residents, and tourists. It provides multilingual assistance and can direct you to appropriate non-urgent medical care or Rome’s tourist medical service.
Do not delay urgent medical care while trying to find a particular pharmacy or replacement supply.
2. Contact Your Diabetes-Care Team
Contact the healthcare professional who normally manages your diabetes. Explain exactly what was lost, damaged, or unavailable and ask what information a doctor or pharmacist in Italy will need.
Your healthcare professional may be able to provide:
- A copy of your prescription
- A current medication list
- The generic or active-ingredient name
- Your prescribed dosage
- A letter describing your diagnosis and treatment
- Advice about what to do until a replacement is obtained
A U.S. prescription should not be assumed to work as an Italian prescription. Italy’s formal cross-border prescription recognition rules apply to prescriptions issued in other EU member states. If the prescription you have isn’t accepted, Italy’s Ministry of Health advises obtaining the necessary prescription from an appropriate doctor, emergency department, or out-of-hours medical service.
Your U.S. prescription and medication records are still worth having because they can help an Italian healthcare professional understand exactly what you normally use.
3. Contact Your Travel-Insurance Assistance Service
If you purchased travel insurance, call its medical-assistance number.
Depending on your policy, the assistance service may be able to help locate an appropriate doctor, arrange an appointment, provide translation assistance, or explain how to submit a claim.
Save this number in your phone before the trip and keep it in your diabetes-information folder too.
4. Speak With a Pharmacist
Take your passport or identification, original medication packaging, prescription records, and clinician’s letter to a pharmacy.
Ask about the medication by its active ingredient, not just its American brand name. A medication available in Italy may have a different name, and some products available at home may not be marketed in Italy.
The pharmacist can tell you:
- Whether the medication or supply is available in Italy
- Whether the brand or formulation differs
- Whether an Italian prescription is required
- Whether they can obtain the product from another pharmacy or supplier
- Whether you need to see a doctor
Do not substitute insulin, medication, needles, test strips, pump supplies, or another product without confirmation from an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
5. Obtain an Italian Prescription if Required
If the pharmacy cannot provide what you need without an Italian prescription, call 116117 for guidance about where to obtain non-urgent medical care.
Rome also has a tourist medical service (guardia medica turistica) for Italian and international visitors. Current locations include Trastevere and an office near Piazza di Spagna. Because locations and hours can change, I would call 116117 first rather than simply showing up.
Bring:
- Your passport
- Medication packaging or photographs of it
- Medication list
- Prescription documentation
- Clinician’s letter
- Insurance information
- Exact model information for any diabetes device involved
This is exactly when that folder we created before leaving home stops feeling excessive.
What if You Cannot Find Your Exact CGM or Pump Supply?
A neighborhood pharmacy may carry insulin and traditional glucose-testing supplies without stocking proprietary components for every CGM or insulin pump.
If a sensor, transmitter, infusion set, cartridge, or another device-specific item is lost or damaged:
- Contact the device manufacturer’s international support service.
- Ask whether it has an Italian distributor or emergency replacement program.
- Contact your diabetes-care team for the backup plan you established before traveling.
- Ask a Rome pharmacist or medical professional about obtaining appropriate glucose-testing supplies.
- Seek medical assistance promptly if you cannot monitor or safely manage your glucose.
This is one reason I would bring more sensors, infusion sets and other proprietary supplies than I think I’ll need. Finding insulin in a major city and finding the exact component for one specific device are two very different problems.
If You Are Staying at a Hotel
Ask the front desk or concierge for help locating the nearest open pharmacy or appropriate medical provider.
But don’t just take “there’s a pharmacy around the corner” as the final answer.
If you need something specific, call first and confirm:
Is it open? Do they carry the medication or supply? Do I need a prescription?
A ten-minute phone call sounds considerably better than walking across Rome in July only to discover the pharmacy doesn’t have what you need.
Finding a Pharmacy in Rome
Pharmacies in Italy are called farmacie, and you’ll see them all over Rome. They’re usually easy to recognize by the illuminated green cross outside.
But there is one thing I wouldn’t do: assume the pharmacy closest to your hotel will be open—or that it will have the exact insulin, medication, CGM, or pump supply you need.
Rome has both prescription and non-prescription medications, and some medicines can only be dispensed with a valid prescription.
How to Find an Open Pharmacy
Pharmacy hours vary considerably in Rome. Some locations close during part of the day, some are open on Sundays, and others provide extended or 24-hour service.
If you’re dealing with an urgent non-emergency medical need and aren’t sure where to go, call 116117. Rome’s service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and specifically provides healthcare information and assistance to tourists and non-residents.
If you need a particular insulin, prescription medication, test strip, or other diabetes supply, I would call the pharmacy before walking across Rome to get it.
Ask:
- Are you open?
- Do you have this medication or supply?
- Do I need an Italian prescription?
- If you don’t have it, can you order it or tell me where to find it?
Have the generic or active-ingredient name ready rather than relying only on an American brand name.
Night, Weekend and Holiday Pharmacies
Thankfully, Rome has some pharmacies that operate 24 hours a day, in addition to pharmacies with extended Sunday and holiday hours.
One useful option for travelers staying near the Vatican/Prati area is Farmacia Cola di Rienzo at Via Cola di Rienzo 213/215, which is currently listed as open 24 hours a day.
That doesn’t mean I’d save one pharmacy and assume it will solve every problem, though.
Hours change. A 24-hour pharmacy may not stock your particular insulin or device supply. And a prescription requirement doesn’t disappear because it’s 2:00 a.m.
Always call ahead when you need something specific.
International Pharmacy Italy
There’s an excellent option in Rome called: International Pharmacy Capranica.
It’s at Piazza Capranica 96, in Centro Storico just a few minutes from the Pantheon. That makes it particularly convenient for travelers staying in the historic center.
I would still contact them before relying on them for a particular diabetes medication or supply.
The Vatican Pharmacy May Be Worth Knowing About
Vatican Pharmacy is known specifically for sourcing foreign medications that can be difficult to obtain on the Italian market. The pharmacy says it has an established network for obtaining medications from other countries.
Telephone: +39 06 698 89806
It is located inside Vatican City, with public access through the Porta Sant’Anna entrance near St. Peter’s. Access is different from simply walking into a neighborhood pharmacy, so check the current requirements before going. Its hours also change seasonally.
If I had lost an important medication that was difficult to source in Italy, this is one place I’d want saved in my phone.
But again: call first.
What to Bring to the Pharmacy
Bring your identification, original medication packaging, prescription records, and clinician’s letter. If you need a device-specific supply, have the exact manufacturer, model, and product information available.
The pharmacist can explain what is available and whether you need to see an Italian doctor for a local prescription.
A Pharmacy Is Not Always a Diabetes-Supply Store
A Rome pharmacy may be able to help with medication, glucose meters, test strips, lancets, and other common products without carrying the proprietary parts for your exact CGM or insulin pump.
Don’t count on walking into a pharmacy near the Pantheon and buying the exact sensor or infusion set you use at home.
Before traveling, contact your device manufacturer and find out whether it has an Italian distributor, international customer-service number, and emergency replacement procedure.
Save This Before Your Trip
I would save these three things in your phone:
116117 — non-emergency medical assistance in Rome
Farmacia Cola di Rienzo — 24-hour pharmacy in Prati
Vatican Pharmacy — particularly worth knowing about if you’re trying to locate a foreign medication
And save the generic names of your medications with them.
Finding English-Speaking Medical Care in Rome
Rome has several options for travelers who need medical care, but the best place to begin depends on how serious the situation is.
For a life-threatening emergency, call 112. Do not delay emergency care while trying to find a specifically English-speaking doctor.
For a non-life-threatening concern, Rome actually has a very useful starting point for international visitors.
Rome Non-Urgent Medical Assistance: 116117
Call 116117 when you need medical guidance but aren’t sure whether you should visit a doctor, pharmacy, clinic, or hospital.
The Lazio health service says 116117 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout Rome and the province. It’s available to residents, non-residents, and tourists and provides multilingual assistance. Calls are handled by healthcare professionals.
The service can help with:
- Non-urgent medical advice
- Information about local healthcare services
- Access to out-of-hours medical care
- Information about medical care for tourists and non-residents
- Determining what type of healthcare service may be appropriate
- Connecting a caller with additional medical assistance when necessary
For an English-speaking traveler who doesn’t know how the Italian healthcare system works, this is the number I would save first.
Tourist Medical Service in Rome
Rome has a guardia medica turistica specifically for Italian and international tourists who need medical care that is urgent enough that it shouldn’t be postponed, but does not require an emergency room.
Lazio currently lists two locations:
Trastevere
Casa della Salute Nuovo Regina Margherita
Via Roma Libera 76
Near Piazza di Spagna
Poliambulatorio Canova
Via Antonio Canova 19
Because hours and services can change, call 116117 before going and ask which location is appropriate and currently available.
Out-of-Hours Medical Care
Rome’s guardia medica, or continuity-of-care service, provides non-emergency medical care when ordinary family-doctor offices are closed.
Current hours include overnight periods on weekdays and holidays, as well as specified hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Rather than trying to remember that schedule while you’re traveling, call 116117 and let the service direct you to the appropriate option.
Weekend and Holiday Clinics
Rome also has primary-care clinics that operate on weekends and holidays for non-urgent medical problems. Lazio currently lists these clinics as generally operating from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, although individual locations can vary.
Again, I’d call 116117 before heading across town.
What About the Emergency Room?
If the situation is a true emergency, call 112 or go to a Pronto Soccorso—the Italian term you’ll see for an emergency department.
Lazio also publishes real-time emergency-department crowd information, which can help identify current conditions at hospitals throughout the region. But don’t use wait-time information to delay care during a serious emergency.
Ask Your Hotel for Help
Your hotel front desk or concierge can also be extremely useful.
They may be able to:
- Contact an English-speaking doctor
- Help arrange a medical appointment
- Call a taxi to an appropriate clinic
- Locate an open pharmacy
- Help communicate with a medical office
- Contact your travel-insurance assistance provider
The hotel shouldn’t replace professional medical advice, but staff at hotels that regularly work with international visitors may know which nearby doctors and clinics are accustomed to treating travelers.
If You’re Traveling From the United States
There’s one financial difference I think American readers should understand before they need care.
Lazio states that non-EU tourists temporarily in Italy can receive urgent and non-urgent healthcare services, but fees may be charged according to regional rates.
That’s another reason I’d keep travel-insurance information readily available.
Before accepting non-emergency private treatment, ask:
- Is an English-speaking clinician available?
- Do I need an appointment?
- What will the consultation cost?
- Is payment required at the time of service?
- Will I receive an itemized medical report and receipt?
- Can the doctor issue a prescription that an Italian pharmacy will accept?
- Does the clinic have experience treating diabetes-related concerns?
Contact your travel insurer as soon as practical because it may have its own medical-assistance service or procedures for reimbursement.
Bring Your Medical Information
Take the diabetes-information folder you prepared before your trip, along with your passport and insurance information.
Keep both digital and printed copies of the most important documents.
A dead phone battery is the last complication you need when you’re already trying to explain a medical concern in another country.
Storing Insulin While Traveling in Italy
Insulin-storage requirements vary by product. Before traveling, check the manufacturer’s instructions for each insulin you use, and ask your pharmacist or diabetes-care team how to store it during your flight, hotel stay, and days sightseeing around Rome.
Write down:
- The recommended storage-temperature range
- How long the insulin may remain unrefrigerated
- Whether the instructions differ before and after opening
- What to do if the insulin becomes too hot
- What to do if it freezes
- How to recognize possible damage
Do not assume that the storage directions for one type of insulin apply to another.
Italy’s Ministry of Health recommends checking the package instructions for the exact storage requirements of every medication. Its summer medication guidance specifically notes that insulin requiring refrigeration should be kept at a controlled temperature between 2°C and 8°C (35.6°F–46.4°F).
The important part is still the instructions for your particular insulin, especially once it is in use.
Protect Insulin from Rome's Summer Heat
This matters in Rome.
Summer days can mean hours outside walking between attractions, standing in lines, eating outdoors, and carrying everything with you.
The CDC advises keeping insulin and other diabetes medications away from direct sunlight and excessive heat. Insulin shouldn’t be placed directly on ice or against a frozen gel pack either, because freezing can damage it. Heat can also affect glucose meters, insulin pumps, test strips, and other diabetes equipment.
Italy’s Ministry of Health similarly advises keeping medication away from heat and direct sunlight and using an appropriate insulated or refrigerated travel bag when necessary.
I would be especially careful with medication while:
- Waiting outside the Colosseum or Vatican
- Walking for long periods during the afternoon
- Eating at an outdoor restaurant
- Taking a day trip
- Leaving luggage with a hotel after checkout
- Traveling by train
- Sitting in a taxi or car that has become hot
Don’t leave insulin or other temperature-sensitive supplies in a parked car or somewhere you can’t control the temperature.
Rome’s Heat Can Affect More Than Your Insulin
There’s another reason I wouldn’t treat this as simply a medication-storage issue.
The CDC notes that high temperatures can affect glucose management, and dehydration can raise blood sugar. Changes in activity and heat may also affect how the body uses insulin.
Rome already involves a lot of walking.
Add July or August heat, unfamiliar meals, jet lag and a completely different daily routine, and this is something I’d discuss with your diabetes-care team before the trip—not figure out while you’re standing in the Roman Forum.
Follow the monitoring, hydration and medication-adjustment plan they’ve recommended for you.
Do You Need a Refrigerator at Your Rome Hotel?
That depends on the particular insulin, whether it has been opened, how long you will be traveling, and the manufacturer’s instructions.
Some insulin products can remain at specified room temperatures for a certain period after opening, while other supplies may require refrigeration.
Confirm the requirements for your exact medication before deciding what hotel accommodations you need.
And don’t assume that a minibar equals a medication refrigerator.
A hotel minibar may:
- Be warmer than a household refrigerator
- Have an inconsistent temperature
- Switch off when you leave the room
- Become too cold near its cooling element
- Have no temperature display
- Be completely unsuitable for medication storage
If you haven’t chosen your hotel yet, this is a natural place to link to your Best Hotels in Rome guide.
Questions to Ask Your Hotel
Contact the hotel directly before booking and explain that you need refrigeration for medication, not just somewhere to keep drinks cold.
Ask:
- Is there a working refrigerator inside the room?
- Does it remain powered when the room is unoccupied?
- Can its temperature be adjusted or monitored?
- Does it contain a freezer compartment that could accidentally freeze medication?
- Can the hotel provide a separate medical refrigerator?
- Can staff securely refrigerate medication if the room doesn’t have a suitable refrigerator?
- Will the medication be accessible early in the morning or late at night?
- Can the hotel refrigerate or freeze a reusable cooling pack before departure?
Get the arrangement in writing and reconfirm shortly before your trip.
“There’s a minibar in the room” isn’t enough information if your medication actually requires refrigeration.
If the Hotel Stores Your Insulin
If hotel staff will store medication in a central refrigerator:
- Keep it in a labeled, sealed container
- Include your name and room number
- Make sure staff understand that it must not be frozen
- Ask who can retrieve it outside ordinary daytime hours
- Keep immediately needed medication with you
- Confirm the retrieval procedure when you check in
I wouldn’t hand over all of my insulin without knowing exactly where it’s going and whether I can get to it at 6:00 a.m. if I need it.
Consider Bringing a Small Thermometer
A compact refrigerator thermometer can help you determine whether an in-room refrigerator is maintaining the temperature required for your medication.
This is particularly useful when the refrigerator has no temperature display.
If insulin has frozen, overheated, changed appearance, or you think it may have been stored incorrectly, don’t guess whether it’s still safe to use. Check the manufacturer’s instructions and contact a pharmacist, manufacturer, or your diabetes-care team for guidance.
Italy’s Ministry of Health also recommends consulting a doctor or pharmacist if a medication develops an unusual appearance, color, odor, or consistency.
Eating in Rome With Diabetes
Rome is a food city.
Pasta, pizza, supplì, gelato, pastries—you should be able to enjoy the food you came to Italy for.
The goal of this section is not to tell you what you should or shouldn’t eat. Diabetes management is individual, and your own diabetes-care team should guide decisions about food, medication, and insulin.
Instead, I want to help you figure out the practical side of eating in Rome: when restaurants are open, what information may be available, where to find food when you need it, and how to avoid getting stuck somewhere without a good option.
Rome Meal Times May Be Different From Home
This is worth planning around, especially if the timing of your meals matters.
In Italy, lunch is commonly served from about 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., while dinner generally begins around 7:30 p.m. and can continue until 11:00 p.m.
That doesn’t mean you can’t find food outside those hours in Rome—you absolutely can.
But the little trattoria you’ve been planning to try may not be serving dinner at 5:30.
Before a long sightseeing day, I would check:
- When your planned restaurant opens
- Whether you need a reservation
- Where you could get food nearby if plans change
- Whether you’ll be on a tour during your normal meal time
- What you’ll carry with you in case a meal is delayed
This matters on days like the Vatican or Colosseum, when timed tickets, security lines, tours, and crowds can easily push lunch later than you expected.
Carry Whatever You Normally Use to Treat a Low
This is not the trip where I’d assume, It’s Rome. There will be food everywhere.
There probably will be.
That doesn’t mean the food you need will be available at the exact moment you need it.
Carry the fast-acting glucose or other treatment you normally use and that your diabetes-care team has recommended.
The CDC specifically recommends traveling with snacks or glucose tablets in case access to food is delayed.
I’d keep some with me every day rather than relying on finding a café.
Grocery Stores Can Make Things Much Easier
One of the first things I would locate after checking into a Rome hotel is the nearest grocery store or supermarket.
Not because you’re going to Rome to eat grocery-store dinners.
You’re not.
But having a few familiar foods in the hotel room can make mornings, sightseeing days, and unexpected schedule changes considerably easier.
Depending on what works for you, you might pick up things you normally use at home for breakfast, snacks, or treating lows.
What About Pasta, Pizza and Gelato?
Eat the food you planned to eat with your diabetes-care team.
I’m not going to label Roman food as “good” or “bad” for someone with diabetes.
A plate of carbonara can vary enormously in portion size and ingredients. So can pizza. So can gelato.
If carbohydrate counting or estimating portions is part of your usual diabetes management, Rome may require more estimating than eating at home.
Restaurant staff may be able to answer questions about ingredients, but don’t assume they can provide exact carbohydrate counts or detailed nutrition information for every dish.
If you use an app or another method to help estimate carbohydrates while traveling, set it up before you leave home rather than trying to figure it out while your pasta is getting cold.
Ask Questions About the Food
If you need to know what’s in something, ask.
A few useful phrases we’ll include in the Italian-language section are:
Senza zucchero — Without sugar
Contiene zucchero? — Does this contain sugar?
Ho il diabete. — I have diabetes.
Ho bisogno di mangiare subito. — I need to eat right away.
Ho bisogno di zucchero. — I need sugar.
You don’t need to speak perfect Italian.
You just need enough to communicate the important part.
Hydration Is Surprisingly Easy in Rome
This is one Rome feature I really like for this guide.
Rome has thousands of public drinking fountains called nasoni, and the water is fresh and drinkable. The historic center alone has more than 200 of them.
Bring a reusable water bottle.
There are also Rome Water Houses near major tourist areas—including the Colosseum and Vatican Museums—that dispense free still or sparkling drinking water.
Rome’s official tourism information recommends the Acquea app for locating nasoni and Water Houses around the city.
This is especially useful during the warmer months when you’re walking for hours.
Remember That Rome Can Mean a Lot More Walking Than Usual
A sightseeing day in Rome can involve miles of walking without really trying.
You walk through the Forum.
Then you walk to lunch.
Then somebody says the Pantheon is “only 12 minutes away.”
Then you wander around looking for gelato.
Suddenly your phone says you’ve walked 20,000 steps.
Changes in activity, meals, heat, jet lag, and your normal routine can all affect diabetes management.
I wouldn’t try to predict exactly what that will mean for you. Instead, discuss it with your diabetes-care team before traveling and follow the monitoring and treatment plan they’ve recommended.
My Practical Advice
I wouldn’t try to make eating in Rome look exactly like eating at home.
That’s part of the reason you’re going.
I’d figure out the things that do need to stay predictable—medication timing, access to food, treatment for lows, monitoring, hydration, or whatever matters for your individual plan—and give everything else a little room.
Have the pasta.
Get the gelato.
Just don’t discover at 6:00 p.m. that the restaurant you planned on doesn’t open for another two hours and the snack you meant to put in your bag is still sitting on the hotel nightstand.
Traveling With a CGM or Insulin Pump in Rome
If you use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or insulin pump, most of the planning for Rome happens before you ever get on the plane.
Bring more supplies than you expect to use and keep essential diabetes equipment in your carry-on luggage. The CDC recommends packing extra diabetes medication and supplies because travel delays, equipment problems, and changes in routine happen.
For a CGM or pump, consider packing:
- Extra CGM sensors
- Extra infusion sets and reservoirs or cartridges
- Backup transmitter, if appropriate for your device
- Extra adhesives or overpatches
- Chargers and charging cables
- Extra batteries, if your device uses them
- Blood glucose meter
- Test strips and lancets
- Ketone-testing supplies if they’re part of your normal plan
- Backup insulin-delivery supplies recommended by your diabetes-care team
- Manufacturer contact information
- Exact device name, model, and serial number
The CDC specifically recommends keeping the make, model, and serial number of your CGM or insulin pump with your medical information.
Airport Security With a CGM or Pump
This is one area where I would not rely on general internet advice.
Different CGMs and insulin pumps have different manufacturer instructions about X-rays, body scanners, metal detectors, and other airport-security equipment.
Before your trip:
- Check the manufacturer’s current airport-screening instructions for your exact device.
- Save those instructions on your phone.
- Consider printing a copy.
- Tell security personnel that you’re wearing a medical device before screening begins.
- Ask for an alternative screening method if your device manufacturer says a particular scanner should not be used.
For your flight from the United States, TSA says travelers should tell officers about an attached insulin pump, glucose monitor, or other medical device before screening. TSA can use additional screening procedures when necessary.
The CDC also cautions that some CGMs and insulin pumps may be damaged by X-ray or full-body screening equipment and recommends following the instructions for your particular device.
On your return trip, remember that you’ll be going through Italian airport security, not TSA.
Don’t assume the procedure will be identical.
Rome's Heat Can Be Hard on Devices Too
We’ve already talked about protecting insulin from Rome’s summer heat, but the same concern applies to diabetes technology.
The CDC warns that heat can damage blood glucose meters, insulin pumps, test strips, and other diabetes equipment. Don’t leave your supplies in a hot car, direct sunlight, or another place where they can overheat.
This is especially worth thinking about in Rome because a normal sightseeing day can mean hours outside.
If you’re going to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain and everything else on your itinerary, think about where your backup supplies will be during that time—not just where they’re stored back at the hotel.
Sweat May Be an Issue Too
Rome in July can be hot.
And you’re going to walk.
A lot.
If sweat or humidity tends to affect your CGM or infusion-set adhesive, bring the products that already work for you at home. The CDC notes that additional adhesive patches can help secure CGMs in humid conditions.
I wouldn’t use a trip to Italy as the time to experiment with an entirely new adhesive system if I didn’t have to.
Charging Your Pump or Receiver in Italy
Italy uses a different electrical system and plug configuration than the United States.
If your pump, CGM receiver, or other medical device needs to be charged, check the manufacturer’s specifications before traveling.
The FDA specifically recommends confirming that a rechargeable insulin pump’s charger will work with the destination’s electrical system and using only charging equipment or adapters recommended by the manufacturer.
Don’t assume every medical-device charger needs a voltage converter. Many modern chargers accept a range of voltages.
Check the label and manufacturer instructions for your exact equipment.
Have a Backup Plan
Technology fails at home.
It can fail in Rome too.
Before traveling, ask your diabetes-care team what you should do if:
- Your CGM stops working
- Your pump fails
- Your phone or receiver is lost
- You lose your charger
- A sensor comes off early
- You run out of a proprietary supply
- You cannot immediately obtain a replacement
The CDC recommends carrying a blood glucose meter and backup testing supplies even for travelers using diabetes technology.
If your pump fails, follow the backup insulin plan provided by your own diabetes-care team rather than trying to improvise one while traveling.
Save the Manufacturer’s International Support Number
Before leaving home, look up whether your CGM or pump manufacturer has:
- An Italian customer-service number
- European technical support
- An Italian distributor
- An emergency replacement program
- Instructions for obtaining supplies while abroad
Save the information on your phone.
I’d also print it and put it in the diabetes folder we’ve been building throughout this guide.
Because if your sensor fails on Day 2, I don’t want your first step to be Googling “Dexcom Italy help” from the middle of Piazza Navona.
My Practical Advice
Bring backups for the backups.
Not because Rome is a difficult place to travel with diabetes.
Because your exact CGM sensor or proprietary pump component may be considerably harder to replace than something common like a glucose meter.
If you come home with an unused sensor and a few extra supplies?
Great.
I’d much rather unpack supplies I never needed than spend an afternoon of my vacation trying to find ones I didn’t bring.
Helpful Italian Phrases for Travelers With Diabetes
You don’t need to speak fluent Italian to travel comfortably in Rome, but having a few important phrases saved on your phone can make a stressful situation much easier.
I would screenshot these tables before your trip so you can show the phrase to someone if you don’t feel comfortable trying to pronounce it.
Medical & Emergency Phrases
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| I have diabetes. | Ho il diabete. |
| I have Type 1 diabetes. | Ho il diabete di tipo 1. |
| I have Type 2 diabetes. | Ho il diabete di tipo 2. |
| I use insulin. | Uso l’insulina. |
| I need insulin. | Ho bisogno di insulina. |
| My blood sugar is low. | Ho la glicemia bassa. |
| My blood sugar is high. | Ho la glicemia alta. |
| I have hypoglycemia. | Ho un’ipoglicemia. |
| I need sugar. | Ho bisogno di zucchero. |
| I need to eat right away. | Ho bisogno di mangiare subito. |
| I need a doctor. | Ho bisogno di un medico. |
| I need an ambulance. | Ho bisogno di un’ambulanza. |
| Please call 112. | Per favore, chiami il 112. |
| It’s a medical emergency. | È un’emergenza medica. |
| Do you speak English? | Parla inglese? |
At the Pharmacy
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| Where is the nearest pharmacy? | Dov’è la farmacia più vicina? |
| Is there a pharmacy open now? | C’è una farmacia aperta adesso? |
| I need this medication. | Ho bisogno di questo farmaco. |
| Do you have this medication? | Avete questo farmaco? |
| I have a prescription. | Ho una ricetta medica. |
| Do I need a prescription? | Serve una ricetta medica? |
| What is the active ingredient? | Qual è il principio attivo? |
| Do you have a glucose meter? | Avete un glucometro? |
| Do you have glucose test strips? | Avete strisce reattive per la glicemia? |
| Do you have lancets? | Avete lancette pungidito? |
CGM & Insulin Pump Phrases
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| I use a continuous glucose monitor. | Uso un sensore per il monitoraggio continuo del glucosio. |
| This is a medical device. | Questo è un dispositivo medico. |
| I use an insulin pump. | Uso un microinfusore per insulina. |
| My insulin pump isn’t working. | Il mio microinfusore per insulina non funziona. |
| My glucose sensor isn’t working. | Il mio sensore del glucosio non funziona. |
| I need diabetes supplies. | Ho bisogno di materiale per il diabete. |
| This device cannot go through the X-ray machine. | Questo dispositivo non può passare attraverso la macchina a raggi X. |
For that last phrase, only use it if that’s actually what the manufacturer says about your particular device.
At a Restaurant
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| I have diabetes. | Ho il diabete. |
| Does this contain sugar? | Contiene zucchero? |
| Without sugar, please. | Senza zucchero, per favore. |
| Is there added sugar? | C’è zucchero aggiunto? |
| What ingredients are in this? | Quali ingredienti ci sono? |
| I need to eat right away. | Ho bisogno di mangiare subito. |
| Can I have some juice, please? | Posso avere del succo, per favore? |
| Can I have some sugar, please? | Posso avere dello zucchero, per favore? |
| Can I have some water, please? | Posso avere dell’acqua, per favore? |
At the Hotel
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| I need to refrigerate my medication. | Devo conservare il mio farmaco in frigorifero. |
| This medication must not freeze. | Questo farmaco non deve congelare. |
| Is there a refrigerator in my room? | C’è un frigorifero nella mia camera? |
| Can you refrigerate my medication? | Potete conservare il mio farmaco in frigorifero? |
| I need access to my medication. | Ho bisogno di accedere al mio farmaco. |
Words Worth Recognizing
You may also see these words on signs, medication packaging, or while speaking with a pharmacist:
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Farmacia | Pharmacy |
| Ospedale | Hospital |
| Pronto Soccorso | Emergency Department |
| Medico | Doctor |
| Ricetta | Prescription |
| Farmaco | Medication |
| Insulina | Insulin |
| Glicemia | Blood glucose |
| Ipoglicemia | Hypoglycemia |
| Iperglicemia | Hyperglycemia |
| Zucchero | Sugar |
| Senza zucchero | Sugar-free/without sugar |
| Principio attivo | Active ingredient |
| Frigorifero | Refrigerator |
My Practical Advice
Don’t worry about memorizing these.
Screenshot them.
I’d keep the most important ones—“I have diabetes,” “I need insulin,” “my blood sugar is low,” and “I need a doctor”—in the same folder on your phone as your prescriptions and medical information.
And if you’re in a stressful situation and your Italian pronunciation suddenly disappears completely?
Hand them your phone.
That’s why we made the list.
Choosing a Rome Hotel When Traveling With Diabetes
Where you stay can make managing diabetes while traveling considerably easier.
When I recommend hotels in Rome, I normally look at location, reviews, room quality, transportation, and whether the price makes sense.
For a traveler managing diabetes, I’d add a few more things to that list.
What I’d Look For
A pharmacy within easy walking distance
You may never need it.
Hopefully you don’t.
But if medication is lost, a sensor fails, or you suddenly realize you didn’t pack nearly enough test strips, having a pharmacy five minutes away is a lot nicer than figuring out how to cross Rome.
A grocery store nearby
This one is easy to overlook.
Having somewhere nearby to buy water, snacks, breakfast foods, or whatever foods you normally keep available can make a big difference—especially if your sightseeing schedule doesn’t line up perfectly with Rome’s restaurant hours.
Reliable medication refrigeration
Do not assume “minibar” means medication refrigerator.
If your insulin requires refrigeration, contact the hotel directly and ask the questions we covered earlier in this guide.
Restaurants nearby
After walking around Rome all day, I wouldn’t want the only dinner options to require another 30-minute walk.
I’d especially look for neighborhoods with plenty of restaurants rather than relying on one particular restaurant being open when you need it.
Easy transportation
Rome involves enough walking already.
Being able to grab a taxi, reach a Metro station, or walk back to your hotel relatively easily gives you options if heat, fatigue, glucose levels, or anything else changes your plans.
Access to medical care
You don’t need to stay next door to a hospital.
But knowing where you’d go—and having Rome’s 116117 number saved—takes one more unknown out of the trip.
Practical Details for Travelers with Diabetes
| Hotel | Refrigerator | Nearby Essentials | On-site Dining/food options |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hotel Artemide |
Complimentary minibar/mini-fridge listed; confirm temperature and medication suitability |
Pharmacy: Farmacia Piram — about 1 minute walk Grocery: Coop — about 8 minute walk |
Ambrosia: full à-la-carte restaurant; pasta, risotto, fish, meat, vegetables & vegetarian choices |
|
Hotel de Russie |
Minibar and refrigerator listed; confirm suitability |
Pharmacy: Guarnacci — about 4-minute walk Grocery: Coop — about 6–7-minute walk |
Le Jardin: extensive à-la-carte menu; salads, fish, seafood, meat, pasta & vegetable sides |
|
Hotel Santa Maria |
Minibar listed; confirm temperature and medication suitability |
Pharmacy: Farmacia Rellecati — about 1 minute walk Grocery: CONAD, Viale di Trastevere — about 6–7 minute walk |
Breakfast buffet with sweet and savory options; aperitivo/snacks; no full dinner restaurant |
|
Hotel Isa |
Minibar listed; confirm temperature and suitability for insulin |
Pharmacy: Farmacia Centrale — about 3–4-minute walk Grocery: Coop — about 8–9-minute walk |
Sweet and savory breakfast buffet; rooftop drinks/snacks; no full dinner restaurant |
|
The Beehive |
Shared kitchen with refrigerator; confirm setup for your specific room |
Pharmacy: Farmacia Indipendenza — about 3–4 minute-walk Grocery: Coop — about 3–4-minute walk |
Shared kitchen for preparing your own food; food events/aperitivo vary |
Flexible Places to Eat Near Hotels
| Hotel | Restaurants | Approximate Walk | Why the menu appears flexible |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hotel Artemide |
Ambrosia Rooftop Restaurant & Bar |
At the hotel |
À-la-carte menu includes fish, beef, vegetables and other individually ordered dishes; current menu includes grilled sea bass and roasted eggplant. |
|
Hotel de Russie |
Le Jardin |
At the hotel |
Especially flexible menu: salads, grilled fish, beef, vegetables and side dishes can be ordered separately. |
|
Hotel Santa Maria |
Meridionale Restaurant |
About 4–5 minutes |
Sit-down restaurant on a quieter Trastevere side street with Roman and Southern Italian dishes rather than being directly on one of the busiest tourist lanes. |
|
Hotel Isa |
Sora Lucia |
About 12–14 minutes |
Traditional Roman trattoria with individually ordered dishes; a little farther away, but I’d rather send someone toward a real trattoria than choose solely by proximity. |
|
The Beehive |
Nerone |
About 6–7 minutes |
Traditional Roman restaurant with individually ordered pasta and main dishes; useful when you want a sit-down meal where you can choose your own combination rather than a fixed menu. |
These restaurants are included because their published menus appear to offer proteins, vegetables, salads, side dishes or separately ordered items that may make it easier to build a meal around your own needs. They are not specifically endorsed as “diabetes-friendly,” and menus, ingredients and preparation methods can change. Confirm ingredients and make food and insulin decisions based on your own diabetes-care plan.
Frequently Asked Questions About Traveling to Rome With Diabetes
Can I bring insulin into Italy?
Yes. Travelers can generally bring insulin and other diabetes supplies into Italy for personal use. I’d keep insulin in its original packaging when possible and carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor, especially if you’re traveling with a larger quantity of medication.
Keep insulin and essential diabetes supplies in your carry-on, not checked luggage.
Can I take insulin, needles and a CGM through airport security?
Yes. Insulin, syringes, insulin pens, pumps, CGMs and other medically necessary diabetes supplies can travel with you.
I keep anything I absolutely need in my carry-on rather than risking it in checked luggage. It’s also a good idea to bring more supplies than you expect to use in case something gets lost, damaged or your trip gets delayed.
How do I keep insulin cold while sightseeing in Rome?
Insulin that requires refrigeration should be stored according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For travel days and sightseeing, an insulated medication case or appropriate cooling pouch can make carrying it easier.
One important thing: don’t put insulin directly against ice or frozen gel packs, because freezing can damage it.
If refrigeration is important for your medication, confirm your hotel’s refrigerator situation before you arrive rather than assuming the minibar will work.
Can I buy insulin or diabetes supplies at a pharmacy in Rome?
Rome has pharmacies throughout the city, and pharmacists can be a helpful first stop if you need assistance.
However, the exact insulin brands, CGM supplies and other diabetes products available in Italy may differ from what you use at home. I would bring enough medication and supplies for the entire trip plus extras rather than planning to replace them in Rome.
If you do need medication while traveling, bring the exact generic and brand names of what you use.
What is the emergency number in Rome?
112 is the European emergency number and can be used for urgent medical emergencies in Italy.
Italy also uses 116117 for non-emergency medical assistance in participating areas, including guidance when you need medical care but it isn’t a life-threatening emergency.
I’d save both numbers in your phone before the trip.
Is Rome difficult to visit with diabetes?
It doesn’t have to be, but Rome can involve a lot of walking, heat and long sightseeing days, all of which can affect your normal routine.
I’d build in more breaks than you think you need, carry water and fast-acting glucose, and avoid scheduling every hour of the day. Knowing where pharmacies, grocery stores and your hotel are located also makes it much easier to change plans when necessary.
Is Italian food difficult to manage with diabetes?
You don’t have to avoid Italian food because you have diabetes.
What can be helpful is choosing restaurants where foods can be ordered separately rather than relying entirely on fixed menus. Grilled fish or meat, vegetables, salads and side dishes are commonly available alongside pasta, pizza and other foods Rome is famous for.
You know your own diabetes management better than a restaurant—or a travel blogger—does, so use your normal approach to carbohydrate counting, medication and meal decisions.
Should I tell my Rome hotel that I have diabetes?
You don’t necessarily need to disclose that you have diabetes. But if you need reliable refrigeration for medication, I would contact the hotel before your trip and ask specifically about medication storage.
Don’t just ask whether the room has a minibar. Ask whether there is a refrigerator that can maintain the temperature required for your medication or whether the hotel can provide appropriate medication refrigeration.
Planning a Trip to Rome?
If you’re heading to Rome, I have a few more guides that can help with the rest of your planning:
→ Where to Stay in Rome
Not sure which neighborhood makes the most sense? I break down my favorite areas, who each one is best for, and where I’d stay.
→ Best Hotels in Rome
My favorite Rome hotels at different price points, including the five hotels mentioned in this guide.
→ 3 Days in Rome Itinerary
A realistic three-day itinerary that covers the big sights without spending your entire vacation racing from one attraction to another.
→ Plan Your Trip to Rome
Start here if you’re still putting everything together. You’ll find my picks for hotels, airport transfers, tours, eSIMs and the other things you’ll want to book before you go.
Final Thoughts on Traveling to Rome With Diabetes
Rome is one of those cities where you can easily walk 20,000 steps without realizing it. Add summer heat, long museum days, late dinners and a completely different routine, and diabetes is definitely something worth thinking about before you arrive.
But I also wouldn’t let it take over the trip.
A little planning goes a long way.
Know where the nearest pharmacy is. Make sure you have a plan for storing insulin. Carry more supplies than you think you’ll need. Keep something with you for lows. And give yourself permission to change the plan if your body isn’t cooperating with the itinerary you made months ago.
I’d also leave some breathing room in your days. Rome is not a city I’d try to conquer.
Some of the best parts are sitting at a café longer than you planned, wandering down a street because it looks interesting, or finding a little restaurant a block away from the tourist crowds.
Diabetes may require a little more planning, but it doesn’t have to be the thing your Rome trip revolves around.
Do the planning before you leave. Know where to get help if you need it.
Then go eat the pasta. See the Colosseum. Throw the coin in the Trevi Fountain.
You’re in Rome. Enjoy it.
Information last verified: August 2026. This guide provides general travel-planning information and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.