Feeling Unwell While Vacationing in Italy? This Service Could Save You Hundreds of Euro

Many tourists who feel unwell while on holiday in Italy do the same. They book a private doctor at their hotel and sometimes pay hundreds of euros for a visit, or rush to the emergency room and spend hours waiting. What many don't know is that in many parts of Italy, there is also a public service for tourists that can provide assistance in urgent, non-life-threatening medical cases.

The service is called Guardia Medica Turistica or, in some areas, its new name Continuità Assistenziale Turistica. These are public clinics that provide medical care to temporary visitors to Italy. It is important to know that not every city has the service, and in some places it only operates during the tourist season.

Clinics can treat conditions such as fever, sore throats, ear infections, urinary tract infections, stomach aches, minor allergic reactions, and non-life-threatening injuries, as well as provide prescriptions for medications if needed. In many cases, waiting times are shorter than in emergency rooms.

The fee for the visit is not uniform throughout Italy. The health system is managed by each province separately, so different rates are set in each region. There are places where the service is provided free of charge under certain circumstances, and in others a fee of only a few dozen euros is charged. Even when there is a fee, it is usually significantly lower than the cost of a visit to a private doctor in a hotel, which can reach hundreds of euros.

The fee for the visit is not uniform throughout Italy. Photo: Shutterstock

Before arriving at the clinic, it is recommended to have your passport or ID and travel insurance documents with you. It is also a good idea to keep your payment receipt, as many insurance companies allow you to submit a reimbursement request under the terms of your policy.

It is important to remember that tourist clinics are not intended for life-threatening emergencies. In the event of chest pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, significant bleeding, or any other serious medical condition, you should immediately call the emergency number 112 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Before you call a private doctor or run to the hospital, it's a good idea to check if the city you're traveling to has a public tourist clinic. Becoming familiar with this service can save you time, money, and a lot of stress during your vacation.