It’s always a shock when an emergency cuts the ground from under one’s feet, but the levels of panic at least double when it happens halfway across the globe. As we all know, forewarned is forearmed (the fact that the expression is overused doesn’t make it any less true), so let’s talk about what to do if something happens during your Italy vacation.
Emergency Numbers in Italy
There is not much point in talking about the importance of staying calm or any other general advice applicable in any high-stress situation—we’ve all heard it three hundred times already. So let’s focus on specifics, and here is what you need to know.
- 112 – the European emergency number. It works from any phone, free of charge, and is the Italian equivalent of 911 in the US. In most Italian regions, every emergency call goes to one central 112 operator, who sends police, an ambulance or the fire service.
- 113 – State Police (Polizia di Stato), for emergencies.
- 118 – ambulance and medical emergencies.
- 115 – fire service.
- 1530 – coast guard, for emergencies at sea.
- 803 116 – ACI roadside assistance (from a foreign mobile phone, call 800 116 800).
If you are not sure which number to call, call 112. In most regions, the operators can help you in English.
When It Is Not an Emergency
Not every problem needs an ambulance. For a high fever or a minor injury at night or at the weekend, many regions have a non-urgent medical line, 116117, which connects you to the out-of-hours doctor (guardia medica). It is not active everywhere yet, so check the local health service website for the region you are in. For small things, the nearest pharmacy (look for the green cross) is a great first stop: Italian pharmacists give advice, and in every city there is always a pharmacy on duty at night (farmacia di turno).
If your passport is lost or stolen, report it to the police (Carabinieri or Polizia) and keep the report. Then contact your embassy or consulate, which can issue an emergency travel document.
That’s it: you are all set to quickly get help if anything happens during your Italy vacation. And, of course, good travel insurance is always worth it, so make sure you buy a policy before the trip.
