World Country Guide

Food & drink
Tap water is generally safe to drink. Bottled water is available. The inscription ‘Acqua Non Potabile’ means water is not drinkable. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are considered safe to eat.

Other risks
Leishmaniasis (cutaneous and visceral), sandfly fever, typhus and West Nile virus, though rare, may occur along the Mediterranean coast. Echinococcosis and brucellosis also occur, although rarely.
Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For further information, see the Health appendix.

Health care
European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland:
If you or any of your dependants are suddenly taken ill or have an accident during a visit to an EEA country or Switzerland, free or reduced-cost necessary treatment is available – in most cases on production of a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Each country has different rules about state medical provision. In some, treatment is free. In many countries you will have to pay part or all of the cost, and then claim a full or partial refund. The EHIC gives access to state-provided medical treatment only and the scheme gives no entitlement to medical repatriation costs, nor does it cover ongoing illnesses of a non-urgent nature, so comprehensive travel insurance is advised. Note that the EHIC replaces the Form E111, which will no longer be valid after 31 December 2005. Some restrictions apply, depending on your nationality.
Make sure the doctor you go to is a national health service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale or SSN) doctor. Their services are normally free. Surgeries are open from Monday to Friday but times vary. At weekends and on weekdays between 8pm and 8am, emergency services are available through the Guardia Medica. If you pay any charges, keep the original receipts and apply at the local health authority (Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale or ASL) for a refund. Most dentists are private. To get state treatment you will need to go to a national health service hospital or a dentist who is working in an ASL-managed centre. If an SSN doctor issues you with a prescription, take it and your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to the pharmacy. Some medicines are free; for others you will be charged a standard fee, which is non-refundable. The cost of medicines bought over the counter is not refundable. The ASL can supply a list of SSN hospitals or private hospitals that are affiliated to the state scheme. Depending on the region you are in, you may or may not have to pay for medicines prescribed in a hospital or for your ambulance travel. If you can't contact the ASL beforehand, show the hospital authorities your EHIC and ask them to contact the local office at once about your right to treatment under the state healthcare scheme. You can obtain the ASL number from a telephone directory or, in an emergency, by dialling 118.