Finding an Open Pharmacy at Night or on Holidays in Rome

In a nutshell

In Rome, at least one pharmacy per neighbourhood is always open — including at night and on public holidays. The on-duty rota is managed by Federfarma Roma (Rome's pharmaceutical association) in coordination with the Lazio Region and the local health authorities. Some pharmacies have opted to stay open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — mainly around Termini station, the historic centre, and the EUR district.

At a glance

Cost	Drug price unchanged + night surcharge of ~€3.87 (only when the pharmacy is serving through the shutter)
Wait	Immediate service
Where in Rome	All neighbourhoods — check federfarmaroma.it for today's rota
Documents	Tessera Sanitaria (Italian health-insurance card) + NRE printout (for SSN prescription drugs only); nothing for over-the-counter items

How to find the nearest open pharmacy

Three reliable options — pick whichever is fastest:

1. Official Federfarma Roma website — go to federfarmaroma.it, enter your address or postcode, and see the nearest on-duty pharmacy in real time, complete with opening hours and phone number.
2. Duty pharmacy app — download the free "Farmacia di Turno" app on iOS or Android. It uses your GPS position and shows you open pharmacies immediately.
3. Your usual pharmacy's answering machine — call your regular pharmacy's number; even if it's closed, the recorded message lists the on-duty pharmacies in the area.

If you can't locate anything or you're facing a medical emergency, call 118 for life-threatening situations or 116 117 for the Continuità Assistenziale (out-of-hours GP service, formerly known as Guardia Medica), which can issue emergency prescriptions during the night.

After 8 pm — ring the bell

When a pharmacy is "on duty" but has its metal shutter pulled down, it is not closed: it is legally required to serve you. Ring the doorbell or intercom. The pharmacist will answer through the service hatch, check your prescription, and hand you the medication.

In this case the night surcharge (diritto di chiamata) applies: a fixed national fee of approximately €3.87 per customer, set by DM Sanità 18/8/1993. It does not apply for life-saving medication, nor during the hours when the pharmacy is fully open to the public.

The daytime holiday surcharge is generally not charged.

24-hour pharmacies in Rome

These pharmacies have opted out of the rotation system and stay open every day of the year. No bell-ringing, no waiting:

Pharmacy	Address	Phone
Farmacia della Stazione Termini	Piazza dei Cinquecento 49/50/51	06 4880019
Farmacia Piram	Via Nazionale 228	06 4880754
Farmacia di Fiumicino — Aeroporto	Departures area T1/T3	06 65953515

For pharmacies with extended evening hours (until 10 pm) and for rotas in other areas, always check federfarmaroma.it — schedules change seasonally.

What to bring to the pharmacy at night

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, antacids: nothing required except payment.

SSN prescription drugs: your Tessera Sanitaria + the printout showing your NRE code (the 15-digit number of your electronic prescription). If you've lost the printout, the NRE is also accessible through your Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico Lazio digital health record at fascicolosanitario.regione.lazio.it.

Controlled substances: a valid photo ID is mandatory.

If the prescription has expired or you don't have one, the pharmacy cannot legally sell you any prescription-only drug. In that case call 116 117: the out-of-hours GP service can issue an emergency prescription if the drug is genuinely needed.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Don't assume a lowered shutter means the pharmacy is closed. Many duty pharmacies serve through the hatch at night — that's standard practice. Ring the bell and wait.
2. Don't pay more than €3.87 as a night surcharge. It's a fixed national fee. If the pharmacist asks for more, you can dispute it and request an itemised receipt.
3. Don't try to buy prescription drugs without a valid prescription. No pharmacist can legally sell antibiotics or other prescription-only drugs without one — it's illegal for both parties.

Special cases

You need life-saving medication at night (adrenaline, insulin, emergency bronchodilator): the pharmacist has a professional-ethics obligation to serve you immediately, without the night surcharge, on presentation of an urgent prescription.

You're looking for the morning-after pill: levonorgestrel (Norlevo) and ulipristal acetate (EllaOne) are sold without a prescription to anyone aged 18 or over at all pharmacies. For those under 18, a prescription from a GP or A&E is required.

You have a prescription from another Italian region: all Italian electronic prescriptions (NRE codes) are valid nationwide. A Roman pharmacy reads your NRE and applies the Lazio co-pay.

You're a foreign tourist without an Italian prescription: pharmacies in the historic centre often have English- or French-speaking staff. Show the empty packaging of the drug you normally take; the pharmacist can usually find the Italian equivalent. For prescription-only drugs, you'll need to see a private doctor or go to the Pronto Soccorso (Italian A&E / emergency room) to get an Italian prescription.

You need an emergency vaccine (e.g., tetanus): vaccines are not available at pharmacies. Go to Pronto Soccorso if it's urgent, or to the ASL (Azienda Sanitaria Locale — your local public-health authority) vaccination centre during opening hours.

Official sources

• Federfarma Roma — pharmacy rota
• Salute Lazio — pharmacies
• Federfarma national
• Ministry of Health — drugs
• Authorised online pharmacies — Ministry of Health
• AIFA — Italian Drug Agency
• Order of Pharmacists of Rome

Legal references: RD 1265/1934, L. 475/1968, DPR 1275/1971, L. 362/1991, L. 248/2006, DM Sanità 18/8/1993, DGR Lazio 1014/2017.