What to Do If You Get Injured in Italy: A Real Traveler’s Experience

What It’s Really Like to Deal With an Injury While Traveling in Italy

Let’s be honest, most of us have a tiny voice in our heads that whispers, What if I get hurt on this trip? I used to quiet that voice with planning and crossed fingers, but nothing prepares you like the real deal.

On a recent trip to Florence, Italy, my friend Monique had an unexpected injury that turned our travel plans upside-down (and her ankle sideways). Thankfully, we were staying at a hotel that turned out to be a total lifesaver. (More on that later.)

This post will walk you through exactly what happened, how we got help, and what I wish we’d known beforehand about dealing with an injury while traveling in Italy. If nothing else, it’ll reassure you that even when things go wrong, they can still end up Okey-dokey.

When the Day Starts With Iced Tea and Ends With an Ambulance

It was our first full day in Florence, and my friend Monique and I set off early in the morning on a beautiful day before our first tour, Pitti Palace and Boboli Garden, to do a little exploring. Soon, we found that not much was open before 10 AM.

I had been jonesing for a plain black iced tea since we arrived in Europe almost 2 weeks ago. Plain black iced tea appeared to be as rare as beef jerky with a side of root beer in Italy. As we aimlessly walked down the street, we passed a Starbucks. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn’t resist myself. I told Mo we had to go back; I was breaking down. She didn't try to stop me; I'm sure she was sick of hearing my constant whining about it. I went in and ecstatically ordered a plain black iced tea. It was delicious! I didn't even care what a dork I looked like as an American getting Starbucks in Italy.

We wandered further down the block and crossed a street where the Hard Rock Cafe happened to be on the next corner. I was rambling on and on about how wonderful it was having iced tea once again, and I didn’t even care if I wasn’t being a cool traveler and only ingesting delicious but teeny tiny little cups of coffee or sugary sweetened iced tea. Mo was companionably ignoring me.

Dramatic tension building: I didn’t know it yet, but this innocent little tea detour would mark the last time that day we would be upright and carefree.

The Injury Happens: Florence, Cobblestones, and Chaos

Suddenly, I heard a horrendous sound of bone smacking hard against marble. I looked slightly behind me and down and saw one of my best pals since fifth grade, Mo, sprawled on the ground behind me. She had tripped on the uneven sidewalk. The sound I heard was her shoulder hitting the Hard Rock Cafe's cold marble sidewalk, but the bigger injury was to her ankle. This was the beginning of our unexpected crash course in what happens when someone has an injury while traveling in Italy.

I had a momentary fear that I might start laughing as I tend to do when I see people trip. Luckily, I didn’t see her trip; I just heard the terrible sound of it. Back when we were in eighth grade, I’ll never forget our class sitting quietly, criss-cross-apple-sauce style, scattered out across the gymnasium, writing a “profound” letter to our future selves.

Mo was one of the first to finish. She stood up and unsteadily weaved through the crowded gym to submit her paper. It turned out her foot had fallen asleep. I watched her fall in the most hilarious slow-motion stumbling trip I had ever seen! I couldn't stop laughing! I still feel kind of bad about it to this day, and I think Mo is still kind of irritated about it, honestly. She ended up with a sprained ankle, and she has had problems with that ankle since. Now, here we were again. Thank God I didn’t see her fall this time, 40 years later.

Getting Help: Ambulance, Panic and My Sacred Iced Tea

I knelt down next to her, asking if she was OK. She said, “I don’t think so.” I scrambled over to grab a chair from one of the tables in front of the Hard Rock and pulled it over to her. She said, “I can't even move to get up, my ankle hurts too much.”

I allowed myself a brief moment of panic: What should I do? Can I lift Mo? Is our trip over? Is Mo going to be OK? We were supposed to split up and leave Florence soon. All of our hotel reservations and flights! What the heck do I do about a travel injury abroad? Is there an urgent care nearby? What if they don't speak English? Does Italy even have “Urgent Care”s?

I was snapped out of my moment of panic by the Hard Rock employees who appeared outside to check on the situation. I followed one of them inside to get some ice while another one talked with Mo. When I came back out, the employee was on the phone, and I asked her what was happening. She held up a “shh” finger to me, then finally whispered, “I'm calling for an ambulance.” Cue the sounds of cash registers chiming and cartoon visions of hundred-dollar bills sprouting wings and flying out of Mo's wallet!

I spluttered to Miss Hard Rock, “Uh, isn't there an urgent care nearby? Maybe we could take a cab there?” She hung up the phone and said the ambulance was on the way. I broke the news to Mo, who definitely seemed more staggered by pain and worried she might have a broken ankle than caring about expenses at that point.

The ambulance arrived within minutes, and the EMTs sprung into action. One of the two EMTs spoke perfect English, and the other one spoke nada (you can see how much Italian I speak). The first thing they asked her for was her passport, which she had with her (be sure to either carry your passport or at least have a photo or copy of it with you!)

Soon they had Mo loaded into the ambulance and let me ride in the cool jump seat with her to the hospital. After I set my precious iced tea on a shelf in the ambulance, the EMT told me I needed to throw it away or hold onto it. So, of course, I held it reverently. The hospital, Santa Maria Nuova, was just a short drive.

Inside an Italian Emergency Room: What Tourists Should Expect

I hurried after Mo as they wheeled her towards the ER. I was told I could not come in but would have to wait in the WW2-era waiting room (actually, reading the hospital's history, it may have been a 12th-century waiting room!)

Luckily, we could text each other. Mo kindly texted me to proceed to our tour since we'd already paid for it, and I couldn't actually wait with her anyway. It was my first time in Florence, and Mo had already seen the place I was touring.

It turned out Mo ended up sitting in a chair in the ER for 3 hours until she was finally taken for an X-ray. Only a couple of the nurses and doctors she encountered spoke English. Mo forgot about the Google Tranlate app but was able to communicate through pantomime and a few Italian words she knew. The results came back that it was not a break but just a sprain. They wrapped Mo's ankle and told her to take ibuprofen and ice it.

The Cost of Care and Why You Shouldn't Panic

She was then unceremoniously shown the exit with paperwork – which included the X-ray results and instructions for care (ice, elevate etc.); along with an order for pain meds to take to a farmacia – ALL in Italian. She hobbled around the ER lobby, where no staff was to be found. Mo found an ATM looking machine, tried scanning the barcode on the front sheet they'd given her, and was able to pay using a credit card.

In the end, Mo was charged just 62 Euros for the entire ER visit! No additional bills. No surprises. If you're nervous about healthcare costs due to an injury while abroad, Italy might just surprise you. (In the US this easily would have cost THOUSANDS of dollars.)

Crutches, Courage, and Continuing the Adventure

Luckily, our hotel (Hotel David) was a wonderful help. Mo called them while she was waiting in the ER, and they offered reassurance that they had equipment (crutches and a wheelchair) she could borrow. Apparently this is not an unusual occurrence for tourists in Florence!

With the help of the borrowed wheelchair the next day for our tour of the Uffizi Gallery, Mo was able to forge ahead, undeterred on the rest of our trip. That’s another takeaway, if you have an injury while traveling, don’t assume your trip has to end early.

What I Learned From an Injury While Traveling in Italy

Florence taught me two things: 1) Always watch your step on cobblestone streets. 2) If you do get hurt, Italy's healthcare system is surprisingly efficient, kind, and not terrifyingly expensive. Mo’s sprain was no joke, but we made it through, iced tea unspilled.

FAQs: What to Know About an Injury While Traveling in Italy

• Can tourists go to the emergency room in Italy?
  Yes! Italy has public hospitals that treat travelers regardless of nationality. Mo was treated without any issues, passport and patience required. You don’t need to be fluent in Italian (though it helps to have Google Translate ready).
• How much does a trip to the ER cost in Italy?
  Mo’s entire visit, including the ambulance, X-ray, and treatment, cost just 62 Euros. In the U.S., it would have cost more than a flight to Florence!
• Will travel insurance cover medical emergencies in Italy?
  Sometimes. Be sure to read the fine print. I use SafetyWing Travel Insurance. They offer coverage for your electronics also, so if your computer or phone are lost or stolen they're covered.
• Q: What should you carry in case of injury while abroad?
• A copy of your passport, your insurance details, and a translation app. Bonus points if your travel buddy has the strength to lift you and the presence of mind to rescue her iced tea.
• Q: Should I cancel my trip if I’m worried about getting hurt in Italy?
• No way. This experience proved that even when things go sideways, people help, hospitals work, and Florence still shines.

Shoutout to Hotel David: The Unsung Hero of Our Trip

While Florence’s ER handled the medical side, Hotel David handled the emotional triage, with free prosecco and a wheelchair to boot. Besides being kind and wonderfully old-school in the best way, this charming boutique hotel is:

• About a 20-minute walk to the city center (even quicker by cab)
• Known for its free happy hour and snacks every evening
• Set in a lovely historic building with cozy rooms and friendly staff
• Affordable by Florence standards (and worth every euro)

Check out my video tour of the hotel below.

More About Florence

Traveling solo or feeling nervous?
You’re not alone. I had a full-blown airport meltdown, and I wrote about it honestly: When Solo Travel Anxiety Hits: My Real-Life Airport Breakdown. Let’s normalize the not-so-glamorous moments, too.

Planning your first trip to Florence?
Start here: My First Time in Florence: What I Loved, Regretted, and Would Do Differently : It’s part love letter, part reality check, and all the tips I wish someone had told me before I arrived.

Obsessed with A Room With a View?
Me too! Take yourself on a literary-themed wander with Room With a View Filming Locations in Florence :all the real-life spots where the movie magic happened.

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