For those who often need to use the bathroom, worrying about where and when you will able to find facilities next can be a pressing concern that can distract you and take away from experiences. So, if you are on holidays and want to enjoy yourself without stress, it is always good to know the lay of the land and what to expect. If you are considering booking a holiday rental in Rome, in particular, you are likely looking ahead to long days of exploring the city and being out and about for much of your time, ergo you may need to use a bathroom quite frequently. To help you out and give you one less thing to worry about, here is our guide to public bathrooms in Rome.
1. P-Stops
P-Stops are a relatively recent introduction to the city, having been added in the last few years. They are manned information points where you will be able to ask questions about directions, museums, tours, attractions, and more as well as use free WIFI, fill water bottles at dispensers, and there will be bathrooms and baby changing facilities.
There is a fee to use these facilities but you can download their app and pay a subscription for free access whenever you want (valid for periods of 6 months or a year), pay for a limited time use (24 hours, 48 hours, or 72 hours), or preload your account with set amounts of money to use during your visits throughout your time in Rome.
Those who book a Roma Pass online ahead of their visit to the city – which can then be collected at a P-Stop – not only get free use of the tram, buses, and some metro and train lines within the city, some free museum visits, and reduced prices on tickets thereafter, but they also get free access to P-Stops. With a 48 hour option and a 72 hour option available, this is a great way to kick off your vacation in Rome.
It is also important to keep in mind that P-Stops have limited hours (usually 10am to 6pm) as they are manned.
Located in many of the main squares in Rome here are the current branches:
Via Giuseppe Zanardelli
Opening hours: 9am to 7pm
Piazza di Porta San Giovanni in Laterano
Opening hours: 10am to 6pm
Piazza dell'Esquilino
Opening hours: 9am to 7pm
Piazza di Porta Maggiore
Opening hours: 10am to 6pm
Piazza di Santa Maria Liberatrice
Opening hours: 10am to 6pm
Viale Carlo Felice
Opening hours: 10am to 6pm
P-Stop locations that only have bathroom facilities:
Piazza della Città Leonina
Opening hours: 9am to 7pm
Piazza di Spagna
Opening hours: 9am to 10pm
Piazza Sidney Sonnino
Opening hours: 10am to 6pm
2. Malls and hotels
Malls and hotels often have bathrooms that you can use. Of course, hotels are generally expecting that those using the bathrooms are guests or using their bar or dining facilities but if you walk into many hotels (except the highest-end examples or small family-run spots) to find a bathroom, you are unlikely to be questioned. Mall bathrooms, obviously, are pretty freely used.
There are apps that claim to have information about bathrooms in these kinds of locations at hand but, in reality, most are not updated with current information and not particularly useful as a result.
If you happen to be passing a shopping centre or hotel you could use their facilities or if you check a map app on your phone you might be able to see examples nearby as you explore the city during your stay in one of our vacation rentals in Rome.
3. Bars and cafes
Otherwise, bars and cafes are a good option if you are looking for a bathroom during a holiday in Rome. Again, usually intended to be used by customers, it might not always be possible to use facilities for free.
However, bars and cafes, in particular, usually have a standing area by the bar where locals drink espresso. Espresso often only costs between one and a couple of euros so, if you have any issues at all, it is as easy as buying an espresso (even if you don’t intend on drinking it) and then using the bathroom.
If it’s urgent or you have a small child with you, if you are polite, many places will simply let you use the bathroom.
4. Monuments and attractions
Monuments and attractions will almost always have bathroom facilities but do keep in mind that they can be far away (often by the entrance or tucked away) when buildings and museums are as vast as they often are in Rome.
As a rule of thumb, it is best to seek them out upon arrival if you have any sense that it might be necessary so that you can then enjoy your visit. Certainly, if you are someone who needs to keep such things in mind, it is better not to assume that you will stumble upon a bathroom as you explore a place and to get a map or ask at reception when you arrive about the locations of the on-site facilities – it’s always best and comforting to have this information ahead of time!
Of course, nowadays, all of these museums and attractions will undoubtedly have websites and you can also always simply look them up ahead of time if you wish. For example, if you were thinking about visiting St. Peter’s, you might need to know that within this vast building itself, there are only two bathrooms, one in the reception and one up on the roof that can be accessed by those who decide to climb the dome.
So, equipped with this knowledge, book your villa in Rome and start planning a perfect getaway without having to stress about finding a bathroom!