MaddieEms

Hi all,

We're doing a day in Rome/Vatican and I was wondering if someone can list all of the bathrooms (maybe even ones that are not well known) based on our itinerary? I have 2 little kids and so potty breaks are a must. They don't give me too much notice when they need to "go." We are only doing a day trip in from the cruise port. Thanks!!

- Trevi Fountain
- Roman Forum (entering from #41 on the "map")
- Colosseum (for the underground tour)
- Cab to Vatican Museum
- Vatican Museum
- Exit through St. Peter's
- Meeting our transfer pick up at Galleria Sevelli just outside St. Peter's square

Ackislander

I can only say that there are toilets in the Forum on the flat part, near where you enter, all the way back by a semi- ruined church near a cliff.

This will make more sense when you are there or maybe it won't, but they are there!

Ackislander

Oh, and ask for toilets, not bathrooms, anywhere really in Europe, to avoid strange looks.

Waldo

I'm sorry to say, but Rome (and most of Italy and France) are notoriously lacking of clean toilets, unless you go to into a hotel or expensive restaurant. In my numerous visits to Rome (and Italy and France), I looked for, and usually found, a clean McDonald's restroom. If worst comes to worse, you can order a coke, or something, so they will not look at you funny.

Peter_S_Aus

The phrase "Posso usare il bagno per favore" means "can I use the bathroom please".

We have found that the bathrooms in just about any bar are as clean as McDonaalds. Probably cleaner.

Cathinjoetown

Well, I may get shot down for this but I've seen a lot of little kids, say under 5, peeing in curb, discretely as possible with mom or dad right by them. Obviously, last option....

Day pack--clean underpants and shorts!

mama_mia

From Vatican Museums website:
Toilets


Locations of the toilets:

On the far left hand side of the entrance hall, down a flight of stairs. They are accessible to wheelchairs. Baby-changing facilities are available in the women's toilet.
Near the cafeteria. They are accessible to wheelchairs. Baby-changing facilities are available in the women's toilet.
In the area after the Cortile della Pigna. Baby-changing facilities are available in the women's toilet.
Near the Post Office at the exit of the Museums. In the women's toilet baby-changing facilities are available.
In the Raphael Rooms. Baby-changing facilities are available in the women's toilet.
Further back the entrance of the Sistine Chapel, near the coffee bar "Sistina". Baby-changing facilities are available in the women's toilet.

For St. Peter's:
There are three main restroom areas. Along the Charlemagne Wing (left side), beyond the colonnades on the upper right side, and in the bag check area on the lower right side of the facade of the basilica. The bag check area has the newest restrooms and from here you can rent the audio tour of the Basilica.
(This assumes you are facing the basilica, in the square. I do not believe there are any restrooms in the main area of the church.)

johnnyomalley

Italians love little kids, so I'm sure if you asked politely while pointing to the kids, they would let you use the toilet.

suec1

Seems to be quite a range of responses here - I'm sure it makes you a bit uncertain what you will have to deal with! I'll agree that having a pleasant toilet experience in Italy can be challenging. I have been in a lovely cafe, gone to use the facilities and found a squatty potty. I thought I read years ago about a webiste that helped you locate the clean toilets in Europe - google it! So at any rate - be as prepared as possible in case there is an accident and hopefully you will not have to resort to the Cathieinjoetown option!

Kristina

The Trevi fountain might be the biggest challenge. There, you would have to find a bar probably.
The Coliseum and Forum both have facilities inside the entrances. Look for the "toilet" or WC signs.
At St Peter's, there's nothing inside, but as you are exiting and looking out toward the square, there are some down the stairs to the left (or on the right as you enter). There are also public toilets in St Peter's sq.
There are none inside the Scavi tour (learned this the hard way).
Also carry TP or Kleenex packets.

kybourbon

>>>Meeting our transfer pick up at Galleria Sevelli just outside St. Peter's square <<<

There are two Savelli's. One at the front of the piazza (if you were heading towards Castel Sant'Angelo) and one on the side (Piazza Sant'Uffizio). If the one at intersection of Via Paolo VI and Piazza Sant'Uffizio, there is a restroom right inside the entrance of the store. There is also a restroom a few steps down Piazza Sant'Uffizio at Il Colonnato restaurant. Go in the door and down the stairs. There will be a fee.

There are restrooms in the Vatican Museums, but if you are on a tour and exit through the Sistine Chapel, you won't be able to backtrack to them. I'm not aware of any public restrooms inside the secure area of St. Peter's (unless you climb the dome).

Carry change as you will likely have to pay for restrooms more than once.

http://www.060608.it/en/accoglienza/...-colosseo.html

HappyTrvlr

Hotels usually have rest rooms off of the lobby. Rick Steves
included toilets on his city walking maps, very helpful.

annhig

i was desperate once to use the loo at the bus station where you catch the bus to tivoli - I just knew that i wouldn't last the bus journey.

i asked [in my "best" italian] first of all for le toilette, then il WC, then i gabinetti, and finally il bagno - bingo!

in extremis, you can usually go into a bar and ask to use them; just leave some change on the bar as you go out, but a good rule of thumb is to go every time you are in a bar, cafe or museum even if you don't want to !

Jean

I follow annhig's rule. If there's a toilet where you are, use it!

My husband has the all-time toilet story. We were wandering around Todi, and my husband had not earlier followed what we call the Italy Rule (see above). As he was getting desperate, I asked a local woman, "Dove il bagno pubblico piu vicino?" (Where is the nearest public toilet?) She replied in limited English that it was some distance away, in the main piazza, and then offered the use of the toilet in her home. Wow. My husband was beyond grateful!

I agree with johnnyomalley's comment about Italians loving kids. Just add "per i bambini" to the above question, and you'll have no trouble at a hotel, restaurant, bar, wherever.

annhig

She replied in limited English that it was some distance away, in the main piazza, and then offered the use of the toilet in her home. Wow. My husband was beyond grateful!>>

Jean - your DH must be quite a looker! did you leave a tip?

Jean

Well, I think he's pretty cute! But I think he must have also looked rather distressed when she mentioned "piazza principale."

This woman was so kind, and then she called out to her young daughter (perhaps 12 y.o.) to come over and practice her English with me as we waited outside her door.

stevewith

MaddieEms,

Everyone in Italy goes into the nearest coffee shop and asks to use the toilet. Point to your kids and say "Twah-letta?" As a courtesy, buy a pack of gum or lollipop, because the caffe owner is charged for water usage.

This is not "in extremis". This is the normal everyday way of finding a place to relieve oneself in Italy. Even Italian shop owners use the caffes. They don't run to the museums or hotels.

MaddieEms

Thanks everyone. I've never simply walked into a cafe (or bar) to use the toilet. I guess if my kids are with me and they're desperate (as so often happens when a 4YO forgets she needs to pee), I will have to do so.

=)

Thanks for all the tips.

Regarding the 2 Galleria Savellis --- is it "free" to use the toilets in these stores? Will they look at you funny?

Is it better to use the toilet inside St. Peter's rather than the outside one near the post office? Sorry if this question is dumb, but this will be our last stop before the drive back to the cruise port so I want to make sure we go to the "right" bathroom before our big drive.

Thanks again!!

kybourbon

>>>Regarding the 2 Galleria Savellis --- is it "free" to use the toilets in these stores? Will they look at you funny?<<<

I don't know about the one in front of the Vatican (might not have a bathroom), but the one on Piazza Sant'Uffizio used to be free. It's for customers of the store, but it's possible they have an attendant and you will have to pay (many bathrooms do). This Savelli is a souvenir shop for rosaries, mosaics, etc. They have cheap tacky things to expensive nice things. It's two stories and there are always a lot of people shopping.

One or two doors down at Il Colonnato, no one cares if you use the facilities. They have a snack bar/fast food upstairs (self serve cafeteria) and also a restaurant so many people are coming and going to the restrooms.

>>>Is it better to use the toilet inside St. Peter's rather than the outside one near the post office?<<<

I don't know of one inside St. Peter's except the one up at the dome and you would have to buy tickets to go up there. There are restrooms on either side of the piazza. The ones on the right are before you go through security to enter St. Peter's. They are usually cleaner and less crowded. The ones on the left are as you exit St. Peter's and are usually packed with a long line.

annhig

This is not "in extremis". This is the normal everyday way of finding a place to relieve oneself in Italy. Even Italian shop owners use the caffes. They don't run to the museums or hotels.>>

stevwith - as a middle-aged british woman, I can tell you that I do have to be in extremis to get me to go into a cafe solely to use the loo. I know that this is not the same for italians - when I was in Rome in February with a group including my italian teacher, she clearly thought nothing of it. She also thought that it was completely normal to get restaurant recommendations from people she accosted in the street - and quite often they paid off.

I can't see it catching on at home.