Diet Soda in Rome
 

I will be travelling to Rome next month with my wife and two teenage daughters. We are all very excited since it is our first visit to Rome.

Do they sell diet soda in Rome that tastes similar to the soda I am used to in the US? I am not a coffee drinker, so I get my caffeine fix from Diet Pepsi/Diet Coke. We were in Paris and London in 2003 and often found only Coke Light (not the same thing).

Coke Light is the only thing I can recall...I don't drink it so I may have missed others. Seeing that you'll be in Rome you may just have to refer to that old saying....

"Coca-Cola Light" is common throughout the European countries I've been in (England, France, Italy, Greece). The kicker is, you'll spend more on it at a cafe than a glass of wine in some places, so choose wisely. :)

Cheers

Jules

The diet Coke and Pepsi (both called light) in Europe tastes flat and sweeter compared to the US versions. Try adding sparkling water to it to give it a little more fizz.

jules-you are so right! when hubby and
I were in Paris 2004, I remember (and
we still laugh about this) I had a glass of red wine (about 2,50 euro)
and my husband's soda was a whopping
5 euro (he had 2 BTW, and so you know,
there are no free refills in Paris!)
....just one more reason to drink wine
:)

It's pretty much just Coke Light (which we prefer over regular diet coke), although I did see a "light" peach tea in October.
P.S. for those who like Coke Light, check out the new Coke One, it's very similar in taste.

My last trip to France, I took along enough diet Coke to have one each morning.

Keith

Go to a grocery store and stock up for your hotel room. Oddly, it's so expensive in cafes, etc., yet cheaper in a lot of groceries than in the U.S.

I've seen only coke or pepsi loght in Europe. to experience it in the US try the Coke 1. Very similar taste. My wife doesn't care much for it, finds it too sweet but I'm so glad to have coke 1, I've always enjoyed cike light in Europe better that diet coke. Yes, it's in rome.

Coke Light IS Diet Coke, that is just the name Coca-Cola uses for it over in Europe, to distinguish from the US distribution. As the others have said, go to a grocery store in Rome and stock up on a couple 6 packs. It will be a lot cheaper than ordering in a restaurant.

Alternatively, there is a fruit type spritzer/carbonated drink that they make in Italy using a flavored syrup that they add to sparkling water. While not diet per se, it is certainly a lot less sugar than drinking a regular soda.

Coca Cola Light is the 1 calorie version of Coca Cola in Europe. I don't know if the taste is exactly the same as Diet Coke. Same goes for Pepsi Max, that's Diet Pepsi.
In the supermarket you can also find light versions of Fanta and Sprite (2 lemonades by the Coca Cola Group) and there's Ice Tea Light as well. Those are not as widely available as Coca Cola Light though, which is really everywhere and you can find it in every bar.

Wow! I love tourists. Travel 6,000 miles, spend thousands of dollars and then worry about the availability of a soft drink. Europe has hundreds of similar competing beverages. One fix, flavored syrup and gas water plus caffeine. Europeans drink wine and beer as it is safer than water. And! it tastes better.

I really don't get the diet coke thing. I do know friends in the U.S. who drink it instread of coffee (its so much worse for you!!!) but if you are on your hold just get some in the supermarket and try some new drinks...I would kill for some blood orange juice. We are not as fussy about how exactly things tasts and each area of the world has a slightly different taste as I was told they try to adapt to lovcal tastes. i.e. some countries prefer sweeter and others less so. I find the coke and especially pepsi in the states makes me sick from all the sugary taste and diet coke is different to me. Coke lite is Diet cCke.

I don't see anything wrong with traveling a million miles and wondering about the availability of something.

If you think soft drinks are "expensive" in Europe try some of the bottled water.

"I really don't get the diet coke thing. I do know friends in the U.S. who drink it instread of coffee (its so much worse for you!!!) but if you are on your hold just get some in the supermarket and try some new drinks"

I do try new things, in particular I hit the European supermarkets to try new ciders and ginger drinks. I go out of my way to try the regional drinks like calvados and pommeau.

But guess what? I don't LIKE the taste of Europeanr colas. And I like to have a diet Coke each morning.

That is hardly a value judgement about Europe. I don't like Coke or diet Pepsi in the US, either.

Keith

I don't mean it as an insult I donst dont get it as I have no preference like this. I wont get agitated or plan a trip around a product I must have daily. Either bring a few in the case and buy coke lite when over or try some alyternatives if you cannot get hold of it :-)

Bottlers from around the world uses different sweeteners for even the basic Coca-Cola (i.e. Coke Classic here); and there's probably some small difference between a Diet Coke here in the US and a Coke Light in Rome. If one's very particular about his US-version of Diet Coke, then I also suggest bringing some over yourself.

The problem is that while the OP says he wants something "that tastes similar", he then says that Coke Light is not the same thing. Apparently, he's a lot more fussy about his softdrinks than many of us. Bring your own.

yes they have similar. no they do not have exactly the same. depends if it is important enough to you to import what you are used to at home.

Siobhan,

Coca-Cola in the USA isn't sugary sweet. The fomula for USA coke doesn't contain sugar, it contains high fruitose corn syrup, which is sweeter and cheaper than sugar.

While in the USA you want a Coca-Cola that is sugary sweet, you have to go to a Mexican grocery store (tienda) and buy imported Coca-Cola.

Imported Coca-Cola is a hot commodity here in the USA. Earlier this week (or maybe it was last week), The Wall Street Journal had an article about Mexican Coca-Cola.

In the summer of 204, I spent $9 on a Coke Light. Had it once then stopped. I would advise you to save your money.

David J