Public Restrooms in Rome

Unlike a search for gelato in Rome the search for public restrooms is more challenging.  With all the public water fountains (nasoni) and coffee bars you are going to need one at least once during your day.   I will share what I have learned on this subject, so far.

The Pope declared the year 2016 a Jubilee Year.  In anticipation of the many visitors to Rome the Commune of Rome announced that all public toilets would be renovated and opened by the end of 2015.  These toilets did open for a short time but they were all closed by the end of 2016 due to a lack of funds.

Rome is an ancient city and the buildings were not built to include significant indoor plumbing.  Consequently, even establishments that you would assume would have nice restrooms may not.  It seems to depend on when the last renovation of the building took place and how much space the current business owner wanted to allocate for a restroom.

Most hotel lobbies in the US have restrooms that can be used by the public.  Most hotels in Rome have small lobbies and do not have restrooms for the public. You can ask at the desk but you may be disappointed.

Restaurants have restrooms but only for their customers.  The larger, more expensive restaurants seem to have renovated restrooms with more than one stall for the ladies.  (This is a very important detail!)  Many of them will have shared sinks with both the men’s and ladies’ rooms.    These restrooms will probably not have paper towels.  I have not seen paper towels in any restroom, so far.  I suspect this is in an effort to be “green”.

Smaller coffee bars and sandwich shops usually have a restroom for their customers, however, it is usually just one room used by everyone.  There can be a wait for these restrooms and once you are in they will be very small and often dark.  (I was in one that had no light at all with just a very small, dirty window letting in a minimal amount of light.  Challenging.)  Be sure to carry tissues with you since these restrooms are often out of toilet paper (carta igienica).

There are a number of McDonald’s and Burger Kings in the city, believe it or not.  You can usually use their restrooms.  You may need to get a code to use them from someone at the counter but usually there is a line so you can just go in after the person in front of you.  There is a McDonald’s near the Piazza di Spagna that is very nice.  It has a separate coffee bar, gelato and pastry bar and free wifi section along with the usual fast food counter.  There are large, modern and clean restrooms in there.  Other McDonlad’s are not so nice and are not always very clean.  It is hit or miss.  Remember those tissues!

Most museums have toilets but you will have to pay the entrance fee to use them.  Even there the toilets will be small and there can be long lines to use them.  The Borghese Museum has some of the nicest restrooms I have seen in Rome in the entrance hall of the Museum.  They are modern and very clean.  There are additional restrooms on the upper floors but they are older and just one room with long lines.  Since you only have two hours to be in that museum I recommend that you arrive early and use the restroom downstairs so you don’t waste your museum time in a restroom line.

There are no restrooms in the Forum or on the Palatine Hill.  There are public restrooms in the Tourist Information area across the street from the Coliseum but I have not been in there so I don’t know what they are like.

The St. Sebastian Catacombs and the Caracalla Baths had nice restrooms that were relatively modern and clean.  You will have to pay the entrance fee to use them.  They are a little out of the way so you wouldn’t really head for them unless you were already there.

Some of the nicest restrooms I have used in Rome are in the four major basilicas (St. Peter’s, St. Mary Major, St. John Laterno, and St. Paul’s Outside the Walls).  There are several stalls for the ladies and they are very clean.  They are free to use but they do have an attendant who usually has a sign asking for donations.  It is free to enter these basilicas but you have to go through security and there may be long lines.  Be sure you do not wait too long if you head for one of these.

Another really nice restroom is in the new department store, Rinascente, on the Via del Tritone.  The restrooms are on the 7th floor with all the restaurants.  They are really modern and clean.  One of my favorites!

A word about the toilets.  Most restrooms do not have seats on the toilets.  I have heard that the reason for that is that they break often and are expensive to replace.  There is a button on the wall to flush.  Sometimes it does not seem to work so you need to hold it in for a short time until it begins to work.

When it is time to use the sinks many of them are automatic.  However, if you are holding your hands there for awhile with no water you should look on the floor.  It may be the kind that is operated by foot pedals on the floor.  Just step on the pedal to get water.

Many restrooms are downstairs or in other awkward locations with no access for wheelchairs, etc.  McDonald’s and the Basilicas are handicapped accessible.  I do not think I have seen any baby changing facilities in any restrooms in Rome except at the airport.

If you plan to be in Rome I hope this will save you some time.  You don’t want to spend your vacation time looking for restrooms.  There are many more interesting things to do!