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Start at the pharmacy
In Italy the farmacia is the first stop for anything minor, not the last. Pharmacists are highly trained, expect to be consulted, and can advise on and dispense a wide range of medicines without a prescription — for a sore throat or a fever you would go there rather than to a doctor. Look for the flashing green cross; one pharmacy in each area stays open overnight and at weekends on a rota, the farmacia di turno, posted in every pharmacy window and worth knowing about at two in the morning. If you do need a doctor, the family doctor is il medico di base, and emergency care is the pronto soccorso at a hospital — which is where that word pronto turns up again, here meaning ready rather than hello. Visitors from the EU are covered by the European health card; everyone else should carry insurance. One cultural footnote that will amuse or baffle you: Italians widely believe in the dangers of il colpo d'aria, a current of cold air held responsible for stiff necks, earaches and worse. Expect windows to be closed, scarves to be produced in mild weather, and genuine concern if you sit in a breeze with wet hair.