Italy is in the top ten destinations for Australians every year, and for good reason. It is also one of the safest places you can travel from a health point of view: excellent hospitals, safe water, and no malaria or yellow fever. So the answer to "do I need vaccinations for Italy?" is mostly no, with a few sensible exceptions that depend on when you go and what you do.
This guide covers what Australians should consider for Italy. It is general information only. Your personal plan depends on your itinerary, season, length of stay and health history. If Italy is part of a wider European trip, our Europe travel vaccinations guide covers the whole continent in one place.
Do you need vaccinations to travel to Italy?
No vaccinations are required to enter Italy for Australians, and there is no yellow fever in Italy. Everything below is about your own health, not entry paperwork.
Recommended vaccinations for Italy
For almost every traveller
- Routine vaccines. Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough and MMR should be up to date. Measles is circulating in Europe again, and adults born from 1966 onward who cannot show two documented doses of a measles vaccine are recommended to catch up. Many Australians in their 30s to 50s only ever had one.
- Influenza. If you are travelling between November and March you are heading into the northern flu season. The Australian vaccine is worth having before you go.
- COVID-19. Keep up with the current recommendation for your age and health.
Depending on your trip
- Hepatitis A. Considered for some travellers, more so for longer stays, rural travel in the south, and adventurous eating. It is a two-dose vaccine that protects for decades, so if you travel regularly it is a sensible one to have done once.
- Dengue and chikungunya. This surprises people. Northern Italy has had local transmission of both in recent summers, spread by the tiger mosquito that is now established across the country. Vaccines exist and are considered for some frequent travellers, but for most people this is a bite-prevention issue: repellent in the evenings from June to October, especially in the Po Valley, the Veneto and around the northern lakes.
- Tick-borne encephalitis. Present in a few forested alpine areas of the far north-east, mainly Trentino, Friuli and parts of the Veneto. Not generally recommended for Italy, but worth raising if you are hiking or camping in those areas between April and November.
Usually not needed
Rabies vaccination is not recommended for Italy. Typhoid and malaria tablets are not needed.
Heat, crowds and the long flight
Summer heatwaves in Italy are now routine and can be dangerous, especially in Rome, Florence and the south in July and August. Older travellers and anyone with heart or lung conditions should plan sightseeing for mornings and evenings and drink more than they think they need. The flight itself is a health event too: 20-plus hours in the air raises the risk of blood clots, so talk to us if you have had a clot before, are pregnant, or take the pill or hormone therapy.
Medical care and the reciprocal agreement
Australia has a reciprocal health care agreement with Italy that gives Australians access to necessary public medical care while visiting. It is useful but limited: it does not cover private clinics, some ambulance costs, or repatriation home, so travel insurance is still essential. Carry your regular medications in original packaging with a letter from your doctor.
Food and water
Tap water is safe across Italy and the travellers' diarrhoea risk is minimal, comparable to Australia. Eat well. The one caveat is raw or undercooked seafood and unpasteurised dairy on rural trips, which carry a small risk of hepatitis A and other food-borne infections.
When to see a travel doctor
A consultation 4 to 6 weeks before you fly is plenty for Italy. It is mostly about checking your boosters and measles status, and deciding whether hepatitis A is worth doing. Even last-minute travellers benefit.
At Travel Doctors Brisbane in Bulimba, we check your vaccination history and sort out exactly what you need, which for Italy is often one or two boosters and peace of mind. See our Italy destination health advice, browse our travel health services, and book your consultation.
This article is general information only and was reviewed against our subscription travel health database in September 2026. It does not replace personalised medical advice. Vaccination needs and disease risks change and depend on your itinerary, season, length of stay and health history. Always confirm with a travel health professional and Smartraveller before you travel.