Mosquitoes in Italy – How to Prevent Bites (& Treat Them)

Ah, mosquitoes. I’ve been dealing with them here in Italy for over two decades. I still don’t have the ultimate answer to ‘how to avoid mosquitoes in Italy.’ They’re smart little (err… big) buggers, but I do have a few tips for how to prevent bites, which mosquito repellents we have in Italy, and what to do if you are (inevitably) bitten.

Like other places in the world, mosquitoes here are particularly ‘present’:

During the summer
In the evening (but unfortunately, some of them are also out during the day)
After a period of rain (when sitting water provides the perfect breeding ground)

Mosquitoes in Florence? Yes.
Venice? Yes.
Milan? Yes.
Sicily? Yes.
Puglia? Yes.
Lake Como? Yes.
Rome? Yes.
________? Yes. They’re everywhere.

So, if you’re traveling in Italy between the months of May and September, they’re likely to be a real problem. You may even see them in April or October, depending on the weather and where you are in Italy. For example, I’m writing this on October 8^th in Tuscany, and after not seeing a mosquito for a couple of weeks, they’re back with a vengeance on these warm October days after a 10-day rainy period.

Also, you may be that lucky person not be bothered by mosquitoes where you live, but have you met Aedes albopictus (the Asian tiger mosquito)? We have many different species of mosquitoes in Italy, but the most aggressive and annoying one – by far – is the tiger mosquito. You can recognize it by its black and white stripes.

Let’s take a look at:

How to prevent mosquito bites while you’re here in Italy
Mosquito repellents and after-bite treatments that you can bring from home or buy here in Italy
Where to buy mosquito repellents and treatments in Italy

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Table of Contents

How to Prevent Mosquito Bites in Italy

Poolside scene in the Tuscan countryside in Italy. Pool chairs sit by an olive tree and look out toward the landscape of the countryside - olive groves and vineyards. — *The view is amazing, but the mosquitoes aren’t*

There are a few things to do before you even arrive in Italy that will help you, as well as important tips for your time here.

Before You Get to Italy

Reserve accommodation with screens on the windows or with air-conditioning.

Find out if your accommodation sprays for mosquitoes. Some villas and larger hotels will spray the bushes that line the property.

Bring your favorite mosquito spray or products from home.

I think Off Wipes (‘Botanicals’ are without DEET, ‘Deep Woods’ have DEET) are helpful (especially if you need to put it on in places like a restaurant where you don’t want to spray other people or food).
You can also try repellent bracelets like Buggy Bands.
Some people swear by repellents with eucalyptus oil.
OFF! Clean Feel contains Picaridin, a DEET alternative.

Pack long sleeve shirts and long sleeve pants if you plan on being outside in the evening in the summer. It’s really hot here during the summer months (no matter where you are), but you can wear lightweight, natural materials like cotton or linen.

Once You’re in Italy

Keep your windows and doors closed (if you don’t have screens). I swear, if one gets in, it will haunt you all night long.

Buy mosquito spray at the grocery store or pharmacy (if you didn’t bring it from home).

Use a wall repellent. These small containers either have a liquid or a treated patch inside and they plug into the wall.

If you have a mosquito in your bedroom that you can’t catch, turn a fan on and point it at your bed.

If you’re staying at a villa or apartment with a yard, dump out sitting water. For example, if it’s rained there may be water in empty flowerpots.

Having dinner outside at your apartment or villa rental? Light a mosquito coil and place it on the ground near your table.

5 Types of Mosquito Repellents Available in Italy (& Where to Buy Them)

Shelf of mosquito-repellent sprays in Italy. Bottles on the left are natural, bottles on the right contain DEET. — *Natural and DEET-containing insect repellents on display at our local pharmacy*

Walk inside any grocery store or pharmacy in Italy in the summer months and you’ll find displays of mosquito repellent products. They’re often on an endcap at the grocery store. Even in the cooler months, you’ll still find a few products available, but they may be harder to find. You can ask, “Dov’è sono i prodotti anti-zanzare?”

Mosquito sprays – With DEET or Picaridin, or natural formulas. The main brands we have here in Italy are:
Autan
VAPE
OFF!
Jungle Formula
PIC
Natural & Baby Brands (Helan, Chicco)

Wall repellents – These wall-plug ins have small containers with either a liquid or a treated patch. The product diffuses in the air to repel mosquitoes.
Mosquito tennis racquets – Buy at dollar store type shops (I haven’t seen these in grocery stores or pharmacies in Italy) and let older kids hunt down mosquitoes in your accommodation.
Mosquito coils – Light these slow-burning coils and place them near you outdoors (for example, on the ground next to your dinner table).
Aerosol area spray – Vape and Raid make an ‘open-air’ spray that you can spray before you’ll be in the area (~30 minutes).

Helpful Tip: If you’ve got room in your luggage, you can bring some mosquito repellents and after-bite treatments with you so you don’t have to spend time shopping for them while you’re here.

How to Treat Mosquito Bites in Italy

Hand holds up small tube of After-Bite insect bite cream in front of a yard in Italy. — *We use this after-bite cream and you can buy it here in Italy*

Our main treatment options here are:

After bite cream (dopopuntura) – popular brands include After Bite and Chicco

Antihistimine cream (help with reducing itching) or Hyrdocortisone cream (help with reducing inflammation)

After-bite patches – You can get these at the pharmacy or bring treatments with you from your home country. For example, we use patches for after-bite relief. Ours are from Japan, but these from Moskinto are similar.

Mosquito Borne Diseases in Italy

If you’re stressing and wondering, “Do I need to worry about getting a disease from a mosquito bite in Italy?” – mosquito-borne diseases do exist in Italy. In my many years in Italy, I’ve never heard of a friend, family member, or client getting sick from a mosquito-borne disease, but the data shows they do exist.

West Nile Virus – I’ve seen more and more reports in the news about the presence of West Nile Virus in Italy.
Dengue Fever – By late fall of 2024, we’ve had 25 cases.
Zika Virus – Italy doesn’t have the Aedes aegypti mosquito (the most common spreader of Zika).
Malaria – Malaria has been eradicated from Italy, but there have been limited reports of the presence of the Anopheles mosquito (which spreads malaria) in Sardinia and Puglia.

Helpful Tip: I find the UK’s Fit for Travel site to be helpful if you want to know about the current state of diseases in your travel destination. You can search the News Page by place (Italy) or disease (Dengue, for example).

Dealing with Mosquitoes on Your Family Trip to Italy

I’m often asked about how our family deals with Italy’s mosquitoes… and the answer is, a little bit of all of the above.

If possible, I have my kids put pants on, but that’s not realistic as it’s often a hot sunny day and/or we’ve just gotten out of the pool. I also use an insect repellent spray on my kids if we’re going to be playing in the yard and I see a lot of mosquitoes out. We’ve tried natural repellent sprays and those with DEET.

If we’re eating outside in the evening, we light 1-2 mosquito coils and place them on the ground near the table. I will also spray exposed skin areas like ankles. If we’re at a restaurant, I’ll spray before or I’ll use repellent wipes at the table.

For bites, we use after-bite patches and the soothing after-bite stick.

We have screens on our windows, and we try to keep the doors closed.

We’ve tried plenty of the repellent bracelets, but we haven’t found one that works for us yet.

Good To Know: Our mosquito ‘witching hour’ at our house in Tuscany seems to be late afternoon in our backyard. If I don’t spray the boys or have them put on pants, they’ll come in with loads of bites.

Helpful Mosquito Vocabulary for Your Italy Trip

Insect repellent – insetto repellente
Mosquito spray – spray antizanzare
Mosquito / mosquitoes – zanzara / zanzare
Spray – spray
Cream – crema
Lasts for __ hours – fino a ___ ore
Long-lasting – lunga durata
Without DEET – senza DEET, DEET-free
After-bite – dopopuntura
Hydrocortisone – idrocortisone
Anti-histamine – antistiminico

Candice Criscione

Candice, a mamma of three, is an Italy trip planner and travel guide who has been living, traveling, and working in Italy for over two decades. She uses her extensive experience in Italy to help travelers plan their first (or tenth!) trip to bella Italia. She lives in Tuscany with her husband and three boys and when she’s not writing for Mom in Italy or The Tuscan Mom, you can find her cycling the Tuscan hills and exploring Italy with her boys!