Find a pharmacy in Piacenza
Piacenza sits at the crossroads of Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy, and its pharmacy network reflects that pass-through geography: 33 verified pharmacies serve a resident population of roughly 103,000, along with commuters from the Val Tidone and Val Trebbia valleys, students at the Cattolica and Politecnico campuses, and a steady flow of travellers leaving the A1 and A21 motorways. Density is highest inside the city walls — around Piazza Cavalli, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Via XX Settembre — with secondary clusters around the Ospedale Guglielmo da Saliceto on Via Taverna and in the residential ring of Besurica, Farnesiana and Borgotrebbia. The mix is predominantly independent: family-run farmacie comunali and private farmacie private dominate, with limited national-chain footprint compared with Milan or Bologna.
Walking the centro storico, you encounter long-established independents alongside newer health-corner formats. Antica Farmacia Antonio Corvi s.n.c., one of the oldest continuously operating pharmacies in the city, anchors the historic core, while Farmacia Centrale Parmigiani Daniela e Stefania s.n.c. handles heavy daytime footfall near the Duomo. Farmacia San Giacomo s.n.c. and Farmacia Caberti cover the inner ring of professional and retail blocks, and Farmacia Via Manfredi FCP serves the university and hospital catchment along Via Manfredi. In the outer quarters, Farmacia Besurica and Farmacia Bertuzzi function as neighbourhood anchors for prescriptions, paediatric advice and chronic-disease monitoring. The structure is fragmented rather than chained, with most outlets offering CUP booking terminals, telemedicine kiosks and seasonal vaccination services under regional agreements.
Pricing & coverage
Under the SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), prescription medicines in Class A are dispensed free or against a small regional ticket — in Emilia-Romagna typically €1–€4 per package, capped at €4 per prescription for non-exempt patients. Over-the-counter items follow free pricing: paracetamol 1g (16 tablets) generally retails for €4–€6, a generic amoxicillin course €6–€10, and a basic blood-pressure measurement in-pharmacy €0–€5. Self-tests, compounding (galenica) and cosmeceuticals are out-of-pocket. Reimbursement classes and reference prices are published by AIFA; regional surcharges and exemption codes (E01–E05) are administered by Azienda USL di Piacenza.
Emergencies & out-of-hours care
Out-of-hours cover runs on the servizio di turno rota coordinated by the Ordine dei Farmacisti di Piacenza: at any hour at least one pharmacy in the city centre and one in the periphery is open, with the weekly schedule posted on every shop window and on the AUSL Piacenza website. For acute medical or dental emergencies, the Pronto Soccorso at Ospedale Guglielmo da Saliceto on Via Taverna 49 is the reference A&E. Call 118 for ambulances or the pan-European 112 for any life-threatening situation; for non-urgent overnight medical advice, the Guardia Medica (Continuità Assistenziale) covers the province after 20:00.
Frequently asked questions
Can a tourist collect a prescription in Piacenza with an EU prescription?
Yes. EU/EEA cross-border prescriptions issued on the standardised European model are honoured at any Piacenza pharmacy, subject to product availability and Italian generic substitution rules. The patient pays the full retail price; reimbursement is claimed back in the home country. Non-EU prescriptions are not directly dispensable — visitors must obtain a local prescription, typically via the Guardia Medica Turistica or a private GP. Controlled substances always require an Italian ricetta ministeriale.
Are pharmacies open on Sundays in Piacenza?
At least two pharmacies are open every Sunday and public holiday under the AUSL duty rota, rotating weekly between the centro storico and the Besurica, Farnesiana and Borgotrebbia districts. The list is displayed on every shop door and published on farmaciediturno.org. Outside rota hours, the on-duty pharmacy operates a night window (chiamata notturna); a small surcharge of €3.87 applies to non-prescription sales between 22:00 and 08:00, set nationally.
Do Piacenza pharmacies offer vaccinations?
Yes. Since 2022, accredited pharmacies in Emilia-Romagna administer seasonal influenza, COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccines to adults under regional agreement. Anti-tetanus boosters and travel consultations are referred to the AUSL Igiene Pubblica clinic on Via Anguissola. Pharmacists also perform CUP bookings, ECG transmission, Holter rentals and basic blood-panel screening through the farmacia dei servizi programme.
Is English spoken in Piacenza pharmacies?
English is reliably spoken in pharmacies near the hospital, the Cattolica campus and the historic centre, less so in suburban outlets. Most pharmacists read English prescriptions and product names without difficulty. For complex consultations, the AUSL provides a cultural-mediation phone service, and pharmacies near the Politecnico campus regularly handle French- and Romanian-speaking patients given local demographics.
Where can I find compounding (galenica) services?
Several historic Piacenza pharmacies maintain a licensed laboratorio galenico for magistral and officinal preparations, including paediatric suspensions and dermatological compounds. Antica Farmacia Antonio Corvi is among the best known for this. Turnaround is typically 24–48 hours; prices follow the national Tariffa Nazionale dei Medicinali.
Safety note
This directory is informational only and is not medical advice. For individual clinical decisions, please consult a licensed pharmacist or your treating physician.