When does an eSIM beat my plan’s EU roaming?
When your network charges a daily fee for Italy, caps roaming data, or you are staying long enough for fair use to apply. If Italy is free on your plan with enough data, you may not need one.
Prices in pounds · for UK travellers
eSIM for Italy from the UK
Rome, Venice, the Amalfi Coast or the lakes? Compare what your UK network charges in Italy with a travel eSIM priced in pounds.
Photo: hyde ciel on Unsplash
- QR code by emailinstall before you fly
- Keep your UK numberdata-only eSIM
- 24/7 live chatin the Graba SIM app
- Pay your way
Before you buy: straight answers
Will it work on the high-speed trains?
Mostly. Signal drops in the long tunnels between Florence and Bologna, so download tickets before you board.
Does it work in the Vatican and San Marino?
They are separate countries. Check the plan’s coverage list if you plan to use data there.
What your trip to Italy costs
Set your trip length and how you use your phone. eSIM bars are data-only plans that cover the whole trip; UK network bars use your UK allowance and include calls and texts. EE and O2 and Vodafone don’t publish a price for Italy that we can check, so they aren’t charted.
Sources: Three roaming (checked 6 November 2026) · Airalo fixed-data plans (checked 9 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Italy eSIM
How long is your trip?
Pick the trip that sounds most like yours. Every plan is data only, paid once, with no contract.
Prices in GBP
Not sure? Answer 3 quick questionsWe’ll show the maths behind our suggestion.
Swipe to compare plans
On every plan here
- Uses TIM, Iliad, and Wind, with 5G where available
- Starts when you first connect, so you can install it before you fly
- QR code by emailInstall it in minutes
- Keep your numberData only, your SIM stays in
- 24/7 live chatIn the Graba SIM app
- Pay onceNo contract, guest checkout
More options
Other sizes for different kinds of trip.
Only need a day?
A day pass gives you full-speed data for one day, then slower data for the rest of the day.
500MB to 10GB a day
From £1.99
See day passesHow we choose these plans
For each trip we pick the current plan that costs the least while lasting the whole trip and gives about 0.3 to 0.7 GB a day, enough for maps, messages and social media. A plan may last longer than the trip. Everyone uses data differently, so check your phone’s recent data use. “Best value” only appears when that plan also costs the least per GB of all the plans that fit.
Arriving in Italy
- FCO Rome Fiumicino
- CIA Rome Ciampino
- MXP Milan Malpensa
- BGY Milan Bergamo
- VCE Venice Marco Polo
- NAP Naples
- PSA Pisa
- CTA Catania
Signal where people go
- Rome
- Strong signal across the city, though thick walls in old churches and museums can weaken it indoors.
- Venice
- Good across the islands and on the vaporetto water buses.
- The Amalfi Coast and Capri
- Mostly good, but the cliff road has blind spots between towns.
- Lake Garda and Lake Como
- Good in lakeside towns; mountain paths above the lakes are patchier.
- The Dolomites
- Resorts are covered; high passes and remote valleys can have no signal.
- Sicily and Sardinia
- Good in towns and resorts; inland areas have gaps.
Networks our Italy plans use: TIMIliadWind
Your UK network in Italy
Italy is in the EU, so check your plan first: it may already include roaming there. What each network publishes for Italy, and a week of it:
| Network | What it charges | 7 days | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
 EE | Varies by plan EE doesn’t publish one price for every country: it prices roaming by destination, plan and start date. Check EE’s roaming tool for Italy. | No published price | EE roaming |
| O2 | O2 Europe Zone O2 treats its Europe Zone separately from O2 Travel, and what you pay in Italy depends on your plan. Check your plan in My O2 before you go. | No published price | O2 roaming |
| Vodafone | Check Vodafone Check what Vodafone charges in Italy in its roaming charge checker. Its European roaming passes only cover Zone B. | No published price | Vodafone roaming |
 Three | Go Roam in Europe £2.75 a day in Go Roam in Europe (£2 on plans from 2021 to 2025), or £12 for a 7-day pass. Unlocks your UK calls, texts and up to 12 GB of your UK data. | £12.007-day pass | Three in Italy vs eSIM |
Sources: EE (checked 29 October 2026) · O2 (checked 29 October 2026) · Vodafone (checked 29 October 2026) · Three (checked 6 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Graba SIM vs Airalo: the same plans, side by side
Plans with exactly the same data allowance and validity for Italy, both data-only and priced in pounds. Coverage and networks can differ, so check the plan details before you buy.
Highlighted: the lower price for each plan. Holafly sells unlimited data only, priced in US dollars, so it isn’t in this like-for-like table.
Sources: Airalo fixed-data plans (checked 9 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Compare prices for Italy
Know before you go
- Italy is in the EU, so your UK plan may already include roaming there, free or for a daily fee. Check it before you buy an eSIM.
- The high-speed line between Florence and Bologna runs mostly through tunnels, where signal drops. Download tickets before you board.
- Vatican City and San Marino are separate countries inside Italy. If you visit, check the plan’s coverage list.
Crossing a border from Italy?
A Italy plan covers Italy only. This is what your UK network charges next door:
| Going on to | O2 | Three | Vodafone | eSIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SwitzerlandLake Como and Lake Maggiore, which reach into Switzerland | Europe Zone: check your plan | £2.75 a day (Go Roam in Europe) | Check Vodafone | Switzerland plans |
| San MarinoSan Marino, near Rimini | Europe Zone: check your plan | £2.75 a day (Go Roam in Europe) | Check Vodafone | San Marino plans |
| Vatican CityVatican City in Rome | Europe Zone: check your plan | £2.75 a day (Go Roam in Europe) | Check Vodafone | Vatican City plans |
Set it up before you fly
- Check your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM on our compatibility page.
- Install the plan at home on Wi-Fi with our iPhone or Android guide.
- When you land at Rome Fiumicino, switch mobile data to the eSIM and turn on data roaming for it only.
Questions about Italy
How much data do I need for a week in Italy?
For maps, messaging, train apps and some social media, about 1 GB a day is plenty, so 5 to 10 GB covers a week. Hotel Wi-Fi is common, so you may need less.
Does an Italy eSIM work in Switzerland?
An Italy-only plan covers Italy. If you cross into Switzerland from the lakes, check the plan’s coverage list, or choose a Europe plan that includes Switzerland.
Is a travel eSIM cheaper than roaming in Italy?
For a week with about 0.7 GB a day, the Graba SIM 5GB, 30 days plan costs £5.49, less than each published UK network option for Italy (the lowest is Three at £12.00). UK network prices include calls and texts; the eSIM is data only.
What do UK networks charge in Italy?
EE: EE doesn’t publish one price for every country: it prices roaming by destination, plan and start date. Check EE’s roaming tool for Italy. O2: O2 treats its Europe Zone separately from O2 Travel, and what you pay in Italy depends on your plan. Check your plan in My O2 before you go. Vodafone: Check what Vodafone charges in Italy in its roaming charge checker. Its European roaming passes only cover Zone B. Three: £2.75 a day in Go Roam in Europe (£2 on plans from 2021 to 2025), or £12 for a 7-day pass. Unlocks your UK calls, texts and up to 12 GB of your UK data.
What if something goes wrong?
Live chat in the Graba SIM app is open 24/7. Email and contact-form requests are answered Monday to Friday.
Travelling from somewhere else?From the USAAus Deutschland日本から한국에서从中国出发