Ice purchase in Rome/Monti - not for drinks

I have seen bags of ice cubes in supermarkets, usually in the same fridges with frozen food. But as Italians rarely use ice, in spite of going to supermarkets weekly I can't really remember how common are those bags of ice cubes.

If you cannot find ice, you could buy those refrigerating bricks that you put in your freezer - they get even colder than ice so you better apply them to skin through a napkin. They can be found also in flexible form, as sealed plastic bags with refrigerating fluid inside. When I was in need I used one of those bags; as they do not melt as ice and are reusable, they are even more practical.

Thank you, Lachera. I need the cold to mold over my knee cap, so the hard plastic gel filled frozen bricks are not of much help. My backup plan is to bring ziploc plastic bags that I can fill with water and freeze over a small bowl so that it forms to my knee cap.

lachera, do the stores sell this kind of gel pack there?

https://www.amazon.com/Packs-Injuries-Kinetic-Labs-Pack/dp/B06XBKG542/ref=asc_df_B06XBKG542?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80195746823020&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=111574&hvtargid=pla-4583795274127417&th=1

As they are not solid when frozen they cannot go in carry on bags.

If OP has checked bags that should work. Or if not available in Italy, order and have them shipped to the BnB

I’m in Italy right now with a small flexible ice pack to keep my medication cool. i regularly travel to the UK/EU with this pack. I freeze it at home & use it in my carry on to keep both my food for the plane cool & my medication. i use only carry on luggage; typically i fly British Airways coach class. My ice pack was NOT frozen in my bag on a BA flight from Heathrow to Naples because we were in a B&B in London before flying to Naples. I’d make sure it was frozen before leaving home& if questioned, explain the medical reason. I’d also message your host in Rome& ask them where to get an inexpensive ice pack.

In a pinch. would frozen vegetables work? I used frozen peas after shoulder surgery.
Good luck! Hope you feel better soon.

We use frozen peas or sweetcorn rather than ice - easier to mould round the shape of the knee.

Here in Italy in any Farmacia you can buy a flexible blu gel 'ice' pac. (different from the hard rigid square ones used in cool bags) It 'freezes' faster than ice and there's no risk of leaks like from a frozen ziploc bag. There are disfferent sizes and shapes. My husband's knee is better at the moment, but he has used this continuously on some trips. It moulds quite well around the knee and you have to put something between the pack and the skin.

Thank you very much! I see two pharmacies near where we are staying. I am comforted to know that the flexible gel ice packs are easy to find.

A couple reusable freezer packs sound like the best solution here. I've made my own by mixing half/half water and isopropyl alcohol.
I put it into a heat-sealed food saver vacuum bag. It's gets really cold, but never freezes solid and is always pliable/shapable.