Is Italy Safe? A City-by-City Safety Guide to Rome, Milan, Naples, Florence and Venice

Italy is safe for most travellers. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives it the lowest travel alert, "Level 1: grey", and the UK government describes crime as generally low, with violent crime against tourists rare. What visitors do run into is pickpocketing, bag snatching and tourist scams, concentrated in crowded stations and sights such as Roma Termini, the Colosseum, Milano Centrale and the Duomo area. In an emergency in Italy, call 112; Taiwanese travellers who lose a passport can call the Taipei Representative Office emergency line, +39-366-806-6434.

Key takeaways

• Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs rates Italy "Level 1: grey alert" (updated 16 January 2026) and warns of pickpockets and theft gangs at tourist sites.
• Pickpocketing is most common at train stations, on the metro, at airports, at major sights, and in busy cafés and restaurants.
• Italy's emergency number is 112 for police, ambulance and fire.
• If your passport is stolen or lost, report it to the local police first, then contact your embassy or representative office (for Taiwanese travellers, the emergency line is +39-366-806-6434).
• Carrying €10,000 or more in cash (or the equivalent) into or out of the EU must be declared to customs.

Is Italy safe? What official travel advice says

For tourists, Italy is broadly safe; the main risk is small-scale theft rather than personal danger. Taiwan's Bureau of Consular Affairs places Italy at its lowest level, "Level 1: grey alert", noting that pickpockets and theft gangs work tourist sites in the summer high season, and advises keeping a close eye on bags and wallets, storing your passport safely and carrying only a little cash and a card. See Taiwan's travel alert for Italy.

UK travel advice also says crime in Italy is generally low but petty crime is higher in city centres and at major sights, with train and metro stations, airports and tourist attractions as hotspots. It warns about distraction techniques and advises against accepting drinks from strangers; see UK government safety advice for Italy.

Where do you need to be careful in Italian cities?

Here are the spots that need the most care in five popular cities. "Caution level" is a relative comparison based on official advice and common cases. It doesn't mean you should avoid these places; with sensible precautions, most visitors have no problems.

City	Places to take extra care	What happens	Caution level
Rome	Termini station, metro Line A, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, bus 64	Pickpocketing, distraction theft	Higher
Milan	Milano Centrale, Piazza del Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, metro	Pickpocketing, pushy bracelet sellers	Medium
Naples	Napoli Centrale and Piazza Garibaldi, historic centre, Spanish Quarters	Pickpocketing, phone and bag snatching	Higher
Florence	Santa Maria Novella station, Piazza del Duomo, Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio area	Pickpocketing	Lower
Venice	St Mark's Square, Rialto Bridge, vaporetto water buses	Pickpocketing, unclear prices in tourist areas	Lower

Rome

Rome has more pickpockets than most Italian cities. Take the most care at Termini station, on metro Line A (towards the Vatican), and around the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. Bus 64 to the Vatican is crowded and full of tourists, which makes it another common target. Wear your backpack on your front and never keep your phone in a back pocket.

The main hall of Roma Termini station. Photo: Philip Mallis / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

Milan

Milan is reasonably safe overall, with the risk concentrated at Milano Centrale, Piazza del Duomo, the Galleria and the metro at rush hour. On the cathedral square, people may tie a bracelet onto your wrist or press corn into your hand to feed the pigeons, then demand money. Just say no and keep walking.

Naples

Naples calls for more care than other cities, but with some caution it's well worth a visit. Napoli Centrale and Piazza Garibaldi have many pickpockets, and in the narrow streets of the historic centre and the Spanish Quarters there are cases of phones and bags being snatched from scooters. Keep your phone away and carry your bag on the side away from the road. Scampia, on the outskirts, is not a tourist area and visitors have no reason to go there.

Florence

Florence is one of Italy's safer tourist cities; the main risk is pickpockets at Santa Maria Novella station, Piazza del Duomo, in the Uffizi queues and on the Ponte Vecchio. When queuing at busy sights, turn your bag's zip towards your body and don't leave your phone on a table or chair back.

The Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

Venice

Serious crime is rare in Venice. Watch for pickpockets on St Mark's Square, the Rialto Bridge and crowded vaporetti, and for unclear pricing at some restaurants in the tourist areas. Check menu prices, service charges and the cover charge (coperto) before you order, and agree the total for a gondola ride before you get in.

The Rialto Bridge. Photo: kallerna / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Common pickpocketing tricks and scams in Italy

Pickpockets in Italy rarely use violence; they usually distract you first. These are the tactics official advice and travellers mention most:

Tactic	How it works	What to do
Distraction	One person asks directions, chats or "accidentally" stains your clothes while an accomplice takes your wallet	Guard your bag when someone comes close; you don't need to stop
Petition clipboard	You're asked to sign a petition while a hand under the clipboard goes into your bag	Say no and keep walking
Forced bracelets or roses	A bracelet is tied on your wrist or a flower pushed into your hand, then payment is demanded	Don't take it, and refuse clearly
Grab at the doors	Someone snatches your phone just before metro or bus doors close and jumps off	Don't stand by the doors using your phone
Spiked drinks	A stranger in a bar buys you a drink and robs you once you're impaired	Don't accept drinks from strangers; keep your drink in sight

An anti-pickpocket warning sign at an Italian railway station. Photo: Cory Doctorow / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

What to do if you're robbed or have an emergency in Italy

For any emergency in Italy, first call 112, the EU-wide emergency number. If something is stolen:

1. Call your bank to block your cards straight away, and change the passwords for your phone and key accounts.
2. Report the theft at a police station (Polizia di Stato or Carabinieri) and get a copy of the report (denuncia), which you'll need for insurance claims.
3. If your passport is lost or stolen, contact your embassy or representative office for a replacement passport or emergency travel document (for Taiwanese travellers, the Taipei Representative Office in Italy: +39-366-806-6434). The UK government notes that a police report can't be used instead of a passport to leave Italy.
4. Family in Taiwan can call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Emergency Response Center on 0800-085-095.

Before you go, save photos of your passport, insurance policy and bookings to the cloud, and register your trip with your government if it offers a registration service.

Changing cities by train in Italy: how to keep your luggage safe

Large luggage is the easiest target when you change cities in Italy. Stations are crowded, you have to lift bags up the train steps, luggage racks are usually at the ends of the carriage out of sight of your seat, and big stations such as Roma Termini and Milano Centrale are named in official advice as theft hotspots. Dragging a suitcase over cobblestones to your hotel also makes it hard to watch your day bag at the same time.

The usual options are:

1. Lock your suitcase to the train's luggage rack and choose a seat where you can see it.
2. Leave your luggage at the hotel and come back for it (you have to return to the hotel).
3. Use a luggage delivery service and travel with just a day bag.

LuggAgent offers same-day luggage delivery between hotels, apartments and airports in Rome, Florence and Milan, and between those cities: choose a 09:00–11:00 pickup time when booking, leave your bags at the front desk before then and they reach your next hotel by 21:00. Most services need to be booked at least 24–72 hours in advance; the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page. See Italy luggage delivery for details.

Landing at Fiumicino, you can hand us your bags at the airport and head into Rome hands-free:

Taking the train from Rome to Florence, carry only a day bag while your luggage goes to your Florence hotel the same day:

The same works from Florence to Milan:

Book luggage delivery

FAQ

Is it safe to travel in Italy?

Yes, overall. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives Italy its lowest alert, Level 1 (grey), and the UK government describes crime as generally low. The main risk for visitors is pickpocketing at stations, on the metro and at popular sights, and most travellers who keep an eye on their belongings have a trouble-free trip.

Is Roma Termini safe at night?

Termini is Rome's busiest transport hub and is named in official advice as a pickpocket hotspot, and the streets around it are quieter at night. Don't linger around the station, ignore strangers offering to carry bags or buy tickets for you, and if you arrive late, take a licensed white taxi from the official rank straight to your hotel.

Is Naples safe to visit?

Yes, and large numbers of visitors go to its historic centre and nearby Pompeii every year. Watch for pickpockets around Napoli Centrale and for phones or bags being snatched from scooters in narrow streets. Keep your phone away, avoid flashy jewellery, and don't walk deserted backstreets late at night.

What should I do if my passport is stolen in Italy?

Report it at a police station to get a police report, then contact your embassy or representative office for a replacement passport or emergency travel document (Taiwanese travellers: +39-366-806-6434). A police report can't replace a passport for leaving Italy, so allow time for the paperwork.

What is the emergency number in Italy?

Italy uses 112, the EU-wide emergency number, for police, ambulance and fire. If you have language difficulties or need help, contact your embassy as well; Taiwanese travellers can call the representative office emergency line on +39-366-806-6434, and family in Taiwan can call 0800-085-095.

Cover photo: chensiyuan / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0