Rome

Is Rome safe?

Rome is a safe city with two dangers most visitors underrate: the pickpockets and the traffic. Murder is rare. Interior Ministry data show 26 homicides in the city in 2023, under 1 per 100,000 people, which is lower than London. But reported thefts rose 17% that year, and Rome's roads kill about 5 people per 100,000 each year, more than any other large Italian city.

We score Rome 73, below Paris and Barcelona (both 78). It does better than both on violent crime and worse on the roads and at night.

The pickpocket map

The Il Sole 24 Ore crime index puts Rome third in Italy for reported crimes per head in 2024, behind Milan and Florence, with 6,402 reports per 100,000 residents of the metropolitan area. Most of that is theft: Rome ranks second for pickpocketing per head, after Florence. Pickpocketing rose 22% in 2023 and snatch thefts, where a bag or phone is grabbed, rose 27% to 1,727 cases. Tourists are the main targets, and the hot spots are predictable:

• Termini station, the main rail hub, and the platforms of the airport train.
• Bus 64 from Termini to St Peter's, nicknamed the "pickpocket express", and the tram 8 to Trastevere.
• Metro line A at Termini, Barberini, Spagna and Ottaviano (for the Vatican).
• The Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, where crowds stand shoulder to shoulder.
• The Colosseum and the Roman Forum, especially in queues.

Pickpocket teams often look like tourists themselves, and children are sometimes used as a distraction. On the metro, they crowd you at the doors and step off just as they close.

Scams that cost money, not safety

Most Roman scams are about overcharging. Costumed gladiators at the Colosseum demand money after a photo. Men press roses or "friendship bracelets" into your hand and then ask for payment. Restaurants with picture menus and touts outside, especially around the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, sometimes add charges you did not order; check the menu prices and the bill.

Taxis are the scam that matters most. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary advises using only licensed taxis with a roof sign and a company name and number on the side. In Rome these are white. Rides from Fiumicino airport to the historic centre have a fixed fare. Drivers who approach you inside the arrivals hall or at Termini are not licensed.

Crossing the road is the real danger

Of everything that can hurt a visitor in Rome, traffic is the most likely. 134 people died on the city's roads in 2024, down 13% on 2023, and Rome has more pedestrians killed than the other big Italian cities combined, according to an analysis by Fanpage.it. Zebra crossings are no guarantee that a car or scooter will stop.

• Cross at traffic lights where you can, and wait for traffic to actually stop.
• At a zebra crossing, make eye contact with drivers and walk at a steady pace; do not step back suddenly.
• Watch for scooters filtering between cars and coming the wrong way down one-way streets.
• If you hire an e-scooter or bike, be aware that cobblestones, tram tracks and potholes cause many falls.

Heat, air and earthquakes

July and August in Rome now regularly bring temperatures above 38°C. Plan sightseeing for early morning and evening, carry water, and refill it at the free street fountains (nasoni), which are safe to drink from. Air pollution is above WHO guidelines, and the city sometimes restricts traffic on bad days.

The Apennine mountains east of Rome are earthquake country, and the 2016 Amatrice and Norcia quakes were felt in the city. Damage in Rome itself has been minor. Flash floods can close underpasses after autumn storms.

Where to stay, and where to be careful

For a first visit, the historic centre around the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, Monti, Prati near the Vatican, and the quieter Aventino are good choices. Trastevere is safe and beautiful but loud on weekend nights. The area right around Termini, especially the streets towards Piazza Vittorio, has more petty crime and feels rough after dark. Outer districts with higher crime, such as Tor Bella Monaca, are far from anywhere visitors go.

Romans themselves are uneasy after dark. In the European Commission's 2023 survey of city residents, only 38% in Rome said they feel safe walking alone at night in the city, the lowest of the 80 cities in Eurostat's data, against 66% in Paris and 68% in Barcelona. More, 59%, feel safe in their own neighbourhood. Gallup puts Italy as a whole at 60%, and women at 44%. For a visitor, that means main streets and taxis late at night rather than long walks through empty ones.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says terrorist attacks in Italy cannot be ruled out, and security at the Vatican and major sites is visible. Spiked drinks followed by robbery have been reported in nightlife areas, so buy your own and keep them in sight.

How we scored it

Violent crime (93) is a strength. Walking at night (55) is Rome's weakest factor: we score every European city on the EU's 2023 survey of residents, and Rome came last of the 80 cities in Eurostat's data on feeling safe alone at night. Theft and scams (58) reflects the well-organised pickpocketing on transport and at monuments, and traffic safety (65) the city's pedestrian deaths. Together they are why Rome ranks below London and Tokyo.