Is Italy Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Italy is generally a safe destination for solo female travelers. It offers a rich cultural experience with friendly locals and has a low crime rate against tourists. However, minor precautions should be taken as petty crimes like pickpocketing and bag snatching can occur in crowded areas. Night travel in certain cities may warrant more caution. Women should dress modestly to respect local cultural norms, especially in religious sites. While locals often speak English, knowing some basic Italian language could prove helpful.

Safety rating

Make friends while traveling solo

Meet other female travelers, find travel buddies and stay with local women for free through hospitality exchange.
Download from App StoreDownload from Google Play
Get the Travel Ladies App

How safe is Italy?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Safe

Italy is generally quite safe for travelers, including solo female travelers. Although the crime rates are low, be sure to take the usual precautions. Stick to well-lit, populated areas when walking alone at night especially in larger cities such as Rome or Milan. There might be pickpockets and other petty crimes, but violent crime is extremely rare. Always be aware of your surroundings and avoid deserted areas or neighborhoods reputed to be unsafe.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Safe

Public transportation in Italy is generally very reliable and safe. Buses, trains, metros, trams, and ferries are widely used by locals and tourists alike. Pickpocketing could be a concern, particularly in crowded buses or trains in major cities and popular tourist locations. It's advisable to stay aware of your belongings at all times. Nonetheless, instances of violent crime are rare.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:Moderate

In Italy, especially in bigger cities like Rome or Milan, you might experience some level of street harassment ranging from unwanted verbal attention to occasional cat-calling. However, most locals are respectful and if you express discomfort or ignore it, they usually back off. While this might be uncomfortable, it often doesn't go beyond a mere annoyance in most cases.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:Moderate

Italy, like most places, does experience petty crimes. Travelers should be aware of pickpocketing incidents, primarily in crowded city centres and public transportation. Crimes such as bag snatching and cell phone theft can occur. However, with vigilance, precautions, and awareness of your surroundings, your trip to Italy can still be very safe and enjoyable.

Is Italy worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.6 /5

based on 536 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

4.5/5

Safety

4.3/5

Food

4.6/5

Budget-friendly

3.4/5
Aziza

Aziza

Germany

Milan, Group travel

traveled to Milan, Italy with a friends, and we booked a hotel for our stay. Unfortunately, the person at the reception wasn’t very welcoming. Maybe it had to do with the high number of tourists – it felt like the locals were a bit overwhelmed. But overall, the trip was really amazing! The food was delicious almost everywhere – except at Starbucks, of course. In local cafés and restaurants, everything tasted great, and the prices were much lower compared to Germany, which was a nice surprise.

Posted: July 7, 2025
favorite_border 3
mode_comment 0

La Verna, Solo travel

I walked from Rimini to La Verna. It took me 5 days. I felt very safe while trekking in the woods and thorough the countryside. I've met a snake, a couple of hares and a hedgehog. Medium difficulty of the trail

Posted: July 4, 2025Experienced: September, 2024
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Rome, Solo travel

I went to Rome by train. Stayed at my boyfriend's. We went to the city centre for a drink, saw the Colosseum. It was very hot and full of tourists. At least there are fountains to fill the bottle of water

Posted: July 4, 2025Experienced: June, 2024
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Venice, Solo travel

I solo travelled to Venice (F28) and it was one of the best weeks of my life! I stayed at Anda Hostel in Mestre which was very clean and had a mini club downstairs, plus it’s only a couple of minutes onto the island from there. The only issue is that it can be a bit noisy sometimes. There are so many beautiful sites to see, boat trips to do and history to take in, everywhere you walk feels like a storybook. (Or that episode of Doctor Who). I was slightly disappointed with the food in Venice but it was alright. Very easy to do day trips to places like Bologna and Florence too.

Posted: July 4, 2025
favorite_border 3
mode_comment 0
Julia

Julia

Poland

Bari, Family travel

I was in Bari for one day. And I didn't swim in the sea because it was cold. I felt safe. I rented a cool apartment on booking.com and was delighted with the host. Highly recommended!!! https://secure.booking.com/app_link/myreservations.en.html?stid=325542&bn=4697326006&aid=332731 I didn't have time to do a lot, but I'll tell you what was in my plans: 1. Local ice cream: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DSkzwpmeJHPH9J467?g_st=ipc (Since 1880, the art of homemade gelato has been handed down for generations); 2. The Bari Fish Market (Mercato del Pesce) is a kingdom of fresh fish and seafood, where local chefs and gourmets find the best ingredients for Apulian cuisine. The counters are bursting with the catch brought by fishermen straight from the sea: octopus, squid, shrimp, mussels and much more. Traders are eager to tell you how to properly cook seafood; 3. Orecchiette Caserecce - the street. Every morning, the housewives of Bari go out into the street with their workbench and, using a few precious ingredients: water, flour and skill, begin to prepare pasta. 🍝 4. Alberobello is a town 60 km from Bari. It is world famous for its unique tiny houses that look like fairy-tale gnome dwellings. These small white stone buildings with a gray conical roof are called trulli. You will not find such houses anywhere else in the world.

Posted: June 28, 2025
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Milan, Solo travel

Everything was fine but i didn’t like that it’s hard to find places to eat during some hours(like 16-17) became a lot of places are closed for some rest( Mostly people are kind and easygoing. Little bit expensive food in crodwded places

Posted: June 28, 2025
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Is Italy safe for women?

Safety index

3.8 /5

Based on 765 local experiences

Crime index

2.4 /5

Based on 765 local experiences

Rome

It really depends on the zone you're visiting. On train station or public transport you could be easily robbed in the daylight, or suspiciuosly assaulted (touched, petted) o followed or catcalled, and the same can happen in turistic areas. I would say you have to be attentive and conscious of the situation to avoid that. The periferical zones and train stations as well, at night can be fairly dangerous, i make sure to never be alone, or to have pepper spray with me. It's totally doable, and nothing ever happened to me beside being catcalled, but I personally can't stand the fear if i'm not in my neighbourhood

Posted: July 11, 2025
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0
Annalisa

Annalisa

Catania

Walking around the centre, mostly the area from the cathedral square/Castello Ursino/Piazza Teatro Massimo to Piazza Roma feels quite safe: it's not dark, and you're rarely the only one around. The city is very lively almost every day of the week till late. Sure, it's always important to mind your surroundings (in tourist hotspots like via Garibaldi and in crowded places like the main market Fera 'o luni for instance) and to never let your belongings unattended or in sight if you have a car (also, better to put in the trunk everything you don't need far from where you're leaving the car parked). At night avoid the station area, archi della marina, Via Don Luigi Sturzo/Via Giovanni Di Prima and empty little dark streets in general. Buses are often not the most reliable mean of transport, often late, but they get you where you need to and I've never really used the metro. Rental bikes or scooters can be a good option but mind we lack bike lanes and the streets are often made of big lava stones and so they get slippery when it rains (and because of wax after Sant'Agata's celebrations in the beginning of February). Stay safe and feel free to hit me up if you need some advice ❤️

Posted: July 11, 2025
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Safety in Italy