If you are looking for the safest cities in Italy, the answer is probably not Rome, Florence, Venice or Milan.
According to Italy’s latest complete national crime comparison, the lowest reported crime rates are found mostly in smaller cities and provinces such as Oristano, Potenza, Benevento, Enna, Sondrio, Treviso and Pordenone.
But there is an important detail before we start ranking Italian cities.
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Italy does not publish one neat official list called “Italy’s safest cities.” The most useful nationwide comparison is the annual Indice della Criminalità published by Il Sole 24 Ore, using data from Italy’s Department of Public Security. It measures crimes reported to police per 100,000 residents across Italian provinces.
The latest complete index available in 2026 uses 2024 crime data.
On that measure, the lowest reported crime rate in Italy belongs to Oristano, followed by Potenza, Benevento, Enna and Sondrio.
That does not mean you should immediately cancel Rome and spend ten days in Oristano because a spreadsheet told you to.
Safety in Italy is a little more interesting than that.
What are the safest cities in Italy?
Based on the latest national crime data, the areas with the lowest number of reported crimes per 100,000 residents are:
1. Oristano, Sardinia
1,572.7 reported crimes per 100,000 residents
2. Potenza, Basilicata
1,983.0 per 100,000 residents
3. Benevento, Campania
2,222.6 per 100,000 residents
4. Enna, Sicily
2,309.9 per 100,000 residents
5. Sondrio, Lombardy
2,318.3 per 100,000 residents
6. Treviso, Veneto
2,330.8 per 100,000 residents
7. Pordenone, Friuli Venezia Giulia
2,368.1 per 100,000 residents
8. Cosenza, Calabria
2,433.1 per 100,000 residents
9. Cuneo, Piedmont
2,464.1 per 100,000 residents
10. Agrigento, Sicily
2,466.3 per 100,000 residents
Belluno, at 2,475.7 reports per 100,000 residents, comes immediately after them. The Italian average in the same dataset was around 3,430 crimes per 100,000 residents.
One important warning about those numbers: the statistics are provincial rather than limited to each municipal city center.
So when we say “Oristano,” for example, the data covers the province of Oristano rather than only the streets inside Oristano city.
That is still the best comparable national data we have, but it is worth understanding what you are actually looking at.
1. Oristano, Sardinia
If you want the statistical answer to “What is the safest city in Italy?”, Oristano is the strongest candidate.
The latest national crime index records approximately 1,573 reported crimes per 100,000 residents in the province of Oristano, the lowest figure in Italy.
The individual crime figures are also strikingly low.
The province recorded about 304 thefts per 100,000 residents and only about 2 street robberies per 100,000 residents in the underlying data.
For travelers, Oristano has another advantage.
It is not a city where you spend all day fighting through tour groups.
This is western Sardinia, with a slower rhythm, a compact historic center and easy access to places such as the Sinis Peninsula.
If your version of Italy involves walking to dinner, sitting outside late in the evening and visiting somewhere that does not appear on every first-time Italy itinerary, Oristano makes a lot of sense.
Best for: Slow travel, Sardinia road trips, couples and travelers who prefer smaller cities.
2. Potenza, Basilicata
Potenza comes second in the latest crime data, with around 1,983 reported crimes per 100,000 residents.
The province also records relatively low rates of theft and robbery. Theft was around 429 reports per 100,000 residents, while street robbery was only around 2.6 per 100,000.
Potenza is the regional capital of Basilicata, but it does not behave like one of Italy’s great tourist cities.
You are not going to find crowds comparable with Florence or Rome.
You are also not going to find Florence.
That distinction matters.
A destination being statistically safe does not automatically make it somewhere I would tell a first-time visitor to substitute for Venice.
Potenza is more interesting if you are already exploring Basilicata, particularly as part of a slower southern Italy trip.
And be prepared for hills.
A lot of hills.
Best for: Travelers exploring Basilicata and people who actively enjoy finding the Italy between the famous places.
3. Benevento, Campania
Benevento is a useful reminder that Campania is much more than Naples and the Amalfi Coast.
Its province had approximately 2,223 reported crimes per 100,000 residents, making it the third-lowest figure in the national comparison.
Benevento itself is an ancient city with Roman remains, churches and a historic center that receives a fraction of the tourism of nearby Naples.
This also shows why it is dangerous to make sweeping statements like “southern Italy is less safe.”
It isn’t that simple.
Crime varies enormously from one province to another, and several southern Italian provinces appear near the safest end of the latest national rankings.
Best for: History, quieter Campania trips and travelers combining Naples with inland southern Italy.
4. Enna, Sicily
Enna sits almost in the middle of Sicily, dramatically perched high above the surrounding landscape.
Its province recorded approximately 2,310 reported crimes per 100,000 residents, placing it among the lowest-crime areas in Italy.
For most foreign visitors, Enna is not the Sicily they arrive dreaming about.
There is no beach outside your hotel and no Baroque evening passeggiata in Ortigia.
What you get instead is a very different side of the island: hilltop views, an old center and considerably fewer visitors.
If safety and a quieter atmosphere are high priorities, Enna is worth knowing about.
Best for: Sicily road trips, repeat visitors and people deliberately avoiding crowded coastal destinations.
5. Sondrio, Lombardy
Sondrio is particularly interesting because it gives you northern Italy without the intensity of Milan.
Its province recorded around 2,318 reported crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in the latest data. Theft and robbery figures were also comparatively low.
Sondrio sits in the Valtellina, surrounded by mountains, vineyards and Alpine landscapes.
It is less a “tick five monuments off before lunch” destination and more somewhere to use as part of a mountain, food or slow-travel itinerary.
The wider province also performed very strongly in Il Sole 24 Ore’s justice and safety indicators, including a low perception of insecurity among residents.
Best for: Mountains, walking, wine, food and travelers who want an alternative to Italy’s busiest cities.
6. Treviso, Veneto
For travelers, Treviso might be the most interesting city on this entire list.
Its province recorded approximately 2,331 reported crimes per 100,000 residents, giving it one of the lowest overall crime rates in Italy and the lowest rate in Veneto in the latest national comparison.
And unlike some of the places near the top of the safety ranking, Treviso is extremely easy to fit into a classic northern Italy trip.
It has canals, arcaded streets, piazzas, restaurants and a very pleasant historic center.
Then there is Venice.
Treviso is close enough that the comparison is unavoidable.
Venice province recorded almost 4,964 crimes per 100,000 residents, while Treviso recorded roughly 2,331.
That does not make Venice “unsafe.”
It means Treviso has far fewer reported crimes relative to its resident population.
It also has far fewer tourists wandering around while looking at Google Maps with an open handbag.
Funny how those things sometimes travel together.
Best for: First-time visitors wanting a quieter northern Italian city, couples and anyone combining Veneto with Venice.
7. Pordenone, Friuli Venezia Giulia
Pordenone recorded approximately 2,368 reported crimes per 100,000 residents, putting it among the ten lowest-crime provinces in the country.
It was also the lowest-crime province in Friuli Venezia Giulia in the latest index.
Pordenone will not appear on many “three cities you MUST visit in Italy” TikToks.
That may be part of the appeal.
The historic center has porticoes, painted façades and the kind of ordinary Italian urban life that becomes increasingly difficult to notice when every person around you is also on holiday.
Best for: Northeastern Italy, slow travel and visitors interested in Friuli Venezia Giulia beyond Trieste.
8. Cosenza, Calabria
Cosenza is another southern city that performs well in the crime statistics.
Its province recorded approximately 2,433 reported crimes per 100,000 residents, putting it well below the Italian average.
This is inland Calabria rather than a beach resort.
Cosenza’s old town climbs across the hillside, while the newer city sits below it.
For travelers considering Calabria but worried by vague warnings they have heard about southern Italy, the national data is useful perspective.
“Calabria” is not one crime statistic.
Neither is Sicily.
Neither is Campania.
Italy is a country of enormous local differences, and safety is part of that.
Best for: Calabria itineraries and travelers who want culture before continuing toward the coast or mountains.
9. Cuneo, Piedmont
Cuneo recorded approximately 2,464 reported crimes per 100,000 residents, again comfortably below the national average.
The city sits in southwestern Piedmont near the Alps and makes much more sense for a food-and-mountains trip than a conventional first visit to Italy.
The province is also within reach of some of Piedmont’s great food and wine territory.
If you want northern Italy without constantly watching your bag every time you step onto a packed metro, this part of Piedmont offers a very different experience from Milan.
Best for: Food, Piedmont road trips, Alpine scenery and slower northern Italy itineraries.
10. Agrigento, Sicily
Agrigento is perhaps the most recognizably “major tourist destination” in Italy’s low-crime top ten.
Its province recorded approximately 2,466 reported crimes per 100,000 residents, one of the lowest rates nationally.
And unlike some cities on this list, Agrigento has a sight that many people travel specifically to see: the Valley of the Temples.
That makes Agrigento a particularly useful option for travelers who want both a major archaeological destination and a lower-crime environment.
Remember again, though, that the figure covers the whole province rather than only the tourist zone around the archaeological park and city center.
You still need to use normal travel awareness.
Low crime does not make a rental car full of visible suitcases magically theft-proof.
Best for: Sicily, archaeology and travelers who want a famous sight without big-city crowds.
And one extra: Belluno
Belluno just misses the top ten, with around 2,476 reported crimes per 100,000 residents.
I would still include it in any practical discussion of safe destinations in Italy because it gives travelers access to a very attractive part of northern Italy and the Dolomites.
If your Italian holiday is built around walking boots rather than museum reservations, Belluno may be considerably more useful to you than the statistical difference between number ten and number eleven.
So which is the safest city in Italy for tourists?
The statistical answer and the travel answer are slightly different.
Oristano has the lowest overall reported crime rate in the latest data.
But if someone asked me which of Italy’s lower-crime cities is easiest to add to a normal sightseeing trip, I would look especially at:
Treviso for northern Italy and Venice itineraries.
Agrigento for Sicily.
Oristano for Sardinia.
Cuneo for Piedmont and the Alps.
Sondrio for the Valtellina and mountain travel.
Belluno for the Dolomites.
That is more useful than simply booking whichever province happens to finish first in a crime spreadsheet.
You are planning a holiday, not relocating a bank vault.
Is Italy a safe country to visit?
For most tourists, yes, Italy is generally a safe country to visit.
Current UK government travel guidance says crime levels in Italy are generally low, while warning that bag-snatching and pickpocketing are more common in city centers and around major tourist attractions.
The U.S. State Department similarly says violent crime is rare in Italy, while pickpocketing is common in crowded areas and on public transportation. Its current Italy advisory is Level 2 because of terrorism risk rather than because of ordinary street crime.
For the average traveler, the crime you are much more likely to think about is therefore theft, not violent crime.
Your phone disappearing on Metro Line A in Rome is a much more realistic concern than being afraid to walk past a restaurant at 8 p.m.
Why do Milan, Florence and Rome rank so high for reported crime?
This is the part of the statistics that often becomes a terrible headline.
The latest crime index places:
Milan first for reported crimes, with approximately 6,952 reports per 100,000 residents.
Florence second, with approximately 6,508.
Rome third, with approximately 6,402.
Bologna, Rimini and Turin also appear near the high end of the ranking.
Does that mean Florence is one of the most dangerous places in Italy?
That is not how I would interpret it.
First, the ranking includes all reported crimes, not just violent crime.
Florence, for example, has particularly high reported rates of pickpocketing. The latest data places Florence first nationally for furti con destrezza, essentially theft carried out through stealth or dexterity, with more than 1,100 reports per 100,000 residents. Rome, Milan and Venice also rank very high for this type of theft.
Second, the crime rate is calculated using the resident population.
Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan receive enormous numbers of tourists and commuters who are not part of that resident denominator.
That does not invalidate the figures, but it does mean that comparing Florence with a quiet provincial city is not the same thing as measuring the personal probability that you will be a crime victim.
The data tells us that crimes are reported much more frequently in Italy’s busiest urban and tourist environments.
It does not tell us to stop visiting them.
Is Rome safe?
Yes, Rome is generally safe for tourists, but pickpocketing deserves attention.
The places where I would pay closest attention to my belongings are exactly the places where you would expect:
- crowded Metro trains
- Termini station
- buses packed with tourists
- major attractions
- queues
- busy piazzas
- anywhere someone has given you a suspiciously enthusiastic reason to stop paying attention to your bag
Rome’s high overall crime ranking should not translate into walking around frightened.
It should translate into not putting an unlocked phone in the outer pocket of your backpack on a packed metro.
Much less dramatic.
Much more useful.
Is Florence safe?
Yes, but Florence has a real petty-theft problem in heavily touristed areas.
Its overall reported crime rate is high, and it has the country’s highest rate of reported pickpocket-style theft in the latest national data.
That makes sense when you think about the environment.
Small historic center.
Enormous visitor numbers.
Crowded streets.
Busy station.
Tourists looking up at architecture rather than down at their handbags.
Florence remains a city I would happily recommend.
Just zip your bag.
Michelangelo will still be there after you do.
Is Milan safe?
Milan has the highest overall rate of reported crime in the latest national index, at approximately 6,952 reports per 100,000 residents.
Theft accounts for a substantial part of that number. Milan recorded more than 3,700 theft reports per 100,000 inhabitants in the dataset.
Again, that does not mean central Milan is some dangerous no-go zone.
It means that in a large, wealthy, busy city with railway stations, metros, nightlife, tourists and commuters, you should behave like you are in a large, wealthy, busy city.
Particularly around Milano Centrale and crowded public transport, keep valuables secure.
Is Venice safe?
Venice is generally safe from the kind of violent crime travelers tend to worry about, but it is an extremely tourism-heavy environment.
Venice province ranked eighth in Italy’s overall reported-crime index, with approximately 4,964 reports per 100,000 residents.
It also ranks very high for pickpocket-style theft.
Again, crowds matter.
A vaporetto full of visitors carrying phones, cameras, passports and wallets is a much better working environment for a pickpocket than a nearly empty piazza in Oristano.
What is the safest major city in Italy?
This depends on what you call “major.”
If you mean Italy’s internationally famous tourist cities, none of Rome, Florence, Milan or Venice sits near the low-crime end of the national statistics.
If you mean a substantial, attractive city with good transport and enough to occupy a visitor, Treviso is one of the strongest options among cities with very low overall reported crime.
If you expand the definition, places such as Ancona, Messina and Belluno also have comparatively low reported crime rates.
But I would not choose your entire Italian itinerary from crime rankings.
A quiet city with two things you want to see is not automatically a better holiday than Rome.
What are the safest cities in northern Italy?
Among the northern Italian areas with particularly low reported crime rates are:
Sondrio in Lombardy.
Treviso in Veneto.
Pordenone in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Cuneo in Piedmont.
Belluno in Veneto.
These all appear near the low-crime end of the latest national comparison.
Bolzano also records an overall rate slightly below the national average, at approximately 3,325 reported crimes per 100,000 residents, although it does not rank nearly as low as Treviso or Belluno.
What are the safest cities in southern Italy?
Southern Italy performs much better in these rankings than some travelers expect.
Among the lowest-crime provinces are:
Potenza in Basilicata.
Benevento in Campania.
Enna in Sicily.
Cosenza in Calabria.
Agrigento in Sicily.
The data is a useful antidote to the idea that north equals safe and south equals dangerous.
Italy does not work that neatly.
Safest cities in Italy for solo travelers
If I were traveling alone and wanted somewhere that felt easy to manage, I would pay attention to cities such as Treviso, Oristano, Sondrio, Cuneo and Belluno.
Not because the crime table can guarantee your personal safety.
It cannot.
But smaller, walkable centers with comparatively low reported crime can remove some of the friction that comes with navigating a huge city alone.
Your accommodation location still matters enormously.
A well-reviewed hotel five minutes from the center is a different experience from saving €19 per night by staying beside an isolated industrial road and then discovering why the room was €19 cheaper.
Look at the street.
Look at the transport.
Read the recent accommodation reviews.
Then look at the crime ranking.
In that order.
Is Italy safe for solo female travelers?
Italy is a very popular destination for women traveling alone, and millions of solo trips take place without serious problems.
But I would not call one Italian city “the safest for women” solely because it has the lowest overall crime rate.
Overall crime statistics combine many different offenses and do not measure a woman’s individual experience walking home, using public transport or staying in a particular neighborhood.
For solo travel, I would combine the wider crime data with practical things such as:
- central accommodation
- streets with activity in the evening
- easy public transport or walkability
- recent hotel reviews
- avoiding isolated routes late at night
- knowing how you are getting back after dinner before you leave
Smaller cities can feel easier.
That is not the same as saying nothing can happen there.
The crime tourists should actually worry about in Italy
For most visitors, pickpocketing and opportunistic theft deserve far more attention than violent crime.
Current UK travel advice specifically warns about bag-snatching and pickpocketing in city centers, at major tourist attractions, on public transport and around airports and railway stations.
So my Italy safety routine is not complicated.
Keep your phone out of an easy back pocket.
Zip the handbag.
Do not hang your entire financial life from the back of a café chair.
Pay attention when someone creates a distraction.
Watch your bags at stations.
Do not leave luggage inside a parked rental car, including in the boot. Official UK and U.S. advice both specifically warn about theft from parked vehicles.
And on a packed metro, do not assume the person pressing against you is simply very enthusiastic about public transport.
Are Italian train stations safe?
Generally, yes, but stations are some of the places where I pay the most attention to belongings.
You are distracted.
You have luggage.
You are checking a departure board.
Your phone is probably in your hand.
You may have a passport somewhere more accessible than usual.
That combination is useful to thieves.
Government travel advice specifically recommends extra care at major rail and metro stations and on public transportation.
You do not need to clutch your suitcase like it contains the Crown Jewels.
Just know where your things are.
What is the emergency number in Italy?
The main European emergency number in Italy is:
112
It can be used to contact emergency services.
If your phone, wallet or passport is stolen, report the theft to the police.
And if your passport disappears, deal with that immediately rather than assuming a police report itself will allow you to fly home. UK travel guidance specifically warns that a police report does not replace a stolen passport for departure.
How to choose a safe place to stay in Italy
City rankings are useful.
Neighborhood research is usually more useful.
When I choose accommodation in an unfamiliar Italian city, I would rather stay:
in a busy, central, well-reviewed area of a city with an average crime rate
than
on a dark road 40 minutes from the center of Italy’s statistically safest province.
Look at your accommodation on a map.
Check how you will get there from the station.
Read recent reviews for mentions of the immediate street.
Think about whether you will be walking back after dinner.
And check whether “only 900 metres from the historic center” involves a six-lane road, an underpass and a hill that appears to have been designed by someone angry with pedestrians.
The city name tells you only so much.
Safest cities in Italy: the answer I would actually use to plan a trip
If you want the lowest reported crime rate, Oristano is number one in the latest data.
If you want a very safe-feeling smaller city that fits easily into a classic northern Italy trip, look at Treviso.
For Sardinia, Oristano.
For the mountains, Sondrio, Cuneo or Belluno.
For Sicily, Agrigento or Enna.
For southern Italy away from the biggest visitor centers, Potenza or Benevento.
And if your dream is Rome, Florence, Venice or Milan?
Go.
Just don’t put your wallet somewhere a pickpocket would describe as excellent customer service.
Frequently asked questions about the safest cities in Italy
What is the safest city in Italy?
Based on the latest complete national crime data, Oristano has the lowest rate of reported crimes in Italy, at approximately 1,573 reports per 100,000 residents. The statistics apply to the province rather than only the city municipality.
What are the top 5 safest cities in Italy?
Using the latest reported-crime data, the five lowest-crime provinces are Oristano, Potenza, Benevento, Enna and Sondrio.
Is Italy safe for tourists?
Generally, yes. UK government travel advice says overall crime levels are generally low, although pickpocketing and bag-snatching are more common in city centers and around major tourist attractions.
Is Rome safe for tourists?
Yes, but visitors should be particularly aware of pickpocketing around crowded attractions, public transportation and major transport hubs.
Is Florence safe?
Florence is generally safe for sightseeing, but its reported pickpocketing rate is high. It ranks first nationally for reported furti con destrezza in the latest crime data.
Is Milan safe?
Milan is a major European city and is generally manageable for visitors using normal precautions. It does have the highest overall reported crime rate in Italy’s latest provincial comparison, with theft making up a substantial share.
Which northern Italian cities are safest?
Sondrio, Treviso, Pordenone, Cuneo and Belluno all appear among the lowest-crime areas in the latest nationwide data.
Which southern Italian cities are safest?
Potenza, Benevento, Enna, Cosenza and Agrigento all rank among Italy’s lowest-crime provinces.
Is northern Italy safer than southern Italy?
Not automatically. The latest statistics include several southern provinces among Italy’s lowest-crime areas, including Potenza, Benevento, Enna, Cosenza and Agrigento. Safety varies much more by individual city and province than by a simple north-versus-south divide.
What is the safest city in Sicily?
Among Sicily’s provinces, Enna and Agrigento perform particularly well in the latest overall crime data, with Enna recording approximately 2,310 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants and Agrigento around 2,466.
What is the safest city in Sardinia?
Oristano has the lowest reported crime rate not only in Sardinia but in Italy overall in the latest national data.
Is violent crime common in Italy?
Violent crime is comparatively uncommon for tourists. U.S. travel guidance says violent crimes are rare while identifying pickpocketing and theft as much more common concerns for visitors.
What should tourists watch out for in Italy?
Pickpocketing, bag-snatching, distraction theft and theft from parked cars are among the most relevant risks. Be particularly attentive at crowded attractions, stations, airports and on public transportation.
What number do I call in an emergency in Italy?
Call 112, the European emergency number used in Italy.