Is Italy safe? Solo travel, Naples, and what to do after a theft

Short answer

Italy is generally safe: UK and US travel advice describes violent crime as rare and pickpocketing and bag-snatching as common in crowds, on public transport, at big stations and at major sights. If something is stolen: get somewhere safe and call 112 if you’re in danger (it’s free); block each card with its issuer; mark your phone as lost (Find My / Find Hub) and suspend the SIM; then report it to the Carabinieri or Polizia — Denuncia vi@ Web lets you start online, but you must finish at a station within 48 hours. For a lost passport, contact your embassy or consulate: a police report is not a travel document. Keep every report and receipt for your insurer.

Checked 2026-09-24 · Italy · Safety

	At a glance
Main risk	Pickpocketing and bag-snatching in crowds, transport, stations
Emergency	112 — free
After a theft	Safe place → cards → phone/SIM → police report → consulate/insurer
Online report	Denuncia vi@ Web · finish at a station within 48 h
Police report	Not a travel document
Lost vs stolen	Lost property is per operator — trains, metro, airport

First hours after a theft or loss

Watch out

1 · Safety first — 112

Verified 2026-09-24

In danger, injured or followed? Move to a busy place or staff and call 112 — it’s free. Italian official guidance says it can be dialled without a SIM, without credit and from a locked phone, but network and device conditions still matter.

Prefettura di Genova · 112 NUE ↗ · European Commission · 112 without a SIM (“in many cases”) ↗ · European Commission · 112 ↗

Good to know

Language on 112

Verified 2026-09-24

The 112 service takes calls from foreigners and can add a telephone interpreter; no fixed list of languages is published. Say “English” and your city or address.

AREU · NUE 112 service ↗

Good to know

Where ARE U app

Partially verified · 2026-09-24

The official 112 app sends your position and offers silent call and chat. It needs registration (phone number, name, language) — install and test it before the trip; support for every foreign number isn’t published. In an emergency, dial 112 first.

AREU · Where ARE U FAQ ↗

What’s gone	Right away	Next	Don’t forget
Cards / wallet	Block each card with its own issuer — app, or the number on the bank’s site	Check transactions; dispute unauthorised payments with the issuer	Italy’s 800 822 056 line is for supported Italian cards — for a foreign card call your bank
Phone	iPhone: icloud.com/find → Mark as Lost. Android: android.com/find → Mark as lost	Suspend the SIM/eSIM with your operator; change Apple/Google, email and bank passwords	Don’t go to the map location yourself; remote erase is irreversible
Passport / ID	Report the loss or theft to the Carabinieri or Polizia	Contact your embassy or consulate for a replacement or emergency document	A police report is not a travel document
Bag (no immediate danger)	List what was inside — cards, documents, serial numbers — and block payment methods	Report it; if it was probably left behind, also contact the operator’s lost property	Keep block confirmations, receipts, IMEI/serial numbers
Everything	Get to a safe place; ask the hotel or police for a phone and Wi-Fi	Cards → phone/SIM → accounts → police report → consulate and insurer	Write down time, place, route and what you blocked when

Good to know

Cards first

Verified 2026-09-24

Block every card with its issuer immediately, even before the police report — Banca d’Italia says tell your bank at once and report promptly; it helps any refund.

Banca d’Italia · lost or stolen payment cards ↗

Good to know

Phone and SIM

Verified 2026-09-24

Mark the phone as lost (Apple Find My / Google Find Hub), suspend the line with your operator, then change your Apple or Google password. Don’t chase the location on the map — give it to the police.

Apple · if your iPhone is lost or stolen ↗ · Google · find, lock or erase an Android device ↗ · TIM · block SIM or phone after theft ↗

The police report (denuncia)

Good to know

Where to report

Verified 2026-09-24

At a Carabinieri station or the Polizia di Stato (also Guardia di Finanza or Polizia Locale). Ask for a copy of the finished report and its number — consulates and insurers may ask for it.

Procura di Roma · information for victims ↗ · GOV.UK · victim of crime abroad ↗

Ticket

Denuncia vi@ Web

Verified 2026-09-24

The Carabinieri’s online service starts a report of loss or theft by an unknown person (documents, bags, wallets, vehicles). You get an activation code and must finish at the Carabinieri station you chose within 48 hours — otherwise the data are deleted. It’s not an emergency channel.

Carabinieri · Denuncia vi@ Web ↗ · Carabinieri · Denuncia vi@ Web privacy notice (48 h) ↗

Good to know

If you don’t speak Italian

Verified 2026-09-24

Victims who don’t know Italian are entitled to an interpreter when heard and to translation of key documents — but an interpreter isn’t guaranteed on the spot at every desk. Ask for one and keep a copy of what you signed.

European e-Justice · victims’ rights in Italy ↗

Lost or stolen passport

Watch out

A police report won’t get you home

Verified 2026-09-24

Report the loss, then contact your embassy or consulate for a replacement passport or an emergency travel document. Tell them your flight and any transit countries, and confirm with the airline that it accepts the document.

GOV.UK · Italy entry requirements ↗ · U.S. State Dept · lost or stolen passport abroad ↗

Good to know

Carrying ID in Italy

Verified 2026-09-24

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can travel with a passport or national ID card. Non-EU visitors should carry the passport and any visa or residence proof — police can ask for both. Hotels must identify you in person, and named train tickets need valid ID. A photo or copy helps the consulate but doesn’t replace the document.

Your Europe · EU citizens’ travel documents ↗ · Normattiva · D.Lgs. 286/1998 art. 6 ↗ · Polizia di Stato · Alloggiati Web FAQ ↗ · Trenitalia · named tickets ↗

Good to know

Ukrainian passport stolen in Rome

Verified 2026-09-23

After the police report, ask the Ukrainian embassy for a certificate for return to Ukraine: usually one working day, up to five after full documents and fee (up to 30 if a written check is needed). Check with the airline and any transit country that they accept it.

MFA of Ukraine · return certificate ↗ · MFA of Ukraine · missions in Italy ↗

Nationality	Where and how to reach them	Emergency document
United States	Embassy Rome; consulates general Milan and Naples. Emergency line 06 46741; from abroad +1 202 501 4444	Emergency passport (limited validity, up to 1 year) if a regular one can’t be issued in time; in most cases the next business day — not guaranteed
United Kingdom	Embassy Rome; Consulate General Milan. FCDO 24 h +44 20 7008 5000	Emergency Travel Document online; usually ready 2 working days after applying, longer if extra documents are needed
Canada	Passport services in Rome only (romepasscit@international.gc.ca, +39 06 85444 1); 24/7 +1 613 996 8885	Temporary passport: 2–19 business days, depending on the case
Australia	Embassy Rome +39 06 852721; Consulate-General Milan +39 02 77674200; 24 h CEC +61 2 6261 3305	Emergency passport (valid up to 12 months, no chip); processing time not published
Germany	Embassy Rome; Consulate General Milan; honorary consul in Naples	Keep the sealed police copy; return document possible; timing not published
France	Embassy and consulates in Rome, Milan and Naples	Laissez-passer to return to France, or an emergency passport valid up to 1 year; timing varies

Published contacts and timings only — checked 24 Sep 2026 on each government’s site. Fees, appointments and route acceptance depend on your nationality and airline.

Lost, not stolen? Lost property by operator

Where you lost it	Official channel	Good to know
Frecce / Intercity trains	Trenitalia FindMyLost (trenitalia.findmylost.it); delivery 800 97 33 15	Unclaimed items go to the municipality after 15 days
Regional trains	Station customer care or 800 89 20 21	—
Italo	FindMyLost from Italo’s support page	Multilingual search and alerts
Rome metro (ATAC)	EUR Fermi office, line B · 06 4695 5105 · Mon/Wed/Fri 10:30–13:00	Old Piramide/Giulio Agricola desks are closed
Rome buses and trams	Roma Capitale lost property · 06 6769 3220 · oggettismarriti@comune.roma.it	ID needed; fees may apply
Milan ATM	Comune office, Via Friuli 30 · 02 884 53900 · Mon–Fri 08:30–12:00	Storage fee
Venice ACTV/AVM	Online ‘Objects found’ form; collection in Mestre by appointment	Kept 30 days (an older page says 7)
Naples ANM / EAV	ANM online form (Ufficio Clienti, Via G. Marino 1); EAV FindMyLost	ANM passes unclaimed items to the Comune after 10 days
Airports	Fiumicino landside 06 6595 5253 / airside 06 6595 3313 · Milan: Foundspot · Naples: FindMyLost · Venice: Lost Property Hub	Checked bags and items left on the plane → the airline’s handler (report before leaving)

A lost-property request doesn’t replace a police report if you think it was stolen.

For your insurer

Good to know

Keep the evidence

Verified 2026-09-24

Finished police report, list of items with proof of value, card-block confirmations, replacement receipts, medical bills and travel-change costs. Notify the insurer as the policy requires — deadlines and cover vary.

GOV.UK · victim of crime abroad ↗

Travelling alone

Good to know

Solo female travel

Verified 2026-09-23

Treat Italy like any big European destination: the realistic risk is petty theft, not random violence. Bag closed and in front, cards split, don’t follow strangers somewhere isolated, save emergency and consulate numbers.

UK FCDO · Italy safety and security ↗ · US State Dept · Italy advisory ↗

Good to know

Venice alone

Partially verified · 2026-09-23

Generally fine for a solo trip. Crowds at the station, on vaporetti, bridges and San Marco bring the usual pickpocket risk; go home late on lit routes or by vaporetto or water taxi.

UK FCDO · Italy safety and security ↗ · European Commission · 112 ↗

Good to know

Naples

Partially verified · 2026-09-23

More street awareness needed — scooters, bag-snatching, distraction tricks — but official advice doesn’t say to avoid the city. Don’t show valuables, keep your ID in a zipped inner pocket and watch your bag on transport.

US State Dept · Italy advisory ↗ · UK FCDO · Italy safety and security ↗

Watch out

Napoli Centrale / Garibaldi

Partially verified · 2026-09-23

No official “safe/unsafe” rating exists. It’s a big, noisy transport hub with street trading and a higher theft risk. Pick a hotel with a clear entrance and walk back along the main lit streets at night.

UK FCDO · Italy safety and security ↗

When the trip goes wrong

Good to know

Dirty or mouldy Airbnb

Verified 2026-09-23

Photograph everything at once, message the host only in the app and report to Airbnb within 72 hours. Ask for cleaning, a partial or full refund, or rebooking; mould and poor cleanliness count as reservation issues, but the refund isn’t automatic.

Airbnb · rebooking and refund policy ↗ · Airbnb · ground rules for hosts ↗

Good to know

An expensive package you regret

Verified 2026-09-23

“Expensive” isn’t a breach. Check whether it’s a legal package (two or more travel services): the organiser is liable for the services and must show the total price. Cancelling without a covered reason usually costs a reasonable fee; a price rise over 8% lets you cancel free.

European Commission · Package Travel Directive ↗ · Your Europe · package travel ↗

Quick answers

What should I do first if I’m robbed in Italy?

Get safe and call 112 if you’re in danger; block every card with its issuer; mark your phone as lost and suspend the SIM; then report it to the Carabinieri or Polizia.

Does 112 work without a SIM in Italy?

It’s free, and Italian official guidance says it can be dialled without a SIM, without credit and from a locked phone — but coverage and the device still matter, so use any working phone if you can.

Can I file a police report online in Italy?

You can start one with the Carabinieri’s Denuncia vi@ Web for loss or theft by an unknown person, but you must finish it at the station you chose within 48 hours.

Can I fly home with a police report after my passport was stolen?

No — contact your embassy or consulate for a replacement or an emergency travel document, and check the airline accepts it.

Do I have to carry my passport in Italy?

Carry a valid official ID that fits your status: EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can use a national ID card; non-EU visitors should keep the passport and any visa or residence proof with them. A copy is a back-up, not a replacement.

I lost something on a train in Italy — what now?

Frecce and Intercity: Trenitalia FindMyLost; regional trains: station customer care or 800 89 20 21; Italo: FindMyLost from its support page.

Is Italy safe for a first solo female trip?

Generally yes — the realistic risk is petty theft in crowds and on transport, not violence. Keep your bag closed and in front and split your cards.

Is Naples safe for tourists?

Yes with big-city care: watch bags on transport and at stations and don’t show valuables. Official advice doesn’t say to avoid it.

My Ukrainian passport was stolen in Rome — what now?

File a police report, then ask the Ukrainian embassy for a certificate for return to Ukraine (usually 1–5 working days).

What can I do if an Airbnb in Italy is dirty or mouldy?

Document it, message the host in the app and report to Airbnb within 72 hours; refunds or rebooking depend on the case.

Go deeper in our guides

Guide

Is Italy safe? Solo travel, Naples, and what to do after a theft

First hours after a theft or loss

1 · Safety first — 112

Language on 112

Where ARE U app

Cards first

Phone and SIM

The police report (denuncia)

Where to report

Denuncia vi@ Web

If you don’t speak Italian

Lost or stolen passport

A police report won’t get you home

Carrying ID in Italy

Ukrainian passport stolen in Rome

Lost, not stolen? Lost property by operator

For your insurer

Keep the evidence

Travelling alone

Solo female travel

Venice alone

Naples

Napoli Centrale / Garibaldi

When the trip goes wrong

Dirty or mouldy Airbnb

An expensive package you regret

Quick answers

Go deeper in our guides

Naples: useful tips

Rome: useful tips

Venice: useful tips

Florence: useful tips

Related answers