Is Rome Safe To Visit In 2023? Rome Safety Tips
Wondering whether or not Rome is safe to visit?
You’ve come to the right article as I’m about to provide a complete guide to whether or not Rome is safe.
It’s a common question that so many people have before visiting the city because it’s important to know whether you can have a safe trip or not, right?
So before I booked my trip, I also asked the question, “Is Rome safe?”
As a solo traveller, it was crucial that I learnt about Rome and how safe it was.
Now, having visited Rome myself and spent 4 days there staying in a hostel as a solo traveller, I can give my own verdict on the common question of if Rome is safe, along with some tips to help you stay safe during your trip.
To summarise this entire post, yes, Rome is safe. In fact, it is one of the cities in which I have felt the safest!
But let’s get into more detail.
🇮🇹 When planning a trip to Rome, I recommend using:
✈️ Flights: Skyscanner
🏨 Hotels: Booking.com
💵 Hostels: Hostelworld
🗺 Tours: Walks Tours & Devour Tours
👨👩👦👦 Activities: Viator and GetYourGuide
🚗 Car Rental: Discover Cars
🚌 Transport: Flixbus
🏥 Travel Insurance: Safetywing
📱E-SIM: Airalo
💻 VPN: Surfshark
Is Rome Safe? YES!
Rome IS safe. It is one of the safest cities I have visited, all opinions of course, but I never once felt unsettled or unsafe during my four days in Rome.
But don’t just take my opinion for it, The Economist’s 2021 report ranks Rome as the 29th safest country in the world, which is pretty safe considering the sheer amount of cities!
There are some things that are a little different to home, such as crossing the road, but for the most part, it’s a pretty safe city.
Like all cities, there are scammers and con artists rife throughout the city. As long as you are firm in saying no if they approach you, they are harmless.
And there are also some areas to avoid, but this is the same anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, every city has its parts to avoid.
But I was happy enough walking around the city, even at night, and I felt safe the whole time.
Petty theft likely occurs, as it does everywhere in the world, but I was fortunate enough not to experience this nor witness this in Rome.
The only thing that I could possibly consider unsafe about Rome is crossing the road. At the crossings, cars and bikes (especially bikes!) will not stop if you wait at the side of the road.
You have to begin crossing and then they will (most of the time) stop. Bikes tend to drive on anyway but obviously, they avoid you crossing the road.
Safety Tip: Be aware that in Rome and Italy, they drive on the right-hand side of the road!
Homelessness in Rome was pretty large in my opinion, as were beggars. However, this never made me feel unsafe. They generally keep themselves to themselves with the exception of holding a cup out and asking for money.
It’s worth noting also that there are armed police and military throughout the streets of Rome, similar to Paris and other European capitals. They’re there to keep you safe at the end of the day, so you should feel reassured by their presence, not scared.
So to conclude, Is Rome safe? Yes!
For tourists of any kind- be it solo travellers like myself, couples, families, or group trips, anyone in Rome can have a great time without the worry of safety.
Is Rome Safe at night?
Unlike a lot of cities which are safe during the day but not at night, I felt Rome was safe regardless of what time of day it was. Before visiting Rome for the first time, this was something I was worried about, but thankfully it was very safe in Rome.
In fact, one time me and a friend I made at my hostel sat on the wall in front of the Colosseum at night until nearly 1 AM and then walked for 30 minutes back to the hostel!
I never felt unsafe despite walking down dark streets, sometimes alone. I don’t know why but the atmosphere in Rome simply felt safe.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting it to feel safe before going because most European capitals feel somewhat unsafe, but Rome was the exception. No matter the time of day, I felt comfortable.
There are also lots of Rome night tours which offer an amazing way to see the city after dark.
So is Rome safe at night? I would say yes.
Is Rome Safe for Solo Travel?
Once again, I would say yes.
I spent my time in Rome as a solo traveller, and like always when travelling solo, you meet people really quickly.
I spent most of my time with other solo travellers and made many new friends, a few of whom I talk to regularly!
Rome is an excellent city for travelling solo because everything is within walking distance.
Also, if you are on a budget in Rome, you can save money by not using public transport or buses.
I would recommend Rome to all solo travellers, you will have a great time and meet great people. I stayed at the Freedom Traveller Hostel and could not suggest it highly enough, the free croissants at breakfast were absolutely delicious!!
My stay there was so great that I wrote a full Freedom Traveller Hostel Review with everything you need to know before staying in the hostel.
How to Stay Safe in Rome
Although I would consider Rome a very safe city, as always, you should take precautions to ensure your own personal safety.
On top of the basic, worldwide, personal safety rules such as avoiding getting drunk while on your own, not walking down a dark alleyway alone, etc. etc., there are a few extra things that are worth knowing before visiting Rome.
- Know how to cross the road – as I said above, the cars and bikes will not stop for you, you must walk out and “force” them to stop. Despite being scary to begin with, my confidence in doing this grew with time and by my 4th day, I walked like a local! It’s also important to learn as walking is the best way to get around Rome.
- Be aware of local scams – there will be an abundance of men and women attempting to sell roses, below-par bracelets, and pretty much any cheap “souvenir” you can think of. Avoid dealing with these people and instead, buy your souvenirs from souvenir shops.
- Learn the emergency services’ phone numbers – 112 for police, 115 for the fire brigade, 118 for an ambulance and 113 for general emergencies
- Don’t use your phone close to the road – bikes are common in Rome and riders can easily snatch your phone and escape quickly if you hold it too close to the road.
Things to Know Before Travelling to Rome
Before travelling to any city, you want to know some top tips about the city. Rome is no different and lucky for you- I have 7 great tips for you!
Also, if you are wondering is Rome worth visiting, it absolutely is!
- Make sure to buy your tickets in advance! – Rome is one of the few places I recommend having a rough itinerary in mind before going, Colosseum and Vatican tickets sell out way ahead of time, even in off-peak times.
- You have to pay to use the toilet – similar to the rest of Europe, using the toilet in Rome will cost you, usually €1-2.
- Tipping in Rome isn’t expected – although it is a nice gesture to tip in Rome, it is not a mandatory procedure.
- There is a riposo between 1 pm and 4 pm – A riposo is the Italian version of a siesta. a lot of shops will be closed during this period, so make sure to work this into your daily schedule
- You can drink the water – there are plenty of water fountains scattered throughout Rome, which despite looking dodgy, produces fresh, ice-cold, water which you can drink. Tap water in Rome is also very safe to drink.
- Get the bus from the airport – Whether you need to get from Ciampino or Rome Fiumicino to City Centre, the best way is to get the bus. It’s the best for value for money.
- 3 days is the perfect amount of time – If you are unsure of how many days in Rome is enough, I think the minimum is 3 days.
Is Rome Safe: FAQ
If you are concerned about safety in Rome, you may wish to read some related questions to “Is Rome safe?” along with my answers.
I’m not a female so I can’t speak from experience but I would say yes! Rome is a very safe city in my opinion and I did not see any harassment, sexualisation or anything that would make females feel unsafe in Rome.
This one I can comment on- yes! My best friend I made on this trip was a solo female traveller. She told me that she felt particularly safe in Rome.
Yes! Rome is safe for all tourists regardless of nationality. I met an American couple while on a tour of the Colosseum, Rome is an amazing city to visit if you are from the US.
Rome is fine to visit after the pandemic, masks are not required and vaccines are not required to enter Italy. All COVID restrictions have been lifted, including the law of wearing masks on public transport which was scrapped in September 2022.
Quite the contrary! Rome is one of the safest cities I have ever visited, even as a solo traveller. I never once felt unsafe and the atmosphere was a very safe one.
Yes, Rome is safe for pedestrians. Although, make sure you know how to cross the road. You must begin walking onto the crossing before cars and bikes will stop. They will not stop if you wait at the side of the road. As long as you cross at a proper crossing, you will be okay!
Is Rome safe: Conclusion
And there you have it, a complete guide answering the question “Is Rome safe?”
To summarise, Rome is safe.
From the streets to the main tourist attractions, I felt safe in Rome no matter where I was and no matter the time of day.
The locals were very welcoming and only added to my feeling of safety. So if you are visiting Rome and are concerned about safety- don’t be.
There is nothing to worry about when visiting Rome. Is Rome safe? Yes.
Now that you know Rome is safe to visit, it’s time to start planning what you’re going to do. I recommend beginning by booking your Colosseum tour!
