Is Rome Still Safe in 2026? We Checked the Crime Data, Metro, Pickpocket Hotspots and the Areas Expats Should Know

Is Rome Still Safe in 2026? We Checked the Crime Data, Metro, Pickpocket Hotspots and the Areas Expats Should Know

Rome is one of the easiest cities in Europe to fall in love with.

The Colosseum. The Vatican. Trastevere at night. Espresso at a corner bar. Streets that have been walked for thousands of years.

But there is another side of Rome that tourists and newcomers quickly discover:

Pickpockets. Crowded Metro stations. Phone theft. Problems around major transport hubs. And neighbourhoods where the atmosphere changes dramatically after dark.

So is Rome actually dangerous in 2026?

The short answer is:

Rome is generally safe for tourists and expats — but it is not equally safe everywhere, and the biggest everyday risk is usually theft rather than violent crime.

We looked at the latest official crime data, police operations, Metro security activity and the areas most relevant to visitors and foreign residents.

Rome's biggest safety problem isn't what many people think

When people hear "crime in Rome", they often imagine violent street crime.

For most visitors, that is not the main issue.

The more realistic problem is opportunistic theft.

A phone placed on a café table.

A wallet in an open backpack.

A passport in an easily accessible pocket.

A bag left on the floor of a crowded restaurant.

A phone taken during the few seconds when Metro doors are closing.

This is why Rome's most important safety lesson is surprisingly simple:

Crowds create opportunity.

And Rome has enormous crowds.

The Rome Metro is where tourists need to pay attention

Rome's Metro is not a city-wide danger zone.

Millions of people use it every day without experiencing any serious problem.

But some stations and routes receive significantly more attention from police because they combine three things:

tourists + crowds + transport.

That combination is perfect for pickpocketing.

Police operations have repeatedly focused on stations including Termini, Colosseo, Repubblica, Spagna, Ottaviano and other heavily used tourist corridors.

In November 2025, Rome's PolMetro reported 17,769 people identified since its launch, with dozens of arrests and numerous cases involving theft and robbery.

And the activity continued into 2026.

Police operations in April and June specifically described pickpocketing incidents on trains, platforms and around Termini, including thefts targeting tourists.

The most important rule on the Metro

Never treat getting on or off the train as a moment when your phone and wallet are safe.

The closing doors can create exactly the kind of distraction that professional thieves look for.

Termini: Rome's biggest safety hotspot?

If there is one place newcomers should understand before arriving in Rome, it is Roma Termini.

Termini is not simply a railway station.

It is a huge transport interchange, Metro hub, shopping area and gateway for millions of visitors.

That makes it strategically important — and also creates opportunities for petty crime.

Italian authorities have repeatedly increased security around the station.

In January 2026, Carabinieri launched a major operation around Termini involving additional patrols, specialist units, dogs and helicopter support.

In February, authorities reported six arrests and nine people reported to prosecutors during another operation targeting theft and street crime around Termini.

The same month, the Interior Ministry announced a permanent PolMetro presence at Termini. The unit had already identified more than 36,700 people and made 78 arrests since 2025, while the Metro network is covered by thousands of surveillance cameras.

That does not mean Termini is a place you should avoid.

It means you should behave differently there.

Our advice:

• Keep your phone away when walking through crowds.

• Don't leave bags unattended.

• Avoid displaying expensive watches or jewellery.

• Use extra caution around Metro entrances and exits.

• Be more alert late at night.

• Don't follow strangers offering unsolicited "help".

Termini is a transportation hub.

Treat it like one.

Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps

Rome's most famous attractions are also among its most crowded locations.

And that matters.

The Colosseum area attracts enormous numbers of tourists.

The Trevi Fountain creates dense pedestrian crowds.

Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps are another obvious concentration point.

The risk here is rarely:

"Someone is going to attack me."

It is much more often:

"Someone is going to take something from me without me noticing."

That distinction is important.

A tourist can spend an entire week in Rome without seeing a violent crime — and still lose a phone in five seconds.

What about the city centre at night?

Rome's historic centre is not uniformly dangerous after dark.

Some areas remain busy well into the evening, particularly around restaurants, bars, major squares and tourist attractions.

But the environment changes quickly once you leave the main pedestrian corridors.

One street can be full of people.

Two blocks later, it can be almost empty.

For visitors, the sensible approach is not to panic about walking at night.

Instead:

stay aware of your surroundings and avoid unnecessarily isolated streets when you are alone.

This is especially relevant if you are unfamiliar with the city.

The neighbourhood question: where should expats live?

This is where the "Is Rome safe?" question becomes much more interesting.

Rome is enormous.

And safety can vary considerably between neighbourhoods.

Generally popular with expats and newcomers

Prati

Close to the Vatican, relatively residential and well connected.

Monteverde

Green, residential and popular with families.

Aventino / San Saba

Quiet, attractive and generally considered one of the city's more comfortable residential environments.

Parioli

Upscale and residential, with a very different atmosphere from the central tourist zones.

Trieste / Africano

A more local residential environment with good services and transport connections.

These areas aren't crime-free.

No major European capital is.

But they generally feel very different from the busiest tourist and transport corridors.

Areas where newcomers should pay more attention

This does not mean "never go there."

Rome's neighbourhoods are not black and white.

But some areas require more situational awareness, particularly around transport hubs and certain peripheral districts.

Termini / parts of Esquilino

The area around the station is one of the most important places to understand.

It has restaurants, hotels, businesses and perfectly normal residential streets.

But it also has persistent problems involving theft, drug dealing and street disorder.

San Lorenzo

Popular with students and nightlife crowds.

The atmosphere can be lively and fun, but late-night conditions can be very different from daytime.

Parts of Tor Bella Monaca and other peripheral districts

These areas are far less relevant to most tourists, but they can have higher levels of social and criminal problems than Rome's central residential neighbourhoods.

For an expat choosing a home, the exact street matters more than the neighbourhood name alone.

Is Rome safer than Paris or Barcelona?

This is where simplistic rankings become misleading.

Rome, Paris and Barcelona all have different crime profiles.

Barcelona is notorious for theft.

Paris has major tourist and transport-related risks alongside a broader urban crime problem.

Rome's biggest challenge for visitors is also overwhelmingly connected to petty theft, crowded public transport and tourist concentration.

So asking:

"Which city is safest?"

is less useful than asking:

"What type of crime am I most likely to encounter?"

For a tourist in Rome, the answer is usually:

theft and scams — not random violent attacks.

Is Rome safer than Paris or Barcelona?

What police activity tells us about Rome in 2026

The most interesting development is that Rome is not ignoring the problem.

Authorities have expanded specialised Metro policing and increased surveillance around key transport areas.

The PolMetro unit now has more than 50 officers, with plans announced to increase that number further. The operation is supported by ATAC's extensive CCTV network and private security personnel.

And the police response is increasingly targeted.

Recent operations have focused specifically on:

• pickpocketing

• phone theft

• robbery

• drug dealing

• theft around crowded Metro stations

• criminal activity around Termini

A June 2026 operation, for example, resulted in six arrests connected to thefts on the Metro and around supermarkets and stations. Police described the Termini–Colosseo corridor as one of the locations used by suspects targeting tourists and commuters.

Rome Safety Score™ 2026

Based on the available crime data, police activity and the practical experience of navigating the city, our editorial assessment is:

🟢 Daytime tourist areas: 8.5/10

Generally comfortable, but keep your belongings secure.

🟡 Metro: 7/10

Usually safe, but pickpocketing deserves serious attention.

🟡 Termini: 6/10

Very busy, heavily policed and useful — but not the place to switch off your awareness.

🟢 Residential expat areas: 8/10

Many neighbourhoods offer a comfortable environment for foreign residents.

🟡 Late-night isolated areas: 6.5/10

The biggest issue is not that Rome suddenly becomes dangerous at midnight, but that empty streets give you fewer people and fewer options if something goes wrong.

The Rome Safety Map™ 2026

If we reduce Rome's safety landscape to a simple map, the pattern looks like this:

🟢 Lower concern

PratiAventinoSan SabaParioliMonteverdeTrieste

🟡 Use normal urban caution

Centro StoricoTrastevereSpanish StepsTreviVatican areaSan Lorenzo

🟠 Higher awareness

TerminiEsquilinoMajor Metro interchangesSome peripheral districts

🔴 Not a tourist priority

Certain peripheral areas where visitors have little reason to go without a specific purpose.

This is not an official police ranking.

It is an editorial practical-safety assessment, designed for people deciding where to stay, live or move.

The biggest mistake tourists make in Rome

It isn't walking around at night.

It isn't taking the Metro.

It isn't visiting Termini.

The biggest mistake is assuming:

"Because everyone around me is a tourist, I'm safe."

Crowds are exactly where professional pickpockets operate.

The more distracted you are, the better.

Looking at Google Maps.

Taking photos.

Checking train times.

Buying tickets.

Getting on a packed train.

Taking a selfie.

These are all moments when your attention moves away from your belongings.

10 rules for staying safe in Rome in 2026

1. Keep your phone in your hand only when you actually need it.

2. Use a zipped bag or backpack.

3. Never keep your wallet in a back pocket.

4. Be especially alert when Metro doors are opening and closing.

5. Don't leave your phone on restaurant tables near the street.

6. Keep passports and important documents secured at your accommodation.

7. Be cautious of unsolicited help around ticket machines.

8. Don't display large amounts of cash.

9. At night, stick to populated routes when you don't know the area.

10. If something feels wrong, leave the situation rather than trying to prove you're not afraid.

So, is Rome still safe in 2026?

Yes — but with an important qualification.

Rome is not a city where tourists or expats should live in fear.

Millions of people live, work and travel here every year.

The city centre is heavily policed, the Metro has dedicated security operations and authorities are actively targeting pickpocketing and other forms of street crime.

But Rome also has a very real petty-crime problem.

And the risk is concentrated.

The Colosseum is not the same as a quiet residential street.

Prati is not Termini.

A crowded Metro carriage is not the same as walking through a residential neighbourhood.

That is the real story of safety in Rome.

You don't need to avoid the city.

You need to understand it.

Our final verdict:

🇮🇹 Rome Safety Score™ 2026: 7.8/10

Safe enough to visit. Comfortable enough to live in. But never safe enough to switch off completely.

And if you're moving to Rome, the most important question isn't:

"Is Rome safe?"

It's:

"Which part of Rome am I choosing to live in?"