This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Consulate in Florence. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. For more in-depth information, review OSAC’s Italy country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password.

Travel Advisory

The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses Italy at Level 3, indicating travelers should reconsider travel to Italy due to a recent outbreak of COVID-19. However, the Travel Advisory in effect prior to the outbreak assessed Italy at Level 2, indicating travelers should exercise increased caution due to terrorism. Do not travel to Lombardy and Veneto due to the level of community transmission of the virus and imposition of local quarantine procedures. Review OSAC’s report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System.

Overall Crime and Safety Situation

Crime Threats

The U.S. Department of State has assessed Florence as being a LOW-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The Regional Security Office (RSO), through information shared by Italian law enforcement partners, has seen an increase in non-violent crime over 2019 in the Florence consular district. By far the most common instances of crime in Florence involve non-violent petty theft. Across Italy, Florence has the second-highest number of reports of petty theft (the vast majority are pickpocketing), representing an almost 16% increase from 2018 to 2019 (817 every 100,000 residents in 2019). Residential break-in reports are also on the rise in 2019 with 609/100k, a 20% increase from 2019.

Florence has Italy’s seventh-highest rate of sexual violence (14.4/100k) and robbery (68.6/100k), both showing a slight increase from the year before. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for female travelers.

Consult with credible local experts and local law enforcement to ensure your organization is not impacted by, infiltrated by, or inadvertently doing business with a criminal organization.

U.S. visitors are generally safe throughout Italy and are not specific targets based on nationality. Criminals do often target foreigners for petty theft such as pickpocketing, bag snatching, and vehicle/residential break-in, especially in areas of high concentration like crowded tourist sites, museums and stores; instances have occurred inside churches as well.  

Criminals will commonly create diversions or take advantage of local distractions in and around tourist locations and transit sites, where the potential victims are not protecting their belongings. In general, areas of greater risk include the areas around the Santa Maria Novella train station, the car rental hub close to Vespucci Airport (FLR), area around Santa Croce, the Duomo, and Ponte Vecchio.

Criminals prefer areas outside of the city center for vehicle and residential break-ins because of decreased security presence. They also target unattended vehicles with valuables that are visible from the windows. Review OSAC’s reports, All That You Should Leave Behind.

Due to the large population of U.S. students in Florence and Bologna, busy dance clubs and bars can be common sites for crimes against U.S. nationals. Exercise heightened security awareness while visiting public parks, especially after dark. While parks are attractive locations for exercise, it is a good idea to travel with another person or with a group in twilight or evening hours and do not venture down isolated or dark alleyways.

Cybersecurity Issues

Cybercrime is a growing concern for Italian authorities, and should be a priority for anyone conducting business in the Florence consular district. According to authorities, credit card fraud, ATM skimming, and identity hacking account for the majority of all financial crime in the city. Use ATMs attached to or inside a physical bank, as opposed to a stand-alone machine. Review OSAC’s reports, Cybersecurity Basics, and Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi.

Protection of sensitive computer-based programs and operations continues to be priority for OSAC members throughout the world, and it is no different for organizations in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. It is not uncommon for private corporations or government agencies to fall victim to hackers or other cyber-related attacks regardless of their location worldwide.

Transportation-Safety Situation

Road Safety and Road Conditions

Road conditions in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna meet U.S standards, though many main arteries are narrower than the roads in the United States. Roads are well maintained, and extensive lighting exists. Nevertheless, vehicle accidents and accidents involving pedestrians are common.

Driving in Italy can be stressful. Traffic laws are not often followed or enforced. Traffic enforcement includes extensive use of cameras, but enforcement by local traffic officials is limited and inconsistent. Scooters and motorcycles do not often follow the rules of the road and are known to use the sidewalks and median to get around vehicles at traffic lights and in moving traffic. Drivers should drive defensively and be prepared to brake quickly and avoid scooters and other cars that can quickly cut across lanes or turn across traffic.

The centers of nearly all cities and towns of historic interest – including Florence, Siena, Pisa, and Bologna – lie within a “ZTL” (“Limited Traffic Zone”). Drivers entering this area without proper permission will automatically receive fines. Notices of fines do not always arrive in a timely manner and increase in amount if not paid expediently.

Review OSAC’s reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Department’s webpage on driving and road safety abroad.

If an individual is involved in a traffic accident, below are suggested actions:

• Car Accident with Injuries

Call 112 to inform the dispatcher of your location, details regarding injuries, and the accident. Wait for emergency services to arrive. They will provide care and transport of the injured, reestablish traffic flow, and complete an accident report form. Note the name and destination of any injured persons to be transported by ambulance from the scene. A police report will be helpful in this regard. Do not sign any documents that you do not clearly understand or that do not conform to your grasp of the factors surrounding the accident.

• Car Accident without Injuries and No Agreement on the Facts Relating to the Accident

Call 112. If vehicles are blocking traffic, Italian law requires you move the vehicles if possible. Before moving your vehicle, document the position of the vehicle by any means possible. Extensive photographs can help, but do not consider this the sole source of evidence. Search for skid marks, broken glass, debris, or any other evidence that may help in determining the facts of the accident. Take photographs of all damage to both vehicles and pay particular attention to any pre-existing damage. Try to establish a third-party witness; even if this person is another motorist who cannot wait for the police to arrive, obtain names and phone numbers of actual witnesses who the police can contact. Witness fabrication is not uncommon. There have been reported cases of family members who were not actually present acting as witnesses to accident scenes. In incidents without injury, the police will not issue a police report. The expectation is that the parties will exchange insurance information and the insurance agencies will assign fault.

• Car Accident without Injuries and Agreement on the Facts Relating to the Accident

Consider the above paragraph first. Wait for the police to arrive and document the incident. Complete the Constatazione Amichevole di Incidente Automobilistico (CAIA, Agreed Statement of Facts on Motor Vehicle Accident). Give a copy to each party. Do not sign the completed form if there is disagreement regarding the version/sequence of events represented. Contact your insurance company; obtain guidance on how to send them the CAIA and inquire about further steps regarding damages/related expenses.

Police traffic-control checkpoints are common. Officers can pull you over without probable cause. If this happens, do not be alarmed or assume you have done something wrong; cooperate and present your driver’s license and registration.

Public Transportation Conditions

The public transportation system (e.g. trains, trams, buses) in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna is modern, extensive, and an accepted means of travel. Authorized taxis are white and have meters. Take a photo of the number on the outside of the door before opening. Only use licensed taxis or reputable transportation services.

High-speed trains travel across the region and make few stops. Regional trains are less expensive but are slower and more often subject to delays and cancellation.  On regional and high-speed trains alike, thieves have been known to board at one station, steal unattended luggage, and exit immediately or at the next station. Travelers should also be alert for transit strikes, which occur often and generally on Fridays.

Review OSAC’s Report, Security in Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights.

Aviation/Airport Conditions

Several major Italian and European airlines service the Florence -  Amerigo Vespucci airport (FLR), Bologna - Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), and Pisa - Galileo Galieli (PSA) international airports. Airline and airport safety remain on par with other Western European countries.

Other Travel Conditions

Numerous tour organizations arrange travel throughout the country, with varying degrees of service. None are off-limits.

Terrorism Threat

The U.S. Department of State has assessed Florence as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.

There continues to be a risk from terrorism in the Florence consular district. ISIS, al-Qa’ida, their affiliated organizations, and other terrorist groups aspire to commit terrorist attacks against U.S. and Western interests in Europe. Local security authorities believe threats and attacks are likely to be a security concern as European members of ISIS return from Syria and Iraq. There is a continuing threat in Europe from unaffiliated persons planning attacks inspired by major terrorist organizations but conducted on an individual basis.

Italy’s concerns for terrorism are exacerbated by its proximity to North Africa and the Middle East. Additionally, Italy has figured prominently in the rhetoric of groups such as ISIS, al-Qa’ida, and al-Shabaab. The Government of Italy has a robust counterterrorism program, which actively monitors known or suspected foreign fighters and terrorists.

Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

Italy also faces several indigenous terrorist groups and radical elements, primarily consisting of extremist and or anarchist movements. Government institutions and diplomatic facilities have received bomb threats and actual explosive devices. Buildings/offices have been the target of firebombs or Molotov cocktails, although generally at night; such incidents are rare and instigated by organized crime or anarchist movements.

Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence

The U.S. Department of State has assessed Florence as being a LOW-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.

Civil Unrest 

Politically motivated violence in Italy is most often connected to Italian internal developments or social issues. Italian authorities and foreign diplomatic facilities have found bombs outside public buildings, received bomb threats, and been subjects of letter bombs in the past.

Demonstrations occur regularly in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, including some specifically focused on the United States. Most are small, peaceful and well controlled by Italian security forces. Review OSAC’s report, Surviving a Protest.

Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment

Anti-U.S. rhetoric comes from groups opposing specific “establishment” referendums that have U.S. cooperation. Demonstrations have taken place in Florence and Pisa, condemning U.S. actions in the Middle East. 

Post-specific Concerns

Environmental Hazards

Since 2016, there has been increased seismic activity throughout many regions in Italy. The Italian civil authority maintains information on local conditions to better prepare for an environmental event. The “Io non rischio” campaign by Italy’s Department of Civil Protection has information on how to avoid risks including floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis, and has information in English. The interactive maps for each category may be especially useful for determining levels of risk for personnel working or living in Italy.

Additional information about disaster preparedness is also available online from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Critical Infrastructure

A catastrophic event will likely disrupt response services significantly. Develop a personal plan to overcome an expected disruption.

Personal Identity Concerns

Students are often targets of theft or sexual assault. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for female travelers.

There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in Italy. Same sex civil unions are legally recognized in Italy. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for LGBTI+ travelers.

Narrow, streets with cobbled stones are pervasive in Italy. Many sidewalks lack ramps, and some streets lack sidewalks altogether or, as in Venice, feature stairs and narrow pedestrian bridges. Many hotels, attractions and means of public transportation do not have ramps, elevators, or accessible bathrooms.

Train stations in Italy have accommodations for wheelchair riders; with advanced notice, those with a disability can receive assistancewhen transiting through a station. Hand-controlled rental cars are available in Italy from major car rental companies; contact the car rental company well in advance of your trip to reserve the vehicle. Guide dog owners must present the documentation required by European Union Member States in order to enter Italy with a dog. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for travelers with disabilities.

Drug-related Crime

Travelers have reported incidents in which criminals used drugs to assault or rob them. Italy is an important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market

Kidnapping Threat

Do not discount the threat of being kidnapped. Review OSAC’s report, Kidnapping: The Basics.

Police Response

The line for emergencies and carabinieri in Italy is 112. The police line is 113, and the fire emergency line is 115. The services have location detection and multi-lingual operators. Police response and services throughout Italy are good. The Polizia di Stato (state police) and the Carabinieri (military police) are well trained and equipped. These two police groups offer the full range of police services. For local first responders, please refer to the Embassy’s Emergency Assistance page.

Italy has a higher level of police presence than most countries. In 2008, Operazione Strade Sicure began adding military patrols throughout major cities to supplement civilian police patrols and to deter both crime and terrorist attacks. Today, it is common to see police and military patrolling areas throughout the city, especially at popular landmarks.

Thieves sometimes impersonate police officers. If a plainclothes police officer stops you, ask for a uniformed officer or insist on seeing an officer's identification card (documento). Do not hand over your wallet. Immediately report the incident to the actual police at a police station or by dialing 112 from a local phone. Download the State Department’s Crime Victims Assistance brochure.

Medical Emergencies

The emergency line for ambulances (First Aid only) is 118. Adequate health facilities and ambulance services are widely available, but training and availability of emergency responders may be below U.S. standards, and facilities may be limited outside urban areas. Medical staff may speak little or no English. Generally, in public hospitals only minimal staff is available overnight in non-emergency wards.

Public hospitals, though generally free of charge for emergency services, may not maintain the same standards as hospitals in the United States. Private hospitals usually require advance payment or proof of adequate insurance before admitting a patient. Travelers should make efforts to obtain complete information on billing, pricing, and proposed medical procedures before agreeing to any medical care. In most cases, patients bear costs for transfer to or between hospitals. Find contact information for available medical services and available air ambulance services on the U.S. Embassy website.

The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. Review the State Departments webpage on insurance overseas.

The Italian Health Ministry sets rules defining importation of prescriptions and medications into Italy. However, the Health Ministry website does not have information in English. According to the Health Ministry, foreigners entering Italy may bring personal medications for a period of 30 days, but should also bring a copy of their prescription with them. Travelers should not bring excess supplies of prescription drugs into the country, and cannot bring prescription drugs for other people. Italian Customs laws strictly regulate the importation of medications into Italy by courier services or by mail. Italian customs clears all incoming shipments of medications -- even small amounts for personal use -- and will allow them to clear customs only upon presentation from the receiving party of a statement signed by a physician licensed in Italy, certifying that the medication is essential for the patient; that he/she would be put in a life-threatening situation without it; and that there is no substitute or equivalent medication available on the Italian market. Delays in the release of medications by Italian Customs received by mail or by courier services are common. Review OSAC’s report, Traveling with Medication.

In parts of Italy, the lack of adequate trash disposal and incineration sites has led to periodic accumulations of garbage in urban and rural areas. In some cases, residents have burned garbage, resulting in toxic emissions that can aggravate respiratory problems.

The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance for Italy.

OSAC Country Council Information

There is an active Country Council in Florence. Contact OSAC’s Europe team for more information or to join.

U.S. Consulate Contact Information

Lungarno Vespucci 38, 50123, Florence

Regular hours: 0830 – 1730; Monday – Friday; closed Saturday and Sunday, and on U.S. and Italian holidays.

Telephone: (+39) 06-4674-1

Marine Post One (Emergencies): (+39) 06-4674-2112

Website: https://it.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/florence/

Other U.S. Diplomatic Posts In Italy

• Embassy Rome, Via Veneto 119/A, 00187 Rome. (+39) 06-4674-2112.
• Consular Agency Genoa, Via Dante, 2, 16121 Genoa. (+39) 010584492.
• Consulate Milan, via Principe Amedeo, 2/10, 20121 Milano. (+39) 02 290 351.
• Consulate Naples, Piazza della Repubblica, 80122 Napoli. (+39) 081 583 8111.
• Consular Agency Venice, Venice Marco Polo Airport, General Aviation Terminal, Viale Galileo Galilei, 30 - 30173 TESSERA (VE). (+39) 041-541-5944.
• Virtual Presence Post San Marino

Helpful Information

Before you travel, consider the following resources:

• OSAC Risk Matrix
• OSAC Travelers Toolkit
• State Department Traveler’s Checklist
• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)