Is Venice safe and how to spot thieves?

With its 120 islands connected by over 400 bridges visitors from all over the world arrive in Venice looking to experience the Adriatic lagoon all for themselves.

The maze canals are one of the city’s essential features, and the narrow streets that line them are where thousands of new tourists walk each day.

With things to do such as riding a gondola or walking beside some of the oldest buildings in Europe, what on earth is there to be worried about?

Is Venice safe?

This guide looks at travel safety in Venice so you can ensure your trip here is safe, and you can avoid common pitfalls that happen to some travellers who visit.

I’ve written this guide in conjunction with my 1 day in Venice itinerary, which is designed to give you the best route while spending a short amount of time here.

Is Venice safe right now?

Yes! When compared to other cities in Italy, such as Naples, Rome and Milan, Venice is considered a much safer city to visit for unsuspecting tourists.

In other words, as a visitor to Venice, your personal safety should not present any major concern. During your time in Venice, you can plan to see various neighbourhoods and not have to think about what may be around the next corner.

Falling into the canals on a busy day may pose a greater risk than being the victim of crime here. This means you will need to be extra careful when walking around during busy times and always be aware of your position on the streets.

Is Venice safe for tourists?

Yes! In fact, Venice is known for being a tourist-friendly city, and you can expect to see people from all walks of life enjoying their time here. You can see people travelling solo as well as families who travel with their kids.

This also goes for some places to visit outside of Venice too, since there are many remarkable places to visit in and around the Veneto region as well.

You may be surprised just how open some local Venetian residents are, especially when it comes to helping out tourists and those who are genuinely interested in learning more about the authentic side of Venetian culture.

All I ask is that you try to respect the culture and its people. There are certain social issues happening in the background that, as a visitor, you may not be aware of. Why not aim to carry an Italian phrase book so you can converse with locals?

With the advent of overtourism, living in Venice is not easy, so it makes sense to visit the city of canals and bridges with respect and leave it just as you found it.

Crime rate in Venice

Is Venice safe for solo travellers?

When it comes to solo travel in Venice, you have the freedom to wander around the streets without worrying about getting robbed or being held up in any sort of confrontation. This applies to the young or the old, male or female.

The narrow streets may look like something out of a movie you’ve seen before, but there is nothing stopping you from walking up or down them.

As a tourist who is new to the city, you are more likely to encounter (unknowingly, of course) pickpockets, especially spending time in and around the busiest areas and attractions where they can easily go unnoticed among the big crowds.

I recommend carrying an anti-theft backpack or this stylish lady’s bag if you’ll be carrying around valuables such as cash and mobile devices.

Is Venice safe at night?

Yes, Venice is safe at night, and although the majority of tourists leave the city, it’s during the nighttime hours when you can get a feel for the beauty of the city.

Spend a night in a hotel such as Antico Panada for a stay close to some of the most popular attractions to see just how much different they all look at night.

Where to stay in Venice

Here is a list of the best neighbourhoods to stay in Venice which allow you to easily connect with most of the city’s main attractions.

• San Marco
• Dorsoduro
• San Polo
• Castello
• Santa Croce
• Cannaregio

Three of the most popular places to stay in Venice are San Marco, Dorsoduro and San Polo. Mainly because those neighbourhoods are where you can find the most sought-after tourist attractions.

The good news is that regardless of which neighbourhood you decide to stay in, while in Venice, you can find accommodation no matter what your budget is.

Places to avoid in Venice

Since I have found gems in each sestieri (neighbourhood) in the city, it is very difficult for us to list areas to avoid in Venice.

If I were to suggest some places to avoid in Venice, then I would say that you must be more careful in the Santa Croce neighbourhood which is where you can find the Santa Lucia railway station.

This is where tonnes of unsuspecting tourists arrive each day (some more careless than others), so it attracts opportunists who may be lurking around this area.

Depending on how many days in Venice you have, you’ll likely find that you may only pass by the train station once or twice during the full duration of your trip.

The other area in Venice to avoid would have to be the Castello neighbourhood on the east side. Since it is further out of the way compared to all the other areas, you could choose to spend your precious time elsewhere while in Venice.

So if you can reduce your time spent in and around these areas, you can definitely further reduce the risk of being a victim of a crime while in Venice.

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Venice travel safety tips

As mentioned earlier, year after year, Venice is considered by many as one of the safest cities in Europe, but I still suggest taking certain travel safety precautions.

See these Venice safety tips below:

Most of these precautions are applicable even if you only find yourself in the city for one day. Aim to arrive with an open mind but never let your guard fully down.

Best time to visit Venice

After travelling back and forth to Venice over the years, I have come to the conclusion that there is no one best or worse time to visit Venice.

However, I suggest you avoid autumn and winter in Venice (if you can) as it can get complicated. What happens in those months is that you get the high tide and some very low temperatures. In winter, it can get to as low as 0-6C° in Venice.

A good time to visit is between March and April or even mid-October, especially if you are in favour of seeing fewer tourists on the streets.

Due to the high humidity, Venice in July and August can be challenging, but it’s an experience in itself, so don’t be put off if you get the chance to visit in the summer.

Just be prepared to pay higher prices for accommodation and find yourself waiting longer to access the most popular tourist attractions in Venice.

Is Venice safe? Final words

With all the advice on this page, you should now have a much better idea of how safe Venice is and some risks to look out for as a tourist.

The Veneto region itself is one of the safest in Italy, and Venice is a great starting point to be able to explore other parts of this beautiful region.

Whether you’re travelling alone, with friends, or with family… aim to follow my tips, as well as be mindful of the usual travel safety precautions you’d take in any other place you’d visit. You’ll have a great time in the city of canals and bridges.

Check out my 2 weeks in Italy itinerary for ideas on where to go next.