Is Florence safe?

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When considering to come to Florence, choosing the right place to live is crucial and it is also very important to inquire about the city’s safety.
Florence is undoubtedly a romantic and dreamy destination with cobblestoned streets, breathtaking works of art, wonderful food and nature.

Florence is the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, a city where incredible cultural treasures such as opera, piano, ice cream and much more were created. Just think that even the name “America” ​​derives from that of the Florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci!. With a staggering 80 museums,Florence is a treasure chest of artistic wonders, I’ll just mention one of them: Michelangelo’s David: the most beautiful statue in the world!
Florence therefore offers a lot to a wide range of travelers as its rich heritage and cultural legacy are truly enormous.

Florence is a medium-sized city in Italy, with a population of approximately 370,000. Around 61,000 Florentines live in the historic center of the city. However, to be complete, the information must also take into account the significant influx of tourists. In 2022, according to ISTAT, Italy’s official Statistics Institute, Florence welcomed an incredible number of 10,388,000 tourists, translating into an impressive daily average of 28,000 visitors.

Is Florence safe  to live?

Yes, luckily Florence is a very safe city to live in.
Florence is considered safe because the city has a low crime rate: you rarely hear about violent crimes or burglaries.
This means that the only concern about safety in Florence is the risk linked to petty crime (considered high), in particular muggings and pickpocketing, especially in central areas and public transportation.
And this is unfortunately a common evil in cities where there are many tourists.

For this reason you should not go around with valuables or cash.

The best advice is to be careful. Tourists in particular are the ones who should be more careful as they are the favorite victims of pickpockets.

Tourists, by definition, do not pay attention because they are enjoying the extraordinary monuments, statues and are relaxing. But you must remember that there may be malicious people near you. Be especially cautious in crowded places, such as the most famous tourist spots, public transport, train stations, bus stops and iconic destinations such as the Uffizi Galleries, Ponte Vecchio and Piazza del Duomo.
I would like to share a personal experience, just an example to better explain: I had my watch stolen from my wrist during a short bus trip on my way to Fiesole. It happened late at night, the bus was crowded and I was tired. In the 15 minutes I spent on the bus, my watch, a present for my 18th birthday, disappeared without me notincing!

Pickpockets are VERY skilled at what they do!

Another fundamental thing is to pay attention to personal belongings in public spaces.
For example, if you are in a bar or restaurant, instead of hanging your purse on the back of the chair, hold it on your lap or put the strap around one leg.
Also try not to leave phones or cameras on the table in plain sight if you’re not using them. Furthermore, it is advisable to avoid carrying wallets or cell phones in your trouser pockets as they are very visible and easy to steal.
No less important, when using a backpack, is to avoid placing valuable items in easily accessible external pockets.

Scams

Florence, as I was saying, is generally safe but not free from the risk of scam which remains moderate.But even in this case it is essential to pay attention to those who try to deceive you. Fortunately, however, scammers are relatively easy to spot and avoid.
A scam frequently encountered in central areas is the petition scam. In this case, a person tries to convince you to sign a petition while an accomplice, under some pretext or distraction, tries to rob you. Or what happens more often is that after you’ve finished signing, you are ask for a “donation” to their cause in a sort of agressive way.
Another common tactic is the bracelet scam, where a seemingly friendly person wants to give you a bracelet, only to then ask you for an offer in exchange for the “gift” you got.
Finally, pay attention to people who seem to much approachable. Florentines are friendly and helpful but just right, polite way. When it’s too helpful, cimply to much, there is for sure something wrong.

Florence is therefore an overall safe city, but like any other place, there are areas where it is advisable to pay more attention, especially during the night (such as the Cascine Park).

Common sense is your best guide.
 Because of this:

  • Use trustful transportation, such as trusted taxi companies (there are two in Florence: 0554390 and 0554242)or public transport to get around the city (and if crowded, pay attention to the people next to you)
  • Be aware of your surroundings, especially when visiting touristic locations or poorly lit areas at night.
  • Keep your valuables safe and carry little cash with you.
  • Learn by heart emergency phone numbers. Police (113), ambulance (118) and fire department (115).