Italy : Safety by City
- Bari
- Bologna
- Cagliari
- Catania
- Florence
- Genoa
- Milan
- Naples
- Palermo
- Perugia
- Pisa
- Rimini
- Rome
- Sorrento
- Turin
- Vatican City
- Venice
- Verona
Milan is the most important city in Italy and the second-most populous city in the country.
It is one of the most ancient cities in Europe with more than 26 centuries of history and heritage.
Unfortunately, it has been partly destroyed during the Second World War and the city has rebuilt itself into a business capital.
Tourists are attracted to Milan because it is a perfect destination for shopping, football, opera, and nightlife.
Milan is famous for the Duomo, one of the biggest and grandest Gothic cathedrals in the world, La Scala, one of the best-established opera houses and the UNESCO’s World Heritage Site Santa Maria alle Grazie Basilica, containing Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
Warnings & Dangers in Milan
OVERALL RISK: LOW
Milan is a very safe city, although some areas attract a lot of pickpockets. There are neighborhoods outside the city that are best to be avoided. Some scams are possible at the center of the Duomo where people will ask you for some money. Besides a large police presence in the area, some pickpockets still operate, as well as bag-snatchers.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
Tourist needs to be aware of the fake taxis and uses only the licensed ones, which have a taxi sign on the roof. Make sure the meter in the taxi has been turned on and reset. Buses are comfortable, punctual and clean, so they can be a good option to travel around the city. Pedestrians should take care of Zebra crossings because vehicles do not always stop, even though they are required to.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
Milan is very prone to pickpockets. There are even maps with the most frequent pickpocket’s locations. The city center is the place where thieves use a variety of methods to distract you and rob you. Take care on public transport and in crowded areas since the risk exists. However, the vigilant person will not encounter any problems.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
When the natural hazards are in question, Italy is prone to some minor tremors and earthquakes. But they are not very frequent and do not represent a serious threat.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
Milan is a safe place where mugging almost does not exist. There are sometimes robberies of cars, so always lock your vehicle and never leave valuables on show. There were no reports of kidnapping, especially not the kidnapping of foreigners.
TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
Since terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in major cities in Europe, Milan might be the target. Terrorists are motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria and the place where they might attack cannot be predicted. You should be vigilant and avoid gatherings and demonstrations.
SCAMS RISK: LOW
There are a lot of scammers in Milan, and they will do their best to fool a distracted tourist, to take the money from them. They are located around major landmarks in Milan. Their aim is only to take your valuables, passport or money, so do not show off with the latest gadgets and expensive jewelry. Around Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, you may be approached by women who would ask you for petition signatures for an "anti-drug, anti-AIDS for youth" organization. Do not start a conversation with them.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Milan is safe for women travelers since they do not encounter any kind of trouble here. Female travelers have not had issues in Milan.
So... How Safe Is Milan Really?
Even though there are certain areas near Loreto, Central station, and Porto di Mare which can be unsafe in the night, Milan is a rather safe city.
It is full of grand palaces and fine churches in the center, a lot of parks and museums.
To remain safe, travelers should not seek help from people who are offering to help because they will ask for money in return.
The best thing is to ignore them.
Be careful when crossing the street, because the pedestrian crossings are not respected, except when a red light for the vehicle is on.
Most of the visits are trouble-free, so do not allow thieves and scammers to destroy your journey.
As long as you are watchful and vigilant, you will not encounter any problems in Milan.
How Does Milan Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Milan | 66 |
| Naples | 66 |
| Florence | 70 |
| Venice | 74 |
| Rome | 64 |
| Bologna | 56 |
| Genoa | 54 |
| Calgary (Canada) | 82 |
| Buenos Aires (Argentina) | 60 |
| Vancouver (Canada) | 82 |
| Cordoba (Argentina) | 61 |
| Toronto (Canada) | 81 |
| Melbourne (Australia) | 80 |
Useful Information
Visas
The necessary documentation when entering Italy is your passport, which needs to be valid. Also, for stays that are 90 days or shorter, visas are not required. However, for longer stays, you will need to obtain a visa from the Italian Embassy, unless you have Schengen.
Currency
The Euro is the official currency in Italy and it can be considered one of the less expensive countries in Europe. However, Milan is still more expensive than some smaller cities in Italy.
Weather
Tourists often visit Milan in summer when the weather is hot, which is not so attractive to those people who do not like crowds. In winter, the weather in the city is cold, foggy and rainy and sometimes snowy. Spring and autumn are the best periods of the year to visit Milan.
Airports
Milan has two main international airports and those are Linate airport and Malpensa airport. The main international airport is Malpensa, a large, modern, two-runway airport, while Linate Airport is smaller and closer to the city center. Milan's additional airports are Bergamo's Orio al Serio airport and Parma airport.
Travel Insurance
The travel insurance policy is the must when visiting a foreign country and Italy is not an exception. Make sure you got it before starting your journey since it can be taken out when booking a flight or buying a ticket.
Milan Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 7 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 24 | 18 | 11 | 7 |
| Low °C | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 2 |
| High °F | 45 | 48 | 57 | 64 | 73 | 81 | 86 | 84 | 75 | 64 | 52 | 45 |
| Low °F | 36 | 37 | 45 | 50 | 57 | 64 | 68 | 68 | 61 | 52 | 43 | 36 |
Italy - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Bari | 74 |
| Bologna | 56 |
| Cagliari | 64 |
| Catania | 71 |
| Florence | 70 |
| Genoa | 54 |
| Milan | 66 |
| Naples | 66 |
| Palermo | 58 |
| Perugia | 60 |
| Pisa | 61 |
| Rimini | 62 |
| Rome | 64 |
| Sorrento | 60 |
| Turin | 42 |
| Vatican City | 72 |
| Venice | 74 |
| Verona | 65 |
Beware of pickpockets
Beware of pickpockets especially in the more crowded, tourist filled areas of Milan. I have a friend who lost her coin purse when we were together on a trip there. We were enjoying moment too much and forgot about our surroundings. Thankfully it was just her coin purse and she keeps her bills and cards deep in her bag. It might help to use anti theft bags, which I’ve only found and purchased recently and will be using in future travels.
Be careful of the pickpockets.
My daughter is on a year-long work experience in Milan, she had her bag stolen in a nightclub, ( which had her passport in) miraculously got it back the following day.
Has been hassled by pickpockets at Milan central station.
This week at the station, young men on bikes, took her AirPod case.
I have visited my daughter in Milan, and the same pickpockets were trying to put their hands into my bag.
My advice is to be careful and be aware there are many gangs operating in these areas.
Women are not safe at all
Women safe in Milan?
Update your data, cuz Milan has become the most dangerous city in Italy by far.
Pickpockets, stabbing, raping and other dangerous crimes are very common.
Being a woman in Milan is horrible.
This is a rumor that’s being propagated online for a few months now by certain social pages (whose owners, regularly, turn out to be ‘sympathisers’ of certain parties opposed to the current city council) with the ill-concealed aim of portraying Milan as a place more unsafe than it really is, by leveraging the famous italian city parochialism and – above all – a not even too veiled racism towards those who are not considered ethnically Italian.
Pure rage-baiting.
Crime according to the local prefect (who is a super partes figure and the only source of the data that matters) is at an all-time low.
Milan is as safe as just any major European city.