Holidaymakers are being urged to stay alert as Italy has been identified as the worst country in Europe for pickpocketing incidents. According to an in-depth analysis by UK travel insurance firm Quotezone.co.uk, Italy now poses the greatest risk to travellers’ wallets and purses—surpassing even France and Spain despite their higher tourist footfall.
The issue is not unique to Italy. According to security firm Global Guardian, tourism remains a major industry across Europe, and opportunistic criminals are among its beneficiaries. “Roughly 5.7 million cases of burglary, robbery, and theft are reported to European police annually — and those are just the cases that are reported,” Global Guardian notes. Dense tourist areas such as Las Ramblas in Barcelona and Rome’s Colosseum are almost tailor-made environments for pickpockets, but there’s something that makes Italy stand out as a hotspot.
Quotezone’s research, led by founder and CEO Greg Wilson, compared the frequency of mentions of “pickpocketing” or “stolen” across leading traveller review platforms for major European destinations.
Italy’s combination of world-famous landmarks and bustling urban centres appears to be a particular draw for thieves.
The prevalence of seasoned criminal networks operating in major cities like Rome and Milan increases the likelihood of holidaymakers falling victim.
On TripAdvisor, around 1,000 reviews of Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) mention pickpockets. Recent reviews urge fellow tourists to “watch out for pickpockets,” with one person claiming the place is “prowling with pickpockets and scammers.”
One TripAdvisor user who visited Rome in April 2025 said they “saw a pickpocket chased down by the Police”.
But it’s not all bad news. Many people said they “did not see or experience” pickpockets while visiting the fountain, adding that Police personnel have an increased presence in the area.
Visitors to Italy are urged to stay alert elsewhere, too. Crowded public transport routes in big cities and the bustle of major rail stations like Milano Centro, Roma Termini, and Florence’s Santa Maria Novella are known as pickpocket hotspots.
World Nomads warns that express airport trains in Milan, Rome, and even Pisa are much the same.
When heading to or from the airport, ensure your suitcases are locked and keep a hand on your personal bag at all times. When using city buses or metro lines, try to avoid the peak-hour crush.
Quotezone’s comprehensive European pickpocketing index showed France and Spain ranked as the second and third most problematic destinations based on references to “pickpockets” or “stolen” per million visitors.
Here’s the full roundup. Is your favourite holiday destination on the list?
Worst European countries for pickpocketing
- Italy
- France
- Spain
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Turkey
- Greece
- Poland
- Republic of Ireland