When planning a trip, the itinerary, gastronomy and transport options often dominate the conversation, yet the security profile of each destination can be decisive. The latest edition of the crime index released for 2026, compiled from data supplied by the Dipartimento della Pubblica Sicurezza del Ministero dell’Interno, offers a panoramic view of how Italy’s most visited cities compare in terms of reported offenses.
National picture: fewer crimes but uneven progress
In 2025, Italy recorded roughly 2.36 million crimes a decline of 1.8% compared with 2024. The most significant drop occurred in the theft category, which fell below one million reports for the first time since 2022, with 992,660 incidents—a 5.9% reduction. Although thefts still represent about 42.1% of all offences the sub-type most affected was vehicle theft, down 16%, followed by residential burglaries, down 8.7%. Pickpocketing and snatch-theft also showed modest declines.
Robberies, including those on public streets, decreased by 7.7%. Homicides fell from 326 to 289 cases, and reports of sexual violence slipped 2.8%. Conversely, fraud-related crimes rose: fraud and cyber-fraud complaints reached 298,651, a 4.4% increase. Damage to property, assaults and extortion showed upward trends, while arson incidents jumped 18.7%.
Geographically, almost half (47%) of all complaints originated in metropolitan areas. Southern provinces—particularly large parts of Sicily, Campania, Apulia and Calabria—registered noticeable declines, with Ragusa, Catania and Palermo posting the sharpest falls.
Top ten Italian cities with the highest crime rates per 100,000 inhabitants
The ranking is based on complaints per 100,000 residents, using 2025 data. Milano leads the list with 7,017.5 complaints per 100,000 (total 228,287), marking a 0.6% rise against the national average. Firenze follows with 6,374.34 (63,010 total) after a 2.9% dip. Roma, despite having the highest absolute number of complaints (257,483), registers 6,094.42 per 100,000—a 5.3% reduction. Bologna holds the fourth spot with 6,058.64 (62,058 total), down 0.3%.
Torino climbs to fifth place (5,615.76 per 100,000; 123,815 total) although its 3%. Rimini slides to sixth (5,376.5; 18,347 total). Genova jumps three positions to seventh with 5,050.99 per 100,000 (41,453 total). Prato lands eighth (5,006.66; 13,075 total) after losing one rank, while Venezia occupies ninth with 4,803.51 per 100,000 (40,065 total). Livorno closes the top ten at 4,628.29 per 100,000 (15,037 total), slipping one place.
Beyond Milano, several Lombardy municipalities show rising figures: Lodi (+12.1%), Varese (+6.2%), Sondrio (+5.6%), Mantova (+4.7%), Pavia (+3.4%) and Bergamo (+3.1%).
Places with the lowest reported crime rates
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the five provinces with the smallest number of complaints per 100,000 inhabitants are Oristano (1,706.58), Potenza (1,968.14), Enna (2,164.66), Benevento (2,177.40) and Pordenone (2,376.62). These locations demonstrate that safe travel experiences are possible throughout the country, especially in less densely populated regions.
It is important to remember that the index reflects only reported crimes; incidents that remain unreported are not captured in these figures. Travelers should therefore combine these statistics with local advice and personal vigilance when choosing destinations.
