Is Turin Safe in August 2026?

Porta Palazzo is Turin's vast open-air market and the largest outdoor market in Europe — also the city's highest-risk zone for bag snatching. Motorcycle-mounted thieves and on-foot snatchers target visitors in the crowded market lanes. Phone theft from people using navigation while walking near the market is also documented.

How to avoid: Avoid carrying bags with external straps that can be grabbed. Keep your phone in a secure pocket when walking near Porta Palazzo. If you must carry a bag, wear it across your body in front. Avoid displaying cash when shopping at market stalls.

Turin's Porta Nuova railway station and its surrounding streets are the primary pickpocketing hotspot in the city. Thieves target travelers distracted by luggage, ticketing machines, and navigation at the station entrance, on platforms, and in the underpass connecting to the metro. The streets immediately south of the station also see elevated opportunistic theft.

How to avoid: Keep bags in front of your body at all times in and around Porta Nuova station. Do not place luggage on the floor unattended. Use inside jacket pockets for wallets and phones when on platforms. Be alert to anyone who approaches with a sudden question while you are managing luggage or using a ticket machine.

Some restaurants and cafés in Turin's tourist areas charge a coperto (cover charge per person) and a servizio (service charge percentage) that are not clearly communicated when seated, particularly at outdoor terraces near Piazza San Carlo and Via Po. Tourists unfamiliar with Italian dining customs receive bills inflated by €3–€6 per person in cover charges plus a 10–15% service percentage. While coperto is legal in Italy, it must be listed on the menu — the scam is charging it when it is absent from or printed only in tiny text on the menu.

How to avoid: Ask to see a written menu before sitting down and check for coperto and servizio charges, usually listed at the bottom. If the menu has no prices or no cover charge statement, ask the server directly before ordering. At the end of the meal, check every line of the bill against the menu prices. Dispute any charges not on the menu — you are legally not required to pay them.

Porta Palazzo — one of Europe's largest open-air markets — is Turin's highest-risk zone for distraction theft. The dense crowds, narrow market aisles, and noisy environment provide ideal cover for pickpockets. Thieves work in teams, with one person creating a distraction (bumping into you, asking for directions, pointing at something) while another accesses bags or pockets.

How to avoid: Wear a money belt or keep valuables in front pockets. Close all bag zippers before entering the market. Be especially alert in the densely packed produce and clothing sections where movement is constrained. Avoid carrying more cash than you need for your market purchases.

Turin's tram lines 4 and 15 — which connect Porta Nuova station to the city centre and the Porta Palazzo area respectively — see pickpocketing during peak hours. Thieves target distracted passengers, particularly those using phones for navigation or listening to music. Crowded stops such as Porta Nuova, Piazza Castello, and Porta Palazzo are the primary risk points.

How to avoid: Keep bags in front of your body and maintain awareness of your surroundings on crowded trams. Secure your phone in a pocket rather than holding it visibly while navigating. Be alert when trams stop at Porta Nuova and Porta Palazzo, where passenger density peaks.