Is Verona Safe in January 2026?

The wide Piazza Bra surrounding the Arena attracts pickpockets who work the dense crowds gathering before and after performances and during daylight sightseeing hours. Common techniques include the "petition" approach where a stranger asks you to sign a paper, holding a clipboard over your bag while an accomplice reaches in from the other side, and staged arguments designed to draw attention away from belongings.

How to avoid: Stay alert to anyone who approaches with a clipboard, petition, or map while standing in Piazza Bra. Keep bags closed and in front of you. Be wary of staged commotions nearby.

Piazza Erbe, Verona's oldest square and primary tourist draw after the Arena, is ringed by restaurants that charge substantially inflated prices compared to establishments two streets away. Cover charges and mandatory service fees are frequently not disclosed until the bill arrives. Some menus near the square use photos and multilingual text designed to appeal to tourists without revealing the full cost.

How to avoid: Walk to Via Mazzini or streets off Via Cappello for more fairly priced options. Always ask to see a complete menu with all charges before sitting down. Check that coperto and service charges are itemised before ordering.

Casa di Giulietta on Via Cappello is one of the most densely crowded tourist spots in northern Italy, and professional pickpockets exploit the jostling queues and selfie-taking crowds around the courtyard and famous bronze statue. Thieves work in groups, using the crush of visitors as cover to extract wallets, phones, and cameras from unguarded bags and pockets. Incidents spike during summer and Valentine's Day periods.

How to avoid: Keep all valuables in a zipped front bag or money belt. Do not place your phone in a back pocket. Be especially alert when queuing through the narrow entrance arch on Via Cappello, where congestion is deliberately created by thieves.

During the Verona Arena opera season (June to September), unlicensed ticket touts operate around Piazza Bra selling counterfeit, invalid, or grossly overpriced tickets. Some touts present official-looking printed tickets that are duplicates already scanned at the gate. Others quote prices many times the box office rate for in-demand productions of Aida or Carmen.

How to avoid: Purchase tickets only from the official Arena di Verona box office on Piazza Bra or the official website. Never buy from individuals approaching you outside the venue. If you must buy last-minute, verify the ticket has not already been used via the official app.

Verona Villafranca Airport sees unlicensed drivers and unofficial taxis offering rides to the city centre at rates significantly above the official fixed municipal fare. Drivers may wait inside the terminal rather than at the official rank and target visitors who have not researched the correct fare.

How to avoid: Use only taxis from the official rank outside arrivals displaying the Verona municipality livery. The official fixed fare to central Verona is posted at the rank. Rideshare apps do not operate at this airport, making the official taxi rank the safest option.