Unofficial airport taxis, distraction theft, ticket touts, gladiator photos and street purchases: 5 Rome tourist traps and how to spot them.
Find 25+ warnings for Rome in the app
The 5 most common Rome scams
The unofficial airport taxi
How it worksSomeone at the airport offers you a ride. You follow without checking their licence or the fare. An unauthorised driver can charge far more than an official taxi.
WhereFiumicino and Ciampino airports, as you leave arrivals.
How to protect yourself
- Go to the official taxi rank. Rome licensed taxis are white and have the city emblem on the front doors.
- Check whether your destination is inside the Aurelian Walls. A direct ride costs €55 from Fiumicino or €40 from Ciampino, with a supplement from the fifth passenger onwards.
- Ask for a receipt.
The distraction that looks like an accident
How it worksSomeone bumps into you or stains your clothes. While you focus on the mess, an accomplice takes your valuables. The apparent accident pulls your attention away from your bag.
WhereBusy attractions, train stations and metro stations. The German Foreign Office specifically warns about Rome’s trains from Fiumicino and bus routes 40, 62 and 64.
How to protect yourself
- Secure your bag and step away before dealing with the stain.
- Keep money and documents separately and carry only the valuables you need.
Tickets from an unsolicited seller
How it worksOutside an attraction, someone offers tickets or a tour and asks you to book there and then. The provider and what you actually get remain unclear. Rome prohibits this kind of brokering and promotion in its historic areas unless it is expressly authorised.
WherePublic spaces around historic attractions.
How to protect yourself
- Open the attraction’s official website yourself or choose a provider you have checked.
- Before paying, confirm what is included: admission, guiding and a reservation.
The paid gladiator photo
How it worksA costumed operator offers you a souvenir photo for money. With a Roman monument behind you, it is an appealing offer. But paid photos like these are prohibited in Rome’s historic and monumental areas, even when you agree a price on the spot.
WhereAt historic monuments such as the Colosseum. The ban also covers the UNESCO area and Villa Borghese.
How to protect yourselfDecline paid photos with costumed street operators. Take your own photo or ask your travel companion.
Souvenirs from an unlicensed street trader
How it worksA street trader offers a souvenir and you buy on impulse. A low price tells you nothing about whether the seller is authorised. Buying from unlicensed street traders is illegal, and buyers can be fined too.
WhereCity centre streets and tourist areas.
How to protect yourselfBuy from regular shops or authorised traders. If the seller’s status is unclear, keep walking.
Travel Rome with fewer surprises
The five traps above aren’t the only ones. Which ones really matter depends on how you travel: solo, with family, on a budget, or in peak season. That’s why TravelCheck on iPhone builds your own Rome list, usable offline, with Italian phrases you can play aloud.
FAQ
Is Rome safe?
UK travel advice describes crime levels in Italy as generally low, but warns about pickpocketing and bag snatching in city centres and at tourist attractions. For Rome, the German Foreign Office highlights trains from Fiumicino Airport, stations and buses. Keep your bag in sight and stay alert when someone offers unsolicited help.
How much is a taxi from the airport to Rome?
Under the Roma Capitale taxi tariff, a direct ride from Fiumicino to a destination inside the Aurelian Walls costs €55, or €40 from Ciampino. These are per vehicle fares including luggage and tolls, with an extra charge from the fifth passenger onwards. The fixed fare does not cover destinations outside the walls.
How do I recognise an official Rome taxi?
Rome licensed taxis are white, with a TAXI sign on the roof and the city emblem on the front doors. Use an official rank and confirm the tariff before getting in. Ask for a receipt at the end.
Should I buy tickets from sellers outside attractions?
Book with the attraction itself or a provider you have checked independently. Rome prohibits unauthorised ticket brokering and tour promotion in public spaces within its historic areas. Before booking a tour, check whether admission, guiding and a reservation are included.
Are gladiator photos allowed in Rome?
Rome prohibits paid photos with costumed operators in its historic and monumental areas, the UNESCO area and Villa Borghese. This also applies when a price is agreed on the spot. Decline these offers.
Can I buy souvenirs from street sellers?
Use regular shops or authorised traders. UK travel advice warns that buying from unlicensed street traders is illegal and buyers can be fined.
