Is Rome Safe After the Jubilee? 2026
32 million Jubilee pilgrims have left; the pickpocket teams that staged for them have not. A 2026 read on Termini, the Vatican periphery and the crowd hangover.
The Holy Year 2025 brought 32 million pilgrims through Rome, more than double the city's normal annual visitors. The Jubilee closed December 28, 2025 with the formal sealing of the Holy Door at St Peter's; 2026 Rome is a city in crowd-hangover. The single most useful fact: the Polizia di Stato's anti-pickpocket "Squadra Acquedotto" was beefed up by 200 officers for the Jubilee year and remains at that staffing level through 2026 — meaning Rome enters its post-Jubilee year with the strongest tourist-area policing in a decade, even as the underlying pickpocket networks remain in place.
The €4 billion Jubilee infrastructure programme transformed central Rome. Piazza Pia (in front of Castel Sant'Angelo) became a pedestrianised plaza connecting the Vatican to the Tiber. Metro Line C extended one stop further into the Centro Storico (Venezia station opened January 2026, though it's still partial-service). St Peter's Square gained permanent crowd-flow architecture. The Tiber walks were refurbished. Most of this stayed — but the temporary surge policing did not.
The post-Jubilee tactical question for a tourist is: where did the Romanian + Bulgarian pickpocket teams who staged for the Jubilee actually go? Polizia data suggests they didn't leave — they reduced volume but stayed for the 2026 tourist season, expecting another big visitor year. The 64, 40, 492 buses (the Vatican-to-Termini-to-Trastevere axis) and Metro Line A between Termini and Spagna remain the highest-density pickpocket corridors in Europe.
| Scam / petty-crime risk | High |
|---|---|
| Violent crime (tourists) | Low |
| Most common scams | fake Vatican guides outside the Vatican Museums; free bracelet/rosary 'blessing'; free tour guides outside the Colosseum |
| Data sources cited | 4 |
| Last verified |
What the Jubilee actually changed
- Piazza Pia — the road between Castel Sant'Angelo and the Tiber was buried in a 600m tunnel; the surface is now a pedestrian plaza connecting Via della Conciliazione directly to the river. This is the single biggest physical change to Rome since the Mussolini-era Via della Conciliazione itself.
- Metro Line C extension — reached Piazza Venezia (centre of Rome) in January 2026 after a 17-year construction saga. Now offers a direct metro link from the Centro Storico to the south-east edge of the city. The full extension to Clodio (north-west) is targeted for 2030.
- St Peter's Square crowd architecture — permanent flow-control barriers, expanded medical-aid stations, expanded security-screening areas. The square handles peak-pilgrimage crowd density better than it ever did.
- Tiber walks (Lungotevere) — repaved, re-lit, with new river-level pedestrian access points. Much pleasanter for evening walks.
- Termini Station — partial refurbishment (new platform-level entrances, signage); the surrounding piazzas (Piazza dei Cinquecento, Piazza della Repubblica) remain unchanged.
- Trastevere — restoration funding flowed; cobbles relaid; some buildings repointed. Atmosphere identical.
- Police staffing: the 200-officer "Squadra Acquedotto" anti-pickpocket reinforcement for the Jubilee remains funded through 2026. After 2026 the budget reverts to pre-Jubilee.
The pickpocket geography — where the teams still work
- Termini Station + concourse — Italy's busiest station, 480,000 passengers/day. Theft density highest at the McDonald's, Sephora and the platform 24-26 area (Leonardo Express to Fiumicino).
- Bus 64 (Termini → Vatican via Piazza Venezia) — Rome's most-pickpocketed bus, a long-running joke among Romans. The 40 (express version) and 492 are alternatives but both also worked.
- Metro Line A (Battistini-Anagnina) — the tourist line, Termini-Repubblica-Barberini-Spagna-Flaminio. Heavy pickpocket density at the Termini and Spagna platforms; teams work the carriages between Spagna and Ottaviano.
- Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna) + Via Condotti — luxury-shopping pickpocket teams operate the Trinità dei Monti steps and the high-end shopping street below.
- St Peter's Square + Via della Conciliazione — pilgrim-density pickpocket zone. Teams operate the security-screening queues entering St Peter's.
- Trevi Fountain — densest crowds in Rome, photo-staring tourists. Phone-snatch and bag-grab teams.
- Colosseum + Roman Forum — pickpocket teams on the queue lines; "free tour guides" who hustle for tips. Buy timed-entry online (€18 + €2 reservation) to bypass the queue.
- Piazza Navona, Pantheon — evening pickpocketing; restaurant-terrace pickpocketing of bags on chair-backs.
- The scam-bracelet revival — "free" bracelet/rosary handed to you as a blessing; payment demanded after. Same scam as Paris's friendship bracelet. Now back to pre-Jubilee intensity.
Termini and the Esquilino — Rome's grittiest zone in 2026
- Termini Station itself — well-lit, well-policed, fine 24/7.
- Piazza dei Cinquecento (the bus piazza in front) — daytime fine; after 21:00 attracts drug dealers and rough sleepers; not dangerous but not pleasant.
- Via Giolitti (south side of station) — drug market, especially the McDonald's-Aleardi corner. Don't walk through after dark.
- Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II (Esquilino, 800m east of Termini) — one of Rome's largest piazzas, very ethnically mixed (Chinese, Bangladeshi, South Asian markets and restaurants). Daytime perfectly safe; evening less inviting.
- Via Marsala / Via Cernaia (north side of station) — the budget-hotel strip. Functional and busy; safe.
- What changed with the Jubilee: the Polizia di Stato concentrated visible patrolling around Termini for the Jubilee year. That staffing continues through 2026. Crime stats for the area Q4 2025 vs Q4 2024 show a 28% reduction in pickpocketing reports.
- Best Termini-area hotels: the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi (Piazza della Repubblica) and the Singer Palace are upscale; Hotel Diocleziano and Hotel Cosmopolita are mid-range.
St Peter's, the Vatican Museums and the new Piazza Pia
- St Peter's Basilica — free entry, opens 07:00, security screening at the colonnade. Queue length post-Jubilee is back to 2019 normal (30-60 min peak). Dress code enforced (knees and shoulders covered).
- Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel — pre-book (€20 standard, €40 skip-the-line). Closed Sundays except the last Sunday of the month (free entry, queue is enormous).
- The new Piazza Pia (between Castel Sant'Angelo and Via della Conciliazione) — pedestrianised plaza. Pleasant; the connection now flows for the first time in a century.
- Via della Conciliazione — fully refurbished for the Jubilee. The boulevard approach is the most photographed in Rome.
- Castel Sant'Angelo — €17 entry; the rooftop views of St Peter's and the Tiber are the best in central Rome.
- Pickpocket pattern: the security-screening queue at St Peter's is where teams operate. The metal-detector + bag-check creates a slow shuffle where tourists' hands are off their bags.
- The "fake Vatican guides" — men in dark suits outside the Vatican Museums entrance claim to be official tour guides. Some are licensed; many are not. Book through Roma Pass, GetYourGuide or the official Musei Vaticani site.
The simple Rome 2026 rules
- Phone: zip pocket only; never back pocket, never on a café table outside.
- Bag: cross-body, zipped, in front of you on buses and the Metro.
- Bus 64 / 40 / 492: assume you're being worked. Hand on bag the whole ride.
- Bracelet/rosary "blessing": walk past, don't take it, don't engage. Refuse firmly: "no, grazie".
- "Fake tour guides" outside the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Forum: book online (€18 Colosseum + Forum + Palatine, €20 Vatican Museums basic).
- Taxis: white official taxis only (FreeNow, ItTaxi apps or the regulated taxi ranks at Termini, Spagna, Piazza Venezia). Never accept a "tassista" approaching you.
- Restaurant scams: confirm the menu price in print before sitting; ask if there's a coperto (cover charge — legal but should be on the menu, usually €2-3 per person).
- Emergency: 112 (single European number), 113 (police), 118 (medical). English answered.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rome safe after the Jubilee 2025?
Yes — Rome enters 2026 with the strongest tourist-area policing in a decade, since the Jubilee-era 200-officer anti-pickpocket reinforcement remains funded through 2026. The infrastructure upgrades (pedestrianised Piazza Pia, extended Metro C, refurbished Tiber walks) are permanent. The Romanian and Bulgarian pickpocket teams that staged for the Jubilee mostly stayed for the 2026 season, but at reduced volume.
Did the Jubilee change Rome?
Yes, materially. €4bn in infrastructure spending. The single biggest physical change is Piazza Pia — the road between Castel Sant'Angelo and the Tiber buried in a tunnel; the surface is now a pedestrian plaza. Metro Line C reached Piazza Venezia in January 2026. St Peter's Square has permanent crowd-flow architecture. Tiber walks repaved and re-lit.
Is Termini Station safe in 2026?
The station itself is fine 24/7 — well-lit, well-policed. Piazza dei Cinquecento (the bus piazza in front) is fine daytime but attracts drug dealers and rough sleepers after 21:00. Via Giolitti on the south side is the drug-market street; avoid after dark. Q4 2025 vs Q4 2024 pickpocketing reports in the Termini area dropped 28% thanks to the Jubilee-era policing.
Are the Vatican Museums queues safe?
Yes, but heavily pickpocketed. The security-screening queue at St Peter's and the entrance queue at the Vatican Museums are where teams operate — the slow shuffle creates inattention. Pre-book Vatican Museums (€20 standard, €40 skip-the-line) and arrive at St Peter's at 07:00 or after 16:00 to minimise queue time.
Is bus 64 still 'the pickpocket bus'?
Yes — Rome's most-pickpocketed bus, Termini to the Vatican via Piazza Venezia. The 40 (express) and 492 are alternatives but pickpocket teams work all three. Hand on bag the whole ride; phone in a zip pocket. The Metro A from Termini-Spagna-Ottaviano is faster anyway, though equally pickpocketed.
What scams should I watch for in Rome 2026?
The bracelet/rosary 'blessing' scam (refuse firmly and walk on); 'fake tour guides' outside the Colosseum and Vatican Museums (book online); restaurant cover-charge scams (confirm coperto on the printed menu); unmetered 'tassista' taxis (use white official taxis or the FreeNow/ItTaxi apps); the gold-ring drop near Pont Sant'Angelo.
Did Metro C really reach Piazza Venezia?
Yes — the Venezia station opened in January 2026 after a 17-year construction saga (delayed by repeated archaeological discoveries under the route). Service is initially partial. The full Metro C extension northwest to Clodio is now targeted for 2030. It's the first metro stop in the absolute centre of Rome.