Ciao, Bella Americana Girl!

Issues for women traveling in Italy—what to expect on an Italian vacation, from Romeo wannabes to the creepy guy on the bus with the pinchy fingers

Italian travel is as easy for women as it is for men. You may get complimented, whistled at, pinched, prodded, or propositioned, but you’re probably physically safer there than you are at home. (Italians see rape as even more repugnant than Americans do, and there are far, far fewer reported rapes in Italy.)

First of all: You should feel perfectly safe even in big cities, even at night. Many women report feeling much safer in Rome or Venice than they ever do at home, and they even feel fine walking through the deserted streets in the middle of the night all alone.

Of course, it always pays to play it safe. Stick to populated streets after dark, and know where the bad neighborhoods are. The bottom line, sad as it may be, is that physically you have much less to worry about in Italy than you do in most parts of the United States.

Always Be Married...Even When You're Not
Europeans are much less likely to hassle a married woman. One trick that has worked wonders for solo women on the road is the fictional husband (and he works even if you’ve got a spare one at home who happens to be real).

This faux hubby is always just around the corner where you’re going to meet him in five minutes, he's built like the Terminator, is definitely the jealous type, and best of all, he always leaves the toilet seat down.

Even if you haven’t actually tied the knot, you might want to wear a fake wedding band to ward off the more assiduous admirers.

One step up from even that: Puff out your belly and keep absently patting it in the universal "I'm pregnant" manner.All women should take precautions and play it safe, but even solo women should have few problems traveling alone, although it certainly helps and is safer to have a companion (of either gender).

Most Italian males, especially those in the south, act like peacocks around women, parading around to win admiration. When this behavior is not overly annoying, it can be quite comical.

Why is every man in Italy hitting on me?

Unfortunately, Hollywood films have provided Europeans with the impression that all American women are easy—blondes doubly so.

In many ways, Italy remains a rigid, formal, “traditional” society. The fact that American women are used to being more independent, straightforward, and openly friendly than their Italian counterparts has the unfortunate side effect of reinforcing the Hollywood sexpot image, in which every American engages in a sex scene at least by the end of the second act.

The practical upshot: American women are seen as fair (and likely) game.

Look on the bright side. This can be a great opportunity to make friends, get instant language lessons, or flirt. It can also be a darn nuisance. Just pick when you feel it’s safe and you’re in the mood to be friendly, and when you should firmly ignore all those men falling over one another to be helpful, charming, and gallant.

Yes, Italian men pinch bottoms and sometimes (disgustingly creepily) rub themselves up against women—usually in crowded places like city buses—and can make the most surprising and sometimes raunchy propositions.

Some overly ardent shopkeeps will corner solo women and offer to show them some more “special merchandise” upstairs. Make your excuses, slip past them to the door, and just march right on out.

Tips for women traveling in Italy

Related pages


  

Context Travel - Walking tours, Museum visits, Cultural seminars, and Private guides in Italy



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This material was last updated January 2011. All information was accurate at the time.

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