The US State Department has thrown the summer vacation plans of countless Americans into disarray with a rare travel advisory for Italy warning of an increased ‘risk of terrorist violence’.
Italy ranks as the fifth most visited country in the world, having welcomed an impressive 65 million international visitors last year alone.
Despite its popularity the US State Department has placed the European destination on its travel advisory list with an increase to a ‘Level 2’ warning, urging ‘increased caution’ over concerns of terrorist activity.
‘There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Italy,’ the department said in the report.
The advisory warned that terrorists may strike with little to no warning, urging travelers to remain vigilant in locations commonly targeted.
These include tourist spots, transport hubs, shopping malls, hotels, clubs, restaurants, religious sites, parks, sporting events, schools, airports and other public areas.
The US travel advisory system consists of four levels, with Level 1 being the lowest and Level 4 – reserved for countries in active war zones or with authoritarian regimes – being the highest.
Italy previously held a Level 1 advisory – the lowest level – shared by most European countries.
A Level 1 advisory simply advises travelers to ‘exercise normal precautions’ when visiting international destinations.
The department has stated that their advisories are regularly reviewed and updated based on current intelligence, security conditions and other relevant factors to ensure the safety of US citizens abroad.
However, the agency did not elaborate why a more serious warning was issued at this time, especially since no recent incidents were cited to justify the change.
Nevertheless, travelers are urged to remain vigilant, follow local news and register with the US embassy either before or during their trip.
Preparing a contingency plan for emergency situations was also recommended.
The Italian government has not yet commented on the renewed warning.
The new warning places Italy alongside other Western European countries that face similar advisories, reflecting broader regional concerns over potential terrorist threats.
France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom are among those with Level 2 advisories from the State Department.
In May, a similarly vague advisory was issued for Switzerland, despite its longstanding reputation as one of the safest countries in the world.