# Canada Updates Italy Travel Advisory: What Ottawa Travellers Need to Know
Planning a spring getaway to Rome, Florence, or the Amalfi Coast? Before you book that flight from Ottawa, there’s an important update you need to see. On March 24, 2026, the Government of Canada refreshed its travel advisory for Italy, maintaining a **Level 2 risk rating — Exercise a High Degree of Caution**. More significantly, new health information about visceral leishmaniasis has been added to the advisory.
## What Does Level 2 Mean for Your Italian Vacation?
A Level 2 advisory doesn’t mean you should cancel your Italian adventure, but it does signal that Ottawa travellers should take extra precautions. The primary concerns remain terrorism threats and petty crime targeting tourists. The latest update also flags a parasitic disease risk that many Canadians aren’t familiar with.
## Safety Risks: Petty Crime Targets Tourists
Italy’s popularity comes with a downside: thieves know where tourists congregate. Pickpocketing and bag snatching are rampant in exactly the places you’ll want to visit—the Colosseum, Vatican City, train stations, and busy piazzas. Criminals use sophisticated distraction techniques, from “accidentally” spilling drinks on you to engaging you in conversation while an accomplice lifts your wallet.
Vehicle-related theft is equally concerning. Rental cars are prime targets, and thieves on scooters routinely snatch bags from pedestrians or reach into cars stopped at red lights. Keep windows up and doors locked, even when driving through city centres.
## The New Health Concern: Visceral Leishmaniasis
This latest advisory addition addresses visceral leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease transmitted by sandfly bites. While not common in typical tourist areas, it’s a reminder that travel health preparation extends beyond pickpocket awareness. Ottawa travellers should understand their complete health risk profile before departure.
## Prepare Smart: Beyond Packing Your Passport
Proper preparation combines practical safety measures with medical readiness. Secure your belongings, avoid displaying wealth, and stay alert in crowded areas. But don’t overlook your health preparation—it’s equally critical.
Schedule a pre-travel health consultation to discuss routine vaccinations like hepatitis A and B, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), and tetanus. Depending on your itinerary and activities, additional vaccines or preventive medications may be recommended. A travel health professional can also advise on insect bite prevention strategies relevant to leishmaniasis risk and help you assemble an appropriate medical kit for Italian travel.
Understanding both the safety landscape and health risks ensures you’re comprehensively prepared for your Italian journey, not just hoping for the best.
Travelling to Italy? Before you go, speak with one of our ISTM-certified travel health physicians – virtually, 7 days a week. A pre-travel consultation covers vaccines, medications, and destination-specific health risks. Book your virtual consultation at Orleans Travel Clinic Pharmacy.