- Abortion legal status
- Legal
- Emergency contraception
- Over the counter
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: tripsfromflorence.com, hersafevoyage.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- The 1522 national helpline for violence and stalking is free, anonymous, available 24/7, and can be reached in English, French, Spanish and Arabic as well as Italian.
- For sexual assault or violence, Florence's dedicated resource is Artemisia Centro Antiviolenza — go through 1522 or contact them directly rather than only relying on a hospital ER.
- The emergency number in Italy is 112 for any urgent police/medical/fire situation.
- The morning-after pill is sold over the counter at Florence pharmacies for adults — no appointment or prescription needed if you're 18+, just bring ID.
- A pharmacist can legally decline to sell emergency contraception due to personal objection; if this happens, simply try a different pharmacy — it's common enough that it's not worth arguing over.
- Unlike emergency contraception, the regular daily birth control pill DOES require a doctor's prescription in Italy, so nomads planning a longer stay should either bring an adequate personal supply or book a (often same-week) appointment with a private/English-speaking doctor early on.
- IUDs and implants are legal and available but involve a clinical appointment to fit — budget extra time versus just walking into a pharmacy.
- If you need to arrange a legal abortion in Florence, the practical starting point is usually a 'consultorio familiare' (public family-planning clinic) or a gynecologist at Careggi Hospital, rather than a private clinic — private facilities in Italy generally don't perform the procedure.
- Because a meaningful share of gynecologists in Italy are registered conscientious objectors under Law 194, it's worth confirming in advance (via the consultorio or hospital switchboard) which specific facility/doctor can actually perform the procedure, especially if you're on a tight timeline.
- For non-residents without Italian SSN coverage, cost and process for abortion care can vary by hospital — it's worth calling ahead or asking your consultorio familiare directly rather than assuming a fixed price.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment
Unwanted comments and catcalling do happen in Florence, particularly in the evening around bar areas, but they are generally described as verbal rather than physically threatening and rarely escalate beyond comments. A firm "no grazie" while continuing to walk is usually enough to end it, and stepping into a shop or café is the recommended move if someone is persistent.
Walking Alone at Night
The historic center (Duomo, Santa Croce, Oltrarno including Santo Spirito, San Frediano and San Niccolò, San Lorenzo, Piazza della Repubblica and the Ponte Vecchio area) is well-lit, has a visible police presence, and stays busy enough that walking alone there after dark is generally considered fine. Areas more consistently flagged to avoid, especially at night, are the Santa Maria Novella train station surroundings, Le Piagge, Cascine Park after dark, Campo di Marte at night, and isolated alleys in any neighborhood after midnight.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
Florence's Taxi Rosa service gives women priority booking and a 10% discount on taxis between 10pm and 4am, specifically to encourage women to take a taxi rather than walk home late at night; it can be booked by phone. For general use, sources recommend sticking to official taxis or licensed ride-hailing rather than unmarked cars, and note that in Florence taxis generally can't be hailed on the street and must be called instead.
Precautions Commonly Recommended
A frequently repeated tip is the "buddy system": getting a ride, texting someone on arrival, or at least waiting in a well-lit spot for a bus or taxi rather than walking a dark shortcut alone, especially after drinking. Sources also recommend keeping bags and phones secure in crowded areas, since pickpocketing (not violent crime) is described as the most common issue for travelers in Florence.
Overall Risk Level
Country- and city-level safety assessments rate Florence as low risk for women travelers overall, noting that violent crime against tourists is rare and that street harassment, when it occurs, is more likely late at night rather than during the day. This is consistent with a broader country-level note that Italy's main safety concerns for solo women are pickpocketing and occasional unwanted attention, both manageable with ordinary awareness.
National Law
- Country
- Italy
- Access Route
- Abortion is provided almost exclusively through the public healthcare system (SSN) — via public hospitals with an authorized obstetrics/gynecology unit, or via a 'consultorio familiare' (public family-planning/counseling clinic) which issues the required certification and refers the patient to a hospital. Private clinics generally do not perform elective terminations under Law 194.
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Governing Law
- Law 194/1978
- Coverage And Cost
- For Italian and EU residents enrolled in the SSN, the procedure is generally provided at no or minimal cost through the public system. For non-residents/tourists without Italian health coverage, cost and access depend on the individual hospital and are handled case-by-case; we could not independently verify a current standardized fee for non-covered patients.
- Medical Vs Surgical
- Medical abortion (mifepristone/misoprostol, sometimes referred to as RU486) is authorized up to 9 weeks of pregnancy and, per 2020 national guidelines, can be administered on an outpatient/day-hospital basis rather than requiring full hospital admission, though practice varies by region and facility.
- Conscientious Objection
- Italy has a notably high rate of gynecologists and anesthesiologists registered as conscientious objectors under Law 194, which in practice limits the number of facilities/doctors actually performing the procedure even where it is legal; objection rates vary significantly by region and are generally reported to be somewhat lower in Tuscany than in parts of southern Italy, though this varies year to year and by hospital.
Abortion Time Limits
- On Request
- Up to 90 days (approx. 12–13 weeks) of pregnancy, on grounds of health, economic, social, or family reasons — requires a certification from a doctor or a 'consultorio familiare' (public family-planning clinic) and, outside of emergencies, a mandatory 7-day waiting/reflection period after certification.
- After 90 Days
- Only permitted if the pregnancy poses a serious risk to the woman's life or physical/mental health, or in cases of serious fetal anomaly, and must be certified by a physician.
OB-GYN Options In Florence
Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi (Careggi Hospital)
- Type
- public
- Notes
- Florence's main public university hospital, with a full Obstetrics & Gynecology department; this is the primary public referral point in the city for gynecological care and for legal pregnancy termination under Law 194.
Ospedale Santa Maria Nuova
- Type
- public
- Notes
- Historic public hospital in central Florence, offering outpatient gynecological services; inpatient/specialist services for the city have increasingly been consolidated at Careggi.
Consultorio Familiare (ASL Toscana Centro Network, Florence Locations)
- Type
- public
- Notes
- Public family-planning clinics found across Florence that provide gynecological counseling, contraception, and the certification/referral process required to access legal abortion services at a public hospital.
Villa Donatello
- Type
- private
- Notes
- A well-known private clinic in Florence with maternity and gynecology services, used by some expats and nomads for private OBGYN check-ups, prenatal care, and general reproductive health — but as a private facility it does not perform elective abortion procedures under Italian law.
Assault Resources
- Reporting App
- Youpol — free Polizia di Stato app allowing geo-referenced (and optionally anonymous) reporting of violence-related crimes
- Hospital Pathway
- Tuscan public hospitals and territorial family-planning clinics (consultori) participate in the regional 'Codice Rosa' protocol, a time-sensitive fast-track pathway for suspected victims of violence.
Emergency Numbers
- Police
- 113 (Polizia di Stato)
- General EU Emergency
- 112
National Helpline
- Phone
- 1522
- Name
- 1522 – Numero Antiviolenza e Stalking (national anti-violence & stalking helpline)
- Coverage
- Callers are connected to the nearest local anti-violence center for follow-up support
- Availability
- Free, anonymous, active 24 hours a day, every day
Languages
- Italian
- English
- French
- Spanish
- Arabic
Local Support Center
- Phone
- 055 601375
- Name
- Artemisia Centro Antiviolenza APS
- Address
- Via del Mezzetta, 1/int., 50135 Firenze
- Network
- Part of the national 1522 network and the Tuscan regional coordination of anti-violence centers
- Services
- Reception and counseling for women and minors who have experienced violence, plus two secret-address shelter houses for high-risk cases; this is the designated reference anti-violence center for the whole Florence metropolitan area
Contraception Access
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
IUD
- Availability
- Hormonal and copper IUDs (e.g., Mirena) are legally available and commonly used in Italy; fitting requires an in-person appointment with a gynecologist, either at a public family-planning clinic (consultorio) or a private clinic
- Cost Note
- Consistent, current pricing specific to Florence could not be confirmed from available sources — cost varies by clinic and IUD type, so ask for a quote directly rather than relying on a fixed figure here
Contraceptive Implant
- Availability
- Legal and available in Italy, arranged through a gynecologist, but it is a less commonly prescribed method than the pill or IUD
- Cost Note
- Reliable, current price data specific to Florence could not be confirmed — no figure is given to avoid guessing
Emergency Contraception
- Availability
- Sold over the counter at any pharmacy (farmacia); no doctor's appointment needed for adults
- ID Requirement
- Bring a photo ID; pharmacists may ask for age verification
- Effective Window
- Levonorgestrel-based pills (Norlevo) are most effective up to 72 hours after unprotected sex; EllaOne is labeled for use up to 120 hours (5 days)
- Prescription Rule
- Women 18 and over can buy levonorgestrel (Norlevo) or ulipristal acetate (EllaOne) without a prescription; minors under 18 still need a doctor's prescription for either product
- Practical Note
- Individual pharmacists in Italy are legally permitted to refuse to dispense emergency contraception on conscientious-objection grounds; if one pharmacy declines, another nearby pharmacy will typically dispense it.
Cost Range
- Low
- €10
- High
- €30
Brands Seen In Pharmacies
- Norlevo / Lonel / Unlevo (levonorgestrel)
- EllaOne (ulipristal acetate)
Daily Birth Control Pill
- Availability
- Requires a prescription from a doctor (medico) — either a GP you've registered with or a private/English-speaking gynecologist
- Typical Monthly Cost
- €13
- Brand Note
- Your home-country brand may not be stocked; a local doctor will suggest a comparable equivalent
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Florence
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.