I am a 21 year old female who is visiting a friend who lives in Italy. I'll be arriving at the Marco Polo Airport in Venice where my friend will pick me up. The only connection for my flight is in Philadelphia so I'm not as worried about this. I'm just wondering if I will have any problems at the Venice airport being a young female, alone. I only ask because I've heard a few stories of young women getting hassled by customs and having their things being unneccesarily rifled through just because they were alone. This could be an exaggeration though, so this is why I'm asking.

I'm no longer 21 so I have a different perspective but I can't imagine anyone rifling through your things at customs. There's no real customs in Italy. I wouldn't worry about this.

It has been a looooong time since I was on my early 20's and also traveled by myself to Venice airport. Maybe things have changed, but the only attention I attracted was polite and I took it as a compliment.

Just go through the green line, "Nothing to declare".

I think this is a gross exaggeration. I've never heard of it happening to anyone, and have been traveling to Italy with some regularity for many years. My 21-year-old daughter flew into Italy a couple of times in the past two years and never encountered anything of the sort.

Not a problem italylady. I will say one time many decades ago I did get what I guess you would called hassled at the old Malpensa airport when travelling with my husband. He went through customs without a problem, I was behind him and the jerk custom fellow made me open up my luggage and held all my lingerie up in the air and waved it around. Thankfully it was all new and lacy, lol. Finally I guess his "fun" was over with and he put everything back in my luggage and I was on my way. Just a funny incident that I remember to this day. Anyway, not to worry about arriving at the Marco Polo Airport, you will be fine.

Also meant to say as long as you are arriving legally in Italy, regardless of the airport, if you do get some screwy custom person italylady, just stand there and keep a straight face as I assume you will have nothing to hide (drugs etc.). Let them go through your luggage and so what? That is the right of any custom person but again as long as your luggage doesn't contain any illegal items what do you care. Just relax and enjoy your arrival in Italy. I am sure you will have a beautiful trip.