Safety
How do you stay safe from pickpockets in Europe without looking like a tourist?
A few years ago someone tried to unzip my bag on a crowded street while I was traveling, and ever since then I've been much more conscious about keeping my belongings secure. I'm heading back to Europe soon and would love to find a better solution, but I still want to feel like myself and not carry something that looks overly tactical or touristy. How do you all balance security and style when you travel?
I stopped chasing "anti-theft" features after a while and focused more on habits. The biggest thing for me is keeping my bag in front of my body when I'm on public transit. I got lazy once in Barcelona and wore it behind my hip on the metro. Nothing happened, but I noticed how easy it would've been for someone to get into it without me noticing.
This is the key... Handbag worn cross body with the bag at your front, don't have phones or wallets in back pockets, if using your phone on the street hold it securely and close to your body, don't carry your passport with you during the day, keep money and cards in a different location rather than all in one wallet, and just be aware of your surroundings.
And that's not just for tourists, we should all have a bit of common sense in the cities and on public transport.
If you're in France, absolutely cary an official proof of identity with a photo on it at all times. We locals do. Tourists must comply just the same. A photo of you passport in your cellphone doesn't work.
A passport card is great for this purpose. You can’t use a US passport card to cross over into the EU/Schengen of course but it has worked fine for me as a form of identification for police, checking into hotels, buying train/boat/museum tickets, etc. It’s also a great backup to expedite the process of getting a new passport should yours be damaged or stolen.
If you don’t have a passport card - and I live in a country that doesn’t have them - and your country isn’t in Schengen, then you need to carry your passport.
I got ID checked in Italy this month. The Police detained a couple of tourists who weren’t carrying their passports.
Pro Reddit tip: If a post or comment doesn’t apply to you, just skip it and move on. Note my original comment that seems to have got your underwear in a bundle clearly refers to a US passport card and Reddit in general and this sub in particular skews towards Americans.
Note I’m a citizen of an EU country and I am well aware that we are also fortunate and privileged to have passport cards, if that makes you feel any better.
Passport card has zero legal relevance in France. Just like with any other ID, people may choose to accept it for various purposes, but officially only passports and EU+ ID cards are accepted.
We have rule of law in Europe. What is and isn't valid isn't defined by anecdotes but by the laws passed in the parliament. The only valid form of IDs are ID cards issued in the EU, EFTA and few associated microstates, or passports issued worldwide.
"Passport card" is merely a piece of plastic in front of the law. That doesn't mean that individuals can't choose to accept it if they find it trustworthy enough for the purpose of the check. But it doesn't fulfil the legal obligation of carrying a valid identity document.
Locals have an ID card and if they lose it can just get another without being stranded overseas. Generally a driving license will do for most purposes, you're not going to be thrown into jail for not carrying a passport. The consequences of having it stolen are worse.
It is worth noting though that in a number of European countries you can be fined if you don’t have identity documents with you if you happen to be stopped by police or ticket inspectors, and depending on the circumstances foreign driving licences aren’t always accepted.
Nobody is going to prison for not having a passport, but there is a small risk that can come with not carrying it when travelling in Europe.
Exactly, you won't get into prison but it can surely spoil your day and if you generally plan those very packed itineraries when you are in Rome in the morning and then in Venice in the evening and then you have breakfast in Vienna then a few hours dealing with the police can surely impact your plans.
Passport cards are issued by the US and Ireland. There's 193 other countries in the world. EU countries have identity cards. We do not issue passport cards here.
Ireland issues passport cards as a way of not having to use a passport book while travelling within Europe because we don’t have an official ID card. So the passport card is basically an optional extension of your passport that functions like a European national ID card. It’s valid for travel/entry in the EU, EFTA, Switzerland and the U.K.
Basically it’s just a work around to give Irish passport holders an equivalent of a national ID card. The only unusual feature is it’s accepted as valid Irish ID for entry to the U.K. from outside the CTA, while EU / EEA / Swiss ID cards no longer are.
The US one is similar but only valid for travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Maybe useful as secondary ID in Europe though but you can’t use it as a passport.
But only within Schengen and a few other countries that accept it. It's not a passport card. I cannot travel with an ID outside of that area. I still need my passport and I don't have any secondary document that is officially accepted abroad.
Funnily it's a Dutch ID card I actually have... I order it at the same time I get my passport and it has basically all the same info on it and can be used for EU travel and as ID.
I forget it's not actually called a passport card the way the Irish one is as I never use it for ID purposes, I live in Ireland and only passport/driver's licence are recognised IDs for most situations that require official ID, there's no national ID card. So when speaking to people here I tend to just say passport card.
What people tend to forget is that you are far more likely to lose things than have them stolen. You get out your day to day habits, carry things you don’t typically carry (like a passport or just a different bag or jacket) so you leave things behind. Be aware and conscious of where your stuff is at all times. And don’t draw attention to yourself, I saw an American woman on a train approaching Glasgow from London the other day and she was literally hugging her backpack, that makes even me curious as to what she must have in it 🤦
Same tbh . I use a pretty normal leather crossbody and stopped obsessing over anti-theft" gear a long time ago. The bigger thing was figuring out when people actually get distracted. Boarding trains, getting off trains, crowded station entrances, intersections where everyone's trying to cross at once. That's usually when I pay attention. Walking around sightseeing? Weirdly enough that's when I'm the most relaxed.
I get it in Barcelona when even locals do it but when I see tourists like that enter Prague metro when nobody else does it, they look super out of place and scream "I'm scared and confused tourist". Just don't put any valuables into the thing you have on your bag, leave it in cross body or in a small bag in front of you and you don't need to walk like a paratroopers around the city if you are heading in the few crowded hotspots here that might attract shady people. I noticed a few foreign travel (guide) influencers spread the fear and exaggerate the dangers a lot.
Born and bred here. I’ve been to most European countries for work or holiday. Never ever been pickpocketed.
Just don’t make it easy. Don’t have valuables in open pockets. Make sure any bag you have can be closed securely with a zipper and ideally also a flap. Pickpockets target easy opportunities. Don’t make it easy.
Also the truth is, if you’re obviously a tourist it’s more likely you’ll be evaluated. Take care in crowded places, when using public transport like the metro. Don’t have your bag out of your sight. Dont walk around everywhere with a big backpack. Just a small bag or pockets that zip and are close to your body.
Just wanted to say that. I'm from Europe and never took special precautions. I am also the messy type with backpack, forgetting to close zippers and so on and have never been pick pocketed. Once I lost my wallet in the most touristy spot in Bratislava and someone brought it to the police station for me.
Apparently, I got targeted. My wife was watching. A pickpocket team was working the area. The girl was marking and a guy was pickpocketing. The marker stopped and tied her shoe next to me. My wife noticed and was on alert. A guy approached me from behind. When he did my wife “death stared” him. He took off.
Chances are it would have been fruitless anyway. I don’t carry a backpack typically. Nothing in my backpockets. My wallet is in my front pocket as is my phone. It’s generally hard enough for me to get it out let alone a pickpocket. But, interesting experience in watching them work.
Saw a different group working the train station in Naples. One group created a commotion at the turnstile for the gate which slowed the line. The pickpockets worked the slowed line while everyone’s attention was on the commotion.
Yeah the bag stuff is useful info but In my experience it's more about where you go rather than what you do with your bag. Tourists tend to congregate in specific areas in cities that locals avoid and the pickpockets hang out there. You're just more likely to encounter them if you're sightseeing or out in the evening in the rip off tourist bars and restaurants, vs trying to get to work.
My biggest RULE is that valuables never go in outer pockets. Phone, passport, wallet, everything stays in zippered compartments. It sounds obvious, but I still see people keeping important stuff in easy-access pockets.
Same here… I learned that lesson after watching someone reach into an open tote bag on a crowded street and the owner never noticed.
I also switched to a smaller crossbody because it stays in my field of view. I've been carrying a Thafael bag recently and one thing I appreciate is that the compartments make it easier to keep important items separated instead of throwing everything into one big space.
I wouldn't carry valuables in a backpack because it's way too easy to put it down for a minute while you do something. If I need to carry a lot of stuff I carry a backpack and separate cross body with valuables. It's also really annoying to be behind tourists on the metro who have to stop and unpack their whole backpack for their travel pass.
Learned this lesson the expensive way after getting my wallet lifted in Rome years back. Now I never keep everything together. One card on me, one back at the hotel/apartment, a bit of emergency cash somewhere else. It's slightly annoying, sure, but nowhere near as annoying as standing in a foreign city with literally zero access to your money
Along with the other suggestions here, don’t worry too much about - not looking like tourists. You are a tourist and locals can tell just with a single glance. This happens everywhere. Just be mindful about your surroundings and belongings.
Where “in Europe” are you thinking of heading? Other than in well publicised hotspots like Rome or Barcelona I don’t think you need to do anything than apply the common sense you would apply anywhere there are crowds
I lived in Europe for 3 years and never had any issues with pick pockets. I just made sure I was aware of my soundings. If I was going to be somewhere crowded I wore a fanny pack 🙂
Phone and wallet in my front pockets, wallet blocked by a pack of tissues on top of it (so to access the wallet, they'd have to pull something else from a tight jeans pocket first). That's it. I rarely need anything else, and if I do, it's usually not valuable so in the backpack it goes.
I think the whole issue is a bit overblown. I don't really take safety precautions of any kind in Europe and I've been fine so far.
Honestly, being aware and alert goes further than the “right purse”. My aunt bought one of those super secure anti theft purses, which I guess gave her a false sense of security. She buckled it to her chair at a restaurant and didn’t pay any attention to it. It got stolen.
But if I’m going to be in crowded areas, I usually carry a purse that has a zipper close inside with a flap over that. Many nice leather purses are like this – they’re stylish yet practical anti-pickpocket. Always carry it in front of your body, try to keep one hand on it, especially if you’re in a moving crowd like public transit.
I walk around with my hands in my pockets everywhere when it’s busy
Wearing jeans is better in pickpocket risk areas cos it’s way harder to grab a phone out of ur pocket than track suit bottoms
Don’t put anything valuable at easy to reach places in ur bag. When someone opens my bag which is concerningly common in cities like rome all they will come across is clothes on top
The only thing i put in my pocket is my phone. My wallet is at the bottom of my bag - many countries with the most pickpocketing risk you can pretty much pay everything with Apple Pay
I just came back from Europe (Rome, belgium, paris, etc). Luckily I didn't really encounter any theft although sometimes I walk pass slum-like area.
I wore simple plain t-shirt and jeans. Shoes and plain watch too. I have my backpack mostly at the front. Handphone and wallet in pockets. I spread my cash around backpack, handphone, and wallet. But mostly I pay using contactless cards (even for street stands) so i think you wont need carry a lot of cash there.
Walk confidently like you are local, but stay vigilant. Keep your hands in the pocket. For my backpack, I keep the zipper either interlocked or zip it in the middle of the backpack within my eyeview so it is harder for pickpockets to unzip it stealthily.
In general the concern of pickpockets is way to over blown. There arent that many, they exist, but if you arent an idiot they are easy to avoid. Just hold onto your stuff and be alert like you always should be.
Wherever I go, I always keep my money in my mouth. It might sound like it would make for awkward transactions, but once you learn how to dispense coins from your nostril it hardly slows you down at all.
I actually stopped using backpacks in cities. They're great for flights, but once I'm walking around a city center I switch to a small crossbody. It feels easier to monitor without constantly checking over my shoulder.
Same as me i travel to the destination country with a backpack that has a small combination lock on,as soon as ive reached my base i put the combi lock on smaller crossbody.
I truly do not understand tourists who are walking around all day and they ALL have a backpack? What on earth are you carrying in there? I don’t mean parents with kids that need a small bag, but like groups of people and every one of them has a backpack?
Water bottle, purse, sunglasses, sunscreen, tissues, phone, power bank, charging cable, basic first aid kit of paracetamol, hay fever tablets and plasters, inhaler, pen and paper, stuff I've bought while out and about...
I carry a lot of that stuff in a little backpack at home too. I like to have my arms free when I'm walking around!
One habit I picked up the hard way: never hanging my bag on a chair anymore. Friend of mine lost hers at a restaurant in Madrid years ago and didn't realize it was gone until we asked for the check. Ever since then my bag is either on my lap or wrapped around my leg lol. Might be overkill but whatever, works for me.
You can get a little hangy contraption that allows you to hang the bag on the table in front of you. I always forget to use it but I do what you do too
I use a crossbody bag and carabiner clip to secure the zipper. For my passport and extra money, sometimes I use a belt bag under my clothes. I have a wrist strap for my phone. The most important thing though is to be aware of your surroundings and personal space. I am not afraid to get mean if someone tries to distract me or gets too close.
The biggest change I made, was to not carry so much stuff when out for the day.
Some tourist look like they are on a multi-day trek in a city, a day-bag/backpack stuffed with guidebooks, snacks, waterbottle, umbrella, rain jacket, camera, tablet, maybe even a tent in case you get stranded in the streets.
I head out now with a very thin money holder with a little cash and a credit card, my phone, my passport, and that it is. My wife does similar, but has a small crossbody purse for her passport and a few things. Basically if it looks like you have nothing to steal, then you cease to become a target.
I also agree with trying to break habits, especially regarding your phone. I see tourists (sometimes myself) sit at a cafe...set their phone on the table. Walking around, looking at everything but where they are going, stopping in the middle of foot traffic to take pictures, phone held out in front of them following a map, all very distracted behaviors, and obvious targets.
Keep your phone put away, but not hanging out of your back pocket, if you need it for a picture, directions, or to look something up, step off to the side, out of foot traffic, do what you need, and put it away.
Keep your valuables in front of you which means not back back or pocket book and preferably not visible, don’t wear expensive jewelry, don’t wear anything that immediately makes you stand out as a tourist, and be aware, especially in any areas that are frequently visited by tourists and/or are crowded. Unfortunately petty crime like pickpocketing is prevalent worldwide in areas frequented by tourists; be aware of your surroundings.
Just be aware of your surroundings. Bags and backpacks tight to the body in crowded places and public transport. Not leaving bags unattended or out of sight in cafes and restaurants.
This was exactly my experience. I spent way too much time reading horror stories before my first Europe trip and was convinced someone was gonna steal my wallet on day one...
Reality was pretty boring honestly. After a few days the little precautions just became muscle memory and I stopped thinking about them. Most of the trip felt completely normal.
No parecer turista , no cargar mochilas , no usar calcetines con chancletas ni pantalones cortos , aqui en España se nota a kilómetros que eres turista , usa jeans , no estar embobado viendo para todos lados , el telefono guardado en bolsillos delanteros igual para la billetera.
Y lo mas importante las cámaras de fotos desterradas al baúl.
I wear a simple purse that I bought at H&M. It's got a chain strap and secure opening, but it doesn't look like anything special. I wear clothes that look like the locals wear. My phone is my camera and I don't have it up and out all the time.
Extra shopping bag in case you buy something spontaneously, collapsible umbrella, tissues, hand sanitizer, phone battery, pen, hat, sunglasses, bottle of water which is very necessary in this heat.
Another European here in a large city with pickpockets and a daily commute. Valuables in a small cross body zipped bag worn at the front, and kept on in most places. Phone if out of the bag used with a wrist strap. Zipped backpack for other things if needed (not valuables) for water, laptop etc. always kept in sight, between my legs if on a train, often stick a leg through if sat down in a restaurant etc. And always be vigilant.
It must be really dodgy city that you need a phone on a wrist strap. I did this only in a few big cities in Asia where I read many reports of thieves on scooters passing by are stealing phones this way.
I'ma guy who carries a hiking style backpack so not tips directly to your question but I will say that it is a good idea to separate valuables to mitigate lose in the event someone does happen. So if, for example, you have 2 or more credit cards and some cash, do not keep it all in your purse because then if someone snatches it you have nothing. Keep some on your body too, in different pockets, and also utilize a hotel safe if you have one.
I am Romanian the home country of most of the schemes going out in Europe presently and these are the precautions I take when traveling outside the country. Romania is very safe and chill, our national treasures are rocking other European capitals.
I recommend always to keep a light purse on your front, avoid keeping your phone in your hand or using that kind of hanging phone case I see everywhere, and keep it in your purse when not in use. Ditch the expensive camera or Go Pro. Keep only necesare documents on you. I would only keep my passport in my purse and leave my ID in the hotel seif in case my bag gets stolen I still have proff of ID and can easily return home.
Have photos of all your important documents saved on the cloud. In case you get robbed you need at least copies to prove your identity and acces any travel insurance. I would keep a copy of our travel and car insurance, IDs, passports, and birth certificates.
Don’t travel with a lot of cash and don’t leave cash in the hotel seif and it’s a very common situation to get stolen. Leave extra jewelry home don’t keep it in your purse or in the hotel seif. Just take what you wear.
Don’t keep a lot of cash, and a wallet full or credit cards. Keep just daily expenses like 100 euro max in your purse and the rest you can just pay by card. Avoid using the physical card to pay, use only Apple Pay/Google pay. Also set a daily limit to your credit card from your mobile app. It’s common for CC data to be stolen especially from US citizens since they have less security and are easier to copy.
Avoid cash withdrawals as some ATMs can be scammed and your card data stolen. They usually target US customers. If you need cash is best to use an ATM in a bank office rather than one in a public space.
I usually just take 1 credit card physically I would use just for emergencies for when I cannot pay with Apple Pay and leave the rest at home. I have a few others in my Apple Pay I can use to top up the first on in case of emergency directly from the baking app or use as is.
Avoid using QR codes to pay especially for parking as the QR codes can be fake and direct you to a similar but fake page. This happened last year in Bucharest to the majority of parking tags in city center. The worse is that your CC information can be stolen as well as your car get towed for not paying the parking.
If I wear a backpack, I dont put anything significant in the main compartment. Mine has a hidden compartment which is against my back and has to be taken off to get to.
I have a satchel bag that I wear cross body, but also with the front facing into my leg instead of away. It only looks a little odd to me as I know what the front looks like, but to others it would just look like a black boxy bag.
- I use a body stash under my clothing for credit cards, passport, excess cash
I use a tether for my phone
I don’t pack anything valuable in my backpack in general and never in outer pockets
I use micro locking s-biners to tie up zipper pulls
I use a small crossbody/shoulder bag as a personal item for all my critical goods like prescription medications and small tech and that can be worn with my backpack.
N the Netherlands you are legally required to wear ID on you at all times. Wear important things close to your body. Secure it so nobody can: cut it open from sides or below or cut the handle without you noticing it
Don’t make it easy for pickpockets is the simplest advice. A few handy tips in general:
Do not wear clothing that has baggy and easily-accessible pockets.
Never store items in pockets that make them clearly visible like putting a big phone or wallet in your back pocket.
Wherever possible, wear clothing that has deep and slim pockets, or zips which are even better.
If you are carrying backpacks or purses or anything of that nature, make sure they are fully zipped closed at all times and check them regularly.
If you are entering a crowded place of any kind, such as a busy square, bus or metro station, sling any backpacks or purses to your front so that you have hands and eyes on them at all times.
And lastly, and this is the most important one, do not engage anyone that appears to be trying to get your attention or trying to distract you with something. Buskers, talent displays, or anything of that nature are hotspots for people who are distracted. Don’t let them get in your face or put their hands on or near you. Pickpockets look for people who are distracted, or people they think they can easily distract. Aloof elderly people, parents who are running after kids and so on. If you ever feel that someone is trying to get your attention in an overt way, your alarm bells should be ringing that someone is trying to distract you.
I’ve travelled throughout most of Europe, including some pickpocketing hotspots like Barcelona, London, Athens and more, and have yet to be pickpocketed so the odds of it happening to you are extraordinarily low if you keep your wits about you.
Travel light with the minimum of cash/cards Most of Europe works with apple pay/Google wallet.
So a small wallet is not going to attract attention.
I think part of the problem is that tourists have a reputation for carrying wads of cash and expensive cameras, so they are seen as rich pickings compared to locals
We try to carry nothing with us that we don't need. Gladly the kids are now old enough we don't need to carry extra stuff for them.
Everybody has their phone and/or wallet in the front trousers-pocket and only my wife has a small bag, worn across the shoulder with the flap on the inside and always zipped up. I usually have a folded cotton shopping bag in the rear pocket and thieves can have have that, if they insist.
When we’re on transit, for female, I use the big tote bag with zip. I stuff it with a sweater on top so it’s hard to see anything. But i always hold it tightly with the zip facing me. Yes they could cut the bag but I’ve done the most I can. My husband who carries the backpack on busy streets would walk before me.
When we’re just chilling, we don’t have any valuables with us. I don’t even bring a bag around. For valuable things like passport, money, airpods, phones, blah blah, we wear a jacket with an inside pocket.
On metro, we sit down and avoid the doors.
Once my husband was standing on the escalator on the right and a lady who walked right up to him on the left and just stood there. She then started to look at my husband pocket who got his phone hanging and started opening her bag. Good thing I caught her staring and moved him aside. She then just left.
Simplest answer ..get a small combi lock on your backpack ..(i do) you'll look like a tourist anyway carrying any sort of luggage..stick your stuff in a bag lock it job done and just carry the funds you need for the event/day securely in a pocket 🤷
And then hang this bag to the back of a chair or leave it next to you, when you are on outdoor terrace in crowded square or a street. You don't want to sit next to the people passing you and don't want your bag dirty so you put it on a chair next to all the people passing by... or leave the phone on the table, all your things unattended when both of you seek restrooms at the same time or leave everything on a crowded beach with phones on beach towels... I have seen many videos from touristy hotspots around Europe and this was by far the most common thing to get things stolen and people rather fall for false sense of security with expensive gadgets that will not help them in most cases.
I don't think you need fancy and overpriced anti-theft bags or triple lockers but just use your brain and don't leave your things in a place that can be easilly accessed in crowded area. Simple crossbody or phone case that you have in front of you with anything valuable (passport/money/cards) especially in crowded area is enough to prevent anything bad. Many people are too careless when I see them walking with phones in their back pocket of their pants. Let alone the phones are nowadays big so they can easily fall if they are not carefull and do sudden bad movement and they don't even need a pick pocket. Then you have this warnings that sensitive people often overreact to and seek those merchats of fear for all those expensive gadgets and they are stressed permanently when traveling.
Watch out for people standing in front of you especially if they use a coat or something to cover their hands. Had this happen to me on a subway but fortunately caught the bastard before he could open my bag all the way.
It is just clunky and annoying to use and it won't prevent most of the cases when the bag will disappear entirely. Let alone such lock will probably make you target since why would you put a lock there if there was nothing important to steal.
A lock if far harder to get in than a zip ..why would you wear a crossbody bag if there's nothing to steal? As for disappearing luggage that can happen to suitcases at a airport it's just due diligence and common sense ...I go to italy twice a year with my locked bag never had any issues as for being clunky once im at my base the lock then goes on a crossbody ...each to there own 🤷
My point is that people are far more likely to get things stolen due to pure negligence and the locks and all those expensive security gadgets just give them false sense of security. So just using common sense is often enough no need for extra locks that you need to go through many times in your trip and will make it annoying for you.
Never had a problem because I dress like a local, carry a basic handbag kept close to my body and zipped up at all times, don't consult google maps on the street, don't talk loudly in English, and never walk round swigging from a water bottle or munching on snacks
No one pays attention to me. If they got up close and personal they would clock me for a foreigner but really no one notices or cares.
I have it in black, and it is not that notice-able.. I just found this picture online to the closest bag I have. If the weather is cold, I usually have this under the jacket.. so nobody sees it.
I'm not sure I'd want to wear this all day. It's just one strap more and you have bullet proof vest with insertable plates. Especially not in hot summer day.
Walking slowly, looking around, taking pictures, recording videos, speaking foreign language, unable to read/pronounce any local word, stopping to look into map, looking confused or lost, standing in front of a restaurant and googling images/reviews, walking with Trdelnik in hand, carrying souvenirs, hauling suitcase and struggling with escalators or cobblestones, confused after boarding a tram/metro and heading to a map/info board with stops and standing there and trying to figure out where to go, walking with a GPS, standing in front of pure tourist trap places or going inside/outside...
and I could go on and on and sure when I travel I do many of those things as well so I don't really think you cannot stop looking like a tourist if you are one. You simply do different things and different way than a local.
Maybe don't look like a rich tourist. This was my attempt in Istanbul and Morocco where I took the most shabby shoes and clothes and it worked to lower the pressure from all the sellers and scammers around that harassed good looking couples with luxury branded clothes, expensive jewelry, lots of gadgets around, like big camera, go pro, smart watches etc. and they left us mostly alone.
I'm 35, I have been to 16 European countries and I often look like an obvious tourist. I have been mistaken for a tourist in my own country as well because of the way I was looking around. Not once have I been pickpocketed, not even attempted. I have always carried the most ordinary and functional backpacks or messenger bags, nothing on me ever screamed "steal me I am very valuable and easy to get". Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, Venice, Prague, Budapest, Berlin, never have I felt like I needed to be extra cautious or careful, or be on high alert. I basically observe the same simple precautions everywhere because it is just common sense.
Here are some very simple recommendations that some people might need to hear:
Number 1 - Situational awareness.. Don't wander around mindlessly not paying attention to your surroundings. You can look at beautiful buildings, art, statues, whatever, look at street performances or do whatever without forgetting that there are other people around you. Be aware of who is right next to you, who is around you, how is coming your way from a few meters away. Alternate between scanning the crowd around you and taking in the view. The shady looking person lurking around the edge of the street looking at people either pretending to look at buildings or not even pretending is likely a shady character, you can give them a wide berth without feeling bad for stereotyping. Same goes for the person doing some stupid shit like advertising a street game or throwing something colorful or interesting looking in the air that lands slowly each time, or the guy selling cheap, dumb toys or souvenirs on the street corner. At best it's overpriced garbage, at worst they are meant to focus your attention while someone else is supposed to sneak up on you. You also don't have to be in the middle of the crowd or push forward to get to the attraction you want to see without any mind to what's going on around you. Take it slower, wait in line, come back later, keep some social distancing.
Number 2 - Most Europeans don't casually chat strangers up on the street. If they do, they'll probably apologize a bunch and physically keep their distance instead of being overly familiar with you. If someone comes up to you uninvited to chat, they most likely want to sell you something, ask for money or otherwise decided you're some sort of mark. If someone is overly familiar and at ease, that should be a red flag. Like I said, normal people will mostly visibly keep some distance, display some amount of discomfort or hesitation / concern and will back off immediately if you say no.
Number 3 - place your valuables someplace hard to reach. Not just your pockets, certainly not your back pocket. If your backpack or messenger bag has internal pockets, place your wallet and other valuable there, so taking them out wouldn't be as simple as unzipping your backpack and grabbing it. You don't need to take a photo of absolutely everything, so take the time to stop, take out your phone / camera, take a shot and then put it back away. Studies show we remember things better, in more detail if we actually experience them instead of looking for photo opportunities and taking a photo each time. I have largely stopped taking photos on vacations years ago and I remember all of those trips far better than the ones where I took 300 photos.
Number 4 - only take what's necessary, leave all the vanity accessories at home, you're on vacation to relax, not to show off. You will be most likely staying at a hotel or someplace similar, unless you go hiking in the wilderness a messenger back should be more than enough. Tie that bag tight and high so it's constantly under your shoulder so that on top of the zipper / velcro it is physically blocked by your arm to the side / front. Really in general just have your valuables always within sight. Get a fanny pack or wear your backpack in front. If you're not traveling alone then look out for one another, periodically check on each others' bags.
I don’t know what people are hauling around that they need.
Your phone works as a credit card in 2026, and can carry as many cards on it as you want. And it works for like 98% of transactions. It can also have a pic of your passport.
So your phone and a room key works for most days as a tourist.
Also, pickpocketing happens basically in just a few situations. Most common is on metro/busses - so having your phone/“wallet” in your front pocket with your hand in your pocket prevents it quite easily.
Stay aware of your surroundings just like you would at home.
Wear a MONEY BELT. (see below)
Keep your wallet in a secure pocket (ie zippered, buttoned, velcroed) preferably on the front of your body
Keep your phone in your hands or a secured front pocket at all times. Never lay it on the table on a sidewalk cafe.
In busy places, keep your day pack on your front if you are standing in line or in a crowd. This way no one can go into it without you knowing. EDIT: Also in busy places/crowds: if you get 'bumped' casually check the pocket your phone or wallet are in - bumping into someone is a common pickpocket ruse to distract you then slip a hand in your pocket. No need to be crazy paranoid in busy places, just 'situationally aware'.
Put small locks on your zippers of your packs to stop/slow down pickpockets from opening them.\
NEVER carry anything you can't afford to lose, whether that is financially (ie laptops and drones) or sentimentally (ie family heirloom jewelry). Most things can be replaced in Europe for very little cost if stolen. This frees up a lot of stress and worry about being robbed. Because you know anything that gets stolen is not worth much and will not ruin your trip.
ALWAYS be the least easy mark so a pickpocket targets someone else.
NEVER give money to beggars or 'scammers'. Many don't care about the €2 you give them. They want to see where you keep your money/wallet so they or a partner can pick your pocket as you walk away.
A money belt is worn around the waist and UNDER the clothes. In it you keep:
back up credit card(s)
Debit/ATM cards
Excess cash (if using cash)
Your passport (in Europe non EU citizens are required by most (all?) countries' law to have passport on hand to show authorities if requested. A drivers license, student id, photocopy is not acceptable)
You never go into your money belt in public. It is your 'safe', not your wallet. You actually keep a wallet (or small purse) secure on you for day-to-day transactions. In the wallet you keep ONLY:
ONE primary credit card
a photo id (ie drivers license, student id)
ONE day's worth of cash (if carrying cash)
If your wallet does get stolen, no big deal. You call to cancel that ONE credit card. You lost ONE day's worth of cash and your photo id (replaceable when you get home). Then just go some where private (your room, a bathroom) and grab a backup credit card and another ONE day's worth of cash (if carrying cash) from your money belt.
Then you just continue on with the trip.
In 25 years and multiple trips to EUrope I have never been pickpocketed and have never worried about being robbed because someone would literally have to strip search me to get my backup credit cards and debit card and passport.
I can not say the same about friends and family. I've actually watched pickpockets work crowds and individual tourists.
My own father was pickpocketed on Day 1 of my parents first trip to Paris on the train from the airport to the city BEFIRE they even made it to their hotel. Tis was AFTER i gave both of them all the information above AND gave them each a money belt. He thought he "knew better' and that it would 'never happen to him' and that i was 'exaggerating the problem'. ANd since he'd traveled extensively in his youth and is FROM Europe he thought it would never happen to him.
My father lost his wallet after giving a couple euro to 2 beggars. He hadn't put any of his money or cards into his mney belt yet - which was still safely packed in his suit case. Luckily my mom did listen and did have her money and card in her money belt.
My father lost all his credit/debit cards, drivers license, and $1,000 cash.
They were lucky to have me back home to wire them money and help with the replacement of cards. But not everyone has that kind of safety net.
I do not downplay anything, its just not that common, maybe because i dont look like an american and know how to move in touristic areas since i live in one.
It’s definitely a thing. I was pick-pocketed in Argentina and had things stolen from my bag on a train in Sweden. You don’t have to go berserk with it but some precautions are reasonable, like locking luggage and money belts (I personally like using a FlipBelt).
Yeah, i dont say it can nit happen i just say its not that prominent as social media may sell it.
Since 2015 or so sweden has a little problem with small crimes.
locking luggage and money belts
Locking luggage should be standard when travelling, money belt, i dont know, i dont carry cash
There's a ton of new low-profile/light-weight secure solutions available today than even a year ago.
I'm not one for carrying too much with me (no carry-on or checked bag), so I have made it a game to minimize my belongings and my perceived threats (which are many because I drink like a fish when traveling ).
This week I'll head to W Europe (Portugal, Spain, France) for 3-months & will bring whatever will fit in:
1. My "Osprey Daylite" backpack (which is light enough to use as a daypack and meets the stricter international max bag-sizes) and,
2. My pockets.
🎒 BACKPACK: Osprey Daylite
• I added 2 TSA-approved, easy-to-dial, locks (mainly used as just a visual deterrent).
• It has a small pouch for my Moto Tag 2 tracker.
👖PANTS: Phone & Wallet
• LEFT POCKET: Wallet. I just bought an Allett passport wallet. It has the smallest profile of them all, so it fits snuggly in my front pockets (it holds my passport, cash, cards, condom, micro-pen, RFID, and my Chipolo POINT Card tracker).
• RIGHT POCKET: Phone & Earbuds (if I want)
🚄 CROWDS/TRAINS: I move my backpack onto my chest and keep my head on a swivel.
This is impossible to do. Any tourist will look like a tourist and locals notice them immediately. It's not just about what you wear but how you behave, speak etc.
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u/Different_Walrus_921 1d ago
I stopped chasing "anti-theft" features after a while and focused more on habits. The biggest thing for me is keeping my bag in front of my body when I'm on public transit. I got lazy once in Barcelona and wore it behind my hip on the metro. Nothing happened, but I noticed how easy it would've been for someone to get into it without me noticing.