cja

Speaking of McDonald's, while at the train station in Florence, witnessed some guy walking away with an old couples attache case while we were in the line. We shouted out to the guy, and he dropped the bag and walked away. When we approached the couple, the lady said that some guy pointed to some currency bills on the floor and asked her whether her husband dropped them. She started to pick up the bills from the floor which obviously distracted her, and before you know it, someone was stealing her husband's attache case.

Just be vigilant and aware of your surroundings. I wore one of those money belts that had a belt loop and stuck this under my clothes, and for my own peace of mind, sealed my front jean pocket with a giant safety pin. Rather extreme but it helped me relax When we met a couple of gypsy kids walking towards us, we just crossed the street to avoid them.

obscure2k

A friend of mine was sitting at a very chic outdoor restaurant and had her purse hanging over the back of her chair. Note to Women: Keep your handbag in your lap or between your feet. My friend's purse was snatched from the back of her chair. Also, another friend attended a church service in Rome and placed her handbag at her feet. Someone snatched her bag from the pew behind her.

mti

I can't fathom how one could eat at a McDonald's when in such beautiful places, it's quite a sign of bad times.

BKKROP

OR VERY HOT WEATHER..(only airconditioned shops in Italy)

OR LOOKING FOR A TOILET...(only clean ones with paper too)


We would have to be the most security minded couple around, and in Rome they got my passport, a wonderful wad of low demonination world currency we used for our airport arrival transfers, and the hardest to replace was an airline ticket issued by a discounter.

How did they do it, they followed us onto the underground which we used to save a few dollars, and to experience it, and four of them in the crowed carriage jostled us and carried on an arguement around us. It was so well done, I can still remember it as if it was yesterday. We were not hurt, and we dined out on the story for ages, and we have put it down as an adventure. Mind you over all the years of travel, we have never lost our luggage, been delayed, never been searched or harrassed so we have been lucky.

Don't worry too much, just be careful of the things you value, regards bkkrop

Jaimito Cartero

I've had three attempts to rob me over the last year. None successful, so far. Once on the subway in Buenos Aires, once in Bucharest, and the last a couple of weeks ago in Quito, Ecuador. Two pickpockets, and the latter was a "run up from behind and try to grab something out of my front pocket". Exciting for sure. In general, I try to take only a small amount of money when I go out, so that at worse I lose $50-$200. No credit cards unless I'm going to take money out, and rarely my passport or other valuables.

mti

There are lots of air conditioned shops and restaurants all over Italy! And as for clean toilets, they are always good in the restaurants and normally ok in the bars/cafes.

gungadin

You are going to love Italy--don't be freaked out by the pickpocket possibility. We have been to Rome 4 times and , though we are obviously tourists, have never had any trouble. I do keep a watch on my purse and in crowds we are alert--but I do that in New York City too. Nice bathrooms are everywhere ( buy a little something if you are in a bar or restaurant) --and enjoy the challenge of finding out just how the current toilet flushes Do a lot of walking --one of the delights of Rome is how alive the streets are .

PTravel

I agree with gungadin on every point. Tourists are the target of petty crime the world over. Rome is no better or worse. Taking common sense precautions and being aware of the usual scams is all that's required. Mrs. PTravel and I travel internationally fairly extensively and we've been to Rome a number of times. We've never been robbed, pick-pocketed or scammed anywhere in the world.

Gargoyle

I know of several cases of that happening in Chicago, the Romans don't have a patent on that technique!

general45

Thank you all. We will take to heart all your suggestions, especially using our room safe and securing undergarment wallets. All the life experience reports are especially appreciated. Sounds like using good common sense and being aware of your surroundings are the key.I really liked canew's suggestion of packing some monopoly money.

SemiElite

I've been a tourist in 40 of our 50 states over my lifetime, and I have never, not once, ever had anyone attempt to pick my pocket! Yet I've had an attempted pickpocketing in Rome, had two attempts to to steal my watch off my wrist (an old, ordinary looking Seiko with a plastic band) in Lima, Peru, and my wife's wallet was stolen in Amsterdam.

Feel free to draw your own conclusions!

PTravel

Okay, I will: Because you're an American, you don't look or act like a tourist in the U.S., but you do when you're overseas.

I have no idea what point you're making by relating this experience, but if it is that the U.S. is immune to tourist crime, whereas Rome, Amsterdam, Lima and other foreign destinations are hot-beds of tourist-seeking criminality, then you're not particularly sufficiently familiar with either your own country or others, or you are a particularly inept foreign travelers.

Jaimito Cartero

This seems a bit harsh, on your part. I've been to 49 out of 50 states, and rarely have experienced any type of ripoffs in the US. They exist certainly, but aren't prevalent like some countries.

I often visit third world countries, and the ripoff factor there is much higher. They see light colored skin, and prices double, you have to be careful when out at night, especially in tourist areas.

This month, in Quito, I had someone attempt to rip me off. This area of Mariscal Sucre has tons of tourists in it, and the accompanying vultures as well. It was interesting, since the first week I was outside of the tourist area, and walked around extensively in the evening, and never had a single problem.

I visit 5-10 countries a year, with about 6 months spent outside the US. When I leave my hotel or apartment, I take only as much money as I think I'll need (usually $50-$100). A $200 digital camera, no credit cards unless I'm withdrawing money, and a copy of my passport. I've gone into favelas in Brazil, dicey areas of Lima, and was the only obvious tourist in parts of Jakarta, and never encountered a problem. However, I try to use common sense.

PTravel

It may have been harsh, but, hey, it was early in the morning. It is still true, nonetheless. Again, if you're an American, your experience of tourist crime in America is going to be very different from that of a foreign visitor.

Rome and Amsterdam aren't in third-world countries.

That's not tourist crime.

I'm not sure what you mean by, "you have to be careful." You need to be careful wherever you travel because, as a tourist, you're an easy mark. However, common sense precautions are, almost always, all that is necessary, as evidenced by the number of people posting to this thread who, like myself, travel extensively to international destinations and have not been the victim of tourist crime.

Rip you off how? I've had plenty of people try to rip me off. None of them succeeded, because a little education about the tourist scams (which exist the world over) was all that was needed to avoid them.

See, that's just what I mean. You travel a lot, you take common sense precautions and, as a result, you don't have problems. That's exactly my point. I travel with expensive cameras but I, too, carry only a photocopy of my passport, use an inside-the-pants money belt for my credit cards and large cash, stay aware of who and what is around me, etc. I'm aware of the various "gypsy" scams (which are not limited to gypsies), never leave my camera gear unattended, etc.

Remember, the OP is asking about Rome, for crying out loud -- a center of civilization for thousands of years, home of the sophisticated fashion and food world, a great artistic center, and not, by any stretch of the imagination, a third-world country. If you're going to visit the Trevi Fountain, don't keep a fat wallet stuffed with credit cards on your hip. That's also true if you're going to walk through Times Square. To suggest, however, that Rome is particularly dangerous is just silly. As you note: common sense. That's all it takes.

TrojanTraveler

I agree with much of what other posters have said, e.g. don't keep anything in back pockets, stay alert, etc. Rome is a great place, the people are great, and I've been back many times.

That said, Rome is the only place that I have ever been pickpocketed. I'm a fairly aware person, and have been to dozens of countries around the world, both first and third (and fourth) world, and have lived in Europe. My wife had her credit card and driver's license in her purse (aside from lipstick, that's all she was carrying), in the metro. The metro wasn't crowded; we made the mistake of relaxing our guard for a bit since the only other people near us were well-dressed, normal seeming people. A couple, in their late 20s, were near us, and as we left the train, one of them got my wife's cards. My wife knew immediately. There was no "distraction", doll/mustard/newspaper etc. They were pros. So don't be fooled just because someone doesn't "look" the part.

Got back to the hotel, and they knew the routine, called the credit card company for us (charges were already on the card, less than 45 minutes later), etc. The hotel staff said this happened very frequently.

From talking to other frequent travelers, most consider Rome to be pickpocket central for western Europe. YMMV. Only carry what you can lose/replace. But don't make avoiding pickpockets a preoccupation; otherwise, you won't enjoy one of the world's greatest, most enjoyable cities.