[QUOTE=Perche;23062089]
Originally Posted by
KLouis
Oh, I love Italy, I live there 50% of the year, and I am very much aware of the fact that the country is very, very safe for tourists and, obviously, Italians too. As I wrote above, I love Italy, but I simply adore Napoli!
[/QUOTE
Great! When will the myths about Italy being full of pickpockets and thieves be finally put to rest?.
When everyone is alert and aware of their surroundings,
Perche.
We (wife and 2 20 something's) did 4 cities, 17 days, traveling through the trains and stations that arguably have the "worst" reputations for this kind of issues. I am happy to report that we returned to the states with all the possessions we arrived with.
We did run into a group on the circumvesuviana that had a suitcase taken off a different train, and a guy at Roma Termini who got his IPhone lifted. I would venture to guess the suitcase was left in the vestibule or otherwise out of sight. iPhone guy, no idea, but he was barking afterward instead of preventing it in the first place.
Avoiding problems amounts to looking around. If you're walking to a train, take a glance backward now and then. If you are in a station, take a casual glance around and see if someone happens to look away. If so, another glance a few seconds later - if the same person is looking at you, several glances their way in the next 30 seconds, if indeed they have bad intentions, at that point they will know you are on to them and they will pick easier targets.
Avoiding crowded situations is a good strategy when possible. Pick your path with avoiding physical contact as the goal. When not possible (metro in Roma, where "there's always room for one more"), if you have valuables in a pocket, keep your hand in that pocket (ESPECIALLY if you see locals doing the same) boarding trains, if the adjacent platform is less crowded, walk there instead.
Don't go to Italy packed like a friggin Sherpa climbing Mt. Everest. Large amounts of crap aren't easy to keep track of, require use of both hands, and if you appear distracted, well, you might as well wear a neon sign. Trust me, Italians have to wash clothes too, every place we went there was a laundromat within walking distance.
Regrettably, common sense is an uncommon commodity these days.
Oh, while I'm on the soapbox, the "surly Italian waiter thing." All the waitstaff we worked with were quite charming - although one of the 20-something's couldn't get used to actually talking between courses, that's his loss. Almost all restaurants are small, and the good ones will be packed, so either get a reservation or don't act surprised if you are ignored or turned away. It also hurts your case trying to be accommodated if you don't make any effort to at least learn Italian pleasantries. As everywhere, you tend to get what you give.