Pickpocketing may only be considered a petty theft, but it has the potential to ruin any traveler’s vacation.
While travelers could just lose some extra cash, thieves can also take more important items like passports or expensive jewelry.
By now, most people are aware of pickpocketing – 87% of tourists feel like they need to take steps to safeguard their valuables while traveling, according to a March 2024 survey by U.K.-based travel insurance company Quotezone.
Unfortunately, staying vigilant isn’t always easy when visiting popular – and crowded – tourist destinations and getting caught up in the excitement of travel.
“European cities are famously popular tourist destinations for sightseeing, with the recent surge in vacationers expected to continue throughout 2024, unfortunately this also makes them some of the danger zones for pickpocketing,” said Tiffany Mealiff, travel insurance expert at Quotezone, in a statement.
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As people gear up for their big summer trips, Quotezone revealed the European destinations with the worst pickpocketing in its recently released European Pickpocketing Index. Researchers analyzed the number of mentions of “pickpocketing” or “stolen” on traveler review websites for Europe’s top destinations against the number of visitors to that country. They also looked at the most popular tourist hotspots in that destination, like the Pantheon and Colosseum Duomo di Milano in Italy, to identify the worst areas for pickpocketing.
Mealiff recommends travelers invest in anti-theft accessories like money belts or cross-body bags. Items of value, like electronics, expensive jewelry and important documents, should be left in the hotel safe when someone is out and about. If a traveler does experience pickpocketing, head straight to the police station to file a police report.
Read below to see the European countries with the most mentions of pickpocketing per million visitors as of April 2024, and the tourist hotspots with the most pickpocketing mentions.
10. Ireland – 7 mentions, worst area: Guinness Storehouse
9. Poland – 18 mentions, worst area: Krakow’s Rynek Glowny Central Square
8. Greece – 19 mentions, worst area: Acropolis Museum
7. Turkey – 21 mentions, worst area: Sultanahmet District
6. Portugal – 58 mentions, worst area: Alfama
5. Netherlands – 100 mentions, worst area: Red Light District
4. Germany – 111 mentions, worst area: Brandenburg Gate
3. Spain – 111 mentions, worst area: Las Ramblas
2. France – 251 mentions, worst area: Eiffel Tower
1. Italy – 478 mentions, worst area: Trevi Fountain
Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com.
