Did you carry your passport on you at all times in Italy?

[Anonymous]

No never keep them on you, always lock in a safe. The only reason you’d need one is for tax back forms when shopping but in the last few years it seems as if everyone is able to scam from a photo of mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got the passport card in addition to my regular passport. That’s what I carry.

+1

[Anonymous]

No I don't, and thank goodness -- I was pickpocketed on our trip to Italy over Christmas but my passport was sitting safely in our AirBnB when it happened. The pickpockets got cash and credit cards but not my phone (which was on me, but not taken) nor my passport. Losing credit cards was inconvenient but it would have far worse if they had lifted either the phone or passport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No I don't, and thank goodness -- I was pickpocketed on our trip to Italy over Christmas but my passport was sitting safely in our AirBnB when it happened. The pickpockets got cash and credit cards but not my phone (which was on me, but not taken) nor my passport. Losing credit cards was inconvenient but it would have far worse if they had lifted either the phone or passport.

Ugh.

I’m trying to determine how worried to be about pickpockets.

Did it happen on or near public transportation? Or was it just in a crowded area?

My plan is to avoid the train.

I’ll carry a crossbody, and I’m thinking about getting that travel underwear with a cellphone pocket for my husband and teenage boys. I’m encouraging my husband to carry a crossbody.

[Anonymous]

We took the train and were all over Italy including in crowds and never saw or felt anything resembling pick pockets. The crowds of Roma that used to be all over were totally gone. We saw a few young men in Florence selling toys and light up things in the piazza but that was it. Wear a crossbody and be smart and you’ll be fine. My husband always puts his wallet into his front pant pocket.

[Anonymous]

I did. I had a backpacked and stayed at hostels, so there was nowhere safe to leave my valuables in a hotel room. I had my passport and money strapped to my body with a travel bag.

[Anonymous]

Agree with keeping them locked at the hotel.

If it is on you, I recommend a crossbody, theft deterrent purse.

I used this one, and kept the strap shorter, so my purse was on my body, versus hanging.
https://www.travelonbags.com/shop-the-look/crossbody-bags/all-bags/anti-theft-essentials-north%2Fsouth-asymmetriccrossbody/43487.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with keeping them locked at the hotel.

If it is on you, I recommend a crossbody, theft deterrent purse.

I used this one, and kept the strap shorter, so my purse was on my body, versus hanging.
https://www.travelonbags.com/shop-the-look/crossbody-bags/all-bags/anti-theft-essentials-north%2Fsouth-asymmetriccrossbody/43487.html

Is the strap comfortable?

[Anonymous]

Left in the room.

I was in Italy last summer. We took public transportation everywhere and were careful to not have items hanging out of pockets or backpacks but otherwise exercised the same caution we would here in DC on public transportation. I did spend some time reminding my teenager who throws his phone in sweatpant pockets that he should be cautious.

Did not encounter pickpockets but I did have someone try the short change scam on me at a market (https://youtu.be/dGF3B3t3TME).

[Anonymous]

No, not unless we were in transit from one place to the next, arriving or leaving. Then dh and I split passports two and two in money belts under clothes. I would not do otherwise in Europe these days. We saw pickpockets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with keeping them locked at the hotel.

If it is on you, I recommend a crossbody, theft deterrent purse.

I used this one, and kept the strap shorter, so my purse was on my body, versus hanging.
https://www.travelonbags.com/shop-the-look/crossbody-bags/all-bags/anti-theft-essentials-north%2Fsouth-asymmetriccrossbody/43487.html

I used this travelon purse in Greece and Italy last year - it worked well https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005AIIPLS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

DH carried a fanny pack over his shoulder - once in Athens I had to remind him to move it so he was carrying it in front when a woman inserted herself between us while walking on a crowded street and I saw her reaching up.

We kept passports in room safe and carried copies with us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No I don't, and thank goodness -- I was pickpocketed on our trip to Italy over Christmas but my passport was sitting safely in our AirBnB when it happened. The pickpockets got cash and credit cards but not my phone (which was on me, but not taken) nor my passport. Losing credit cards was inconvenient but it would have far worse if they had lifted either the phone or passport.

Ugh.

I’m trying to determine how worried to be about pickpockets.

Did it happen on or near public transportation? Or was it just in a crowded area?

My plan is to avoid the train.

I’ll carry a crossbody, and I’m thinking about getting that travel underwear with a cellphone pocket for my husband and teenage boys. I’m encouraging my husband to carry a crossbody.

I have a cross body bag with theft deterrent features, and we keep extra CCs, cash, and passports in the in-room safe when we are not moving from one city to another. There are pickpockets in large cities everywhere --in DC too! 0-- but the stakes are higher when you have a lot of valuable documents on you. You don't need to be paranoid but be mindful especially in crowds. It was ever so obvious that loitering men were calculating which bags might be easily separated from their owners in the Naples train station, for example.

[Anonymous]

Yes I carried mine in my purse. It was fine. I’d be more worried about forgetting valuables in a hotel safe.

[Anonymous]

Never.

Leave originals in hotel or airbnb. Carry a photocopy if you feel necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No I don't, and thank goodness -- I was pickpocketed on our trip to Italy over Christmas but my passport was sitting safely in our AirBnB when it happened. The pickpockets got cash and credit cards but not my phone (which was on me, but not taken) nor my passport. Losing credit cards was inconvenient but it would have far worse if they had lifted either the phone or passport.

Ugh.

I’m trying to determine how worried to be about pickpockets.

Did it happen on or near public transportation? Or was it just in a crowded area?

My plan is to avoid the train.

I’ll carry a crossbody, and I’m thinking about getting that travel underwear with a cellphone pocket for my husband and teenage boys. I’m encouraging my husband to carry a crossbody.

I have a cross body bag with theft deterrent features, and we keep extra CCs, cash, and passports in the in-room safe when we are not moving from one city to another. There are pickpockets in large cities everywhere --in DC too! 0-- but the stakes are higher when you have a lot of valuable documents on you. You don't need to be paranoid but be mindful especially in crowds. It was ever so obvious that loitering men were calculating which bags might be easily separated from their owners in the Naples train station, for example.

Yes, Naples is notorious for pickpockets and legit robbers…particularly by the train station. My relative had their crossbody cut off them when exiting the train station (and she is a seasoned traveler who lived in Italy for many years, and she was traveling with her burly boyfriend).

I’m not planning to go anywhere near public transportation.