What is going to surprise me about Barcelona (positive or negative)?

I was surprised when I purchased a ticket from a machine in a metro station, followed the signs through a tunnel or two to the line I wanted, and found the ticket would not work. It turns out that there are two companies running subways in Barcelona: the TMB and the FGC. I had assumed that the system worked as it does in Paris, where you can use a metro ticket on the RER while you are in central Paris. I even had read that the two train lines and the bus line in Barcelona were "highly integrated".

But the single tickets I bought from a TMB machine were not valid to enter to go to the platforms of the FGC line. This involved a phone call from a "help" phone on the wall in the station, since there was no actual person in the station. Someone came down and looked at my tickets and explained why they wouldn't work. I had to buy new ones from the machines at the entrance where I was standing.

Now I know. I think.

Wow...so which is which? Which combination of letters is the Metro and which is the "train."?

You're biggest surprise is that you will actually enjoy the city and all it has to offer. Parts of Barcelona remind me of Paris, specifically the 7th on the left bank. It's a friendly, outgoing city, and bright, even on a rainy day.

Traffic isn't a problem unless you're planning on driving. Yes the front of the Cathedral is covered with scaffolding, but you are likely to find that anywhere in Europe where they are trying to keep the historic significance of the structure. It will give you a reason to return when the scaffolding is finally removed.

Be prepared for street crime - perhaps the worst city in Europe, along with Madrid, for muggings and bag snatching. There have been posts on this topic here and many report being victimized. Many.
So if you know the problem exists then you probably can avoid it.
A relative of mine was mugged in Madrid recently and got bruised.

I don't think you'll have any trouble with figuring out which platforms are for the Metro and which are for the rail company trains in those few stations where they might share space.

Be aware that you can share the discounted T-10 ticket on the Metro with someone else..because you only swipe it when you enter the Metro..not when you get out...perfectly valid to do so.

Pickpocketing can be a major problem on the Metro (I speak from personal experience) so safeguard your valuables.

Be ready for the MOBS of people who go to Sagrada Familia as the day wears on (when you see it you'll understand why it is so popular).

You can buy that Kleenex you asked about and just about anything else in the El Corte Ingles department store...the one at the Placa Catalunya comes to mind.

You'll love all the "living statues"

Nobody cares what you wear or where you are from`...it is a wonderful city.

TMB is the metro. FGC is the regional train.

1) The city is too big to walk around but it looks like it is
2) At street corners the corners themselves are cut off so walking is a bit of a wiggle
3) Wear multi coloured socks (the locals don't so it makes them laugh)
4) Pick pocketing is Olympic class in the main shopping road
5) The sites are great and take your best camera
6) The breakfast bars are very good for breakfast and better value than the hotels
7) The train reaches the airport (it does now)
8) The cable car over the harbour is one not to be missed
9) Take at least one trip by local train to a wine tasting (Torres)
10) The Real football ground

You will LOVE barcelona! I have been before and am planning a trip to return this July.

As has been mentioned before in posts, pickpocketing is an issue - so be careful! I was almost mugged by a young boy (no joke, he was 8) on Las Ramblas.

If you want to go to the Opera House for a tour - be sure to book your tickets at least a day or 2 before you want to go. I learned that the hard way. I have heard that it's really beautiful.

I was amazed at the Picasso Museum - it was really great. A nice surprise!

Also, a day trip to Monseraat was a great experience. If you have time for a day trip, I would recommend it. Just make sure you check train times for getting back to the city at the end of the day. If I remember correctly, and it's been a few years so it might have changed, they only come every 30 mins and you don't want to miss the last one.

There's so much to do and see in Barcelona - wear your most comfortable shoes!!

The coffee: wonderfully good.

Bilboburgler...The Real football ground ??? I'm having nightmares...The Real in Barcelona !!!
I suppose you wanted to say FC Barcelona ground , the Nou Camp !

Loved the Picasso Museum, the Cava and tapas. Not so keen on the pickpockets or the caged birds for sale on Las Ramblas.

Hi, missypie -

Don't be too scared by PalQ's warnings about crime. We just got back from Madrid, which he also warns about, and can say we felt very, very safe, even wandering around after midnight. loads of police around, well-lit streets.

Not been to BCN yet, so looking forward to your impressions.

regards, ann

my sister-in-law thought that too before she was violently mugged in front of Atocha train station early one Sunday morning.

No don't be scared but be on guard. Most of Europe is overwhelmingly safe but Madrid and Barcelona many folks have been so victimized. Many many reports in previous posts on Fodors on this subject.

Personally i think it's a scandal that authorities don't do more about it..by highlighting the problem maybe they would.

I loved Barcelona! I was not too keen on going there since I had been to Madrid and didn't like it that much. But Barcelona was Fantastic. I was with a group of Spanish/French Students and We had a blast.

The City is Huge. We did walk alot. It was busy busy busy while there. Right before Easter Last Year. All the store windows were decked out in Easter Mode. The best part for Me was the Park in the middle of the City. I can't tell you the name off the top of my head, but it was the nicest suprise about the city. It was like an oasis in the middle of the City.

There was a huge marathon while we were there too and that was very cool. And everyone was really friendly. I had one of the best Breakfast's while touring Spain there too at Our Hotel. Even the cab driver who took mercy on Me and picked me up took Me to my Hotel and waited for Me to go get the money to pay Him. Never told anyone about that. Too embarrased.

Barcelona is one of my favourite cities in the world.

You might be surprised that the shopping is so good. There are some great Spanish labels (Zara, of course, for affordable trendy clothes, but also Camper for funky shoes ...)

If you go shopping, you might be surprised to discover that shopkeepers will want to see your passport. (I tend to keep mine locked up in the hotel room safe, except for shopping-focused excursions.)

Why will the shopkeepers want to see my passport? As ID to use a credit card? To mock my photograph?

Yes, for use of the credit card. They ask for our ID card here And also , if your shopping is big enough for the receipt to have the taxes back

Let's put all those who have been "mugged" or pick pocketed while in Barcelona on one side of the aisle and everyone else on the other. Will it balance out?

missypie, you're required by Spanish law to carry around some form of picture ID, especially when using a credit card to purchase just about anything (outside of paying your bill in a restaurant). Your standard drivers license will suffice, or a photocopy of your passport.

<<<<<10) The Real football ground>>>>>


What ???? You have got to be having a laugh.......

I went to Barcelona with 2 friends and we heeded the advice about the street crime, consequentley I did not take my digital camera with me. I was wrong. I did not find Barcelona any different to any big city. You have to be careful where ever you go nowadays, just be sensible. (However we did end up in the police station, but that's another story...)

To answer your question I'd say that there are tons of people everywhere, at every hour of the day. Barcelona has a fantastic dance music scene, so there are clubbers around at all hours.


Barcelona is a fantastic city with a great atmosphere. Enjoy!

There have been numerous posts on Fodor's about folks being victimized in Barcelona and Madrid. I'll copy some of these.

No it's really kind of silly to say all that have not been victimized on one side and those who have on the other.

No not nearly 50% of tourists here are victimized. But the occurence seems to be shockingly high for Europe.

The chances of your being victimized are relatively low - and a whole lot lower if you know the extent of the problem.

Author: nessundorma
Date: 08/20/2006
My husband had his pocket picked in the train station at the Plaza d'Espagne in Barcelona.

When I was walking with my husband down an alley in the Barri Gotico in Barcelona, a young man sneaked up behind me and grabbed the rather large nylon sack/bag I was holding in one hand. I so startled, I simply hung onto it, and then I screamed at the top of my lungs, at which point he let go and ran away.

Since that time I have not carried a purse anywhere I travel. I keep my unimporant items in an ordinary plastic shopping bag. I keep money and a credit card in a small zippered coin purse that straps over my wrist and has a ring loop that slides over my middle finger. It's called a Yazzy Sport bag.

In Madrid, my husband and I were walking near the Prado, on our way to Retiro Park, when we were approached by a young man carrying a map who asked us to help him find the Prado. We were trying to show him, using his map, when we were suddenly approached by a much older man who flashed a "Polizia" badge and demanded to see our passports. We began to explain that our passports were in our hotel safe, when I suddenly realized it was a scam. I firmly grabbed my husband's arm, announced it was a scam, and headed straight for a nearby group of construction workers. The two guys disappeared.

Because of my negative experiences, I tend to view Barcelona and Madrid as more risky than other places. I would ask your hotel desk to circle on a map any neighborhoods that are not advisable. I would avoid wearing jewelry, and if you stay out late drinking or wind up tipsy, get a cab.

Frankly, while Barcelona is okay it certainly wasn't a place we plan to return. We were rather underwhelmed compared to other places we've visited. Seville wins hands down in our book if you are looking for a comparison.

Book a concert at the Opera House. A delightful way to hear good music and look at the beauty of the setting.

Don't waste your time or money going in Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. This is paying big bucks to tour nothing more than a construction site as far as we were concerned. What you can see from the outside is all you need to see.

I feel sorry for those who have been "under whelmed" or disappointed by Barcelona and Madrid. They certainly are missing out on a lot of great times. These are two of the world’s great cities to "live" in, as is Paris.

I loved Barcelona. The architecture is fabulous, especially the Gaudi buildings and the Palau da Musica. The human statues (usually) of religious figuressuch as Jesus and the Virgin Mary, and other folks, e.g., the Grim Reaper with a skeletal face and a scythe, beckoning passersby, were things I'd never seen before.

Seeing the Sardana and hearing the many musicians in the street as we walked to the Placa San Jaume was thrilling.

I'd go again in a New York minute, despite the fact that my sister was robbed of her purse in an outdoor restaurant by a nice young man whom we had taken to be a waiter--as he obviously planned.

Fortunately, she had given me her credit card and passport to put in my money belt....

We LOVED Barcelona and are going back in April. For me a real positive is all the Gaudi architecture that is so amazing. Don't miss Parc Guell! Also, the view at sunset from the Miro museum.
We missed the tour of the Opera House and DD said not to this time...can we buy tickets online?

We didn't have any trouble with pickpockets, but I don't carry a purse and DH wears a moneybelt.

One thing that really surprised me was how clean the water was by the pier--I could actually see the fish in it! Unusual for a big city (I know, I live in Seattle).

I'm PegontheRoad's sister, and it was my purse that was swiped from my lap by a stealth thief as we sat at a table at an outside restaurant, with no one else around but a young man who approached our table as if he were a waiter. Only after he disappeared around the corner of the building too quickly did I think to check for my purse, which he'd lifted without my even noticing it. Barcelona is well known for its thriving pickpocket culture, and having been a very cautious victim of a thief, it annoys me wheen people drag up the same old defenses that it's no worse than any place else. It IS worse.

Nevertheless, one of the things that surprised me most about Barcelona was the strong police presence I saw in the area of our hotel, the Regencia Colon, which is kitty-corner from the cathedral. Within a single long block, I saw three separate policemen stationed approximately half block apart. Maybe hotels like Hotel Colon and Regencia Colon slip them a few bucks for the extra protection. I don't know. But it did reassure me that at least the city appeared to be trying to create a safe environment for tourists.

Another thing that surprised me was how many locals seemed to be lounging on benches on the plaza in front of the Cathedral, enjoying the passing scene, and the dogs frolicing about. The area is the heart of tourism in Barcelona, but it's not been abandoned by the locals, especially the elderly.

Oops! I meant to second Padraig's comment about the coffee in Barcelona being surprisingly good. The coffee in Spain gnerally was my favorite of any of the European countries I've visited, which includes France, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany (unusual but lovely coffee), Austria, and Italy.

Our coffee in Spain always seemed to be piping hot and delicious.

As another follow-on...if you are at all interested in interior decoration and can get a tour, or at least a look, inside the Liceu (opera house) much less a performance, you won't regret it.

You'd never know the place had burned down three different times.

Thanks so much, everyone.

Barcelona Pickpockets Real Life StoriesCar Crime In Barcelona - What you need to know if you intend driving a car in Barcelona · Passport Safety - tips to keep your passport safe ...
www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/specialist/barcelona-pickpockets.html - 29k - Cached - Similar pages

How To Beat Car Crime in BarcelonaReal life stories of car and motor crime in
Seems Barcelona's tourist office is so concerned about the city's spate of street crime it has to issue special warnings.

No more problem here than in other European cities...i think not and such comments only create a false sense of security that can lead to one being victimized. Realize the extent of the problem and the probability of being vitimized goes down due to increases alertness.
Should you become totally paranoid - no but just realize that there are problems - probably won't be targeted but chance is much much much more than most European cities.

Barcelona with some safety tips to help you have a safe visit when driving in Barcelona.
www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/specialist/barcelona-car-crime-safety-tips.html

Author: laclaire
Date: 01/19/2007
I debated about posting this, but here goes. Consider it a case study of petty crime in Barcelona.

Last night I went to one of the VIP Bread and Butter (Barcelona's fashiion week) parties, and for it I wore black high heeled, knee-high boots, a retro dress (high neck, long sleeves, to just above my knees) and my black leather jacket (these details are important) that was just longer than the dress. I spent my last 7€ on the cab to get there (I had not been planning on going out), got my wrist stamped and had a wonderful night, which ended around 4 a.m.

I have walked home (a very safe area in the Eixample) a million times, and at all hours. The difference here is that I am normally in business attire or casual jeans and a top.

Mistake #1: single female dressed rather seductively walking anywhere alone at 4 a.m.

I decided to take advantage of the time difference and the walk home to call my mother.

Mistakes #2 and 3: talking on a cell phone that late (means you are not paying attention) and in English (meaning to everyone that you are super foreign and thus, a target)

I was walking along chatting with Mom and saw a guy on my side of the sidewalk. Normally, I would have crossed the street to avoid him, but I was literally right in front of my building, so I just kept walking.

Mistake #4: going against my better judgement to avoid the only guy on a lonely street.

I stopped to tell my mother I was going inside and would lose coverage.

Mistake #5: stopping for longer than it takes to open the door. Moving targets are not appealing.

While saying goodbye, the guy came up behind me, grabbed the bottom of my dress/coat and lifted it up to my waist. I have never screamed so loud in my life and he ran, but slowed to a walk a few yards away muttering something. That is when the most impressive stream of Spanish curses flowed out of my mouth, which stopped him dead in his tracks. And that is when I took chase, all the while screaming horrible things like "pedophile, assassin, you killed him!," and anything that i thought would make others want to chase and hurt him. Unfortunately, the streets were empty.

When I finally gave up the chase (high heels), I looked in my hand and saw my phone was still open. Mom had heard everything and was panicking. I explained and then said "I'll call you tomorrow," hung up and walked back home.

What have I learned? To practice what I preach, no matter what the situation.

Walking home at night is OK depending on your clothing and ability to get out of a weird situation (ie, if you can't run, take a cab), but if you don't met those requirements, don't do it, even if you have to borrow money. Women, this is especially true.

Do not walk and talk on a cell phone (in any language, really) late at night. You look unaware.

Empty street except for one guy and he is on your side? Cross the street no matter how close to your destination you are.

He did not steal anything, nor did he touch/harm any part of my body, but I woke up this morning with an intense feeling of upset. Does he live in my neighborhood? What if I had not been loud/strong/angry enough to react how I did? What could have happened?

This is not to scare people off of Barcelona. This is to say that no matter how long you have been here (or any city, for that matter) and how safe and savvy you feel, you must obey the basic rules of self preservation at all times. Even if it is fashion week.

This Fodor post by a Barcelona resident sums up my position - street crime is rife in Barcelona but by following common sense tips below it can be avoided probably. The poster got ripped off, once violently hurting her shoulder, because of her lack of knowledge of the problem - a sitting duck. I think she/he gives excellent advice for Barcelona.

Author: laclaire
Date: 09/01/2006
I now live in Barcelona and am very good at not getting mugged, but was not when I visited when I was younger. Once my wallet was stolen from my backpack while going up the stairs of the Sagrada Familia, and the second time my lovely new leather purse (which I was wearing for the first time) was ripped off my shoulder, leaving me with a strap burn on my neck and the strap in my hand, chasing the guy down the street yelling "hijo de puta." And once my cell phone got stolen, but that is another story.

Anyways, in those cases I was unaware of my surroundings. I had my wallet in the front pocket of my backpack. That is stupid. Then the purse thing, well, I heard running steps before it was ripped from my shoulder, and did not think to grab my stuff, which is now a reaction for me when I hear running. The cell phone, well, I was reading my e-mail, answered it, and then put it in my jacket pocket, which was hanging on my chair. Again, really dumb. I am not saying those things were my fault, but I am now much more aware and can tell when something is about to happen. So, here you have my list of how not to get robbed:
1) if taking the metro, use the stairs, not the escalators. I have never once heard of anyone getting robbed going up or down the stairs whereas most metro theft happens on the escalators.
2) in crowded spaces (metro, clubs, Ramblas, etc), hold your bag with both hands in front of you.
3) never go down streets unless you see women (prostitutes do not count on this one) and children. That is especially helpful at night. Also, if you see a street with just a few men, avoid it (especially in downtown BCN) because oftentimes they get you in there and work as a team. Ihave observed this from a friend's balcony numerous times.
4) Don't carry your valuables where people can see them. I actually say don't carry valuables period.
5) Trust no one.
6) If you feel a bad vibe, move away from it. I have been walking down a street and seen someone coming towards me that I thought was "off" and have turned right around and left, or run ahead to a group of people I didn't know but felt were not sketchy and walked close to them. Safety in numbers.
7) feel free to racial prifile your way through the city. I don't mean to sound crude, and frankly, every group in the world has robbers, but after numerous attempts at being PC and getting screwed, I won't even speak to random members of certain ethnic groups. In fact, I was dating a guy from one of those groups and he was the one who told me that if one of his compatriots walks up to me and asks for a light/cigarette/the time/etc, it is because I am going to get mugged.

I guarantee you that if you say there were not even any close calls, you simply were not paying attention. These people are professionals and they are very good at what they do. I have seen some robberies that were very impressive and once a friend and I were at a table and she got robbed and neither of us noticed (her bag was between her feet under the table and somehow the thief got under there and cut the strap. . . WTF?!).

Yes, December is a slow month, but everyone's gotta eat no matter what, and if that is what puts food on the table, they need you to be there.

Okay, so young ladies with cell phones are going to follow us and figure out that I'm the one carrying the cash and credit cards, send a message to others who are going to assult me and steal my cash and credit cards. My husband is definitely not the cautious or protective type...I guess I'll need to appoint our 16 year old son to be my bodyguard.

Author: Dukey
Date: 08/20/2006
The "crime" I've personally experienced in Barcelona consisted of being pickpocketed on the Metro.

Author: nessundorma
Date: 08/20/2006
My husband had his pocket picked in the train station at the Plaza d'Espagne in Barcelona.

When I was walking with my husband down an alley in the Barri Gotico in Barcelona, a young man sneaked up behind me and grabbed the rather large nylon sack/bag I was holding in one hand. I so startled, I simply hung onto it, and then I screamed at the top of my lungs, at which point he let go and ran away.

Since that time I have not carried a purse anywhere I travel. I keep my unimporant items in an ordinary plastic shopping bag. I keep money and a credit card in a small zippered coin purse that straps over my wrist and has a ring loop that slides over my middle finger. It's called a Yazzy Sport bag.

In Madrid, my husband and I were walking near the Prado, on our way to Retiro Park, when we were approached by a young man carrying a map who asked us to help him find the Prado. We were trying to show him, using his map, when we were suddenly approached by a much older man who flashed a "Polizia" badge and demanded to see our passports. We began to explain that our passports were in our hotel safe, when I suddenly realized it was a scam. I firmly grabbed my husband's arm, announced it was a scam, and headed straight for a nearby group of construction workers. The two guys disappeared.

Because of my negative experiences, I tend to view Barcelona and Madrid as more risky than other places. I would ask your hotel desk to circle on a map any neighborhoods that are not advisable. I would avoid wearing jewelry, and if you stay out late drinking or wind up tipsy, get a cab.

Palenq, you've quoted Nessundorma's comments twice now...and some even deal with Madrid instead of Barelona. Are you going to keep posting these horror stories until I cry uncle and say I'm too scared to go to Barcelona?

OK enough. It just gets me when folks say there is no more problem here than in other European cities.

And no one is going to pat me on my vitual head and say, "Missypie, don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine"???

I guess I have to pack my messenger bag every morning thinking, "What would be okay to lose?" One credit card. A tiny bit of cash. (The rest in DH's money belt.) As for ID, didn't someone mention that a copy of the passport would do for ID? But even when you get a copy of your passport stolen, don't you need to report it and get another?

please pay heed to the considerate warnings you are gettng from some first hand experienced travellers and RESIDENTS.

I am meeting a journalist tomorrow who will be on her own tonight in downtown Valencia.

she intends to go for a stroll around the old town, etc.

my first words of advice were exactly what you have been told.

beware,.. but do enjoy yourself!

i think it is difficult for some of you to understand that there is an entire subculture of professional thieves who have a mission every single day and minute of the year. they LOOK for prey.

i have seen it in action. believe me.
i have seen barcelona and madrid VIDEOS filmed from hotel rooms of the kids/youth working the crowds.

but FORTUNATELY i have never been robbed in 35 years... however.. I doubt i will be able to go another 35 with that track record.

a very lax judicial system has helped propogate an unusual amount of petty crime in this country.

enjoy your trip.

and i wouldn´t call it negativism.. just a touch of reality. i work with students and foreign expats daily and i can tell you, it is unreal.

just ask your local consulate how many reports they do a week.

Hi Missypie, count me in as loving Barcelona until my personal event, read it at(Attempted purse snatching casts a pall on the city of Barcelona). That said, am I sorry I went? Absolutely not. Did I feel stupid, especially since I've read and heard everything and thought I was so careful? Yes. Would I go back? Only if there was a compelling reason to, not just to visit the city. But yes Missypie, don't worry, everything is going to be fine.

<And no one is going to pat me on my vitual head and say, "Missypie, don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine"???>

no - read lincasanova's very well crafted response - from a local. You're chances of being fine increase the more you're aware of the problem and take proper precautions. Those who say there is no more problem here than other places do a disservice from their ignorance of the problem.
Henny Penny

My husband and I spent several days in Barca last fall and loved it. You just have to take the usual big-city precautions--money belt not purse, be aware, stick together. My wallet stolen from my purse on the train platform in Chicago (where I live) many years ago, so these things can happen anywhere if you're tuned out.

In Barcelona, don't miss the Boqueria market if you love food and spectacle. You can buy a picnic, walk down to the beach or a park, and just take it all in.

Have a great time!

ditto the boqueria market. i have never seen such beautifully displayed fruit. and so much in take-away perfect protions for the traveller or worker.

a lot of nice bars in there , too, making fresh tapas on the grill in front of you.

good mid-morning breakfast/luxury snack place!

missypie, All nighters! I went in July for my sister's 30th birthday and I was surprised by the party scene! We ate dinner every night at 10pm and then went out and partied until 6am, slept for 2 hrs and started all over again with the sightseeing, etc. It was a wonderful trip. Exausting, but in a good way! Have fun!

It's been 3 years since we've been, but it was absolutely our favorite city in Spain. You MUST climb the Sagrada Familia (not take the elevator); there are so many nooks and crannies to look out, you can get up close and personal with the mosaic tiles on the spires as you walk the catwalks, and there are fabulous views. The sculptures carved into the facade are also fascinating; it doesn't matter that the interior is unfinished - you'll never miss it! Also, the La Pedrera is not to be missed, especially the roof; we also loved the park and all the other Gaudi sites. These are truly unique to Barcelona. Enjoy!

I'm having difficulty posting, but I'll take another stab at it.

Be extremely watchful in La Boquería!

It was in La Garduña restaurant in La Boquería that my sister was relieved of her purse by an extremely clever thief posing as a waiter.

The food was very good, by the way.

Back to your original question about surprising you in Barcelona....Things that surprised me:

1. I found that the sites I thought were going to be great were underwhelming and those that I didn't expect to be as good were fantastic. For example, I did not love Park Guell. Sure the Gaudi building was great but it was so crowded and not very green for a park (i know that sounds strange but it is true), that if you have limited time I would skip it. La Sagrada Familia is fun to see from the outside and interesting on the inside to see the columns and other architecture up close but I wouldn't bother to take the elevator up because you can't see anything due to the current stage in construction (or at least that was the case in May 2006 when I was last there).
On the other hand, pleasant surprises - touring the inside of the buildings on the "block of discord" (i forget the street name), i.e., Casa Battlo and La Pedrera). They are incredible on the inside. I think Casa Battlo has not been open to the public for very long so it isn't in some of the older guidebooks but itis incredible and worth the wait however long the line.

2. Shopping is great. Lots of small unique stores with funky clothes and jewelry.

3. I was surprised at how many tourists are in Barcelona. I was there on a trip to Barcelona, Madrid and Seville and Barcelona seemed to have the highest concentration of tourists by far.

4. The beach is really nice and a lot of fun. I loved how the beach is so accessible to the city. I live in Boston and even though we are on the water here, there is no beachfront immediately accessible to the downtown. If you are there in the warm weather, throw your bathingsuit in your bag so you can go swimming if you want. you can buy a cheap towel and change in the hotel bathroom along the waterfront, if you are tempted to take a dip.

I really enjoyed the Picasso Museum. The shopping was great and all the Gaudi architecture was amazing. We had a great time at the beach, especially watching the people.

Now to the part I didn't care for. A girl in our group had her wallet lifted from her purse by a young boy in the restaurant we were eating in. She chased the boy down and grabbed his arm and got her wallet back.

I was approached in the hallway one night outside my room by a woman?? and her two friends who wanted to know if I was interested in some lesbian fun. I laughed and said noo... and they precided in trying to push their way into my room. I got in the room and locked the door. They continued to try all night long to break into my room, yelling things and pounding at the door. I was in the room by myself and I can tell you I was frightened. I called the front desk three times asking someone to please check it out. The front desk treated me like I was crazy. Needless to say I didn't sleep all night. The next morning the same group had tryed to break in to the room of teenage girls with our group. They also had called the front desk. I again tried to talk to the front desk and they said no one had called to complain the night before. I guess they forgot about our calls. Again they acted like I was crazy. As I was going to breakfast I saw the Woman?? who tried to break in my room. Our guide was having her picture taken with her?. Come to find out she? is some big Spanish tv/movie star. Then it all made sense the front desk was trying to protect her. By the way this was a nice hotel. I would gladly go back to Barcelona. I wouldn't let one bad experience cloud my judgement of the city. But boy; do I have a story to tell about the night the famous Spanish she/he tried to break into my hotel room!

If you currently imagine that Barcelona will be the greatest city you will ever visit, you will be disappointed when you get there. If, on the other hand, your expectations are low, then you will probably be pleasantly surprised.

i´m curious as to the name of this famous WOMAN?

I'm curious too....LOL

kende.. do you think we can convince her to tell?? come on.. we are DYING here !! LOL!!!!

Pleaseeeeee, pleaseeeeeeee, pretty pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee LOL

Could it be that it was Antonio Banderas in disguise ?

tall.. short.. blonde, brunette.. short hair..long hair.. come on! at least give us some details to try to figure it out..

man/woman doubt? that narrows it down.

Yes, some clues won't hurt...I'm getting nervoussssssssssssssssssss LOL

Well who else but Antonio can get two women and still want a third one! It has to be him in disguise. Just kidding.

ohhh, comfy, you know very little of the Spanish "fauna" Antonio is such a good boy ...

I know Spanish fauna rather well, believe me. I was merely being facetious, Kend.

I just saw your posts. Sorry, I don't remember her? name. She was really tall and had long dark hair. This was in the summer of 2005 so who knows what she looks like now. I wasn't the only one who was in question of her gender. I forgot to say that the man with them, I was told had a tv show on every night, and they both were very popular. Needless to say, I was disquised. Not by them asking, but by them trying to get in my room all night. We were staying at a hotel out by the tv stations. I didn't go into the whole story. But we have had a laugh or two over how they asked me for some Lesbain fun. How it was said to me that is.

1. How vibrant,crazy,beutiful, barcelona is.
2. Some of the best ladies at the topless beaches I have seen in europe.
3. How incredibly good and cheap the food is.
4. High crime, I hate to mention it, be smart and you'll feel safer then most cities in the states.
5. Visit the markets incredible.

Back to Missypie's questions about carrying a copy of your passport. My husband and I both use money belts and the only thing of real value I keep in my small purse is my camera (download pictures every night, so hopefully even if it is stolen we won't lose too many), and my phone which, as we learned from an unfortuante experience in the Milan airport, is replaceable.

I don't find it uncomfortable at all to use the money belt, and adding a copy of my passport is not a problem. However, when we were in Paris, it was at either Zara or H&M, where they would not take just a copy of my passport, but only the original in order to take my credit card.

Have people found that in Barcelona many places will allow just a copy of their passport? Or their US drivers license? I think the drivers license would fit fine in the money belt - but I think my passport would get a little uncomfortable!!

By the way, Missypie, I believe you leave this Friday (a week before we leave for Barcelona). I hope your family has a wonderful trip, and I trust you will end up on the side of people who don't get pickpocketed!!

Neither my husband nor I was asked for our passports during our week in Barcelona. Maybe we just didn't spend enough money.

Back to the original posters question as the above poster redirected. I have a money belt that does not go aound my waste but goes on my belt and flips inside my pants, no thief unless shes buetiful and has a big rack could ever ever pickpocket me. Serioiusly it's the best 20 buck I have spent, a little tough at times to get into, but zero possiblity of being robbed.

kenderina.. could it be boris ( the man) and ...??? who do you think? rosi palma.. or whatever her name is.. i also thought bibi anderson, but she is blonde...

hmmmmm.
really got me thinking.

yes, the man could be boris...I was thinking the woman to be Yola Berrocal, hahaha.
Rosy de Palma despite of her look, it's too serious a person for that. And she didn't show at "Cronicas Marcianas" , which I think was the show.

wow.. could be.

i saw boris with his "friend" in london when i went with my daughter. he realized she recognized him.. but i was to late to see him face-on.

wow.. some story.

sounded pretty agressive, i think.

It's not his "friend"..it's his husband, they are married.
Yes, I think it's too agressive too..specially for Boris, maybe it was not him.

brando - What you use, sounds exactly like what I use. I agree that it would be very tough for someone to pickpocket me. While my passport can fit, I think it would be very uncomfortable for me to walk around with my passport in it as well. A photocopy on a piece of paper would be fine. Just trying to confirm the photocopy is all I might need.

in many shops you will be required to present a photo i.d. in order to use your credit card.

a driver´s license should be fine.if your credit card has your photo on it, it should suffice, also.

Well, I've been back from Barcelona for about 14 hours; we loved it. I'll write a trip report in a few days.

As for surprises:

1. No pickpocking, no scenes of street crime. I must admit that when we walked up Las Ramblas one afternoon, I didn't really feel comfortable (morning was fine), but we didn't see any crime.

At the airport in Barcelona, there was an American woman with a Coach purse in line in front of me; her purse was wide open and her wallet was right on top. I'm pretty sure that even I could have taken her wallet from her purse without her noticing it! Some people don't even take the most basic of precautions (e.g. zipping one's purse!)

One evening we were looking for a specific restaurant in Barcelonetta. A very nice young man saw us with the map and offered to help and pointed us in the right direction. We were convinced that he was going to cell phone his accomplices to mug us down the way, but he really was just a nice young man who helped us.

2. The rounded street corners look cool but make for extra walking when crossing streets. We learned to walk in the middle where we could.

3. The restaurants all brought little bowls of terrific olives to the table. I loved that. I ate so many olives.

Welcome home. I am eager to hear about your travels.

Please do post your report when able...anxious to hear everything and glad nothing bad happened.

As a first-time visitor to Barcelona, but a veteran of many trips to Europe and a resident of Chicago, I was surprised to have my purse snatched out of my hand by a man who drove his moped onto the sidewalk where I was walking with my husband. I should've been holding it tightly under my arm, but we were one block from our hotel, and I let down my guard.

I'd heard so much about the petty crime in Barcelona but thought I was savvy and experienced enough to avoid being a victim. But I lost 100 euro, my digital camera with two days' worth of photos, and my credit cards (thank God my passport was at the hotel!). The experience kind of soured me on Barcelona, unfortunately.

What a great question! I enjoyed reading all the answers.

Yes this has been an amazing thread. It definitely didn't scare me off Barcelona at all. It still sounds like I am better off there than many parts of downtown LA

waynehazel - that silly comparison would do little to alay any fears i had. No one has ever claimed that - in Barcelona you won't get killed probably just robbed if you aren't careful.

I was amazed at the love affair this city has with one artist - Gaudi. I can't remember visiting another major city that is so tied to one man. Also, the Picasso Museum is wonderful even if you don't particularly like Picasso. Every meal was really good.

I am one that was a little underwhelmed with Barcelona and agree that Seville is MUCH nicer and prettier.

I was surprised that is was such a huge smoggy city and that most of it is not pretty. I was not the least bit impressed with the endless street statues ( some were pitiful and most were ripping each other off and gets old quickly) or the main drag or even the food market.

That said, there are some really pretty spots in Barcelona and we are enjoying it here closeby at the beach near vineyards and stone catalon houses. I am glad to be getting to know it better.

There are a TON of tourists in Barcelona ( and we are visiting OFF season for the last 3 weeks) and that gets old.

We like the Gaudi things,the pretty areas & the Picasso and Miro museums.I am glad to see the key sites but over touristed cities get tiring quickly and we are actually enjoying the lush area around Barcelona & vineyards and the authentic life here more than manic, over touristed city time.

I heard so many raves about Barcelona, I expected it to prettier and more charming. I was surprised that I found Madrid prettier than Barcelona, as I expected the opposite, but both are too big for my taste & I found real Europe and Spain in the smaller villages and countryside.

We thought the women were the prettiest we'd seen in all of Europe! Not so the men, however.

Barcelona was a city I enjoyed just don't have a huge need to return right away. Masseraat is a wonderful trip for half the day. I was suprised how high crime is and the difficulty in getting a taxi. Some of the buildings will remind you of France and I came home with 4 more pairs of shoes than I left with. In the evening foot traffic becomes very high as well as pickpocketing.

Enough of this mad panic about being victimized by crime in Barcelona.

The basic problem is the tourist who tries to impose his/hers homegrown habits on the place visited regardless of the situation. It is that imposition that gets him in trouble. Recognize the reality of where you are going.

When you go to the North Pole you dress differently than you do in Florida. If you try to impose your Florida life style on the North Pole, you lose.

When you go to Barcelona, you do things differently than you do in Florida. Imposing you life style on Barcelona [or anywhere else] is a loser. No 4am strolls in knee boots, no purses with straps, no purses under your seat in a restaurant. When you try to impose your habits on in an 'alien" environment, it's just like wearing a sign that says "Hit me! I am a fool who chooses not to live by your rules".

Simply use your head, copy the locals, and do your best to "blend in", and you will be fine.

If you screw up, don't blame Barcelona. Blame your lack of preparation, your lack of flexibilty, your unwillingness to view yourself as a guest rather than a 'economy stimulating tourist', and, perhaps, in what really encompasses all the above, a bit of arrogance in thinking that the whole world is like "home".

Yes, I have had my car broken into while in Europe and it was due to my stupidity in not adapting to the reality of the environment that I chose to visit.

regarding pickpockets--I observed a woman in a bus realizing she had been picked: She demanded that the bus driver not open the door and permit her to search the person she suspected. So this was allowed.She searched the guy, who denied he had done any such thing, but allowed her to pat him down. She found nothing of hers on him, gave up, and he was let off. Either he had an accomplice somewhere on the bus to which he had immediately passed off his theft, or the screaming lady was actually picking the guy she was searching. In another incident, a man offered to "help" us find something on a map. He actually helped himself to my husband's pockets. In Minneapolis, USA, at a very good hotel, the desk clerk said we needed to leave our credit card at the desk overnight. We asked "Why?" as we had never run into this. He just muttered something about security for deposit, so we let him have it. Checking out the next morning, there was a different clerk. No such policy, and no credit card to be found. We immediately canceled the card, which had already accumulated $500 worth of debt since the previous night. We were not responsible for this. Here's one more: Checking in to a hotel with a very small lobby, we set our bags just inside the door and walked over to the desk not five feet away. The desk clerk requested that we bring our bags up to the desk and place them between ourselves and the desk. We looked at each other and thought Jeez, what a fussbudget, thinking he wanted the place looking neater, but we did as we were told. Within seconds, two fellows walked into the lobby. The clerk yelled at them, "We're filled. Get out, NOW!" We thought we had run into the crabbiest staff person in the world. Looking at our shocked faces he explained "Those two guys hang around here and try to snatch the baggage out of our lobby every chance they get. End of my anecdotes. Ever think this site might be a correspondence school for punks? Well hope this helps the victims more than the thieves

weber6560, I'm just laughing at your naive and condescending post. While some tourists seem to be almost asking to be mugged (such as the American tourist with the open Coach bag), pretty much ANYONE can be targeted in Barcelona. It's bad luck more than anything else. Almost everyone I know was mugged or pickpocketed there. And we're not a bunch of country folk from Kansas, we're all from big cities in Europe. I wasn't targeted there, which was due to my being careful to the point of paranoia, but also good luck - I didn't run into the wrong person. My friend wasn't so lucky. We were in the bus station about to leave Barcelona when her bag was stolen from under her arm. This friend was always going on and on about how other people got mugged because they were careless, and how she was SO careful, and no-one could possibly rob her because she always was aware, blah blah blah. She learned a hard lesson that night not to be so judgemental, and to add to the annoyance/upset of losing all her documents and money, she felt very embarrassed. I didn't even need to say 'I told you so.' Of course being careful reduces your chances of something happening, but nothing is foolproof. I am the most careful, paranoid person of all time and I was pickpocketed in my own university in Ireland. It can happen to anyone, anywhere.

And anyone who thinks the pickpocketing/mugging/crime problem isn't worse in Barcelona than anywhere else is living under a rock. It's out of control, and the reason I won't be returning. Constantly worrying about my purse and wondering if every waiter is genuine isn't my idea of a good time. I lived in Granada for a year and had zero problems. BCN isn't worth the hassle for me personally.

And, may I add, what on earth do you think the locals do differently? They put their bags under their feet or on the back of their chair too, they come home from clubbing at 5am in very little clothing. I assume they are targeted less often (I say less often because most of my Catalan friends have been robbed at least once in their own city) because they are obviously local. No matter how you dress, act or talk, everyone knows you're not Catalan. Trying to blend in helps but guarantees nothing.

Oh, dang it...I was going to state in my rant about pickpockets that none of the incidents happened in Barcelona; we're going there next week for the first time, that is why I had checked this site. Thanks to everyone who had tips and opinions...maybe I will be lucky and come away with only good memories. I especially agree with the comments about language. I found German, even at my pitiful level, to be useful in the most unexpected places. Even if you feel idiotic, force yourself to try whatever you can. You'll rarely regret it. In Vienna, a woman who had asked if she could share my table in a crowded lunch room in a museum (I said "Of course! Welcome") told me during our kind-of- German-English-Swedish-soup of a conversation, that she thought my "accent was charming." What a kind woman. If I'd had a tail, it would have been wagging.

Hey, I just read that my comparison of LA safety to Barcelona was silly.

So someone give me any data on the murder rate in Barcelona. Are handguns a problem or not?

Sorry, it is one thing to have a few pocketbooks snatched here and there, but handgun violence is something much scarier & if I understand correctly, in most European countries it is not the problem it is here in the US. Is that correct?

until the judicial system speeds up what it does to these people, i doubt it will get better before it gets worse.

it IS out of control. anyone who thinks differntly has not been around here too long.

(ask the police.. see what THEY think).

i am still knocking on wood and pray i am not prey to these scumbags anytime in the near future.

but i do agree.. if i get targetted.. there may not be much i can do about it.

Weber's post is just really dumb and insulting. I had my purse in my lap when it was stolen, and we were eating dinner with no one else around, on the patio outside LaGarduna restaurant. A man approached our table with a white towel over his arm and bent over and smiled as he asked if our dinner was delicious. Like a magician, he managed to lift my purse from my lap without my feeling a thing. The only change I would have made was to loop my purse's long strap across my back as it rested in my lap, but where have you seen that recommended?

It's just exhausting to have to be on guard all the time against thieves of all kinds in cities like Barcelona. Until people stop making excuses for the cities who fail to safeguard tourists from the relentless attacks by pickpockets, it will continue.

I liked the Gaudi architecture and some other things about Barcelona, but overall, it really didn't impress me overmuch, and I have no desire to ever visit again.

We just spent 3 wonderful weeks in Barcelona and its beaches and had no trouble what so ever. I think if one is careful, you won't have any problems either.

People talk about being careful and then tell how all their valuables were in their purse that was stolen.HUH? HOw careful is that? A good money belt and only carrying one you need on you would be a LOT more careful.

I NEVER sit at a restaurant without having my purse wrapped around me in Barcelona or any where...and I never have anything of value in my purse. I also do not dress like I have any money and stay sober and aware and am not out late at night.

Yes, violent crimes are MUCH worse in LA and other US cities, but I also know Europeans tourists who have been careless and robbed in US cities.

It really does NOT have to happen if one takes all precautions and one does not have to be overly cautious.We have been touring Europe for 8 months and have had no trouble what so ever. In fact all we meet is wonderful people in Barcelona and every where.

It just takes common sense, which is uncommon these days. A tourist that does not use a good money belt is asking for trouble. Purses are too tempting and easy to get.

As a Spaniard in Spain I have never been mugged. But my car with a Spanish numberplate was broken into in the Netherlands on day one. Why? I was an outsider. As a tourist you are automatically more vulnerable than the locals, so take the appropriate measures. It is a matter of common sense.

The point of my post was not to minimize the crime rate in Barcelona but rather to point out that, for example, in some situations it is wise to loop the strap of one's purse, suitcase, carryon, under the leg of the chair in which one is sitting. [Check out a few airport waiting rooms and you'll find this is a common strategy].

I refuse to let petty crime dictate my itinerary.

But then, if one is never going to Barcelona again, I guess it is not a problem.

ttt

Just retunred from Barcelona a few weeks ago and it was third visit to Barcelona, fifth to Spain.

The joie de vie in Barcelona is incomprable. The Catalans embrace their sense of style and lfe.

And ignore the poster who said not to enter Sagrada Familia. You do not get the scope of the intent unless you see the what has been completed, what is being worked on, and what is being planned.

When I visited the museum in the basement, I got the distinct impression that the Catalans are pushing Gaudi for sainthood.

I wore a neck pouch for passport and extra cash. Second I did not carry a wallet. I took a business card holder which fits, credit cards, ATM cards, and license and kept it in my front pocket.

One thing that might surprise you is not getting mugged/pickpocketed after reading this thread!! I'm all for beign forewarned and having situational awareness but some people make it sound like your chances are 100%!

Things that surprised me were how much I enjoyed walking around Barcelonetta. This is a neighbourhood - true sense of the word with lots of homes, corner shops. locals and children going about their everyday business - adjacent to the waterfront at the foot of Las Ramblas. I loved walking the streets and eating at the very non-touristy corner stalls and sitting at a bar right on the beach to watch the world go by. It is easy walking distance from Las Ramblas. I was also surprised by how much I loved the Boqueria (never felt unsafe there - don't know why you would - it's a food market). I was also surprised to discover my favourite restaurant in the world (thought it would be in France or Italy for some reason) - Cal Pep, outstanding!!

We have been going to Spain for a looooonnnnngggg time, we thought we were invinsible, but things have obviously turned for the worst. In March of this year in Madrid we were robbed by some guys that I could swear they were Rumanians. They were several guys acting together, one blocks you from the front pretening he dropped something and the rest attack from the back and sides. No way out. As lincasanova said once they target you , forget it.
We visited several small towns in Castille, such us Tordesillas, everybody in town had a different story how they had been robbed in different ways by similar people......sad.

Graziella, sorry to hear of your experience. Were you walking on the street, in the metro, daytime, nighttime? Are you saying that the people you met were robbed in the towns you mentioned or were they telling of things that had happened in Madrid?

I just do without a purse when in a place where it might be snatched. I use a moneybelt instead.

<One thing that might surprise you is not getting mugged/pickpocketed after reading this thread!! I'm all for beign forewarned and having situational awareness but some people make it sound like your chances are 100%!>

It seems that you are a 'sitting duck' with an overwhelming chance of being pickpocketed, if you're lucky, or mugged if you're not - nearly 100% if you are naive and take no precautions.

Robert Reich, Sec of Labor under Clinton had a bag stolen while checking in at Barcelona's airport - see even seasoned travelers who let their guard down are victimized.

Yes i'd say a naive tourist who does not know the perils does have about 100% of being pickpocketed - like say someone has their wallet in their back pocket in crowded areas.

I have lived here for a while now and the surprise has sort of worn off, but when people come I warn/bring to their attention the following:

Pickpockets. The saying goes that they will steal your underwear while you are wearing them and you won't notice until you get home. They are not kidding.

Bad meals. You are pretty sure to get a bad meal if it is one of those colorful, plastic paella signs in front of it.

Catalán. Yes, people speak it. No, you don't have to, but it exists and sometimes surprises/annoys people who speak Spanish.

Lack of air conditioning and toilet paper. Always carry around a packet of kleenex with you and though most tourist attractions are ACed, if you find one that is not, deal with it or bow out.

The tourists. After a while it becomes pretty obvious that tourists are held to a different standard (http://bcnweek.com/feature46.html) and that is sort of weird.

As for pleasant surprises, the city is full of bikes, which I think is a forward-looking trend and makes me really happy.

You can get really good meals for pretty cheap if you are willing to mix with locals .

I love this city!

What will surprise you- its prioritisation on sheer natural beauty and smart city planning.

PalenQ- again with this "sitting duck"!
"""pickpocketed, if you're lucky, or mugged if you're not - nearly 100% if you are naive and take no precautions.

"""100% of being pickpocketed - like say someone has their wallet in their back pocket in crowded areas.""
Are there any mathematicians here? Please, the probability of being in the same place with a wallet in your back pocket as somebody who wants to pick your pocket??? That would have to mean that AT LEAST half of the people in this city of 6 million plus are dedicated pickpockets, surely?

OK i don't know the probability of being pickpocketed or mugged in Barcelona but to someone unsuspecting it is much higher it seems than anywhere else in Europe - to wit the many post saying it happened to them.

That you want to portray the crime in Barcelona angle as simply being not true i understand - but i think you do a disservice in not warning tourists of the very real problems there.

If you like i can copy a whole more slew of tourists who have been victimized - again thru lack of knowledge of the problemm

And deniers like you only make the thieves' days easier.

Is there a big problem with street crime in Barcelona or not? Travel Buzzing please answer this simple question - or do you believe there is very little chance of being victimized here?

I'd be interested in your answer.

Like Laclaire, we had a series of bad food in Barcelona. I happen to enjoy Paella even the cheap fast food kind so I'm not complaining about that but rather about the restaurants that were highly recommended by the Interconti concierge. Every single one was supposed to be special but we had nothing but bad food. It may very well be that we had a dingy concierge.

I was also amazed by the fact that most people don't speak English or French from the taxi drivers to the waiters. We survived on my limited Italian.

As far as crime, I don't think it's any worse than in Paris. In fact personally we saw more crimes in Paris: a tourist handbag being clipped off the person's shoulder in the Paris Left Bank and a tourist belt pouch being ripped off in the Paris metro as the train door was closing. We have a cousin whose purse was ripped off in Frankfurt as she just arrived.

There are plenty of crimes in all the metropolitans be it Paris, Marseille,or Rome so it's rather naive to single out Barcelona.

To be fair, I also don't mean to say that food is bad in Barcelona just because we had a bad experience. We are slightly biased toward French food.
All in all Barcelona has truly unique sights and atmosphere that we enjoyed very much. We only hesitate to return due to our language problem.

<In fact personally we saw more crimes in Paris: a tourist handbag being clipped off the person's shoulder in the Paris Left Bank and a tourist belt pouch being ripped off in the Paris metro as the train door was closing>

yes Paris is full of pickpockets but i've never heard of violent muggings like happened to my sister-in-law in Madrid - dragged down into the gutter - left with black eye, cuts on face, etc - never heard of this actually happening so routine in other cities except Spain. And in her case shopkeepers were looking on and did nothing - not even call the cops - perhaps intimidated by the thief, who was not ethnic Spanish and few are i believe. Probably drug addict searching to supply his Jones.

One of my best friends lived in Barcelona for several years. He made national news when he was beaten by the POLICE because they thought he matched the description of a car thief! He was badly injured, and had to go through a bureaucratic nightmare to try & prosecute his attackers. Because they were police, nothing happened to them. He also got bad treatment at the hospital, because when the police took him there, they told the attending physician that he was a criminal! Needless to say, he moved back to the States immediately. I would say it pays to be extra cautious, since even having police around is not necessarily an indicator that you will be proteced.

amp - i would hope that this waw an isolated incident that well could have happened anywhere.

I've never heard to police were the problem but who knows - a frightening experience.

I've been to Barcelona twice in the last 10 years. It is one of my favorite cities. I was not at all fearful nor did anyone around me appear to be afraid. I took the same precautions that I do anywhere that I travel. I use a money belt and try to remain aware of my surroundings. I also did not have any problems with the language. I speak English and also try to know a few key phrases of whatever the language is in the country where I am traveling. Barcelona is high on my list of favorite cities.

PalenQ: Sorry to hear about your sister in law, how did it come to that? I heard that most tourist victims in Europe rarely get hurt unless they resist.A friend of ours claimed that he was pushed out of the metro in Paris and fell to the ground. He only realized that his wallet was gone after the train left.

Most of us don't hear much of violent crimes occuring in Europe except for a few anecdotal incidents, but last year there was one particular violent crime that made headlines in Paris where an Israeli man was dragged and tied to a tree and subsequently burned to death. Police suspected that it was a hate crime.

"""Is there a big problem with street crime in Barcelona or not? Travel Buzzing please answer this simple question - or do you believe there is very little chance of being victimized here?""
I have stated my opinion to you already- the level of thieves and pickpockets is on par with the level of tourism in any city.

This does not justify your scaremongering about Barcelona, consistent referrals to your poor sister-in-laws experience in Madrid as being relevant to a topic about Barcelona, or a ridiculous, sensationalist report about how the new pre-payed biking system causing "havoc" on the streets "barcelona-A New Peril". You incredibly say that Barcelona is one of your "favorite cities" yet you seem to take any possible opportunity to copy and paste mugging stories onto more threads about this city.

Yes, of course people get robbed. Tourists and residents. If you're unlucky enough to be careless and in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But as frequently said by me and by other people on fodors, simple common sense can avoid this.

You have said you would be "lucky to get pickpocketed, mugged if you're not"

A few years ago I went to live in NYC. Absolutely terrified of the image I had in my head of knife-wielding junkies and hookers in Times Square, I insisted we get travel insurance for when we get attacked. It is absurd how easily paranoid you can become on the misinformation of others.

I am not a "denier" PalenQ, but I do not like propaganda and spin.
Its very "Bush".

I do not share your opinion that you should walk around "worried" that you're going to get robbed, nor do i think that it is inevitable.
I like to live and let live.

Please go back and re-read the reports i copied above from bona fide Barcelona residents - anyone who says that crime in Barcelona or Madrid, at least muggings, simply shows they are indeed not natives or have their head in the sand.

I've traveled Europe hundreds of times annually since 1969 and i've never heard of such endemic assaults on tourists as in these two cities and will strive to highlight the problem in hopes local authorities do something about it.

Well that's my opinion and you're entitled to yours.

I will use this thread to search and copy many many incidents to help warn others.

Yes unfortunately in Barcelona and Madrid i do have a feeling of looking over my shoulder. And i will refer to the fate of my relative - mugged at 8am on a Sunday morning near Atocha station - violently mugged and there have been many others who say the same thing - to wit i top the thread Mugged in Madrid for you.

Author: karlth
Date: 03/11/2007
I have heard, and witnessed first hand, many stories of pickpocketing in Barcelona and even some muggings.

Planning a trip this May I bought a copy of the 2007 Timeout guide and according to it there has been made a huge effort in increasing the city's safety - including a host of new regulations and an introduction of a new police force.

Anyone noticed any difference?

Author: cruiseluv
Date: 03/11/2007
I don't know. I was there for 2 nights last summer and while waiting in the Iberia office for some info on the airport strike 2 different tourists came in telling they had been mugged earlier that day. I don't know if you can extrapolate anything from that but I found it unusual



Author: ekscrunchy
Date: 03/11/2007,
I have also heard about the crime here, and seen some first hand. My question is: Why is it that Barcelona appears to have such a problem in this area? Why more than many other port cities of its size? Is it the sheer amount of tourists?

I know these things can, and do, happen anywhere. I am curious about this reputation that this city has....

Author: lincasanova
Date: 03/11/2007, 03:31 pm
this is a nationwide problem.. however, it logically is more lucrative to be a thief in barcleona and madrid/valencia than in cuenca.

so.. until the laws are made stricter, these thieves, even when caught, are "let loose" to go home and WAIT for their trial.
a huge romanian and other eastern block ex-military experts have been arrested all over the country.. most of them are in the streets waiting to go to trial.

spaniards no longer feel protected by their government, in general. at least, no one you talk to seems to think so. there are neighborhod watches now.

and the police force is VERY frustrated when the work they do is then interrupted by these strange, lax laws.

we shall see what the future brings.. hopefully these professional thieves will get caught and put away, or deported, if they are foreign.

they know where it is easiest to beat the system.. there is not nearly this level problem in germany, for example, as here.. at least that is what germans i know have told me.

all cities and local governments ar preparng more police all the time. they have so much huge fraud and mafia groups to deal with , i think it is all a bit overwhelming and we are always a step or more behind them.

i do know that huge efforts and many successes are ocurring to get the mafias at the "top" dismantled..

you just have to be on your guard ..

Yes, like many cities there is crime. But those thinking about visiting should not be put off.

Be aware. Be aware. Be aware.

Travel buzzing - please read the above, especially the one from a bona fide Barcelona resident - i think you have a lot to learn about your 'native' city - and the following speaks volumes about the mugging problem - i've never even heard of a mugging anywhere else in Europe on tourists though i'm sure it happens

"while waiting in the Iberia office for some info on the airport strike 2 different tourists came in telling they had been mugged earlier that day. I don't know if you can extrapolate anything from that but I found it unusual"

yes very unusual - just while in office two tourists came in saying they had been mugged!

the hopeful thing in above posts i copy is that maybe the authorities are trying to stop this shame.

Your ilk would like everyone to believe it's nothing to be worried about or vigilant - you do a real disservice - again i'm not saying not to go to Barcelona but take precautions and yes in certain areas look over your shoulder.

I'll have hundreds of similar posts to copy here. Keep tuned

To keep things in perspective, here's an interesting comparison of crime in Italy vs in Spain as reported by the American consular offices:

CRIME in Italy
Italy has a moderate rate of violent crime, some of which is directed towards tourists. Some travelers have been victims of rape and beatings.
Petty crimes such as pick pocketing, theft from parked cars, and purse snatching are serious problems, especially in large cities. Most reported thefts occur at crowded tourist sites, on public buses, trains, train stations, piazzas, and even internet cafes in major cities in Italy.
Tourists who have tried to resist petty thieves have suffered broken arms and collarbones.

CRIME in Spain
Spain has a moderate rate of crime and most of the estimated one million American tourists have trouble free visits to Spain each year.
Street crimes against tourists occur in the principal tourist areas. Madrid and Barcelona, in particular, report increasing incidents of muggings and violent attacks, some victims have needed medical attention.
Although crimes occur to people of all ages, older tourists and Asian Americans seem to be particularly at risk.

They seem to be comparable. Unfortunately there's no consular assessment for crime in the US to compare with.

Author: paul
Date: 11/07/2001
we arrived back from barcelona on the 6/11/01, just drop a note to let other travellers to this city to be aware of. We've taken caution on bag snatching and as such my wife carried her shoulder bag underneath her coat. Inspite of this, walking back from MACBA, in front of a small clothing shop-door opened, I was pushed aside from my wife by a young arabic looking youth, when I turned round and looked there were two other, like a flash my wife was pushed onto the ground and inspite of us shout for help, her bag was snatched, leaving us the teared strips of the bag. No one from shop bothered to offer help nor any other pedestrians. The police treated our horrifying experience as a matter of fact ie giving us an incident form to complete.
up to the above incident we did felt safe in Barcelona.

Here'a an indepth look at the problem which some folks say does not exist:

Some street scams in BarcelonaTo what extent the petty crime rate in Barcelona would drop if all the con ...... I just came across your Barcelona crime web page -- what a great idea. ...
www.jones.tc/barna/scams.html

Ankd for fair and balanced: (the fact that the director of the Spanish Tourist office has to respond to the perception of crime speaks volumes about the problem.

Barcelona Crime - New York TimesAlvaro Renedo, director of the Tourist Office of Spain in New York, responds: Barcelona is no more dangerous for tourists than any major city in Europe or ...
query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html

Lonely Planet | Postcards | SpainCrime at Barcelona bus station has reached South America proportions. During my last visit, this past weekend, my partner's bag was stolen,

Bromptons in Bareclona
I have just returned from a trip to Barcelona and was amazed at how many ... in Barcelona, street crime is very high - we were robbed, handbag snatched. ...
www.foldsoc.co.uk/Mike/barcelona/barcelona.html

LETTERS TO THE TRAVEL EDITOR
Beware of Crime in Barcelona. From David Tucker in Barcelona:. I am on an extended visit to Spain and am living in the Barcelona area.
www.iht.com/articles/2001/12/28/trlett_ed3__3.php

you have too much time on your hand pQ.
don't think anybody has said there is no street crime in BCN.
later.

what's more, what do you mean my "native city"???since when?
it seems that the only residents you class as "bona fide" are those with a mugging story. i have many friends with many years here, natives (which means born in Barcelona/spain or natively spanish) and foreigners alike. maybe i only know the lucky few...

i meant to add "who have never been mugged or robbed"

People to Avoid -
Barcelona Warnings - VirtualTourist.com

Barcelona is a safe European city in terms of serious crime. However, muggings of tourists involving little or no physical contact are a problem. ...
www.virtualtourist.com/.../Barcelona-274654/Warnings_or_Dangers-Barcelona-People_to_Avoid-BR-1.html - 100k - Jun 25, 2007

Spain Fact Sheet - Travelers Digest

Madrid and Barcelona, in particular, report incidents of muggings and violent attacks, and older tourists and Asian Americans seem to be particularly at ...

Spain Fact Sheet - Travelers DigestMadrid and Barcelona, in particular, report incidents of muggings and violent attacks, and older tourists and Asian Americans seem to be particularly at ...
www.travelersdigest.com/spain_fact_sheet.htm

Be Aware! - Barcelona Warnings - VirtualTourist.com

barcelona is a very safe city and it's very hard to get into any real trouble there. muggings are quite common but mostly happen in touristy areas so just ...
www.virtualtourist.com/.../Spain/Catalunya/Barcelona-274654/Warnings_or_Dangers-Barcelona-Be_Aware-BR-3.

PalenQ: Get over it--you seem to clearly hate where you are living and should move to a smaller city or suburb.
Not everyone in BCN or Europe gets mugged and if one does, life is not over, it is a petty crime.

I have personally only had my purse snatched once. It was a block from my work while having lunch. I live in NYC. It was also my own fault for leaving my bag on the floor. I was being to comfortable as I was in my own 'hood.

I have never been mugged in any European city, including BCN, Lisbon, Rome, or any of the places where crimes are "rampant." I refuse to wear a money belt, I walk home in "unsavory" areas after drinking late at night, I wear 4" heels and have been known to chat on my cell phone while walking (something I think can be a deterrent as a potential rapist/mugger/etc. would know that the person on the other line can hear everything). I pay attention, I hold my purse and I only carry a clutch when going out at night. If I get mugged, that sucks, but it could happen--there is no point in being cautious to the point of fear, discomfort and at the expense of having a good time.

Bottom line is that it happens, unfortunately locals are targets as you are probably assuming that you are safe because you are in familiar surroundings, and to tourists who either look flash or are busy being stop and go while meandering down the street.

There is no point in constantly posting others stories of muggings--you do your city a disservice and only heighten racial stereotypes--in particular, heightening the already problematic relations between immigrants (who are mostly of arabic/middle eastern decent in your area) and whites/nationals.

buzz: about 200 more mugging stories to go - thanks for emergizing me to publicize this shame!

the 'buzz' on Barcelona muggings:

Barcelona Culture Survival

Barcelona is one of the safest European cities in terms of serious crime. However, muggings of tourists involving little or no physical contact are a ...
geographyfieldwork.com/Culture.htm

more 'buzz' on Barcleona's rampant crime:

Thwarting the Pickpocket

The trickiest ploy in Barcelona is the pigeon shit drop, a local twist on the ... Mini-muggings occur in some areas, with Rolex watches being particularly ...
www.bobarno.com/bata.htm

the above post i copied is illustrative - it covers all the various ruses in Europe and then specifically covers problem cities.

Barcelona has about three times as much space or lines than any other European city. Speaks volumes - right 'buzz'

cherrybomb - i'm not from Barcelona. And if travel buzz had not been so obnoxious in her retorts i wouldn't have continued after making my point, which is - know the problem and the problem is largely negated - don't know and you're a sitting duck.

Unfortuantely crime in Barcelona against tourists - not locals i guess who know the ropes - is rife and it's a scandal that should be publicized over and over and over and over so local authorities do something - like putting an American tourist decoy somewhere acting like a sitting duck.

Every illustration of crime posted above has happened here in Boston. I was leaving a late night party and had my sholder bag cut off me. The subway has pickpockets. All these incidents happen in EVERY major city.
Be aware of your surroundings, walk like you know where you're going.

Equating Barcelona with Boston or any American city is not very comforting.

And i do sincerely believe that these muggings do not occur on this scale in any other European city - at least to tourists.

That said, enough said - anyone who wants to google Barcelona Muggings can read hundreds of such reports - something i think if you googled Paris muggings, London muggings, etc. would not nearly yield the trove of such reports.

so enough yes cherrybomb i agree.

a final repartee i hope - yes google Paris Muggings and the only comments are how rare they are and some about sporting events. Not hundreds and literally hundreds of personal reports like Barcelona Muggings brings up.

c'y est

ca y'est!

If you are not not living there, which you implied in your earlier posts, why are you bothering to clog up this post with hysteria about muggings (and bike lanes)? The OP was asking for travel advice about a particular city that it seems you have never been to, or if you have been, did not like and now seem to spend an excessive amount of time posting negative things about.

To go back on topic:
I quite enjoy BCN. I was surprised that it is so vibrant and that there are so many people from all parts of Europe living there. I have stayed in the Raval every time I have been and there are tons of bars, some great restaurants, shops, art galleries, diversity and people watching.

Negatively-the food can be so-so. Not a lot of veggies and the old school tapas places are all fried food. The F. Adria food movement there left a bit to be desired. The Adria disciples in BCN do not put out as good of food as say Wylie Dufresne at WD-50 in NYC. Thus I was disappointed in Commerce, Cinc Sentits. But I loved loved loved Mam i Teca. I have also had good meals at other places--it was the high end that was a disappointment. The wine prices in stores was comparable to NYC prices--I was hoping for cheaper.

If you are not not living there, which you implied in your earlier posts,

please tell how you ever inferred this?

why are you bothering to clog up this post with hysteria about muggings (and bike lanes)?

actually it was an extension about another post i made about free bikes in Barcelona that buzzer took exception to and she brought it over here i believe

The OP was asking for travel advice about a particular city that it seems you have never been to,

i have been to Barcelona many times - many times for four decades now

or if you have been, did not like and now seem to spend an excessive amount of time posting negative things about.

i love Barcelona - the Barri Gothic is one of Europe's neatest old-world town centers and the city has an uncanny vibrancy - something for everyone. Unfortunely city fathers or mothers have not decided to tackle the mugging problem that many, but not nearly all, but way more than most cities leaves a bad taste in their mouth.

I have never had a problem there but i'm also cognizant of the problem and do believe i averted a possible mugging in a side alley off the Ramblas but turning around when saw some suspect types who may have been comletely innocent - better be safe than sorry that's my only message.

Barcelona is to me way way nicer than Madrid -hard to believe i really love the city.

We thought the food was terrific. Traveling with three kids, we were not seeking "fine dining." Rather, we were looking for good food in a relaxed atmosphere. The only bad food we had the whole trip was at the cafeteria on Montserrat...and even that would not have been horrible had it not turned ice cold during the time it took to stand in line and pay!

xxx

Yes, Sagrada Familia (the cathedral you refer to) is in scaffolding. It has already taken 100 years to build and should take at least nother 60 years so expect scaffolding for a few decades. I live next to Sagrada Familia.

You might be surpised by Gaudi's buildings. You walk past them and they look like somethign from Charlie and the Chocolate factory!

I used to work in Europe and went to Barcelona about once a year for a few days at a time. It is a very nice city; however, do watch out for pickpockets, especially in the tourist areas....the old town, Las Ramblas, etc. One year my parents came to visit, and I took them to Barcelona. My mom had read an article in the "Smithsonian" magazine about one method of how pickpockets operate. They throw food on you, without you knowing, and then they come and offer to clean it off. In the process, they steal your wallet. Sure enough, one afternoon, while walking through the old town, a guy came up to me, said something, and it appeared as if he was trying to brush something off of me. I realized what he was doing so brushed him away. I reached around to check my wallet, and when I did, my hand felt some ice cream which had been thrown on my back, near my pocket. I was also surprised the first time I went to Barcelona that compared to other large European cities, you don't find as many people who speak English. But, it is quite a nice city; I particularly like the old quarter and the Gaudi park. I was last there 5 years ago, and, yes, the famous Cathedral was in scaffolding at that time. (BTW...yes, Rome has horrendous traffic....I used to live in Chicago, and Rome's traffic is far worse!)

I was surprised by how many things (menus, signs, announcements) were in English and Spanish! I traveled much of Europe as a student 10 years ago and do not recall such use of the English language. I thought perhaps this was because Barcelona was a bigger citty expecting tourists, but may of the town in Spain were this way too. I was a bit disappointed, in fact, as I like trying to struggle with my Spanish and figure out what's being said to me - it makes the trip more of an adventure.

Oh, the FOOD! We were back again in April and OMG, the food! It was absolutely fabulous (and this was after Paris!)

Love Barcelona!

I've already had a say on the very recent 'Barcelona pickpockets??' thread - yes, these crimes occur in all cities - the point here is whether the authorities appear to be doing enough. Some risks taken as a young backpacker simply become unacceptable in changed circumstances, such as holidaying with a family group, particularly when there are so many alternative destinations. To put it another way and assuming that tourism is still valued in Barcelona, the authorities might do well to contemplate what the former spent in 1978 and what the family group might have been expected to spend in 2009.

farrermog, you are absolutely correct the authorities are aware of the high levels of this sort of petty crime but they are obviously unwilling to do anything about it. I have visited Barcelona on business/pleasure over 20 times in the last 5 years and whilst I have not personally been affected I know loads of people who have. When I do visit I am very careful and I think this is key to an enjoyable visit but until they clean this city up as far as I am concerned they deserve all the negative publicity.

We will be in Barcelona at the begining of December. Any stats or thoughts on muggings during this period? My meaning - you're wearing heavy coats so maybe it's harder to grab "stuff" off your person.

less targets probably just as many targeters - higher chance?

PalenQ - But more difficult to get to the goods as they will be under my coat?

touche!

t

PalenQ, are you topping so that people will be continually reminded of how dangerous Barcelona is?

see Week in Madrid thread

and yes it's a good idea to top this periodically until the local authorities do something about it IMO

a good service - read it all and it's discussed about not being scared away but to be cognizant of the danger and then like the lady's college son in Madrid may not be mugged at all.