Barcelona
 

Had my wallet picked this evening in the Metro station in Barcelona...We have traveled the world and can happily say we will never come back to this NASTY city. This site mentions time and again the city's refusal to deal with pick pockets and thieves...It is not worth your time or effort to travel here. It's not that great.

Am so sorry to hear about this chb. DH and I traveled the metro often and had no problem during a week's stay one March-perhaps that time of year (and the fact that we look poor) made a difference. You aren't the first who has had the problem and said that it is not being followed up by authorities.

Once people stop visiting, perhaps that will get attention.

We saw security on the Metro exactly a month ago. Not enough I guess. Sorry for the hassle.

Obviously your personal experience defines the city as a whole. Your wallet could have been picked in many cities: NYC, Paris, San Francisco, Guilin--just to mention a few places where I know from personal experience that pickpocketing has occurred. And yes, my wife had her purse picked in Barcelona, but they found nothing and returned the glass case she had "dropped" on the ground. Somehow I do not see that as <b>the</b> definition of Barcelona.

Where was your wallet? In a pocket? Have you heard of a money belt? I'm sorry for your loss, and understand your anger. But Barcelona didn't pick your pocket, one lousy individual did. The city is wonderful, pick-pockets operate in every city. Smart travelers carry their valuables in a money belt.

Brilliant, Isabel! My sentiments exactly.

Just returned from one week in Barcelona. Third time this year, by the way.
Took metro and bus everywhere, at 2am in the morning as well as during the afternoon rush hour.
Never had anything picked from my pockets or bags on six trips to BCN during the last two years.
But I would never take my experience as "scientific" proof that there was no petty crime in Barcelona.

Some people have the habit to store the popular 10-ride metro ticket in their wallet. So each time you enter a metro station, you fumble around with the wallet, and a potential thief notices where you put your wallet.
You can avoid this when you get a seperate protective cover at home (like for a CC or drivers license) for a few cents for the metro ticket and keep it separate from your other belongings.

Moneywise, I see no reason to carry more than €30-50 in cash with you. You can use credit cards at most places, and even if there is a spontanous need for more cash, you will find an ATM within 50 meters at almost any place in BCN.

thanks for your responses...(some of you). Shame on those of you who put the blame on us!!!!! As I mentioned we are experienced travelers- who do use a money belt and take all the necessary precautions. For the information we were boarding the metro, I was allowed on then as my husband was boarding a young man stepped in front of him spread his arms across the train opening and he was jostled from behind. His wallet which had 1 insurance card and 5 Euros was picked. All other valuables were secure either in hiding in our apartment or in the money-belt.
What we did lose was our sense of security. So yes, MICHAEL I do define the entire city by my experience and the experiences of others on this very board who also understand that nothing is being done about this issue. And for other cities, I have been to the majority with no problem and I work in the guts of Detroit...so I am certainly versed in how to behave in
unsecure situations.

To any travelers who are considering a trip here-there are better places.

Folks, chb is the victim here. I love the people who give lessons after having been to a city once. I used to live in Barcelona for a number of years. I was never pickpocketed, thankfully I don't look like someone you would want to mess with, but many people visiting me were. There is a real problem with petty crime, much more than any other city I've lived in. Chb is right, thieves come to Barcelona because they know they can steal with no consequence, and they get more brazen every year. They wouldn't try this kind of stuff, say, in the US.

They wouldn't try this kind of stuff, say, in the US.

We have been traveling for almost 40 years, including numerous times to Barcelona, and the only time we were pickpocketed was in Chicago.

Whatever.

5 Euros and an insurance card?

"This site mentions time and again the city's refusal to deal with pick pockets and thieves..."

No, this site does not mention anything about the city's refusal..what it DOES mention is some people's absolute insistence on IGNORING the many warnings and then getting angry about a place they set themselves UP for failure in.

Well good thing you didn't lose much. And your anger is very understandable. But just because you didn't get pickpocked in other cities and you did in Barcelona makes Barcelona a terrible place to go. There are hundreds of posts about people being pick-pocked in Paris, Rome, etc. But really, only to a very small percentage of people. If everyone who ever got pick-pocketed told everyone else never to go to that city, and they didn't, then no one would travel. Period. And that's a stupid idea.

Seriously, perhaps you should of posted a warning that pick-pockets do operate in Barcelona and people should take precautions like wearing a money belt because you were one of the "fortunate" ones who didn't loose a lot of money and your passport.

The problem here is that if you are robbed and the value of the things stolen are less than around 400 to 450 Euros then nothing could be done. If the police wants to put all these thieves in jail then it would be a tremendous cost for them! they only keep them a couple of hours maximum for one night and let them go and again the cycle continues... it is really a big problem here and believe me the Spaniards are getting so sick and tired of it but what can they do? kill,beat,torture,punish those immigrants who are stealing and ruining the reputation of the city? We all know its not the Catalans who are doing all that nasty work. Its really a shame this is happening and i am sorry for anyone who experienced such horrible events. I hope something is done concerning this problem because it is really affecting the reputation of the city. For all we can do is take extra measures and beware and alert.

good luck to you all
Lifestyle Barcelona

Some people might apologize for inferring chb was a dumb traveller for not using a money belt. I guess Isabel isn't one of them. And they weren't "fortunate", they were smart.

lifestylebarcelona03, your opinion as a Barcelona resident doesn't count, leave it to the occasional tourists, they know better. In my life I have been an eye witness of maybe 20 petty thefts. Only one them was not in Barcelona, and I lived there only a few years.

Tripadvisor released today an unscientific ranking of cities by Pickpocket Index:

http://www.nydailynews.com/travel/20...kpockets_.html

"But Barcelona didn't pick your pocket, one lousy individual did." I do agree that one shouldn't judge an entire city but can we agree that Barcelona is number one per Matt's post and that one should take extra care there?

I just remembered that on our first trip to Paris, an artist in Montmartre did an informal portrait of me. DH rolled it up and stuck it in the back of a bag he had hanging on his side. The pix was picked! We didn't have time to go back to the artist to get another (or see if he-or a comrade- had done the dirty deed.)

Hopefully, the authorities in all places that rely on tourists' euros will step in when they see the effects the thefts have on business.

I was pick pocketed in Barcelona. Had traveled all over Europe and this was the first time that it happened. Two teenage girls saw me purchase food at the market and the next thing I knew, my wallet was gone. The police were extremely helpful but did say that Barcelona is the pickpocket capital of the world. Said that they had at least 200 reports a day in that jurisdiction and that is not peak season. I learned to be more careful. Barcelona is a beautiful city and well worth the visit.

On the positive side, think how annoyed the pickpocket was when he discovered he got only 5 euro. I see from another post of yours that you like to bike and walk. Did you find any rides or walks in the Barcelona area that you enjoyed.

I'm heading to Barcelona next month but will be getting a car and driving into France for a walking vacation in the Cerdanya with just the last night of the trip in Barcelona.

I didn't imply the original poster was "a dumb traveler", I said IF they had not been using money belts, then THAT was a dumb action. That does not make the person "dumb", only the action. And I definitely stand by that. But what I really object to is someone who posts to say that Barcelona is a "NASTY city" and advising others not to go there. Of course the original poster is entitled to her opinion, and I am entitled to contradict that with my opinion. Barcelona is a lovely city with a lot to offer, and thousands of people go there every year and do not get pick-pocketed. Of course that is always possible, just as it's possible you will get struck by lightening or hit by a bus, or pick-pocketed in some other city.

The statistics may say there is a higher incidence of pick-pocketing in Barcelona than other cities. That still does not make it unsafe, or not worth visiting. The United States has a way higher incidence of deaths by gun shots than any of the European countries. That doesn't mean everyone in the US is in a constant state of being unsafe, or that others shouldn't visit here. People need to have common sense, take logical precautions but go and enjoy Barcelona and other cities without undue fear.

Put fish hooks in your pockets.

Ok everyone chill out...this is obviously a very touchy subject. All are entitled to their opinions and all opinions are valid. Mine included. Barcelona may be a great city for some, but for me not so. This is the end of a 2 week trip to the city and we have done many things. The beaches are beautiful, the city is historic and the food is good...but this one event has cast such a pallor on this visit that we cannot wait for our flight back to France on Saturday.
We will spend 4 days in Villefranche-Sur-Mer, then off to home to resume the jobs we left behind. I appreciate you all and your opinions. Fodorites thru the years have been very instrumental in the planning and enjoyment of many trips for us.
Thanks and P.S. I Love the "fish hooks in your pockets" idea, made me smile. chb

P.S.
I simply don't get the frustration.
OP was aware of the pickpocket situation, and did everything right. And eventually outsmarted the pickpocket who got a measly five Euros.
If all tourists followed his/her precautions, the whole pickpocket "industry" would be out of business in no time.

I agree with Cowboy. What was it that soured the OP about the entire city because of a single incident where he lost relatively little? A trip report which is more than a rant might be useful to potential visitors of Barcelona.

Cowboy makes perfect sense.
Like him, I never had a problem in Barcelona, but it does not mean one should not be carfull.
as for "To any travelers who are considering a trip here-there are better places"....
sorry, not for some of us !

One SIL had two incidents in Madrid about ten years ago. During her current trip, she must stop there three times for various connections. She is separating the city from the occurrences and is having a wonderful reconciliation.