Will I need carry my passport everywhere with me while in Europe(at all times) or can I leave the passport in the hotel safe and carry a copy while we are out and about? We will be in Spain,France, Italy, Germany and the Nederlands

I never leave anything in a hotel room that I can't make it home without. This is where a moneybelt comes in really handy.

Happy travels.

Jules

A copy will be okay for most situations.

In Germany, I can hardly imagine a situation where you need a passport. Maybe if you commit a crime and police catches you. The only exception is if you want to cash your credit card at a bank.

If you are a little over 65 and you want a senior's discount then you need some kind of document to prove your age.

In Spain, it is usual that the hotel will make a copy and stamp it. This copy will be sufficient even in official situations.

I have read on this forum that in Spain often a passport is required when using a credit card. On all my trips to Spain this never happened, but I think a stamped copy of the passport will do.

I never needed a passport in France, Italy or the Netherlands.

I always have a money belt and always have my passport. It's my official ID. I've used it many many times.

The first thing I do when checked in to a hotel is to put my passport away, either in the room safe or if not available, in the security box at the front desk. Any inconvenience that may be caused by me not having my passport with me if needed, is nothing compared to the inconvenience caused by having it stolen or lost.

I have been all over the world and the only thing I carry around is a copy of my passport, 1 CC and ~$100-200. Never needed a money belt and never had any problems.

I've never had anything lost, stolen or left behind from my moneybelt. Also I have written in sharpie on the back of my credit cards. CHECK ID !!

I also have a copy of my passport and all my CCs on my saved e-mail. I scanned and self e-mailed it. In the event of (very unlikely), my hotel burning down and me losing the copy of my passport or my CCs, I can walk into the first internet cafe and print out a copies which makes it a great deal easier to get replacements.

For legal pusposes you can leave the passport in the hotel safe (but I wouldn;t use the room safe - only the main hotel safe in a sealed envelope with a signed receipt). We prefer to carry ours at all times - so that if anything happens to it we would know immediately - not 3 days later when we're checking out and find the room safe empty.

And in almost 70 trips I have never had anything stolen or lost, or been scammed o rhad any problems. I hate to say it - but I think (based on conversations I've had with people who did have problems) most of them were due to their own carelessness (setting down small bag or purse in train station, sitting up on an overnight train and having camera taken, having purse taken off chair in a breakfast room etc).

Thanks,
after reading your replys I feel a lot better. After reading some of the replys regarding safety and theft I almost wanted to stay home.

I prefer to carry mine on my person, at all times. I use a small leather pocketbook with a strap so it is worn across my torso and the pouch sits close to my waist. I only have 5 European trips to date myself, but have never had any kind of a problem with safety, either personal or possessions.

I always keep my passport with me. I have a pocket in my camera bag and I've gotten used to never letting go of that so I know I won't ever lose track of it.