Is it o.k. to leave luggage in car while visiting Pisa?
 

We are planning on a few hours in Pisa on our way from Florence to Rome. We will have all our luggage with us and I am worried about the rental car getting broken into. Will it be safe in the trunk? Is there safe place to store luggage for a short visit?

We always leave all our luggage in the trunk out of sight and have had no problems. The other thing you need to do is to also place all your tourist maps and travel books out of sight in the truck so that anyone looking in your car will see nothing that indicates you are moving with luggage. <BR><BR>We were in a van on our last trip to Pisa and had luggage on display in the back so we took the precaution of leaving me behind while my wife and the other couple we were with visited the tower. They all came back and I then went with my wife while the other couple watched the car. <BR><BR>Generally if all items are out of sight they will not try to pry open your trunk in broad daylight, but just be careful where you park. Hope this helps, but no guarantee!

We did the same thing after our flight into Pisa, we wanted to see the tower before we drove out. We chickened out and took turns staying with the car, there were four of us, so we went two and two. Too much at risk to leave all our luggage just off the plane in a rental car, it would be just too much trouble and time to buy all new stuff, etc. So it worked out fine and gave us peace of mind. Not much in Pisa except the tower anyway, so we drove outside of town to another small town for dinner and then on our way.

Another good safety trick is to buy a copy of the local newspaper, and then leave it folded on the dashboard.

Better to have a dead man in your house rather than having someone from Pisa knockimg on your front door!! Old Tuscan saying.... Pisa is not worth visiting, however you can leave the luggage in you car no problem, the crime rate in Tuscany is non existant

You have to get a ticket early in the morning if your want to visit the tower of Pisa, it will have a time on it and that is the time you can visit. <BR>If all your luggage is out of site there should be no problem at all.<BR>http://www.italywithus.com/main_pages/travel/tower_pisa.html<BR>

Bill F...in all my readings of these forums, your suggestion was the best and most practical I have ever read! Thanks<BR>

A good policy that wherever you go in Italy to store all luggage or any valuables in the trunk. Actually, it's best to leave nothing visible in the car; except a copy of local newspaper. That is a good suggestion.

Helen, as a newsletter writer you should know that the proper phrase would be "if your luggage is out of sight."<BR><BR>

Leaving a copy of the local newspaper is a Rick Steves idea, and I think now everyone knows about it. Personally, I don't believe you need to worry about leaving items in your car inside the Pisa parking lot (official parking lot with entry gate and parking fee). I wouldn't dream of having someone stay with the car while others go in; that's just too paranoid. I know any car not in a gated lot would be more likely to be broken into, but if luggage is out of sight (i.e. in the trunk) it still shouldn't be a problem. In fact, just last summer we had a van with lots of luggage visible inside, and we left it in the Pisa parking lot while the four of us toured the area, and we had no problem.

Wayne<BR><BR>my experience is that cars in parking lots reserved for tourists are most at risk.<BR>Makes sense ?<BR><BR>Always hide contents and leave car empty........... also common sense<BR><BR>Peter<BR>

Of course, Wayne, not every car is broken into every day in every car park. But do you want yours to be the one? With all your luggage? Listen to MPPRH. <BR>My son used to take plastic vomit or dog doo to put in the car, might be a deterrent. "It worked with us", as Wayne would say.

I just don't think anyone can offer a guarantee. Some will be lucky, some will be unlucky, but the downside to me is horrendous.<BR>Is there a train or bus station in Pisa nearby the Tower that has a left luggage office or lockers? Otherwise I'd look for the police station or a supermarket or some local establishment and park the car there or near there, but at least not in a parking lot essentially made for out-of-towners.

Susan - now THAT is an original idea!

&lt;&lt;Is it o.k. to leave luggage in car while visiting Pisa?&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Absolutely.<BR><BR>I'll be looking out for you and your car.<BR>

Grammar Police<BR>I speak "British English" mainly but was under the impression that Americans now mainly use the spelling "site" for "sight" and it does seems just common sense. <BR>

Out of site? Spelling lite?<BR><BR>Not quite rite!<BR><BR>Best wishis,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

I suppose all of you who would not take chances might have a point. But still, a gated parking lot isn't just a place where gullible people with lots of luggage leave their cars. All kinds of visitors, residents and foreigners, use the Pisa parking lot. And in over 20 years of many trips to all corners of Europe, I have personally never had a problem with having anything stolen from my car---nor do I personally know anyone who has. So I have no reason to fear a burglary. Yes, there is a downside to having the luggage (or whatever is there) taken; but I have to conclude that it isn't an extremely high probability if the car is left in a reasonably secure place. When there is no choice but to go somewhere with luggage or valuables in your car, and you can leave it in a decently secure place, I believe the inconvenience of having to leave someone to watch the car is not worth the effort. As long as you are careful about where you park, I maintain that the probability of having items taken from your car is very low. That doesn't mean you don't take the obvious precautions (like putting things in the trunk, which isn't a heck of a lot safer than inside the car) and use good judgment in not leaving things in the car when you don't have to. So I suppose I will continue to park all over Europe without worrying about what's in my car, and some others will continue to agonize over the situation and go to extremes to protect their belongings. By the way, many U.S. auto insurance policies will cover your belongings under the comprehensive clause, usually with a deductible, even when you are driving a rental car. Mine does.

I think smearing your car with dog or cow droppings is a good bet. Or buying a bag of blood from the local butcher and dousing the car should keep people away.

You guys are kidding, right? I mean, this is a joke, right? Right? You wouldn't really douse the car with blood, would ya? A joke, yeah, you're kidding me. I could tell.