Yes i have been to Barcelona and Madrid several times. I'm well travelled and to me savvy - i've traveled Europe annually for several weeks for years. I have owned a tour company and edited and wrote a European travel magazine for 20 years - i've researched and written articles on Barcelona. I read a lot, i travel Europe incessantly and have since 1969 and i stand by my comments -

which are not that you should avoid Barcelona and that you are likely to be victimized but that it seems quite a few tourists are (read the Google posts!) and that if you know the problem and don't wear expensive jewels, watches, etc. and be observant nothing should happen.

That's my only message - rather than what the one person who had been there once apparently for a few days assured folks such muggings were rare - and that is a total disserve and i portray a more realistic light on it.

I'm as well plugged in as anyone - except local Barcelonana - none of which seem to appear on this thread.

I first took exception to someone who had apparently visited Barcelona once for a few days and then pontificated 'that violent crime was rare' and then had nothing to back that up except for a fleeting visit.

But the thread i refer you all to does indeed include first-hand comments from local residents who pretty much agreed that crime is a big problem here - even against locals.

Do i know everything - no, but i know enough to know there is a problem here that folks should be aware of.

Sincerely

Chill brother ;-)

I was in Barcelona a few weeks ago with my teenager daughter. I didn't feel the least bit unsafe on the Ramblas. Fun and lively, and slightly tacky perhaps, but if you hold your purse close (which you should do everywhere), not a problem that I could see.

I would like to reply to the out of work tour guide who singled me out for being a voice of reason.

We first visted Spain in 1972 and over that time I have spent nearly a year in Spain. We have family in Spain and my last visit to Spain, including Barcelona, was this May. Next year my wife intends to walk the Camino

I have no agenda except that I hope visitors to Spain enjoy it as much as I have over the years.

How long collectively have you spent in Barcelona to be such an expert?

Las Ramblas is a mess of tourists and, as such, is a haven for scam artists, beggars, and pickpockets. I never had any problems with pickpockets, but the girls holding what was very obviously baby dolls, which they tried to convince me were their starving children, about drove me to the brink of madness, primarily because they seldom respond to being simply ignored or the word "no". One girl was so persistant, getting right up in my face and sticking her hand out within millimeters of my nose while I was trying to hold a conversation with my friend, that I finally turned toward her and yelled at her in English to get the hell out of my face. I caused a scene and I'm sure most of the Europeans within the vicinity thought I was just another obnoxious American tourist at that moment (which I normally go out of my way not to be), but I had been pushed beyond my limit.

I appreciate Auduchamp's view and there is harm in that even mention of a certain problem does get overblown and people needlessly stay away.

And don't get me wrong - muggings are not rife - your chances are not overwhelming - but the city does have IMO more than its share of crime and i blame local officials for their turn-the-eye policy obviously.

I've been to Barcelona many times and i've never been bothered either - well bothered by the kids the above poster talks about and avoid them when i see them coming.

So Audunchamp may be right in that i'm overblowing the situation but just to mention it overblows it i think.

So it's a conundrum - say there is no problem or a rare problem or not and then a false sense of security leads to being victimized - or acknolwedge in hopes that some will not be victimized.

No one can assure another's safety. I live in NYC and visitor's are still concerned about their safty due the problems that we had up until 15 years ago. Impressions remain.

Even in the repressive Franco years El Raval could be iffy at night.

One trip to Sevilla, I saw more crime in 4 days than my entire life in NYC. They were robberies from scooters and car break-ins. Still I would not deter someone from seeing Seville.

One week after visiting Pamplona, and eating at the same restaurant two or three times, it was blown up by the ETA. That was many years ago.

And my brother-in-law was knocked over in the Puerto del Sol and his camera stolen.

All these incidents were isolated geogrphically and in time.

But a restaurant we ate in the Marais was machine gunned a few weeks afer our visit. The Tower of London was bombed just before one of our visits by the IRA. Aldo Moro was assisinated before a trip to Italy. The night before we left for one trip to Guatemala, the State Dept. Advised against travel and during one trip to Belize there was horse rustling in the middle of the night at the lodge where we staying. There have been other incidents including driving into a riot in Miami.

I know you do not want to travel with us. But all that keeps relatives away also.

well said and i am sure you have more a chance to be harmed on the drive to the aiport than by crime in Europe

don't stay home but be smart.