Tourists in crowded cities are easy prey for pickpockets.
For many years, the Spanish city of Barcelona has held the reputation of being the "European capital of pickpockets." In general, tourists often fall victim to petty theft in this popular country.
However, a recent study by the British travel insurance company Quotezone found that the highest number of pickpocketing incidents occurs in a completely different country in Europe.
Italy – A Paradise for Pickpockets
As reported by Express, the data collected by Quotezone showed that tourists are most often robbed by crafty thieves in Italy.
The famous Trevi Fountain in Rome is considered the most dangerous place for pickpocketing, so travelers are urged to be especially cautious when they are near this beautiful landmark. The fact is that crowds of tourists gather around this fountain from morning until evening, and to get closer, one has to push through them – and pickpockets take full advantage of this.
"Keep your bags zipped and tightly closed, do not carry valuables in easily accessible pockets, and politely decline invitations from those who offer games or insist on participation in impromptu events," travel experts advise tourists.
France took second place in the Quotezone ranking, with the Eiffel Tower in Paris being named the most dangerous place in terms of pickpocketing risk. Spain ranked third on the list.
How the Study Was Conducted
In the study, experts analyzed the number of mentions of "pickpocketing" or "theft" on traveler review sites for the most popular European destinations like Google and TripAdvisor compared to the number of visitors to these countries.
"Theft can happen anywhere, and popular tourist spots are convenient places for criminals to empty the wallets of vacationers while they admire the sights. Many vacationers are unaware that some of the most popular destinations for Brits have some of the highest rates of pickpocketing in Europe," said Greg Wilson, founder and CEO of Quotezone.
He also noted an interesting detail: tourists in Italy mention pickpocketing incidents more frequently, even though France and Spain receive many more visitors.
10 European Countries with the Highest Number of Pickpocketing Incidents
Italy France Spain Germany Netherlands Portugal Turkey Greece Poland Ireland
