Tourists say this popular European destination has the worst pickpocketing
Here’s when trips to Europe will be cheaper
According to the Wall Street Journal, US travelers could benefit from a drop in airline prices for trips across the Atlantic.
The newspaper reported that multiple new non-stop routes from the US to different European destinations are likely to be scheduled.
Thrifty Traveler reported that “everybody wanted to go to Europe this past summer, and pretty much everybody did. And they paid to do it.”
Extra demand has reportedly prompted airlines like United, Lufthansa and JetBlue to try to meet the demand of US customers.
Research conducted by Newser shows that the costs of transatlantic flights to Europe in March are coming in at approximately $500.
Flights to southern European cities, like Athens, Madrid and Lisbon, are 20% more expensive than last year, pushing the average ticket price up.
October and November 2024 is believed to be the ideal time to book, thanks to a huge dip in demand compared to the summer months.
“Think of it like a hangover for the airlines after the incredibly busy summer. As Americans tune out travel before heading on holidays, airlines are eager to start filling seats through the end of the year and deep into 2024,” said Gunnar Olson of Thrifty Traveler.
unbranded – Lifestyle
Pickpocketing may only be considered a petty theft, but it has the potential to ruin any traveler’s vacation.
While travelers could just lose some extra cash, thieves can also take more important items like passports or expensive jewelry.
By now, most people are aware of pickpocketing – 87% of tourists feel like they need to take steps to safeguard their valuables while traveling, according to a March 2024 survey by U.K.-based travel insurance company Quotezone.
Unfortunately, staying vigilant isn’t always easy when visiting popular – and crowded – tourist destinations and getting caught up in the excitement of travel.
“European cities are famously popular tourist destinations for sightseeing, with the recent surge in vacationers expected to continue throughout 2024, unfortunately this also makes them some of the danger zones for pickpocketing,” said Tiffany Mealiff, travel insurance expert at Quotezone, in a statement.
Ready to book that summer trip? Here’s what travelers should expect this summer
As people gear up for their big summer trips, Quotezone revealed the European destinations with the worst pickpocketing in its recently released European Pickpocketing Index. Researchers analyzed the number of mentions of “pickpocketing” or “stolen” on traveler review websites for Europe’s top destinations against the number of visitors to that country. They also looked at the most popular tourist hotspots in that destination, like the Pantheon and Colosseum Duomo di Milano in Italy, to identify the worst areas for pickpocketing.
Mealiff recommends travelers invest in anti-theft accessories like money belts or cross-body bags. Items of value, like electronics, expensive jewelry and important documents, should be left in the hotel safe when someone is out and about. If a traveler does experience pickpocketing, head straight to the police station to file a police report.
Read below to see the European countries with the most mentions of pickpocketing per million visitors as of April 2024, and the tourist hotspots with the most pickpocketing mentions.
10. Ireland – 7 mentions, worst area: Guinness Storehouse
9. Poland – 18 mentions, worst area: Krakow’s Rynek Glowny Central Square
8. Greece – 19 mentions, worst area: Acropolis Museum
7. Turkey – 21 mentions, worst area: Sultanahmet District
6. Portugal – 58 mentions, worst area: Alfama
5. Netherlands – 100 mentions, worst area: Red Light District
4. Germany – 111 mentions, worst area: Brandenburg Gate
3. Spain – 111 mentions, worst area: Las Ramblas
2. France – 251 mentions, worst area: Eiffel Tower
1. Italy – 478 mentions, worst area: Trevi Fountain
Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com.
Related
Gorgeous European city has 25 Christmas markets and 13C winter…
When you think about Christmas Markets you probably think of cold places like London, Edinburgh, or Berlin.But just because these countries are what spring to m
Easyjet launches new route from UK airport to huge European…
Travel between the UK and a top European travel destination is about to get a whole lot easier as easyJet has announced a new service between Southampton Airpor
