I was just reading a thread on the France forum about pickpocketing in Europe. It seems that most of what we carry in wallets can be left behind in room safes during the day.
But when visiting museums and in general sightseeing in Europe, how many carry their passport? And if you do not, can I assume that you do carry some proof of identification, such as a driver's license, to enter museums and other public places?
Understand that a drivers license is not an official proof of identification in Europe - that is your passport.
I take my passport, a credit card and debit card, some cash, my medic alert card and an emergency contact card.
In relation to the title - to this I add my phone, camera, bottles of water, guide book, lipstick (can't forget the lipstick), a granola bar or some 'carry over the hungers' snack, sunglasses, regular glasses and tissues.....sometimes compact binoculars for all the fantastic ceiling details (and the occasional bird I happen to see).
I don't carry an 'anti theft bag' nor a money belt. I do alter some of my cross body purse security, but I gave up on money belts years ago unless I am carrying a lot of cash to Africa. I will state that I had to work up to my current practice after following the conservative advice for a year or two.
I carry my passport everywhere. I wear a money belt in which I keep my passport. It's simple, easy and comfortable. The only time I've ever needed my passport to prove my identity was at Roland Garros for the French Open. The tickets have your name printed and they verify not just at the entrance but every time you enter a show court. That's it. As for museums or anywhere else I visit/sightsee, I've never been asked to prove my identity.
I take a photocopy of my passport but leave the actual passport in my hotel if I’m just sightseeing in town. If I’m on a day trip outside the city I take it with me. This is a matter of judgment, make your own decisions here.
Beyond that I feel you want to take the bare minimum with you. Not really for safety but for ease. I take a bit of cash, one credit card, phone and charger, camera, and personal items like sunglasses, advil and chapstick. My phone holds my guidebook, language translation, and map so no need for those. Bringing too much weighs you down and if you are sightseeing in town you can go back to get anything you need, or buy it if you don’t have it already. But generally you won’t need a lot for a few hours walking around Barcelona (or wherever). Some people treat a day of touring like an expedition into the wilderness which I find unnecessary. But to each their own.
Your replies are going to vary. A man or a boy would likely carry vastly different items than a woman or a girl, and age factors in as well. For example, as I have two teenage daughters, I will need to carry tampons and pads for all of us, just in case. I will also carry tissues, lip balm (Vaseline), perhaps a little bit of saline solution for contacts, assorted medications (ibuprofen, Alka Seltzer fruit chews, Pepto Bismol chewables, etc.), a couple bandaids (actually a mini first aid kit), my cell phone, Altoids, probably a tiny travel toilet paper roll and disposable toilet seat covers, money, and a water bottle. That will go in my cross-body bag. I'll keep the important stuff in my money belt. Yeah. I go places prepared for pretty much anything.
...as I have two teenage daughters, I will need to carry tampons and
pads for all of us, just in case.
As an aside, all I have to say is "Wow"! We carried our own when we traveled!!
Wait, your teen girls don’t carry their own purses/bags? Do what works for your family but I would have been mortified to have to ask my mom for tampons every day!
My boys, elementary school, carry a small bag each with a hat, sunglasses, and an activity for them to do while bored (sitting in restaurants, on long trains). Something like crossword puzzles or comic books. A few years ago it was crayons and coloring paper. In a few years I’m sure this will be phones. Not yet ;)
I do wear a money belt when I am traveling on my own. I always carry my passport, extra credit and debit cards, and deep storage money in the money belt.
In my purse I carry my "day money" - maybe 30-50E, one CC, my debit card if I am going to the ATM. I have a small amount of toiletries - chapstick, Motrin, tissues, allergy pills, handwipes etc. I have a paper map, my phone, a hand fan (for stuffy museums), sometimes my iPad Mini, metro tickets or pass, sometimes my drivers license, earbuds. You can leave your drivers license if you need to leave something for collateral for a museum audio system altho I had good luck this last time with downloading the museum guides ahead of time to my phone.
This is going to sound totally paranoid but I always carry my passport and money/CCs in case there is some horrible event where I can't get back to my hotel. I want ID and money so that I can make a strategic exit if needed.
My girls can carry their own tampons or pads, but I will always have backups.
I rarely go out for the day without my passport ( kept in a neck wallet with my ATM card and back up credit card). My cross body purse holds wallet with that day's cash, transit and/or museum pass, the hotel card with its address and phone #, sun glasses, camera, phone, tissues and wet wipes, sun screen, water bottle, my inhaler, and usually the relevant pages torn out of the guide book. Oh, and like Pam, I keep a folding fan - fabulous to have when it's hot and the AC is underperforming or nonexistent.
I carry as little as possible. I take a copy of my passport only, scared to death I'll lose the actual thing. I take water, a snack, a small wallet with some cash, my US license, and a credit card. Also chapstick, tylenol or ibuprophen, phone for camera and for Google maps, sometimes a paper city map (learned this is a good thing if your phone freezes up like mine did in Edinburgh), tissues, a ziplock bag for the phone in case it rains, mints, portable phone charger, and a comb. I use the Rick Steves Civita shoulder bag. This leaves plenty of room for me to put a scarf if needed and also room for small souvenirs. I've never used a money belt, tried one on at home and found it uncomfortable.
Posting this from Portugal, having finished my 10th RS tour this morning! I always, always wear my money belt containing my passport, big cash in euros, US Real ID drivers license, my travel insurance phone number, and extra credit cards. I also carry a small cross body bag with a bit of daily cash, lipstick, comb, wipes, a pen, and city map. My husband wears the type of passport/credit card holder that loops onto his belt and flips into his slacks, so his credit card/cash is more accessible. We often carry a day pack with umbrellas if needed (and they were on this tour), the pages from our RS book for the city we’re in, a business card from the hotel we’re staying in, water bottles, wipes (for restroom stops), a small pad and pen. Handy too for our “Whispers” and earbuds after we finish a session with a local guide on a walking tour. I leave copies of our passports/credit cards/Real ID licenses and extra passport photos back at the hotel. I’ve run into too many people who have been pickpocketed and wouldn’t want to waste my vacation time having to deal with the fallout from that. I absolutely heed Rick’s and his guides’ advice about wearing my money belt. BTW, Portugal tour was fabulous!
