Carry Passport or leave at Hotel?

I just returned from a Rick Steve's Greece Tour. I left my passport in my hotel or on the bus the whole time. It's what my guide recommended.

One of our tour members did get his pockets picked on the metro before the tour started in Athens, so if you do carry your passport, I'd suggest keeping it in a money belt.

Many Eastern European countries and Belgium require you to carry your passport at all times. That does not appear to be the requirement in Greece but the State Department advises:

Carry your passport or some form of photo identification at all.
Police may detain you for questioning if you don’t have your passport
with you.

Pretty interesting reading: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/greece.html

Search the forums there are many many lengthy posts on this topic.

I spend several weeks a year in Greece and have never been asked to show passport or papers. I guess if you were worried you could carry a photocopy of the main page.

Alan

I've done 12 extended greece trips, never needed to show passports. I NEVER carry them around with me by day. Any nervous newbies who come along with me, I just advise to take along photocopies of first 2 pages. This is good advice to have anyway, in case of any loss ... apparently having photocopies to show consulate would speed up replacement.

I tend to be skeptable (sp?) about reading posts from folks who have "read somewhere: or "someone said". That said, I have spent a month in Europe for 13 of the last 14 years and will make that 14 in 15 next month. I have also taken 13 RS tours, one each year, soon to be #14. Before I took my first RS tour (BofE) I did lots of research including time spent at the RS headquarters in Edmonds, WA. I was told there that they recommend keeping your passport in your money belt all of the time. I follow that to this day. When staying at a place that requires your passport to make a copy, I turn it over to them and then retrieve it as soon as they are done with it. That has happened only a couple of times so the rest of the time it stays in my "deep storage money belt" which I do not access except in private places like my room.
Fortunately, my money belt has never been pickpocketed. I really did enjoy Greece and would like to return there one of these days. Happy travels.

Carry it.

I wear a money belt when I am somewhere I need to have a passport and it goes in there enclosed in a small zip close plastic bag. I have one of the first passports with the chip in it and the chip still works perfectly so carrying it in a money belt will not destroy it.

Charlie, I agree that's why I posted the posistion of the State Department. It's all a personal choice and subjective. I don't want to say, I never did; then have someone take that to the bank and get in some sort of trouble and wish they hadn't listened to me. I might suggest if you will be traveling along any of the routes the migrants use, that you give your choice extra consideration and remember that along those routes a great deal of the countries REQUIRE you to carry your passport.

Thank you for all of your replies.

I have traveled all over Europe and also recently Vietnam. I make my own pants and shorts and build in a zippered pocket at the front or side and sew it on the inside portion of the waistband. I carry all my important stuff there--passport, airline tickets, museum passes, credit cards, etc. I only carry enough cash for the day in a small travel purse. I have piece of mind and no chance of pickpocketing. Another trick -- I have made skirts with extremely deep side pockets for a disabled friend for her travels in Europe and that worked well, too.

I'm another who keeps important travel papers on my person. I just feel more comfortable with them (credit card, ATM card, passport, etc.) on me than in a "safe" or in luggage at the hotel. However, if you do take them with you make sure they are in a secure spot on your person like a safety pouch or money belt.

Pick pockets know all the tricks so the more secure and safer the place on your person the better. Chances are you won't get scammed but there are no guarantees.

I do agree with Janet that making copies of your paperwork, cards, passport, etc., is a good idea just on the off chance they get lost or stolen.

Personally, in 12 extended trips to greece since 1999, I have stayed in more than 60 hotels, and have Never, repeat NEVER, had any incident in hotels with anyone touching any of my possessions. I do keep my paperwork/passport extra money in a flat "hidden pocket on the "floor" of my suitcase and lock the suitcase with a cheap CVS lock ... but for years just stuck it in a bag side pocket & left bag unlocked. I dont stay in big international chain hotels that may hire foreigners, mainly family-owned places run by Greeks. As I repeatedly say on these forums, "Petty THeft is NOT a part of Greek Culture" (taught me by an American,married to a Greek, who brought up her child in both countries -- she also said, Greek moguls may steal one another's shipping fleet, but everyday Greeks do not stoop to petty theft). So I feel safe going about with only my day's money needs, in a change purse.

When I travel by plane to/from Greece, or taking a long ferry w. all possessions, I do carry those items (Passport,ticket cc & cash) on my person --- but like most women I don't care for money belts... why add bulk around one's WAIST?!?!?!? Instead, I have a small fabric "neck pouch" - loops around my neck, hangs in front under my shirt. Available at any travel-accessories area, in dept store.