Rome

In a word, "YES"! Send me a pm if you would like some hints about how we use them.

Yes! My husband was pickpocketed in Rome by gypsies. The front pocket was what they went for. Luckily he had only non-essential items in it. Wear a money belt.

Travel smart. The same would apply anywhere you are going, not just Rome. This is an issue which just seems more common place in large tourist cities - Paris, Athens, Barcelona, etc. In some forums, it sounds as if things are just out of control and everyone is a victim.

Just realize that regardless of the city - even in the US - the ONE common thread is the lack of preparedness, attention and awareness of the victim (the tourist or local resident).

Regardless of where you travel, don't leave common sense at home. Be aware, don't travel with valuables, use a money belt under your clothing, don't travel with too much cash and be careful in any crowded or close quarters venue, like metros.

Just realize you are being watched, and more likely that's going to be the case when you are on a crowded metro with your suitcase, or at popular tourist spot, taking pictures etc. it also can be on the street, when "strangers" ask you for directions, etc. Same applies. be aware and realize to the pickpocket it's not very difficult to spot a tourist or opportunity.

Lastly, I think whenever anyone posts about a bad experience, people tend to dwell on those. Imagine if everyone posted that was never pickpocket and never had an incident. While there is a problem, it just gets magnified and chances are that nothing will happen.

You are a tourist and therefore you are not always aware of yourehearsal surroundings. So you are an easy mark for thieves young and old, single and groups. Buses and churches are the worst places. Roman's are wonderful people, I've noticed they stop the thief before he/she/they get too close. That said, my front pocket was the successful target. Wear your money belt!

Do you think it is necessary to use money belts while in Rome?

I will be the dissenting vote here. While we would NEVER carry anything we could not afford to lose in an exterior pocket, moneybelts have proven intensely uncomfortable for both of us so we pin little pouches under our waistbands and/or use a Pacsafe bag with locking zippers.

There are multiple ways to skin a cat; it's all about what gets the job done and works for you. We would never carry valuables (aside from small change/bills) in a front pocket, though. I know seasoned travelers who thought that was 'safe' and lost the goods without even feeling it.

We use a pacsafe bag as well (metrosafe 100). I would try a money belt out around your home and make sure it doesn't bother you. We've been to Rome twice (as well as Paris, London...) and we've never used a money belt.

The pacsafe bag we use is very well laid out - hubby keeps his wallet inside the bag where you can lock the zipper - the new zipper locks are even nicer than the ones on my older bag (he carries the bag since I have the camera gear), along with my cards and passports. Daily money is in the back zipper against the body (cross body bag) .Extra money is in the front area, where it is behind a pocket in a zippered compartment and underneath the front flap - so there is 3 layers of protection. But it doesn't require a trip to the bathroom if we need to access that extra money.

I've never worried about it - I guess the only thing would be if someone stole the bag right off your body, but I assume the vast majority of pickpockets want to be unnoticed.

we gave up money belts 4 years ago when we moved here. Yes, we still go to "tourist" areas, but we both use crossbody bags, well-zipped, little in our pockets. My husband even puts his wallet in his bag, way down in the bottom. Be aware of your surroundings and do not carry a lot of cash.

Don't carry valuables. Keep them in the hotel safe except for walking around money that day and one credit card. Don't keep those in a front pocket; good pickpockets have no trouble at all with front pockets. My husband once casually put his hand in his front pocket on the Paris metro and found the hand of a teenage girl already in that pocket; he had not noticed until then. Pockets and backpacks are easily picked. I use clothing with secure zipped inner pockets. Magellan and Scottevest.com have lots of jackets, shirts etc with such pockets. The standard travel shirt like the ones Rick Steves using when he travels usually have a zipped security pocket behind one of the front patch patch pockets. I like to get a shirt (REI is a good source) with fairly large velcroed patch pockets for things like tissues, chapstick, small tube of sunscreen etc and then a zipped pocket behind for money/credit card. If you are carrying your actual passport then use a money belt. I wear mine in back below the waste covered by skirt or jeans and it is both undetectable especially if I am wearing a shirt as a jacket and comfortable. You do not access a money belt in public; it is not a purse, it is a body safe. Have your walking around money more convenient. This is important -- DO NOT ACCESS IN PUBLIC.

We carry a messenger bag and take turns with it on day trips where we want to carry a picnic or sweaters or whatever; I sometimes use a cross body purse especially in hot weather where a jacket with hidden pockets is too warm.

Pickpockets in Europe are organized crime; they are rarely French or Italians doing it in France and Italy but parts of international criminal families; they are very skilled. You usually don't notice them doing it, just that your stuff is gone. It is not difficult to avoid by simply not being a walking buffet.

We will be adventuring in Rome next year February/March for 8-10 days, and no doubt will be using public transport a lot, which we did not do when spending 2+ days there six years ago. And I've heard about the pickpockets, especially on certain bus lines.

This is my strategy, not just for Rome but anywhere in Europe after 30 days there over two trips. Yes, I will use crossbody pouches around the neck under my shirt--money belts always feel like they're falling off me, and while the pouches are a little bit of a pain, I forgot it was on me after awhile. That will be our 'deep storage', as Rick says, with credit cards, passports, money, ID's, copies of pertinent doc's, hotel key. Depending on where we stay, we may leave some of that in our hotel/B&B/apartment.

The weather will be cold, so over my shirt I will utilize one of those sleeveless Columbia fleece vests, with zippered pockets for my 'available' stuff--iPhone, some walking-around Euro. Over that will be an ultralight down jacket, with nothing in the pockets. And there will be nothing in my pants pockets either.

As I've said, the only time I feel vulnerable is in crowds. In the past it's been either in Florence, the Milano Centrale train station or the Paris Metro. Had to be very careful in all those places. Of course, be aware and by that I mean don't daydream. And yes, as Jane says, don't access money in public. Good tip!

I use a cross-body bag with my wallet at the bottom. I carry a very small change purse with day money for incidentals in my pocket, not usually more than €20.

I went to Rome in 2013 and wore a cross body bag, that was large enough to hold my camera and other things. I kept a hand on it almost at all times, I had no problems.
I suppose you could follow the "better safe than sorry" and do the money belt. It can happen, I've heard the stories.

Yes, I wear a RS money belt, but mostly a RS neck wallet that I wear long and tuck inside my panties, so it works like a money belt. I wear a light scarf to hide the ribbons that show on the neck.

No purse or bag anytime, anywhere. I live in Chicago and have avoided many, many muggings because they couldn't see a purse or bag on me. Same in Rome, nothing to be seen, nothing to be had, they don't bother with me, I'm always alone so my safety is all I have.

In fact I'm so confident with my neck wallet and money belt that once I was on a packed bus in Rome when several women became hysterical, screaming Pickpocket, Pickpocket (in Italian), the bus stopped hard and sudden, and it emptied right there on the street, they had tried to get me off the bus too, but I stayed put, just me and the PP left on the bus, the driver continued his route and I went on with my day!