Safety tips needed, traveling to Italy in May

Generally, I would advise you to use the same caution in big cities and heavily tourist areas that you would in any big city or tourist area.

I don't plan to carry a purse to attract attention
There will be an awful lot of Italian women carrying their purses; you might stand out more without one :-) To your point, try to blend in rather than stand out as a tourist.

I wanted to get input on safety tips, such as using travelers checks vs. currency
A credit card and a small amount of cash for incidentals is more the norm, these days. Though, of course, check with each of your hotels whether they take a credit card or require cash. If you're using a credit card, be aware of their fees for international transactions.

is it better to change cash and take a small amount with you during the day
Everyone will have their own approach. Certainly, if you're carrying a large amount of cash, you'll want to keep it in a safe place: the safe in your room, a money belt, hidden pocket, etc. If you leave it in the room safe, do something to make sure you don't forget it!!

using an ATM
Again, use the same precautions that you would in a big city, or even in your own town. And generally, bank ATMs (those associated with a bank, rather than an independent ATM) are likely to have the best exchange rate. Check your own ATM card for the fees your bank may charge.

Before your trip departure, email yourself important travel and identity documents so you have your information handy. Make a photo copy of your passport to carry with you while in public. Store your original documents in the room safe or hotel safe. Do 2 or 3 large withdrawals from a bank during your vacation to the currency of that country. Each day carry small amount of money needed for that particular day's activity. If you choose to use Credit card or ATM, inform your bank that you will be traveling abroad and the dates you are going and returning.

1. A money belt is great but it’s for deep storage. The idea is you put it on in the morning and don’t get anything out of it. So you need a purse/wallet/other means of carrying the day’s cash. A crossbody purse is good. A back pocket of pants is bad.

2. NO TRAVELERS CHECKS. They are extinct. You won’t be able to use them anywhere. Use an ATM card to get euros from ATMs, found nearly on every corner and work the same as at home. Keep a small amount of cash on you for the day’s purchases. Keep the rest in your money belt or in your room safe. Get more as needed. You can get a lot at once (depends on bank limits) and just keep a reasonable amount on you, or get a small bit more frequently. Often this comes with more fees (if your bank charges a per transaction fee) so I get larger amounts and keep the majority in the safe.

In Italy people use both cash and credit cards. You can carry a credit card with you and use it for bigger purchases, or just rely on cash. Up to you. I do suggest at least having a credit card in your money belt for emergencies even if you don’t plan to use it for purchases. I carry a card and cash in my wallet and use both depending on the amount and the place.

Thank you both for the tips, much appreciated, I will definitely make copies of passports and airline tickets to email to myself and leave a copy with a family member. That makes sense re: carrying a purse to blend in vs. sticking out like a sore thumb. My husband should be fine with the money belt hidden under his shirt to hold $ and credit cards, when I went years ago, my uncle got his wallet taken on the bus, and my cousin had a purse stolen when she fell asleep on the train (luckily only a few dollars in it), as long as I can avoid a fiasco, I'll be happy, thank you again!

Have a safe and fun trip. Tell us all about it when you return.

Ciao Bella

The following applies to both you and the hubby.

Put everything you don't want to lose in a money belt (including passport, extra credit and ATM card, currency, and emergency info) in a double zip lock freezer bag to protect against moisture from perspiration. Wear it on the small of the back. Tuck the bottom half or two thirds into the top of the undies. Wear a shirt that is not "see through". Not a pickpocket in the world can get to it without you knowing it. Never access your money belt in public and you'll soon forget you have it on.

Carry your day money and one credit card in an easy to access but a secure zippered shirt / pant pocket / or wallet that flips into your pants.

Use your day bag / back pack only for big stuff such as guide books, maps, water bottles, ponchos, sweaters, and etc. Don't use it for valuables.

Going through airport security call for a totally different protocol. If you need info on that just let us know.

Try really hard to only use ATM's inside a bank, or in the little glass enclosure between the door and the interior of the bank.
Don't use ones out on the street.
Less likely to be "helped" by anyone that way.
Also, if the bank is open at the time too, that may help in case your card is "eaten".
Each of you have a bank card and or credit card from different accounts, just in case for some reason your card is lost, "eaten" or compromised.
You will still have access to money otherwise.
You'll still need to carry a copy of your passport on you for ID.

I'm a spreadsheet person. Like I do for every trip, I have a lovely, color-coded spreadsheet with flight numbers, hotel addresses, tour info, train reservations and all the confirmation numbers I can gather. I email it to myself so I can always access it and for redundancy, print it out. My family appreciates it so they can follow the journey. It also helps if you forget to keep up with your travel journal and can't quite remember where you were on a certain day.

My experience is that if you are on the same continent as a catastrophe, your family will be worried. It eases their minds if they kinda know where you are.

One thing to add to all the foregoing good advice--be sure to tell both your bank and your credit card company when and where you are going before you leave. Otherwise, they will see strange withdrawals from the other side of the world, and cut off your access to cash and credit.

Make very sure they actually take the steps necessary to ensure your access to your money. Even though I notified them in advance, my (small local) bank has failed to do that twice now, and its really quite annoying having to deal with the lack of access to cash, and to have to call them to get that access turned back on.

A few thoughts on your questions......

• using traveller's cheques vs. currency - Traveller's Cheques have gone the way of the goony bird and are rarely used anymore. Even if you did take them, you may have a hard time finding somewhere to cash them. The easiest way to obtain cash is at an ATM (Bancomat). I'd suggest packing two ATM cards on different accounts, just in case one card malfunctions. Be sure to notify your banks that you'll be travelling abroad.
• Money Belt - it's good to hear that you're planning to use a Money Belt. Be sure not to access it where others can see. Carrying your Passport in your money belt shouldn't be a problem, however I'd suggest putting the Passport inside a zip-lok bag so that it doesn't get damaged by perspiration. You will need your Passport when checking into hotels, so keep it accessible for that.
• Restaurants - be sure not to leave any valuables on the table in restaurants, as they may "disappear" suddenly.

Thank you all for the great tips, regarding passports, is it safe to carry it during the day in the money belt, or am I better off locking it in the hotel room safe? All the places we're staying at will have an in-room safe. Do we need a copy (or original) of it to go to any of the major sites? That's the one item I certainly don't want to lose, if I need to show an ID somewhere, I'd be more comfortable using my driver license vs. passport, in the event of that getting lost/stolen.

Nobody is interested in stealing chipped passports, what could an underage pregnant Roma girl do with it? It's just the evidence of a crime, passports and IDs are the first thing pickpockets throw away.

I agree with Dario. All this "safety" stuff you read on this and other websites is totally OTT.
No safety tips are needed, just behave exactly as you would walking down the street of your nearest big town.

• passports - technically the law says you must carry your passport at all times. That is "technically", you would have to be very unlucky to be stopped by a policeman and asked for ID.
• ID - ID = your passport, that is what passports are for, nothing else is legally ID. Your driving licence is not valid ID in Italy, it is not even usable as a driving licence without extra documentation (an IDP). If you need ID for a private organisation (museum, prove you are over 18 to buy alcohol etc.), they may accept your licence, or ask for legally valid ID (your passport)
• Travellers' Cheques - No longer accepted. Use a mixture of cash (from ATM's) and credit cards. Assume all small transactions (less than ~€20) will have to be in cash.
• Money belts - I have never seen the point of these. I have never owned one. Perhaps if you are travelling in remote places carrying valuables (enough cash for your trip), it may be sensible to wear one on travelling days, under your clothes. Definitely not for use for things you need to get out during the day. And not needed if travelling on "first world" transport systems (flying, trains).

"change cash" - never change cash (exchanging pieces of paper). That is the most expensive way to do it. Use an ATM. If your bank charges a "per transaction" fee, get fewer larger withdrawals. Be aware, some ATM's have a limit per transaction, typically €200 / €250.

That is my opinion, strident. I act no different than when I am in my own home city, and have never had problems.

Passports can stay in the safe, in my opinion. You don't need them to enter any sight, and no one stops tourists to ask for ID. You do need them to check into the hotel - so have it ready. When out and about seeing sights, I carry a copy of my passport. Now, if you are leaving the city for a day trip or driving, then have it. But for walking around the same city where your hotel is...easier to leave it in the room safe. Technically you could be stopped and asked for ID and are supposed to have it so...up to you.
Your DL will not count as legal ID but you can use it for things like securing a museum audio guide. Proving age for alcohol is not something that happens to anyone who isn't very young (it's not like in the US where in some places even 70 year olds get checked!)

Thank you Chris F for the passport tip, I certainly don't foresee any issue whatsoever that a policeman would single out my husband and I, we're basic middle age low key people, thank you for clarification re: the driver license, I hadn't planned to rent a car anyway, my thought was that if the license was lost or stolen, I can replace that easily when I get back to the States

Thank you Mira for your suggestion, that makes sense to take the original passport if I'm on a day trip, etc. but have a copy on me if I'm in the same city as the hotel.

I don't use the room safe. It's more apt to prevent me from re-accessing my valuables or cause me to forget them than safe from alleged room thieves, plus if there is a room thief they know exactly where to look first. (My brother would stay in very questionable places throughout the world and did tape them to the bottom of drawers, but I don't stay in those types of places). I've never had an issue keeping my back up material in my unlocked suitcase. I do keep my passport with me incase of disaster, and often all my financial docs, but not often in a money belt. I just keep my backup material separate from what I'm using for the day so I don't lose everything at one time. I think losing my valuables is more of an exposure than being pickpocketed, etc. I actually, generally, behave no differently than I do at home except for having a passport with me, but then I'm used to an urban environment.

As far as money goes, I do take up to $200.00 with me. I use my no fee credit cards as much as possible. Lately, I haven't had to go back to an ATM for more money, but if I do need more cash I just hit an ATM as I do here in the US.

PS. There is a US Embassy or Consolate in Rome, Florence and Milan, so if you have one of those cities in your itinerary, particularly at the end, you have even less to worry about. I always check this before I go and jot down the applicable addresses on my digital map. Wasn't it Zoe who said it was so much easier than she ever imagined to get a temporary passport?

...regarding passports, is it safe to carry it during the day in the money belt, or am I better off locking it in the hotel room safe?

I'm not going to change any opinions on this subject, just offering food for thought. A person (or two) on the forum has expressed the idea that "With a passport and credit cards, I can handle anything." And I agree completely. While the probability of not being able to return to the hotel to retrieve a passport, extra credit cards, and cash is low, what if you can't get back to it? Happened to a friend who broke a leg while out and about. She was taken to the hospital, had surgery right away and then a lengthy confinement. Another was taken to the hospital with a major heart problem, had surgery, and a long recovery period. Earthquakes have prevented people from returning to their hotel. Fires occasionally happen in hotels and, while we all hate it, demonstrations and acts of terrorism do occur. No, I'm not a fearful paranoid individual. I always hope for the best, but who knows? I just like to be prepared. With a passport and credit cards on my person I can, if necessary, go anywhere and do anything. Just something to think about.

It may not be 100% of the time, but I agree - passport, cc (and local cash) - are always with me.

Bear in mind that there is always a back up key for the in room safe - so someone has access to it.....

I have never used a hotel safe(I know I'd forget to get my things out of it) or carried my passport around town and I've never had a problem. I have sometimes been asked for an id when I hadn't signed my credit card(so no one could copy my signature and use it) and they always accepted by US driver's license. Maybe I've just been lucky?

Dario is right.
If you are an obvious North American nobody will ask for your ID and pretty much can ignore the law requiring you to carry a passport at all times.
If your features might raise the suspicion that you might be African or Middle Eastern you have a higher chance of being asked for ID. I’m not saying you will, but there is a higher chance.
My wife is black and she was asked to show the passport on the train. As soon as they saw the blue passport cover, they said never mind and left without even looking at it.
It’s called racial profiling and it’s alive and well in Italy.

It’s called racial profiling and it’s alive and well in Italy.
and pretty much anywhere - why think Italy is any different from anywhere else? I appreciate Europe is struggling with a wave of immigrants, but this is not a single country problem. Ask any TSA worker....or any minority traveler - that includes being white in developing countries. The profiling is different, but you can well be picked out for unwanted attention. I appreciate for many it is a frequent unwanted event and I wish the world was different, but attitude can improve or worsen it.

Regarding travelers checks, American Express still issues them. I last used them in 2000 and the only place I could redeem them was at the Amex office, which I had planned on. The previous year I tried to cash one ( it was an Amex one in British pounds ) and the bank was going to charge 10 pounds fee on a 50 pound check.

As others have said, use an ATM.

Thanks TC, you have an excellent point regarding a possible emergency, like the examples you mentioned, you're right, if the passport and cc was with me, I'd be prepared if I wasn't able to get back to the hotel

Exactly where in Italy are you going that is so dangerous?

Don't be afraid. Be as careful as you are in any big city; but there's no need to be paranoid. I have never worn a money belt - and have never felt like my belongings were in peril.

Walk with the attitude that says you really don't want to [mess] with me.

Bring a cross body purse with zippers and tuck it under your arm pit and it ends up in front by your ribs in your plain sight under your arm. Don't drape it on the end of a chair when eating. If it's nylon than you can even use a pin to double close it. But keep a bit of small money, preferable in a zip pocket , so it's easily assessible. I do use hotel safes for money and passports and put some in a locked suitcase in the inner lining. Also RS sells a hidden pocket, if you wear pants with a belt loop. No one is going to get into it as it is inside your pants. You don't need a belt and can use a continous loop like key chains have. Much better than a money belt. Don't get distracted in buses,or lines for, them or crowds, or at markets and wave the gypsies away (VIA, VIA) so they know you are not a good catch. Watch out for people getting too close or with gimmicks such as nicely dressed person helping you etc. When you use an ATM make sure it is in the little room inside a well known bank during the day. You can find out online what banks your home bank is affiliated with. Ask for alerts on your credit card and bank card for foreign transactions and check it each day. Have a wonderful vacation.

I had similar questions and concerns prior to leaving for our trip to Italy a few months ago. I agree with the responses to your question thus far - here are a few of my thoughts:
We stayed in a hotel in Rome and rented an apartment in Furore on the Amalfi Coast. In the hotel, we used the in-room safe each day. Prior to using it the first time, we tested it probably 20 times just to make sure it would work properly. We used the safe for our important travel documents, financial information, euros, backup credit cards, and passports (although we carried a copy of our passports in our money belts - not that this was valid, legal or recommended). We opened the safe each time we returned to the room and made sure to lock it again when we left. I think we could have left our "treasures" in our suitcases since the hotel felt very secure. We left our documents in a not-so-obvious location in the apartment we stayed in on the Amalfi Coast, but did take our passports with us traveling to different towns. We felt the money belts were non-negotiable. We each used them for our personal information (passport or a copy of it), extra euros and one of us carried a back up credit card. The idea is to never access your money belt in public. I always wore a cross-body purse (every woman there seemed to carry a purse) and my husband put a small RFID protected wallet in his shirt pocket under his sweater. We used credit cards for everything. By the end of the week, we used the remaining euros on gifts at the duty free shop at the airport. We used ATM's attached to banks during the week with our debit cards and never experienced a problem. We intended on getting cash at the airport ATM on a Saturday arrival, but ended up waiting until Monday and used a bank ATM near our hotel. I'm glad I planned and asked questions about money and safety. We feel we did our due diligence and ended up really enjoying our trip. You will, too!

Thanks SBB for your info, I'm sure we'll be fine, money belts are ready to go, and I'll probably carry a purse to blend in, with snacks, etc. and very little money, and will access anything from the money belt in a restroom of a restaurant or store. My husband has never been to Europe before, I've been trying to think ahead so we'll be as prepared as possible.