What to do with your valuables while in Italy??

Knock wood, we have never had a problem leaving valuables in the room or apartment. I am not talking diamonds, but electronics we certainly do not cart around daily. If we have a lot of cash (we rarely carry over €100 each) we might use the safe, otherwise we split it between us and each stash some in different places.

dgrieco, wouldn't it be more accurate to change your Subject to "What to do with valuables in non-traditional hotel lodging?" Italy has nothing to do with the issue. It might even more useful to say AirBnb, but I realize thete are other disruptive lodging platforms.

Could you bring fewer valuables? Do you need to bring computers and phones? Besides computers, the other items don't sound like they will take up that much space.

It's unlikely anyone would want to steal your list of reservations so that should be fine in the room. You can have a digital back up of that too. Any printable tickets, I print multiple copies and keep one set in each person's bag. You could leave one in the room and and bring one along while you are out for the day.

I don't leave any Euros or cash in a room, I go to the ATM periodically throughout the trip so I don't have a larger amount than I'm comfortable carrying.

I would only bring what I need that day. If it is not a travel day, that is money (what I need for the day+contingency only), cards (max two, credit + debit), any tickets I need that day, Driving Licence only if I am driving and passport only if I am in a country that requires you to carry it. The rest stays in my room.

This means I am frequently walking around with just cash, ID, 1 card, public transport ticket and possibly phone. That's it, same whether home or away.

I have lived in Europe all my life, and I have never owned a money belt or similar.

I guess the first question would be, what do you do when you travel your own country? Carry everything with you all day? :O)

We've never experienced an accommodation break-in in all our years of traveling. In rented apartments without safes, we don't leave cash/cards laying about when we're not there, certainly, but, well, how many "valuables" of size are we talking here? Sounds like the only large item is a computer (laptop? Do you even really need to bring it?) and that can easily be tucked out of sight someplace if you're worried. Device chargers, reservations, tickets, passport copies and other documents you don't need for the day are no big deal to leave at the apartment. Bring only those essentials with you for the day, and split them up between you.

I put "valuables" in my locked hard case roller bag.

Over 500 days in Europe in recent years. Tablet computer, back-up credit and ATM cards and excess cash left locked in my suitcase every day. On hotel-change days I use a money belt for cash and back-up cards, and I put my tablet computer in my purse along with the smartphone that is always there. Never an issue.

There's a lot more risk that you'll lose something you're carrying around with you--more likely through carelessness than theft, in my personal experience. (I tend to walk off and leave credit cards behind.)

The first line of defense is not taking to Europe valuable things you don't really need. I wouldn't take an expensive watch or jewelry, and since the pickpocket incident (small city in Bulgaria) I do not go to an ATM and remove many hundreds of euros at one time.

A home is generally safer than your pants or your purse in the streets.
If the AirBnB has a safe, it’s even better.

Like various others here, I generally carry with me only the items I expect to use that day, unless of course in transit to another city. I will leave my iPad, back-up cash and cards, usually passport, etc in my locked suitcase, covered with some clothes. I would only carry a debit card if I intended to use it for a cash withdrawal at that time. I will quibble with your statement that this might be the most important question of all. The most important might be “where is the tastiest gelato in town?” Enjoy wonderful Italy!

I always leave valuables in the hotel room / Airbnb , apartment , wherever I am staying.
I am sure room / house break in's occasionally happen but those are much less frequent than pickpocket / street type level crimes.
Honestly I never even worry about, don't use a safe or even bother to cover things up.

Laptop, ipad, thousand dollar camera lens; etc... ; of course I would not leave large amounts of cash lying around.

If I place looks like I cannot trust they will not steal my stuff, I am not going to stay there.

What do I do with my valuables? Leave them at home.

I have credit and debit cards, cash (including Euros, Pounds, and US Dollars), passport, and any tickets that required printing in advance, all in my money belt which I wear all the time while in Europe. The money belt stays under my clothes while in public. I keep enough cash and maybe a credit card in a pocket for use during my daily activities.

I keep my cell phone in my pocket, usually with my hand on it, while out and about. It also serves as my camera these days.

Over the years, I have found I don't need a computer. Don't need fancy camera gear. Jewelry? Besides my $30 Timex watch, don't have any.

Thanks Mark. Soon you may lighten your load even more and leave the Timex home-using the clock on the phone.

I leave my tablet computer at the hotel room or Airbnb. My phone, camera, wallet/$ are with me.
My main concern is pick-pockets and those who 'grab bags and run' and 'slice into bags.'
Therefore, I own a small PacSafe bag rather than a 'regular' bag. Also,
a hidden pocket https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/hidden-pocket
and cargo pants for velco pockets ...

Don't get me wrong. I like to travel as light as possible. But I also understand there are people that take other things with them on trips I never would. I have no ill will toward those who carry the extras. Unfortunately I just don't have any advice for those travelers.

Don't make light of Mark's comments. He is mostly on target. Some people need a computer for work but we get along with an older ipad. Unfortunately my son has a position that requires him to always be reachable - 24-7. So he has to have his company issued Blackberry and his regular cell phone at all times and reasonable access to his computer. So it is little different for him. Second, the question of pickpockets and general theft is over discussed, and perhaps overly cautioned, to the point that many think they are stepping into a den of thieves will a low probability of survival. In fact, pickpockets and petty theft is a concern but the majority of tourists will have no problem even without being careful. Practice a few pre-cautions, and your probability of a problem should be close to zero. It doesn't take much effort to put your extra credit/debit cards, cash, pport, ids, in a properly worn money belt. For paper tickets we print extra copies put a set in each secured suitcase and leave in the room. Same for the ipad and SD cards. The camera and misc. daily stuff in the small day bag. Lots of people, tourist and locals, carry day bags so I don't think that increases your target ability. My guide is that IF the item is critical to me (passport for example) it is on my body.

My rule of thumb is, if you don’t want to lose it, don’t take it. For phones, tanblets, etc., I keep mine in a locked compartment inside my backpack that I’m never without. I will leave some items in a room safe if the safe is bolted down.

If you are staying in your own airbnb apartments, with good reviews etc (not sharing with the hosts or other strangers, but you have the whole place to yourself) then you can leave things in the apartment. Just put it in a suitcase or bag in the closet or other slightly out of the way place and don't worry.

People will tell you that a money belt is safest for deep storage. True. But try fitting an ipad in a money belt ;) Things that can't be strapped to you are much safer in a private, locked apartment than in your bag. What's more likely - a thief passing you in a busy city or someone choosing your specific apartment to break into? Not to mention the possibility of simply setting the bag down and forgetting about it in some sort of rush or confusion.

As for me...I don't wear a money belt, I just have stuff in my purse (inside zipper pocket) or in the hotel room. I think a lot of the worry is overkill if you are confident and aware of your surroundings. However, theft does happen so officially I will advise you to wear a money belt for any valuables that fit inside and that you won't need that day.

I agree with other posters. Just bring what you need on a daily basis, ie, phone, camera, money. I prefer not to bring anything I have to worry about losing to a thief if left in a hotel/b&b/apartment. Over the years I've paired down what I take with me...no more netbook or camera. I just use my phone to take photos and do lots of planning ahead of time, save to the cloud or to a Kindle (which I carry with me daily). If I have pre-purchased tickets for the train or a site and have a paper copy, I just leave it in my luggage. I don't worry about those since they are typically non-refundable anyway...what good would they be to a thief?

Quick follow up after returning from our trip to Italy. To our delight, we found all of our Airbnb apartments surprisingly secure. As suggested by some in this forum, we were much more comfortable leaving all valuables (that we did not need for the day) securely locked in the apartment rather than put them at risk in public. All apartments were booked with airbnb superhosts and made our stays more than comfortable and secure.