My husband and I will be visiting Barcelona in late October. I just read on the Barcelona forum on TripAdvisor that someone suggested leaving wedding ring at home. Is this necessary? I will not be wearing any other jewelry and never dress flamboyantly. My husband can’t even remove his wedding band after 36 years of marriage.
I have been traveling to Europe for the last 4 years and never worried about wearing my wedding band. Please ease my worried mind.
Unless your rings rival Royal jewels, I see no reason not to wear your wedding ring.
Sounds scary but was this just a single suggestion from just one person on that forum? Did they suggest a robber (or roving gang?) held up a woman, forcing her to hand over her ring, or else? We didn’t experience anything of the sort on our visit 5 years ago. Unless you’re in a rough neighborhood, and/or out late at night, seems you won’t be in a situation where any jewelry, especially a wedding ring, would be at unusual risk.
Of course it all depends, there is no definitive yes/no answer. But if the wedding ring has any decent sized "rocks", then you probably would not want to wear it in the popular tourist places, like down las Ramblas or in the Barrio Gotico. It could present a nice opportunity for a pickpocket. You cold always leave it in the hotel safe when you are visiting a touristy place for the day, just to keep your mind at ease. If the ring is more discrete then you should be fine, but it's no guarantee of course :)
I was thinking it wouldn’t be an issue, but I thought I would ask here since I read not too long ago how Barcelona has changed has changed in the past two years. My diamond is less than a carrot, but after 36 years I would be heartbroken if someone demanded it.
The sad thing is that visiting Barcelona is supposed to be beautiful, but I have been reading some warnings on the Rick Steves forum that is making me doubt my decision to visit. I hope I’m just being overly concerned b
Honestly, I would probably just leave it home or in the hotel safe, I know is may seem disheartening, but it's best to be on the safe side. Wedding rings are a prime target for pickpockets, sometimes they are good enough to twist it off your finger without you knowing or other times a pickpocket will get a mark (the target) to unsuspectingly take off the ring, one way or another, and then it's gone before you know it.
In the end, the only way to ensure your valuables are not stolen is not to carry them with you in the first place, unless they are essential to your travels :). You can always purchase some traveler's wedding bands, made out of less expensive materials, that are becoming popular these days.
Thank you Carlos,
Good advice.
A reflection to anyone thinking of visiting the city...
Funny to read in TA or anywhere else these "reports" by passersby claiming to "know it all" about "how serious" the situation in Barcelona is. You'll notice that posters actually living in Barcelona we tend not to participate anymore in these sort of posts because, no matter what you explain, opinionated people don't wanna listen and keep repeating this unfounded mantra about "being the pickpocket capital of the world" and painting this dantesque scenario about the "danger" of a city which, interestingly they've only known for a few days.
Regardless of the fact crime has indeed increased these past few years, this city is yet -by far!- much safer than most of the big popular cities around, definitively if comparing to the US. And this is not my saying, but stats offered by Europol for example. In Barcelona, one can safely walk anywhere at any time of the day... with very few exceptions. This is not to say this is a heaven, of course, and basic precautions are in order, after all, this is a large community of nearly 2 million (plus visitors) and there are all sorts of individuals and sadly we do have both, local and foreign criminals operating.
So yes, one can be pickpocket or robbed, and should that happen is no laughing matter... but keep it in perspective and know the facts before panicking because some fearmonger publishes a post here or there. And the facts "still" seem to point out this type of crime isn't spiralling out of control as some portray and that, globally speaking when taking into account that the city is visited by over 20 million every year, prevalence hasn't risen much from previous years and still remains at a similar level than Rome or Paris for example. Summarizing, overall it's a peaceful city... yet a city nonetheless, with all that entails.
Btw, do you think Barcelonian women are not "coquette" and don't like to show off their rings or other jewellery? you've certainly not been in the city... but of course they do, we're Mediterraneans after all. Yet one thing is wearing your jewellery, discretely, something else is going around with the whole inventory!
But again, perception of safety directly depends on one's habitual surroundings, in short, city rats will feel less threatened than country bumkins (no pun intended). Therapy: The Out-of-Towners (1970) :)
... and, of course, some will still insist residents' posts have "no value" because "they're biased".... as if we all were in a dark conspiracy to deny reality and keep luring unsuspected visitors to rob them. Aside from being an offensive remark because they're denying my right to express my view, one needs to point out the obvious... those living in the city are bound to be far more in the know, right?
btw @grlilley... I suspect the predictive text has played a trick on you... I can't picture you carrying "a carrot" in your finger, LOL!
Thank you everyone
I wouldn't worry about a small stone. You can always turn it around toward your palm if you feel nervous in the moment. Trust your gut. I've been to Barcelona several times and found it to be much like any other big city (except more spectacular than most!). Be smart and you'll almost certainly be fine.
I hope this isn't shameless self-promotion (;)), but here is a link to the blog post I wrote specifically about Barcelona and my pre-travel nerves due to all the Barcelona scare-mongering. I hope it's useful (or at least entertaining!)
https://www.historycoloredglasses.com/2017/03/please-dont-be-afraid-of-barcelona/
Caroline
On the other hand, you are much more likely to be shot, or killed in an auto collision at home in the U.S. than you are to be robbed on the street as a foreign tourist. Few Americans want to believe that this is true, but that doesn't make it false. Please relax and enjoy your vacation.
Thank you Caroline and Tim.
I’m looking forward to a great trip
Caroline,
Thank you for including your blog
I really enjoyed reading it and your pictures are wonderful.
I'm sorry if this offends some posters, but the advice to leave a wedding ring in a hotel safe is terrible. First of all, hotel safes are not all that safe. On many of the travel forums there are lots of reports of things being stolen out of them. Second, think about it, how is someone going to 'pickpocket' a ring off your finger?! Pickpockets pick things out of 'pockets' (and bags,etc.) they do not remove things from your body. Do you really think you wouldn't notice someone taking your ring off? That leaves the only risk of wearing it being someone with a weapon holding you up and demanding you remove it. That is WAY more unlikely than a pickpocket reaching into a pocket or purse and grabbing a wallet. Not that it couldn't happen, but that kind of crime is probably more likely in the US than in Barcelona. Which place do you think has more guns?
The advice to not wear flashy jewelry means that people who 'advertise' wealth (those with flashy jewelry) are more likely to be targets of being pickpocketed. Not the jewelry itself but something you may have in your pocket or bag. A thief is looking for targets that are either 'easy' (someone with an open bag, or bulging back pocket) or look like they probably have a lot of money. A simple wedding ring is not going to scream "I'm rich, might make a good target". Nonetheless, you should take the usual precautions with your valuables (wear an under the clothing money belt for passports, credit cards and extra cash; in your bag or pocket carry only enough for spending that day, and one credit card). And of course don't walk alone on dark streets late at night.
Thank you, Enric, for putting the whole crime thing in perspective. I was starting to worry about my trip to Barcelona next week. And you're certainly right about the U.S. having LOTS more guns.
Who knows where to go theses days without having some sense of wondering about safety?
Here in the US my son was heading out the door for the Borderline nightclub in Thousand Oaks, CA. He and is roommate decided to go someplace closer to home that night last minute, thankfully! My heart was in my stomach when I saw the breaking news, as he went there frequently.
Thirteen killed, in a city in ( upstate NY) ), where I used to live is a constant reminder to try and do my best to be as careful as possible wherever I go.
My cousin works for the EU and was caught in the bombing in Brussels. I found her to be safe on a website!
If we stop traveling, the bad guys win!
As soon as I saw the title of this forum thread I was able to accurately predict the responses, as they are the same responses an OP has to endure every time they question the safety of a particular European toursist destination. The "offended local" who insists on quoting statistics contradicting their hometown's less than stellar reputation for safety from petty crime( whether deserved or not.) And then the predictable comparison to crime and safety in the U.S (specifically gun violence and auto collisions.) Add in a few condescending remarks to the OP and voila, a typical RS forum response to an innocent question.
Let's face it folks, there are whole lot more tourists going to Barcelona than South Central L.A. or Southside Chicago, or any other inner city destination in America, so the crime comparison, as well as the body count from fatal auto accidents is a false argument. I have been to five European capital cities, rode all their metros, been patted down in three of them, and I can't wait to go back! I love Europe travel but I know better than to publicly voice any doubts about my safety or the safety of my belongings on this forum. I get a lot of valuable info off of this site but am usually loathe to participate. Like I am now ( o dear.)
Who knew this was going to be discussed more than some of my posts.
Thank you everyone. I understand that traveling in Europe is different than in my hometown. So. Cal. I know not to take risks in Europe that I would not take in Los Angeles. One big difference is I can walk around town with my backpack purse and my iPhone in my back pocket. Granted I wouldn’t do either of these things if I took public transportation here. I guess that is why I’m more apt to take a taxi in Europe where I know the only thief I need to worry about is the taxi driver Lol.
I’m totally looking forward to my time in Barcelona after my travels to Paris and Berlin.
As a "local" I feel patronized Bill: I am not offended, in fact, I couldn't give a t** what visitors think of my hometown regarding this issue, I certainly know how it rolls and that's all I need to worry about, if anything. But something I can't stand is misinformation.
I myself am a traveller every now and then, and I sure trust and appreciate more a local's advice than any guide or fellow visitor as locals are, for the most part, the best suited to give proper advice. This is not to say fellow visitors' experiences are not a trove too, but they need to be contextualized, and when I post as a visitor I try to do so myself. Well, the advice of a very frequent visitor (really frequent!) would also work for me, but only, LOL! :))
Furthermore, why would any local be willing to "waste" his/her precious time providing wrong advice in the forum? This obviously doesn't suggest one should blindly trust everything... but in my scale, sound local advice anywhere in the world, coupled with a bit of research and a tonne of common sense, ranks higher than any passerby's fearmongering or cacophony.
I also feel loathe sometimes to participate, but again, for any forum to be meaningful there's the need for a bit of give-and-take, otherwise, it's a rather selfish attitude, IMHO, and it only leads to dead forums.
PS Needless to point out that "local=resident, be native or not", right?
We have been to 78 countries including most of Europe. Pickpocketing is terrible in several cities. Here are my top five in Europe:
Unless you visit a bad neighborhood in those cities, getting mugged is highly unlikely. However, protect yourself and don't wear valuable jewelry or carry a lot of cash. I wear a money belt and only keep enough cash for the day in my trousers pocket.
@Enric Point taken My sarcasm and "tongue in cheek" way of making a point hardly ever translates to text LOL. My main point is this. I believe that there should be no such thing as a stupid question on this site and every question should be given a dignified response if there is to be any response given. Of course there are trolls on this forum but they fade away like a pimple on a teenage girl. When most people come for advice on this forum, they genuinely want feedback, otherwise they can simply Google their questions and get hundreds of articles about the subject in question.
Enric, you are the envy of many people on this forum, including myself, because you live in one of the most beautiful and exciting cities in the world and people want to go there. We certainly don't mean to patronize. Actually, we want you to patronize us with your knowledge.
@Bill, looking forward to returning to OK soon enough and meet you for a beer ;))
(Sorry, not fond of bourbon, lol!)
@Enric I would be honored. Maybe you can enlighten me on the beautiful wines from the Catalunya region when I make it to Barcelona.
@Bill: Done!
@Enric
Thanks a lot for the Post
as an Indian, I just wont be able to stop myself from going to Barcelona while visiting Spain. Great place I have heard and with FC Barca being the added attraction. Longing to see from 09 to 12 oct 19.
