Nothing can ruin a vacation like being the victim of pickpockets. And now, as we get closer and closer to summer vacation, it's important to remember that not everyone we meet on overseas trips will have good intentions.
According to new research by English travel insurance company QuoteZone, it's clear to see that many of Europe's most popular destinations are hotspots for pickpockets. Not that it should surprise us, the famous tourist sites are usually also packed with excited tourists, who don't pay much attention to their surroundings, and instead focus on the main attraction.
In the new study by the English insurance company, researchers looked at the rate of mentions of pickpockets in visitor reviews of each country's top five tourist attractions in Europe.
At the top of the list: Italy
Italy came in first, with the highest rate of any country across the continent, followed by France and Spain. According to the study, the pockets of Italy are scattered throughout the country, with the main focus being Rome. The iconic Trevi Fountain of the Italian capital, reached the first place in the ranking in this country. So while you're throwing another coin into the fountain, it's important that you keep an eye on your surroundings.Another top pocket picker in Rome, the ancient Colosseum and the Pantheon. In Italy, thefts were also recorded at the Duomo di Milano and the Uffizi Flag Gallery in Florence.
Paris: Not only a capital of fashion
In France, most pockets are in Paris. While France is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world, Paris is the most underrated city. And accordingly, it is fertile ground for pickpockets. The study even found that the city has the second highest number of mentions of pickpockets in all of Europe, with 251 per million visitors.Pickpockets are found in all five of the city's top attractions, and the Eiffel Tower is the most dangerous for tourist theft. Other places to be alert are the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame de Paris and the Musée d'Orsay and Louvre museums.
Spain vs. Germany
Spain and Germany "deserved" to be at the same level of pickpocketing, with both Spain and Germany having 111 cases of theft per million visitors. Barcelona is notorious for thefts in its territory, with Las Ramblas at the top of the list. The popular Basilica de la Sagrada Familia also made the list, as well as the Plaza Mayor and the Prado National Museum in Madrid.
In Germany, you should watch out for pickpockets especially at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Also in Berlin's Reichstag building, the East Side Gallery and the Holocaust Memorial. Outside the capital, Munich's Marienplatz is a disaster-prone place.
And you can't do without Amsterdam
In Amsterdam in the Netherlands you will meet the most pickpockets of the entire country. The red light district is where tourists are most likely to fall victim to pickpockets. As well as, the Anne Frank House, Wendelpark, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.