I am spending five weeks in Florence for school in two weeks. My grandparents (who have visited Italy on more than one occasion) are telling me how important it is that I get a money belt thing to wear under my clothes because it's so unsafe there with pickpockets and theft. Is this really necessary? Do they tend to pick out the tourists? And is there ways to avoid this? I'm just concerned that the tourist-y belt thing might scream, "pick on me, I'm not from around here!" My grandparents are really starting to freak me out.
Packing & Preparation - 3 Answers
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1 :
Hm. It sounds as if your grandparents are talking about the gypsies. You do need to be smart when around them. They are often women, who are often with children. They may approach with a piece of cardboard, laid flat, to distract you. (It makes you look down at the cardboard, to read what it says. They use this opportunity to use the board as a shield for their hands that will pick your pocket.) Gypsies target tourists, and there are a few ways you can avoid getting picked. I've been to Florence several times and have never been picked. I'm going to assume that you are a staying at a secure place; a host family's home, I guess. Whatever bag you use during the day, a purse or a knapsack, make sure that it's the zippered kind, not the clasped kind, which is harder to get into. Avoid putting anything valuable in an outside pocket; I usually just keep gum or tissues in the outside pocket. If you need to take money out of the ATM, try to go inside of the bank and using inside machines. If you use the ones that are outside, people can see how much money you're taking out. If you have to use the ones outside, have a friend stand next to you, to hide what you're doing from the stares of people in the street. If you're alone, be quick about putting in your PIN and putting your money away, and keep looking around you. Try to take your money out during the day, when it's easier to take in your surroundings. As to where you keep your money on a daily basis, you can do what I do. I travel with a "main" money wallet, one that I never take out in public. This holds the bulk of my money and documents. This I always keep in my messenger bag, in an inside pocket that is zippered up and never opened unless I'm in my hotel room. Every morning, before I leave the hotel, I put in a different "shopping" wallet my allowance for the day; this is the money I'm expecting to spend for the day. I divide my allowance by two. One half I hide in a compartment (you know the ones; where you can slip business cards and such). The other half I actually put in the money part of the wallet. That way, if I take my wallet out to pay for stuff, I don't show a whole wad of cash. I also make sure that the shopping wallet goes into a different zippered compartment of my bag, and that the zipper is always closed up. If you pay attention to your surroundings, you should be fine. Always make sure that the zippers of your bag face INWARD of your body. Never take your money out in public if you can help it. If you need to take out more money from a "main" wallet, like I do, do it in a bathroom stall, from the prying eyes of other. Avoid the gypsies, and ignore women and children who approach you for money. I know it's hard, especially when it's children, but keep in mind that the gypsies will use their children to distract you while they pick your pocket. If you insist on keeping your wallet on your person, always, always keep your wallet in the front pocket of your jeans. Keep one credit card separate from the shopping wallet, just in case. I had a money belt, and although it was helpful, it was a pain in the neck (I had to keep lifting my shirt to get to it). Just travel smart, and you should be fine.
2 :
The answerer here above has already given a few good suggestions. I'm living in Italy, close to Florence, and I've never been pick pocketed here in spite of I'm not putting my values under my shirt in a money belt. You know what, till now I've been pick pocketed only once in my life and it was in NYC...!! I don't know where you're living but wherever you're coming from I bet when you are in yr town you're paying careful attention to yr valuables by using the common sense. I guess this is really the only one thing you'll need while you're in Florence. In any case I'm sure in yr first days here you'll get very good tips from other students of yr school who probably have already had experience of gypsies but please now you musr relax since tourists are not the only one target of this gypsies people, all of us we are continuously "under attack". Have a nice staying here in Italy.
3 :
The 1st answerer gave very good advice. Other than keeping your valuables well, try your best to behave unlike a tourist. Dress like the locals. Don't carry a fanny pack and walk a camera hanging off your neck- these just scream "tourist!". You really need to watch out for the pickpockets who are mostly gypsies in Italy. They are very experienced in picking out which are the tourists. The women gypsies may even throw you their baby suddenly- you have no choice but to hold on to it and they would take the chance to grab your money. They are also good at cutting open your bag and taking your money WITHOUT you even realizing it. So watch out. I think you should carry a money belt if you are wearing clothes that wouldn't show it.
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