There are few things more frustrating than having your phone nicked, especially while you’re on holiday. But given Europe is crammed with overcrowded cities and it’s easy to forget to watch your pockets when you’re admiring architecture or marvelling at ancient ruins, it’s no surprise pickpocketing is rife in tourist hotspots across the continent.
But at which attractions should you be most vigilant? Travel insurance company Quotezone.co.uk has done some digging to find out. They used the European Pickpocketing Index, which evaluates the proportion of pickpocketing mentions in reviews of each country’s top five tourist attractions.
Ranking at number one was Italy, especially at the Trevi Fountain in Rome, with the highest rate. For every million visitors to Italy from the UK, 478 pickpocketing incidents were recorded. France, particularly around the Eiffel Tower, came in second place with 251 per million British visitors, and Spain, especially around Las Ramblas in Barcelona, came third.
The ten most pick-pocketed countries in Europe, and the worst-hit attractions
- Italy, Trevi Fountain
- France, Eiffel Tower
- Spain, Las Ramblas
- Germany, Brandenburg Gate
- Netherlands, Red Light District
- Portugal, Alfama
- Türkiye, Sultanahmet District
- Greece, Acropolis Museum
- Poland, Krakow’s Rynek Glowny Central Square
- Ireland, Guinness Storehouse
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