My husband and I are leaving for Spain tomorrow. I have been reading with much trepedation the many accounts (on other sites mainly) of petty crime and even muggings in Barcelona, esp. around Las Ramblas. We will be staying at a hotel just off Las Ramblas for a couple of days and then at Sitges, where my husband will be attending a meeting. I may be on my own for one day. PLEASE, should we be scared to death to walk out the hotel door near Las Ramblas??? I/we have traveled to several places in Europe and have had no real incidents to speak of, have been vigilent with our personal items, etc. Is that good enough?
Thanks... all replies welcome

Hello I am an American who previously lived in Spain for quite a while and I am moving back next week. I took my wife and daughter over a month ago and left them with family while I wrapped up our business, home, and car situation in Atlanta. Barcelona is a very safe city and for it's size I would consider it a much safer city then any American city which is similiar in size. On that note you should still exercise the same common sense that you would exercise in any large city. Do not wear a lot of viewable jewelry, do not as a woman go out alone in non-public places at night, do not leave elctronics (cameras, cd players, cds, etc.) out on your car seats, do not keep your wallet in your back pocket, do not leave your purse unattended, etc. If you follow these normal common-sensical rules you should have a great time and have less trouble than you could have in downtown Atlanta or anywhere in NYC.

You'll find LOTS of safety-related postings about Barcelona right here in this forum. By doing a SEARCH (link above/right), you'll find the following threads and more:

" Barcelona: a mugger\'s paradise (an article) " & " Petty Crime in Barcelona ".

There are others too, but I'm not all that sure that Barcelona's, say, Las Ramblas is any worse than Madrid's Puerta del Sol for pickpockets and purse snatchers. Just be smart, be careful, keep your eyes open, don't be afraid to make eye-contact with those suspected persons who seems to be lurking around.

Have a GREAT time in Barcelona and Spain!

Saludos, MadridMan

Thanks MadridMan and JoeyR for your tips and assurance! I will consider all the advice/info. I really want to believe that if we are extra careful and watchful, everything will be fine. However, I was mugged many years ago, just outside Washington, DC and certainly don't want to experience that again. Also, just goes to show that things happen everywhere.

Go directly to this site and read.

http://www.jones.tc/barna/scams.html

Has a ton of information directly from people who have lived and visited Barcelona.

Shawn

No worries: I have found Barcelona to be no worse nor better than other European cities, crime wise. Maybe a little safer.

Joey, how is it in L´Estartit? I haven't been.

WOW!!!That web site on the scams is frightening!!! I hope Barcelona is worth the risk!!!!

nice post, SRedw!

i read that page from your post and it's truly amazing. it's nice that people out there want to help protect us and inform us of these things.

everyone should read it.

andrew
:wq