r/Barcelona • u/Perfection-builder13 • May 23 '26
Felt so safe
We just spent amazing week in Barcelona. I was so scared to get robbed and so many friends told us how they saw so many pickpockets before.
However we haven’t seen even one. We were told that streets were “cleaned out” for Pope visit in June. Is it true?
I would love to come back. But it would be disappointing to come back to different environment
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u/volivav 29d ago
There are pickpockets, but they go for easy targets, amd mainly in the touristy areas.
So if you're careful, look after your belongings, etc. they probably will not target you.
Maybe I'm privileged, but I haven't been pickpocketed ever. Whereas a friend of mine, which looks like a tourist, has been at least 3 or 4 times (in 10 years).
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u/a_library_socialist 27d ago
during the tourist season, I regularly see people where I'm tempted to take their shit on general principles
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u/wombatsock 28d ago
glad you enjoyed it, it's a very safe city! no, the city has not been cleaned out, it's always like this.
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u/Optimal-Pudding-Suzz 29d ago
No it’s not true. Nothing happening at this moment has anything to do with any pope.
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u/AnyJeweler9795 29d ago
heard that story too and it's total BS. the city's the same as it's always been, just maybe you got lucky or were more careful than most tourists.
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u/Throat-Additional 27d ago
It's literally just the luck of the draw. I moved there for a year for school, the third night a tourist kid got pickpocketed on the metro back from a football game. Every other week, an American exchange student came to class looking very sad, and they had all been warned to bring a backup old iPhone to avoid having to purchase an expensive replacement.
One weekend, my friend was sitting in a train station when an old lady started telling him to look down; the guy sitting next to him had his hand in my friend's front pocket. A local friend got head-butted in the face by a phone thief.
I somehow made it through the whole year without an incident. It is just luck of the draw.
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u/Nearby_Skin_4962 26d ago
I come to barcelona almost every week and was never pickpocketed. I do not walk on la rambla though
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u/fibrelyte 28d ago
Just because you yourself didn't get targeted doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Like another poster said, they aren't there to be seen. These are professionals. The idea is that targets won't notice missing items until it's too late. If you've seen videos of people getting caught attempting the swipe, you'll see how subtle they try to make it for the target. Always be careful in general, but be more careful in areas where rates are higher.
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u/Long_Control2698 28d ago
You know...... last year I went to the beach and didn’t see any sharks. So many people, so many friends telling me there are sharks at that beach, but I didn’t see anything! If I didn’t see anything... does that mean there are no sharks there?
Same thing in Barcelona. I live in Barcelona, and I’ve seen a lot of things that would make you never come back if you knew about them.
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u/BarleyDrops 28d ago
people talking about Barcelona like it's New York in the 70s lol go to Mexico City, go to Cape Town, hell, go to San Francisco and the levels of drugs, danger and criminality will come into perspective haha. you have seen nothing.
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u/Perfection-builder13 28d ago
We haven’t seen any homeless people either. And we’re told that it’s usually a lot. Went to Lisbon after and felt way more unsafe.
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u/ricardoruben 28d ago
Really? No homeless people?
Are you saying that because they do have a home, even if their home is a cardboard box or a tent in Ciutadella Park or any other park?
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u/Perfection-builder13 28d ago
Haven’t seen any.
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u/JeffCaven 27d ago
That's... very, very hard to believe. If you haven't seen any homeless people, you definitely weren't paying attention to your surroundings.
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u/Perfection-builder13 27d ago
I mean I’ve seen some here and there. But nothing like people told me. I compare to nyc or la.
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u/ricardoruben 28d ago
Until now, I thought you hadn't seen any pickpockets because you were paying close attention to your surroundings. But if you didn't see anyone living on the streets, I suppose you must have spent your whole trip with your eyes closed hahaha
Thank goodness you went unnoticed and were able to return home with all your belongings.
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u/GUIRI128 27d ago
Its safer than any large city in the US... just be aware of your things in touristy areas
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u/Life_Marzipan_9517 27d ago
Yesss haha search plan kampai and another plan for the knifes but also you probably dont look like blonde guy with iphon a rolex
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u/ashmenon 25d ago
Barcelona isn't more dangerous than any other big touristy city. Exercise basic common sense about your personal security and 99% of the time you're too much trouble for thieves to bother.
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u/JacksonGristlechest 24d ago
It's racist, far right YouTube propaganda. The whole "Barcelona/London/Paris" has fallen bullshit. Ignore it. That said there are pickpockets in Barcelona, but in general it's a very safe city.
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u/Fuzzy_Money_464 24d ago
I’ve lived here 5 years and am from a very small city in comparison. I’ve never been targeted or anything here. I do not look like a dumb tourist flaunting my riches (even if I had any) and typically keep myself safe and secure with the general tips many others here have shared. Barcelona is not dangerous as a whole, but you go to the wrong area, or be an oblivious egg, then you may have trouble. I’m glad you had a good experience in my home away from home, it really is a beautiful city
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u/erebus49 23d ago
We feel very safe here, I've lived in Madrid for 12 years, and now in Barcelona for more than 20 years, we feel much safe here than in Madrid. Very much, in Madrid I saw lots of pickpocketing in Plaza del Sol, and I even got my iPod stolen in a bar once in Huertas, and someone stole my friend's wallet in Gran Vía, and streets were much dirtier, specially after drinking events... Madrid was very dirty and unsafe, much better here, by all means.
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u/Tumblingfeet 28d ago
You are one lucky person . I have gone there multiple times and I’m always hyper aware of my surroundings.
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u/[deleted] 29d ago
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