Be careful at the airport! Went to pick up my rental car, someone tried to tell me there was something wrong with the tire, while his friend reached in the passenger seat for my bag.
yep, also when you stop the car for red light, do *not* open the window to that nice looking guy or girl who knocks on it - who is going to grab whatever may be visible from the outside. It is also good idea to lock the doors before you leave hotel or whatever.
@@albertnielsen1154wow. Wherever we go we ALWAYS take convertible. Always. We also have a comvertible and live in the south of France, also touristy place - NEVER HAPPENED
This guy, Patrick, is good. I was "trained" to avoid scams, theft, etc. in Mexico City so I recognized practically everything he talked about, but still learned a trick or two. Listen carefully to what he says, remember it; and watch the video more than once before you travel to Barcelona (or the Canary Islands).
We literally just arrived in Barcelona tonight and the first thing we saw was your video. Great info even for intrepid travelers. Thanks for posting or should I say "hats off to you!"
I’m going to Spain in 3 months me and my family will be going to Barcelona for about 2-3 days my dad told me to research tourist traps and this really helped thanks!
I was warned that coming out of Gare du Nord ,that tourists sometimes get mugged ( God knows why the French put a international rail stn in a dump of a Paris area ) . Anyway me and a buddy been there twice and was showing my daughter pics of us looking round Notre Damme. She said I can see why you and Colin had no trouble dad !. She said you both look like muggers in the pics .😂
These are great descriptions of the scams that are out there! A good reminder about using the official websites to book tickets, as when we went to book SF there were so many websites to book thru and it wasn't always easy to see that they were not official.
Great advice. I have been to many major cities in Europe and Barcelona is the only place I encountered a pickpocket. They only got a protein bar because I have learned to make sure the important items are carefully hidden away. Thank you for sharing.
I fell for the rose scam when I was a teenager. Three of us girls were walking ahead of the adults. A man approached us and said "a beautiful rose for the beautiful ladies" and handed us each one. We were naive and thought he was being nice, so we took them. Then he hit my mom up for like 20 euros!
In Barcelona now. Yup lots of clowns with balloons!! Got tailed a few times too, but had nothing of value in my backpack & had it clipped tight….so no problem as it turned out. Barcelona is just gorgeous & wonderful. Worth the effort to visit!!!!!
At Orly airport in Paris, a man insisted on offering us a cheap ride in a minivan without any identification. We took a taxi and arrived at the hotel without any problems. Thanks for your tips. Are well appreciated. Thanks for your advice, it is much appreciated.👍
Hello Patrick 👋 Thank you so much for the information and tips. We are going to visit Barcelona in April. Your information is very important and helpful. Warm greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪
Hello Patrick 👋, we just returned from Spain 🇪🇸 yesterday. Yes, we visited Barcelona. The first day in Barcelona was hard raining 🌧 but the second day was nice weather. We wandered in the old town. It was a wonderful experience. The paella 🥘 dish is my favourite 😍 😋 👌 Thanks for your advice 👍 🙏 It helped me a lot. Greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪
Wow thanks so much. Heading to Barcelona next month for an F1 event. I am happy one in our crew speaks Spanish but I have sent this video out to all attending. I will be leaving my watch at home, wallet in front pocket, staying off the public wifi and picking up some Euros before we arrive. Fantastic video, the comments also have some good advice.
The ability they have to detect their potential victims is crazy. I work near Plaza Cataluña and when I go to work looking like a local they never talk to me but when I'm walking with family or on a weekend I suddenly become a target
Lately there's an Irish guy called Connor (maybe he changes names, dunno). His story is that he came to study at Pompeu Fabra and got his backpack stolen. first is gonna ask you to contact his mom and is gonna make you send a message su some random Irish number and after talking for a while he's gonna start asking you for money to make a phone call home because his phone got stolen. Pure scam, be aware!
I want to thank you for all your useful information. I visited back in February. It was probably the best vacation ever. The taxi from the airport we got from the rank outside the terminal was just over 20 euros and dropped us on La Ramblas near our accommodation. I spent that much time researching for my visit, it honestly felt like I was at home and not a new place I'd never been before. Only dodgy occurrence was in my last few hours and I needed a second helping of the awesome Mascarpone filled croissant from Hofmann's Patisserie. A vagrant looking fellow was stood in a doorway with his hand out. I didn't have any cash and politely said "No" and just kept walking as he shouted "Fil di puta!" at me! I laughed to myself because I understood what he was shouting. He saw me again a little while later while he was stood with a bunch of other men and shouted "Americana puta!" at me. I just had to chuckle to myself! The point is, I did what you recommended and just kept walking. Thanks for your help, Patrick!
We arrived due to a late flight into Barecelona pre booked taxi and hotel, No taxi, tried dozens of times to phone the taxi no answer, so went to the Taxi queue which had dozens of taxies, but were sent to the last taxi in the queue which was battered and broken, but needs must, so we set off, he went the Scenic route (ie:- the longest way around) to our hotel, which was shut but after a while of knocking they let us in to a hovel, It was now 03:00 we had a short sleep until 06:00 for another extortianate taxi to take us the half mile to our cruise ship, After two weeks we returned to Barcelona, and had a day to spend before our flight home, No place to leave our cases for the day until the hotel was available for the night What a nightmare and will NEVER be back
That bracelet thing happened to me once in Milan. It was the first and only situation where I was attempted to get scammed, so I was a bit confused during this situation and let him tie the bracelet around my forearm. Of course he asked for money afterwards. But thankfully, he remained nice even after I refused to give it to him. And I even got the bracelet off of my arm myself (without scissors). Ever since, I'm not falling for this again!
Another Most enjoyable Video thanks Den, I Noticed after you mentioned about going Up Hill, next we saw you Both Going Down hill, Well done, thanks for sharing, I,ll do that now too. Dad.
I got done with the bracelet scam a few years back. There are always four or five guys standing at the end of la ramblas near Christopher columbus state. Now i just cross over on to the side walk
I'm an introvert, so I'd never fall for some of this 😂 Thailand is the same, though. A random dude with a lizard distracted us while he took my friends phone off the table. But like that's obvious, don't leave your stuff on the table.
Count you change at shops. Some sellers try to trick tourists giving less change, especially at groceries etc where people are waiting in line behind you.
Nice one! I really like the Simpson-Cardboard-scam. A couple of weeks ago I managed to see this guy live in the Gothic Quarter. And if you keep watching him you can see how his - I guess pinky - finger is provinding the movements to make them "dance" to the music". What about those guys with those colorful flashy things at mostly Las Ramblas or Catalunya? They always shoot those things up in the air and sometimes catch them. Is it merely a distraction for maybe some of their partners?
Scams are one thing but outright thievery is another. I left Barcelona thinking the local constabulary is on the take because the same scoundrels must be working the same areas daily trying to steal.
You can always use a passport card for identification and this is not valid for regular international travel but it’s a valid ID. Leave your passport where no one can get it.
@@PatrickGuideBarcelona they’re still qualifying. Hence the intensity of pickpocket athletes. I am in Barcelona, should have watched your video sooner. Got robbed eating outdoor, it was the paper on top routine. Luckily I took out all my cc and cash before hand at the hotel and left only one cc and 100 euro im my wallet. Albeit i had money stolen once inside the safe deposit box at a hotel i stayed in Prague once. The hotel staff had a master key to open all the safes. Great video, really helpful. ❤
this bracelet could have happened to me eight years ago you must have played in rome black guys. She threw the bracelet at me, and when I grabbed it so that it wouldn't fall to the ground, she cried that she had a child who was also hungry. I gave him back the bracelet. I don't tolerate anyone looking at me as stupid.
I had one guy approaching me and showing his phone which said, ”You are being followed, Watch out!”. He told me he was undercover police that helped tourists, but he was a scammer himself. A colleague of his followed me and my gf for 15 minutes before giving up.
We have just returned from BCN. We were too late to get tickets for the Sagrada, it was sold out on all the official ticket sites. Only one site still had some on offer, albeit overpriced. We took a chance. We finally received an email from China with the tickets attached. Until the very end I thought we had been tricked, but to our astonishment the tickets were actually legitimate. But next time we'll book in advance.
I was tricked by those bracelet in Athens Greece two years ago, the black guy said nice things and put bracelet on my wrist, then asked for 5 Euro.... Now I've travelled more places and learned to stay away from those approach me with a big smile... Will visit Barcelona in March, this helps, thanks for sharing!
Hi patrick. Me and my family are coming from uk to Barcelona via train travel next August. And we will need to get from barcelona sants station to camping castell montgri in estartit. Is they any way we can find out a rough price for a taxi before we get there. Kind regards chris
I know a lot of places want passport information to identify. Will a copy of the passport work? I would rather not walk around with my actual passport. TIA 🙏🏼 Your content is awesome 👍👍👍
It’s something I always recommend when traveling. Keep a copy of your passport and leave the original in a safer spot. What specific places want passport numbers? And thank you!
@@PatrickGuideBarcelonaI remember entering passport numbers for some high speed tickets and places like Alhambra. I don't think any of the Barcelona sites I reserved asked for passport numbers. Thank you Patrick!
The main thing is not to be afraid to be rude. The scammers rely on you being too polite to say NO to them. Be impolite, be as rude as hell to them, a short "F*ck off" or raise your fist to them usually works. Remember, they are trying to steal your hard earned money, don't let them!
What you forgot to say about the people who are mute and try to get you to sign a piece of paper: they will try to pickpocket you underneath their clipboard.
Ah yes, Barcelona, the only place I've had my pocket picked, and that was more than 30 years ago, and Barcelona had that reputation even back then. Shame the authorities are so powerless against crime.
I just came back from Spain yesterday morning. Thank God I even made it considering the IT outages. I wouldn’t want to get near Barcelona. I was in villages along the Camino de Santiago and yes it was wonderful talking to the locals in Spanish and to absorb the culture. Why go to a foreign country and then shun the locals?? You can have Barcelona, not going anywhere near there. If you’re obsessed with the Sagrada Familia, there’s a cathedral in almost any bigger town in Spain and a beautiful small church in every village. Well that’s my point of view but you all do what you want and then regret going there.
Thanks for the great advice, Pat !!! Appreciate it! Quick question… i usually use credit cards to pay anything. Do i need to carry cash with me in Barcelona? Can i get away with credit cards for all places such as restaurants, museums, public transportation etc., ?
when i was in the train station me and my friends were asking some guy for the directions and his friends was with him so i was asking him where he is from while he gave me his phone to write my country name at the same time he was trying to open my bag so i pushed him away and i told the police and i was pointing at him but the funny thing they didn’t do anything they said you can do a report it will take you three days 😮
When I was there in January, some guy on La Rambla was pretty insistent that I take a bracelet. He tried putting it on my and I asked him how much. He kept telling me it was free. I gave it back right away.
Im really nervous about arriving in Madrid Airport. Ill have my dog and my suitcases with me but im afraid that i wont have much awareness and someone will take my luggage or purse or even my dog. Can anyone give some tips about arriving at the airport and how to stay safe. Thank you
In Barcelona if you hire cars or travel in French tax free cars with red Tourist Transit plates beware of Barcelona... Every tourist car becomes a BMW...Break My Window or Stab my Tyre. Both happened to us in 2 days with the car. When you are changing your tyre they come on a motorcycle in traffic and steal bags when you are disabled. We lost nothing with the tyre stab as we were wary and had already lost nearly everything. Left Barcelona with a temporary plastic window and a temporary space saver spare tyre... Headed for tyre centre 100 KMs from Barcelona and then straight for France to get a glass window...
When I was travelling in Barcelona, I did see some people with monks clothing with some paper. Thanks to watching this video, I knew I had to be suspicious of them. I kept a serious face and walked straight, and those people didn't even bother approaching me. Being an Asian solo female traveller, I knew I had a greater chance of being clocked as a tourist, and had a higher chance of being harassed. But nothing happened during my 5-day Barcelona stay. Keeping a resting b*tch face, putting my arm on top of my PacSafe crossbody bag at all times, and looking around every now and then to see no one is too near me did the trick.
Me and my daughters come across the bracelet scammers in Rome, they seem friendly at 1st then become forceful. Yesterday here in Liverpool I saw someone handing out balloons then ask.for money
It's great to be aware of these things, but I have to say I was not bothered at all in Barcelona. I have Spanish ancestry and was speaking Spanish and Catalan the whole time I was there, so not being obviously American probably helped! If you stay away from the Ramblas and can blend in--it's not a big nuisance. The scams and petty theft are nowhere near as intense as what you might experience in Latin America. In addition to a photo of your passport, a picture on your phone of the key pages and/or a scan that you can access in your Google drive is also helpful.
I saw a naked man calmly walking along Las Ramblas, the busiest street in Barcelona, minding his own business. It would have been around 2008 or 2009. A stallholder told me she saw him every day - naked! Actually he was wearing flip flops, so not totally naked. But it did cause some astonishment. I'm not sure Barcelona allows public nudity these days.
will go this February 2025...even though I saw anti tourist protests last week... a Filipina famous vlogger in Barcelona told me that it was just one time protest and mostly against the Brittish... I really want Barcelona...I will take note with is one coz I have a 9yo son
Just tell the scammers they've got more money than you and laugh, they'll disappear fast. Forget the taxis, the local bus from the airport is only $2.55 or the quicker option of the Aerobus is about €7. Taxis are as much a rip off as the scammers.
Be careful at the airport! Went to pick up my rental car, someone tried to tell me there was something wrong with the tire, while his friend reached in the passenger seat for my bag.
Unfortunately that happens elsewhere too
@@PatrickGuideBarcelona no it doesn't
yep, also when you stop the car for red light, do *not* open the window to that nice looking guy or girl who knocks on it - who is going to grab whatever may be visible from the outside. It is also good idea to lock the doors before you leave hotel or whatever.
@@PatrickGuideBarcelonano it doesnt. Never happened to me anywhere. I have been everywhere
@@albertnielsen1154wow. Wherever we go we ALWAYS take convertible. Always. We also have a comvertible and live in the south of France, also touristy place - NEVER HAPPENED
I learned to keep walking and not stop, a firm NO will usually stop them.
Exactly! Good to see you back in the comments again!
This guy, Patrick, is good.
I was "trained" to avoid scams, theft, etc. in Mexico City so I recognized practically everything he talked about, but still learned a trick or two.
Listen carefully to what he says, remember it; and watch the video more than once before you travel to Barcelona (or the Canary Islands).
We literally just arrived in Barcelona tonight and the first thing we saw was your video. Great info even for intrepid travelers. Thanks for posting or should I say "hats off to you!"
Thanks Ken! Hope all is well and you’re enjoying the city!
I’m going to Spain in 3 months me and my family will be going to Barcelona for about 2-3 days my dad told me to research tourist traps and this really helped thanks!
Glad you found it! Enjoy
Money wasted. Barcelona is the worst place in Europe
Be careful at the airport , hundreds of pickpockets are waiting for you
@@miguelvigar3638 lucky enough we’re going on boat!
I am going for the weekend this weekend
Crazy how those scams are EXACTLY the same on other cities. In Berlin we have exactly the same dresses, modus operandi...
Lot of similar things across cities, yes
Mostly done by gypsies. So no suprprise they are the same.
I haven't seen single scam in Berlin during my visit. I literally discovered whole city by walking both in day time and night time.
@@engineer4862 Maybe you look poor! just kidding
I travel a lot. Don't talk to anyone, don't make eye contact and have a focused serious look. Seems to have worked so far 😅
I have that face 😂
That’s my regular slavic face, so i should be fine
That was the lesson for me in Bali, Indonesia! Thank god I am careful enough and can say no even if I did a eye contact 😄
True
I was warned that coming out of Gare du Nord ,that tourists sometimes get mugged ( God knows why the French put a international rail stn in a dump of a Paris area ) .
Anyway me and a buddy been there twice and was showing my daughter pics of us looking round Notre Damme.
She said I can see why you and Colin had no trouble dad !.
She said you both look like muggers in the pics .😂
These are great descriptions of the scams that are out there! A good reminder about using the official websites to book tickets, as when we went to book SF there were so many websites to book thru and it wasn't always easy to see that they were not official.
Great advice. I have been to many major cities in Europe and Barcelona is the only place I encountered a pickpocket. They only got a protein bar because I have learned to make sure the important items are carefully hidden away. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks! Glad it was only a protein bar
I fell for the rose scam when I was a teenager. Three of us girls were walking ahead of the adults. A man approached us and said "a beautiful rose for the beautiful ladies" and handed us each one. We were naive and thought he was being nice, so we took them. Then he hit my mom up for like 20 euros!
Oh no!
Shoulda gave back flowers and said “fuck off” surprisingly the work “fuck” is universal 😇
Never buy or take any , just tell them no sorry no money bye .
Its happened to me last day😅but I told him no thanks 😂
Thank you fo this, I'm visiting in April with my children so im glad we saw this so i can pre warn them about the scams!
You’re welcome! You’ll be fine
In Barcelona now. Yup lots of clowns with balloons!! Got tailed a few times too, but had nothing of value in my backpack & had it clipped tight….so no problem as it turned out.
Barcelona is just gorgeous & wonderful. Worth the effort to visit!!!!!
It’s a great city!
I was once told to be rude with a firm NO to the mimes.
A firm no doesn’t have to be rude! But a solid no will work
Great info..Patrick
I was so prepared to hear the NordVPN ad drop when you started talking about wi-fi security and was pleasantly surprised when it was a legitimate tip.
Wonderful Video!! Thanks for the info.
Thanks Charlie
this was highly informative and with visual evidence, great video
Thank you!
At Orly airport in Paris, a man insisted on offering us a cheap ride in a minivan without any identification. We took a taxi and arrived at the hotel without any problems. Thanks for your tips. Are well appreciated. Thanks for your advice, it is much appreciated.👍
Great tips. The bracelet scams are big here in Vegas with the fake Shaolin monks.
I’m subscribing right now I love the way your explain everything thank you.
Hello Patrick 👋 Thank you so much for the information and tips. We are going to visit Barcelona in April. Your information is very important and helpful. Warm greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪
Hello Patrick 👋, we just returned from Spain 🇪🇸 yesterday. Yes, we visited Barcelona. The first day in Barcelona was hard raining 🌧 but the second day was nice weather. We wandered in the old town. It was a wonderful experience. The paella 🥘 dish is my favourite 😍 😋 👌
Thanks for your advice 👍 🙏 It helped me a lot. Greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪
Patrick, another really helpful video loaded with good information. Thank you
Thanks!
Best not to talk to anyone when you walking around. Just avoid them always no talk no smiles just enjoy your time with your family.
Wow thanks so much. Heading to Barcelona next month for an F1 event. I am happy one in our crew speaks Spanish but I have sent this video out to all attending. I will be leaving my watch at home, wallet in front pocket, staying off the public wifi and picking up some Euros before we arrive. Fantastic video, the comments also have some good advice.
Enjoy it! What a great event
The ability they have to detect their potential victims is crazy. I work near Plaza Cataluña and when I go to work looking like a local they never talk to me but when I'm walking with family or on a weekend I suddenly become a target
😂 it’s interesting isn’t it?
Wow that's what I want to know how to look like a local.
Thank you this was very helpful
Lately there's an Irish guy called Connor (maybe he changes names, dunno). His story is that he came to study at Pompeu Fabra and got his backpack stolen. first is gonna ask you to contact his mom and is gonna make you send a message su some random Irish number and after talking for a while he's gonna start asking you for money to make a phone call home because his phone got stolen. Pure scam, be aware!
I heard this story over and over that's why I know it's a scam, and he always approaches english speaking people!
I would give anyone you phone to use. You never know
I will be going to BCN next month. Thanks so much for the helpful information. 👍🏼
You’re very welcome!
Im coming to Barca next week...thanks tor the tips! Following u now
Barca is a little village at 1000km from Barcelona, I think. If in lowercase it means boat, in Catalan. Just for your information.
I want to thank you for all your useful information. I visited back in February. It was probably the best vacation ever. The taxi from the airport we got from the rank outside the terminal was just over 20 euros and dropped us on La Ramblas near our accommodation. I spent that much time researching for my visit, it honestly felt like I was at home and not a new place I'd never been before. Only dodgy occurrence was in my last few hours and I needed a second helping of the awesome Mascarpone filled croissant from Hofmann's Patisserie. A vagrant looking fellow was stood in a doorway with his hand out. I didn't have any cash and politely said "No" and just kept walking as he shouted "Fil di puta!" at me! I laughed to myself because I understood what he was shouting. He saw me again a little while later while he was stood with a bunch of other men and shouted "Americana puta!" at me. I just had to chuckle to myself! The point is, I did what you recommended and just kept walking. Thanks for your help, Patrick!
Was just there a few weeks ago. These guys are everywhere. More people need to be aware and stop giving them money!
One thing : NEVER respond to stranger offering you something "free" when on vacations.
You are awesome! Muchísimas gracias, el mes que viene voy a estar por toda Espana Y tus consejos me están ayudando mucho
Muchas gracias Adrián!
We arrived due to a late flight into Barecelona pre booked taxi and hotel, No taxi, tried dozens of times to phone the taxi no answer, so went to the Taxi queue which had dozens of taxies, but were sent to the last taxi in the queue which was battered and broken, but needs must, so we set off, he went the Scenic route (ie:- the longest way around) to our hotel, which was shut but after a while of knocking they let us in to a hovel, It was now 03:00 we had a short sleep until 06:00 for another extortianate taxi to take us the half mile to our cruise ship,
After two weeks we returned to Barcelona, and had a day to spend before our flight home, No place to leave our cases for the day until the hotel was available for the night
What a nightmare and will NEVER be back
Yes we had that done to us in Hong Kong. He took the scenic route. 10 minutes journey took 20 minutes. Would have walked but it was monsoon.
That bracelet thing happened to me once in Milan. It was the first and only situation where I was attempted to get scammed, so I was a bit confused during this situation and let him tie the bracelet around my forearm. Of course he asked for money afterwards. But thankfully, he remained nice even after I refused to give it to him. And I even got the bracelet off of my arm myself (without scissors). Ever since, I'm not falling for this again!
Great video!
Thank you!
Another Most enjoyable Video thanks Den, I Noticed after you mentioned about going Up Hill, next we saw you Both Going Down hill, Well done, thanks for sharing, I,ll do that now too. Dad.
I got done with the bracelet scam a few years back. There are always four or five guys standing at the end of la ramblas near Christopher columbus state. Now i just cross over on to the side walk
Yep, that’s a common spot for them
I'm an introvert, so I'd never fall for some of this 😂 Thailand is the same, though. A random dude with a lizard distracted us while he took my friends phone off the table. But like that's obvious, don't leave your stuff on the table.
the bracelet scam is also in Rome. the ATM's branded "ATM" are also in other countries
Great job Bro. We fell for the jokers who gave us the heart ballon
Count you change at shops. Some sellers try to trick tourists giving less change, especially at groceries etc where people are waiting in line behind you.
Fell for the bracelet scam in Venice, never again will I let that happen
Uh oh!
Same but in Rome 😩
Great information, thank you
You bet!
Thanks for the feedback, going in April.
Were you safe?
Nice one!
I really like the Simpson-Cardboard-scam. A couple of weeks ago I managed to see this guy live in the Gothic Quarter. And if you keep watching him you can see how his - I guess pinky - finger is provinding the movements to make them "dance" to the music".
What about those guys with those colorful flashy things at mostly Las Ramblas or Catalunya? They always shoot those things up in the air and sometimes catch them. Is it merely a distraction for maybe some of their partners?
With their pinkies? The flashy flying things, I don’t think are anything
Scams are one thing but outright thievery is another. I left Barcelona thinking the local constabulary is on the take because the same scoundrels must be working the same areas daily trying to steal.
You can always use a passport card for identification and this is not valid for regular international travel but it’s a valid ID. Leave your passport where no one can get it.
I very helpfull video 👍 Thank you.
Thanks bro. Love you loads.
much appreciated!
Pickpocket is an olympic sport in Barcelona
I don’t think that was accepted for the 2028 games 😂😂
@@PatrickGuideBarcelona they’re still qualifying. Hence the intensity of pickpocket athletes. I am in Barcelona, should have watched your video sooner. Got robbed eating outdoor, it was the paper on top routine. Luckily I took out all my cc and cash before hand at the hotel and left only one cc and 100 euro im my wallet.
Albeit i had money stolen once inside the safe deposit box at a hotel i stayed in Prague once. The hotel staff had a master key to open all the safes.
Great video, really helpful. ❤
@charlese665 sorry to hear that! Stay safe and enjoy!
It is so embarrassing 😢
this bracelet could have happened to me eight years ago you must have played in rome black guys. She threw the bracelet at me, and when I grabbed it so that it wouldn't fall to the ground, she cried that she had a child who was also hungry. I gave him back the bracelet. I don't tolerate anyone looking at me as stupid.
Whenever someone tries to put something In my hand I didn’t ask for it goes on the ground
We reconsider our holiday and are going somewhere else, thanks.
Where are you going?
@@PatrickGuideBarcelona Switzerland 👍🏼
Hello mate just a quick one what is it like wearing watches? Is it safe to do so?
I would say it depends on the watch
I had one guy approaching me and showing his phone which said, ”You are being followed, Watch out!”. He told me he was undercover police that helped tourists, but he was a scammer himself. A colleague of his followed me and my gf for 15 minutes before giving up.
We have just returned from BCN. We were too late to get tickets for the Sagrada, it was sold out on all the official ticket sites. Only one site still had some on offer, albeit overpriced. We took a chance. We finally received an email from China with the tickets attached. Until the very end I thought we had been tricked, but to our astonishment the tickets were actually legitimate. But next time we'll book in advance.
I was tricked by those bracelet in Athens Greece two years ago, the black guy said nice things and put bracelet on my wrist, then asked for 5 Euro.... Now I've travelled more places and learned to stay away from those approach me with a big smile... Will visit Barcelona in March, this helps, thanks for sharing!
You're welcome!
Oooh, this was so interesting. Thank you! I'll be aire to pack balloons for the kids then. Stupid question. How do you not look like a tourist?
Hi patrick. Me and my family are coming from uk to Barcelona via train travel next August. And we will need to get from barcelona sants station to camping castell montgri in estartit. Is they any way we can find out a rough price for a taxi before we get there. Kind regards chris
You can Google the distance and it might tell you an estimated cost in maps
Thanx for awareness had no clue nor that its prevalent in other countries
Or feeding pigeons in Venice, some guy gave us some rice to feed them, and then asked for 5 euros🤨
Triying to selling roses is not at scam. For the rest, you are right, good work.
Thank you Roberto
Yes it is a scam, they practically make you take it
I know a lot of places want passport information to identify. Will a copy of the passport work? I would rather not walk around with my actual passport. TIA 🙏🏼 Your content is awesome 👍👍👍
It’s something I always recommend when traveling. Keep a copy of your passport and leave the original in a safer spot. What specific places want passport numbers? And thank you!
@@PatrickGuideBarcelonaI remember entering passport numbers for some high speed tickets and places like Alhambra. I don't think any of the Barcelona sites I reserved asked for passport numbers. Thank you Patrick!
The main thing is not to be afraid to be rude. The scammers rely on you being too polite to say NO to them.
Be impolite, be as rude as hell to them, a short "F*ck off" or raise your fist to them usually works. Remember, they are trying to steal your hard earned money, don't let them!
Thank you Patrick's
👍🏼👍🏼
Is Sant Pere a safe area to book accommodation when travelling alone (I am female)
No, beware, there are crocodiles on the sewers.
🏹
What you forgot to say about the people who are mute and try to get you to sign a piece of paper: they will try to pickpocket you underneath their clipboard.
Thanks, that was actually part of the dont sign anything section
Why would any tourist want to sign a paper to bring about changes or whatever?😂😂😂
@@rebeccagutierrez1960 I guess people just don't want to be mean and are taken aback by someone being deaf/mute.
Hi where can I find the official sites for tickets pls.
Thanks next month is our trip to barcelona i am ready but careful❤from israel❤
Have fun!
Ah yes, Barcelona, the only place I've had my pocket picked, and that was more than 30 years ago, and Barcelona had that reputation even back then. Shame the authorities are so powerless against crime.
They may be in on it.
I am really worried about pickpockets in Spain and Portugal
I always say don’t be worried, just be aware
I just came back from Spain yesterday morning. Thank God I even made it considering the IT outages. I wouldn’t want to get near Barcelona. I was in villages along the Camino de Santiago and yes it was wonderful talking to the locals in Spanish and to absorb the culture. Why go to a foreign country and then shun the locals?? You can have Barcelona, not going anywhere near there. If you’re obsessed with the Sagrada Familia, there’s a cathedral in almost any bigger town in Spain and a beautiful small church in every village. Well that’s my point of view but you all do what you want and then regret going there.
Thanks for the great advice, Pat !!! Appreciate it! Quick question… i usually use credit cards to pay anything. Do i need to carry cash with me in Barcelona? Can i get away with credit cards for all places such as restaurants, museums, public transportation etc., ?
In almost all cases you won’t need cash. You can always take some out, but you don’t need a lot.
@@PatrickGuideBarcelona cool, thanks!
7:05 how could they NOT charge for what you consume??
when i was in the train station me and my friends were asking some guy for the directions and his friends was with him so i was asking him where he is from while he gave me his phone to write my country name at the same time he was trying to open my bag so i pushed him away and i told the police and i was pointing at him but the funny thing they didn’t do anything they said you can do a report it will take you three days 😮
3:19 that happened to me in italy and we he was so forecful and acted kind we couldnt do anything and had to pay 20 euros
When I was there in January, some guy on La Rambla was pretty insistent that I take a bracelet. He tried putting it on my and I asked him how much. He kept telling me it was free. I gave it back right away.
They always say it’s free
Im really nervous about arriving in Madrid Airport. Ill have my dog and my suitcases with me but im afraid that i wont have much awareness and someone will take my luggage or purse or even my dog. Can anyone give some tips about arriving at the airport and how to stay safe. Thank you
These clown scammers and the white faced pic takers were in full gear Nov 1st 2024. Thanks for the heads up. We managed to avoid all the scams
In Barcelona if you hire cars or travel in French tax free cars with red Tourist Transit plates beware of Barcelona... Every tourist car becomes a BMW...Break My Window or Stab my Tyre.
Both happened to us in 2 days with the car. When you are changing your tyre they come on a motorcycle in traffic and steal bags when you are disabled. We lost nothing with the tyre stab as we were wary and had already lost nearly everything. Left Barcelona with a temporary plastic window and a temporary space saver spare tyre... Headed for tyre centre 100 KMs from Barcelona and then straight for France to get a glass window...
North Africans?
Be careful of the touchy feely ones as well. Don't wear watches or jewellery of value. Buy a 'my first watch' if you really need to tell the time
I'm leaving tomorrow for Spain and spending a full day in Barcelona
Nice!
can i buy tickets for la sagrada familia tickets in place ?
You need to buy them online
Pickpockets are no joke, we caught one redhanded on the metro, thankfully didn’t steal anything, but just fyi. Love spain but jeez.
When I was travelling in Barcelona, I did see some people with monks clothing with some paper. Thanks to watching this video, I knew I had to be suspicious of them. I kept a serious face and walked straight, and those people didn't even bother approaching me.
Being an Asian solo female traveller, I knew I had a greater chance of being clocked as a tourist, and had a higher chance of being harassed. But nothing happened during my 5-day Barcelona stay. Keeping a resting b*tch face, putting my arm on top of my PacSafe crossbody bag at all times, and looking around every now and then to see no one is too near me did the trick.
Don't want to be pestered??? Don't go to Barcelona! SIMPLE AS THAT 👍
Me and my daughters come across the bracelet scammers in Rome, they seem friendly at 1st then become forceful.
Yesterday here in Liverpool I saw someone handing out balloons then ask.for money
I was lost one day in barcelona and whenever i asked someone they thought im a pick pocket 😂
It's great to be aware of these things, but I have to say I was not bothered at all in Barcelona. I have Spanish ancestry and was speaking Spanish and Catalan the whole time I was there, so not being obviously American probably helped! If you stay away from the Ramblas and can blend in--it's not a big nuisance. The scams and petty theft are nowhere near as intense as what you might experience in Latin America. In addition to a photo of your passport, a picture on your phone of the key pages and/or a scan that you can access in your Google drive is also helpful.
Great advice!
I saw a naked man calmly walking along Las Ramblas, the busiest street in Barcelona, minding his own business. It would have been around 2008 or 2009. A stallholder told me she saw him every day - naked! Actually he was wearing flip flops, so not totally naked. But it did cause some astonishment. I'm not sure Barcelona allows public nudity these days.
Go to Milan. Its cleaner, safer and better policed. Was in Barcelona 6 months ago, Milan last week.
but not nicer!
@@jozefknezo1606 In Milan you are welcome.
Looking for a good VPN
Expressvpn
will go this February 2025...even though I saw anti tourist protests last week... a Filipina famous vlogger in Barcelona told me that it was just one time protest and mostly against the Brittish... I really want Barcelona...I will take note with is one coz I have a 9yo son
I would just avoid Las Ramblas altogether tbh 😅
I wouldn’t avoid it, but it’s not the place you need to spend your entire trip
@@PatrickGuideBarcelona true, it’s kinda hard to totally avoid it, especially on the way to the beach 🏝️
Solución simple: no lleves dinero en efectivo. Paga siempre con tarjeta.
Just tell the scammers they've got more money than you and laugh, they'll disappear fast. Forget the taxis, the local bus from the airport is only $2.55 or the quicker option of the Aerobus is about €7. Taxis are as much a rip off as the scammers.
I am sticking with Asia, better money power and less stress.
I never travel with more than $250 in my pocket. Just use a credit card.