As I already told
you, Lisbon is a safe
city. One of the safest
capitals of all Europe. No doubt.
But still,
you always have to be careful.
I don't
mean to scare you with this page. That's not it. At all.
But,
unfortunately I see some tourists being conned by some pickpockets
because they are unaware.
My best advice is: Always
play safe and be alert!
Thieves are looking for distracted
people and avoid the confrontation with someone who is alert.
These "street artists" (pickpockets) are always looking for an
opportunity to deceive
you and take your belongings.
Some
of the following Lisbon safety tips may seem too obvious, but the truth
is that when
we are on vacation we tend to relax, "switch off" and not pay to
proper
attention to our belongings and to what's happening right beside us.
Please read the following Lisbon safety tips.
My
10 Lisbon
Safety Tips
1
- Never
carry too much money with you and don't show it off.
Try
to calculate how much you'll need for the day and leave the rest of the
money in your hotel safe or in any safe place.
If you need to carry a
significant amount of money, don't carry it in your wallet. That's an
easy target. Just hide it well.
The
best thing is to keep small amounts of money separated. Then when you
need to pay for something, you don't have to take it all out all of
your wallet.
2 - Don't
carry your money and your tickets in your bag.
Keep
them separated from the other belongings and from each other.
If you
have one of those little bags that you can wear under your shirt or
sweater, great. Put it there and always carry this bag in front of you.
3 - Don't show off your cameras
or
other expensive items by having them hung around your neck.
Keep
your valuable items out of sight. Put your camera in your inside jacket
pocket.
If it's too big for this then put it in a small bag (but not a
camera bag - choose an ordinary day bag).
Have the bag strap go
diagonally over your neck and shoulder so that it goes under your arm
- this makes it much more difficult for someone to snatch your bag.
Remember to keep the bag in front of you - not at your side.
4 -
Be careful with your haversack.
Don't
carry your haversack on your back, especially when you are using the
Metro
and other public transportations.
This will be an easy target for
Pickpockets. If you use one, wear it the other way around placing the
bag in front of you.
5 -
Pay attention to your belongongs while you are in Restaurants or Cafés.
This
is where we tend to relax more. After all we are having a drink or a
meal and we just want to enjoy it without having to worry about
anything else.
I know what it is like. I've been there. But you don't want to make
these "street artists" life easier.
Always pay attention to your belongings and never leave them
unattended.
If you want or need to leave them
for a while, ensure that they are secured in such a way that it would
be hard for them to be
picked up.
Also, don't leave your wallet in your jacket if you put it on the back
of a chair.
6 -
Play safe in the public transportations.
If
you are using one of the public transportations (Train, Metro or Bus)
you must be especially careful. These are the favourite places for
Pick pocketing.
This happens because these transportations are sometimes full
and so there can be
legitimate reasons for someone to press up against you or to
be in close vicinity to you, like getting on or off.
7 -
Avoid walking in dark isolated back streets, especially if you are
alone.
Once again, be cautious!
Don't go into the old neighbourhoods at night,
except if this is a place of night life with people on the streets like
Bairro Alto.
Even there you should always try to go with company.
Dark
isolated back streets are places to avoid even if you're not
alone.
8 - Avoid the
accumulation of people or at least be alert.
Sometimes, you can be attracted to an accumulation of people prepared
to distract you.
Be alert and keep your bag, your camera and
your wallet secure. Not all accumulation of people is a scam but you
should
always
be alert.
If someone is gambling in the street or trying to guess something (like
which cup has the ball), don't enter the game.
It is a scam! You won't
win and they will take your money. Just walk away.
Remember that if it sounds too good to be true,
it probably is.
9 - Enjoy the beaches wisely.
When
on the beach do not leave your belongings unattended.
If you're going
to do some sunbathing, running on the beach or just take a dive in the
ocean be sure to leave any valuables locked up in
the hotel safe or any other safe place.
10 - Make
sure you have a travel insurance policy.
And don't forget to fully understand all your obligations and meet the
terms of the policy before you leave your country.
Some policies demand
that you prove the value of the things you are ensuring with the
respective receipts.
After reading the Lisbon Safety Tips I must say to you once again that Lisbon is
a safe city. You shouldn't expect to robbed. But please,
be
cautious.
I want you to have only good memories and happy stories to tell your
friends about Lisbon. And that will be very easy if you follow these
Lisbon safety tips.
Also, it helps if you blend with the locals and avoid those tourist
typical clothes that drive too much attention.
Know what I
mean? Too
colourful shirts and so on... Even with a high temperature...
If you are
considering driving in Lisbon, be sure to read the Drive
in Lisbon article.
Lisbon Emergency Information
In case of emergency you have these resources available to you:
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