The Unique Spots In Europe Where Theft Is Least Likely, According To Rick Steves

If you've been looking for a European getaway and are trying to decide where to go, you may have looked checked out some tips on how to avoid pickpockets in Europe. While keeping your wits about you and watching your things is important no matter where you travel, travel pro Rick Steves knows some surprising places in Europe where theft is least likely: campgrounds. He says on his website, "Campgrounds are remarkably low-theft. Campings are full of basically honest, middle-class European families, and someone's at the gate all day. Most people just leave their gear in their vans or zipped inside their tents." (He explains that "campings" is the international word for campgrounds.) 

While it's still a good idea to take precautions with your things, European campgrounds are relatively safe for a few reasons. First, Steves says that camping isn't quite the same in Europe as it is in America. It's generally less private, meaning that there are fewer opportunities for thieves to enter your site unobserved. He explains, "Camping in Europe is more a social experience than a chance to retreat to nature. There, it's the middle-class family way to travel, and it's cheap." You merely show your passport, fill out a form, and look at the rules before checking in. That said, even Rick Steves has been pickpocketed in a few European cities, so we have some tips to keep your belongings safe. 

Campgrounds in Europe may have less crime because the tent sites, RV parking areas, and cabins are often closer together than we're used to. It's not really getting away from others so much as getting away from your everyday life. There are often security guards or gates. These sites have a different vibe, often with more amenities than the average American campground, with some featuring mini-water parks, mini-golf, and restaurants in addition to laundry facilities and showers. Steves says, "Larger campgrounds may have a grocery store and café (a likely camp hangout with an easygoing European social scene)." Steves recommends finding campings at Eurocamp.co.uk and CanvasHolidays.co.uk. Of course, you can upgrade and go glamping or try "turn-key" camping, which are "sites already set up with a tent, trailer, or mobile home and outfitted with linens and kitchen gear," according to Steves.

Of course, this doesn't mean you should just throw caution to the wind. While a campground may be less of a draw for thieves than a high-end hotel or national monument where tourists are wearing flashy clothing, people are still people. To protect yourself and your items, consider these safety tips while backpacking. Don't bring valuables with you. If you do have cash, carry it in a money belt or an unexpected hiding place, like the inside of an empty chapstick tube, an opaque shampoo bottle, or an empty butter tub. Just make sure you don't accidentally throw them out.