• Maintain a low profile, blending in with other the best you can not drawing attention to yourself
• Use your best judgment
• Be patient, polite and respectful of others
• If you don't feel comfortable in your environment, leave
• Don't do something you are unsure of or something that makes you feel uneasy
• Play it safe and don't take chances
• In general, stay with the tourist crowds avoiding shady areas that may be unsafe
• Remember that some locations may be safe during the day while less safe at night
• Be aware of your environment and potential exit points should something unforeseen occur
• Be aware of scammers and thieves offering to help you when you have not asked

Wearing your colors

When you travel, do your best to fit and and not draw attention to yourself.  As proud as you may be, the best practice when travelling abroad is to maintain a low profile and that means not wearing your countries attire or emblems; this means t-shirts, hats, pins, etc.  It's sad that we must be so discrete, but it's a safe and smart practice.  Whatever your nationality, you could become an easy target for others who do not look upon you favorably.  You do not want to become a victim of any type of crime, violent or non-violent.  Fortunately when traveling around Europe, in most places you will be able to blend right in and no one will know the difference other than perhaps you look like a typical tourist, but tourists are usually everywhere.

Using your phone or camera while on a train/subway or other crowded environments

The following may be something you have not given much thought to, but it does happen and is something you should be aware of.

When you are in crowded situations using your phone, camera or other items, it's very easy to become distracted.  When you are distracted, or even aware of your surroundings, professional thieves can often easily make off with your valuables.  It's very easy for someone and perhaps younger kids to quickly run by and snatch something out of your hand before you even realize what has happened.  Professional thieves know their routine and have timing down to an art.  They can easily run by you, grab your phone or camera and exit the train right as the doors are closing, leaving you powerless to do anything.

To be safe, keep your valuables stowed away until it's safe to take them out.

Train/Subway Specific

Do not use your phone or camera until the doors have shut and the train is moving to avoid the scenario described above.

Do not set valuables on the seat next to you until it's absolutely safe to do so - when the doors have shut and the train is moving.

Never leave valuables unattended, not even in your bag should you leave your seat - take them with you.

Backpacks

See our page on Backpacks on Public Transportation for additional security information when traveling with a backpack.

Stories from our travels

In some locations, you will be able to blend right in while in other locations there is absolutely nothing you can do to disguise the fact that you are not from around the area.

In all our travels, we have never run into any issues with locals not liking American's, but we have some humorous stores to tell.

On our trip to Sardinia Italy, I was talking with a man sitting next to us on the plane.  We were talking about travel and he was telling us about Sardinia.  He asked if we were American's and we said yes.  He then said that people in Italy like American's but they just didn't care for our president at the time - George W. Bush.

When we were in India, we toured many temples, churches and mosques to experience the different religions and ceremonies - although in Hindi we did not comprehend much.  At the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Sikh Temple in Delhi, we were sitting and observing all that was going on around us when an older man (on the far right on the center photo) walked over and sat down next to me.  He looked at me and asked 'American'?  I said yes and he gave me a 'Thumbs Up' gesture and said 'George Bush'.  He then walked away and sat down at another location.  This still makes me laugh, the fact that he spoke any English at all and that he liked our President.  The photos below are a little blurry as I could not use my flash inside the temple.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Sikh Temple - Delhi, India

Off the beaten path

Travel is about the fun and excitement that comes with exploring strange new places of which many are off the beaten path.  Here we are not necessarily talking about the out-of-the-way towns you may visit, but rather the places you may explore in larger locations that are away from the typical tourist areas.  In general, most cities are going to be safe, especially during the day when people are out and about, but you should still use caution when venturing away from the tourist areas.

On a Shoulder Season trip to Sardinia Italy, there was a remote beach we had heard about that was within walking distance of our hotel.  The short route to reach the beach required walking through some shady areas of an industrial area following the rail tracks.  This was one of those decision times.  Was it worth the risk of walking through some unknown area where no one was round to reach a secluded beach?  Should we venture out, or play it safe and enjoy the beaches close by our hotel?  In this case, we decided to play it safe and stick to the areas where there were other people.  During this time of year, the crowds were gone and the island was virtually deserted.  Perhaps during the peak season when the area is crowded with tourists, making the walk is more commonplace and safe.

Golfo Aranci

Olbia on the Island of Sardinia, Italy

There are times and places where it's perfectly safe to wander in secluded areas, but in general, stay with the crowds and go where the tourists go.

Many excellent restaurants will be found away from the tourist areas - if the locals are eating there, the food must be good.

There are times that the only way to see something specific is to venture through unknown streets and alleyways to find them.

Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo - Venice, Italy

If you travel to Venice, try to find the Bovolo (spiral staircase) in the Palazzo Contarini.  In order to get here, you must follow the yellow arrows from Manin square, down the Calle della Mandola. En route, you will be able to experience at first hand, the peculiarities of Venetian dimensions: some of the alleyways which lead you here are so narrow, two people cannot go down them side by side.

Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo

Venice, Italy

San Pietro in Vincoli (Saint Peter in Chains) Basilica - Rome, Italy

This is something you kind of have to know about and explicitly look for as it's not something you would just stumble on to.  Of everything in Rome, this should be at the top of your list.  If you plan to visit, be aware of the basilica's opening hours.

The basilica is best known for being the home of Michelangelo's magnificent statue of Moses.  It's actually a short walk from the Coliseum requiring you to pass through a narrow walkway to a church that is hidden among other buildings.

Michelangelo's Moses (completed 1515), while originally intended as part of a massive 47-statue, free-standing funeral monument for Pope Julius II, became the centerpiece of the Pope's funeral monument and tomb in this, his family's church (della Rovere family).  Moses is depicted with horns, as opposed to "the radiance of the Lord", due to the similarity in the Hebrew between the word for "beams of light" and "horns". This kind of iconographic symbolism was common in early sacred art, and in this case was easier for the sculptor (as sculpting concrete horns is easier than sculpting rays of light) and would have been understood by all who saw it as referring to the radiance of Moses' face; they would not have actually thought that he had horns.

Also known as the Basilica Eudoxiana, it was first built in 432-440 to house the relic of the Chains that Bound Saint Peter when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem. According to legend, when the Empress Eudoxia (wife of Emperor Valentinian III) gifted the chains to Pope Leo I, while he compared them to the chains of St. Peter's final imprisonment in the Mamertine Prison in Rome, the two chains miraculously fused together. The chains are kept in a reliquary under the main altar in the basilica.

Michelangelo's Moses	Chains that bound Saint Peter
San Pietro in Vincoli Basilica - Rome, Italy

Exploring day and night

Some sites should be seen during the day as well as at night.  This is something to consider when visiting a town and contemplating staying the night.  There are places where it's entirely safe to be during the daylight hours, but can be rather sketchy during the night.  In the large city of Budapest Hungary there were areas we explored during the day but avoided at night.  However, some places in Budapest were a must see during the night.  For example, at night the Fisherman's Bastion on Castle Hill as well as some other areas were not to be missed.  We found that sticking to the major tourist areas at night was completely safe.

Fisherman's Bastion - Castle Hill
Budapest, Hungary

In larger cities such as Rome and Paris, it's fun to wander back alleys and side streets during the day, but at night it may be better to stick to the tourist areas where you will find larger crowds late into the evening.

Some smaller towns are a must to explore during the day as well as at night.  In towns such as Rothenburg Germany where there is no crime, it's fun to walk the town and the Medieval Wall even in the wee hours of the night.  There is nothing like exploring and walking the wall late at night while contemplating the towns medieval history and all that has gone on there over the years.

Rothenburg, Germany

Fitting In

You should try to blend in the best you can and not draw attention to yourself but there will always be places that no matter what you do, you are just not going to fit in and you will stand out like a sore thumb.  When you are in these places, it's important to be patient, polite and respectful of others.  You will find that in general most people are friendly and even willing to help you if you have questions or are confused about something.

Can you find the tourist in the photos?
Delhi, India	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	The Great Wall - Badaling, China

Terrorism

There have been many incidents where terrorists have targeted large groups of innocent people.  Attacks are random and can come in many forms as we have all become aware of.  From bombings, random shootings and knife attacks to driving a vehicle down a crowded sidewalk.  So what can you do in these situations?  Unfortunately sometimes you may not be able to do anything at all when you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.  If someone has planted an explosive somewhere and you are in the vicinity when it goes off, there won't be any warning and there will be nothing you can do.

Be aware of your environment and if possible, do your best to avoid anything that looks suspicious.  If you are walking in a crowded area, look ahead for ways out or places to duck into should something happen.  If you will be crossing a bridge, look for escape possibilities or obstacles that may protect you from a terrorist attack.  When these things happen, you will have little time to think and just have to react.  Take a minute to analyze your surroundings ahead of time looking for possible escape routes should they be necessary.

Remember, terrorist attacks can happen anywhere.  They happen not only in Europe but all around the globe as well as in the United States.  It seems no where and no one is immune to the attacks.  Research the locations you plan to visit prior to planning your trip and again prior to departure.  There are some places a certain times that should be avoided entirely.  For example, when the riots were taking place in Cairo Egypt, it was not a place for any tourist to be.  Check the government site listed below for travel advisories where you will also find an app you can download to your Smartphone giving you travel advisory updates.

The following website provides travel advisory information

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html

Arriving Early

When we plan a trip where we will be visiting different locations, we always try to arrive at each new destination during the daylight hours.  If possible, arrive in the morning or mid-day so people are out and about and you are not trying to find your hotel in the dark.  You will feel much safer and secure walking around a strange new place during the day than at night.  Although most hotels will allow you to store your backpack should you arrive prior to check in time, arriving in the early afternoon is preferable allowing you to find your hotel, check in and drop off your packs in your room before heading out to explore.