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Q: What's the safest way to carry day items with you in the city? (Camera, wallet, ID, sunglasses, water, etc.) What is a bumbag? Is it a knapsack worn on the back?
A: The first rule is to only take around the things you need for the day. In terms of cash, take just the amount of money you need. Take one credit card and leave a backup in the hotel safe. Money and credit cards are best carried round in a money belt. For other small items simply carry around an ordinary-looking "day bag" this way no one can tell what is in the bag. Keep valuables out of sight whenever you can. If you have a camera, keep it in the day bag and do not have it slung around your neck or in a camera bag. You can put the camera in the camera bag to protect it from knocks but put this in your day bag. This will avoid showing you have a camera. It is possible for someone to bag snatch, but it is less likely that a normal-looking bag will be snatched over a camera bag.
Another tip is to distribute your cash etc. amongst the members of your group. In this way, if someone is unfortunate enough to have been pickpocketed, at least you have someone else in your group who has cash or a credit card.
The term "Bumbag" also known as "Fanny Pack" is a small pouch-sized bag that sits around your waist and has a belt with clips that keep it in place. Although convenient for storing sunglasses, wallets and small items, they are also easy to remove without you noticing. If you wish to use a Bumbag, we recommend you wear it over your shoulder instead of around your waist.
The safest way to carry your belongings is covered in our Barcelona Safety article. The article also covers many other aspects of personal safety in Barcelona. Please see the link below to read the article:
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