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 bagsnatch 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 amongs 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 very easy to remove without you noticing. If you wish to use a Bumbag we recommend you wear it over your shoulder instead of round your waist. 


The safest way to carry your belongings is covered in our Barcelona Safety article. The article also covers many other aspects on personal safety in Barcelona. Please see the link below to read the article:

Personal Safety in Barcelona