yes

yea, really stupid i guess for probably looking the other direction for about 3 seconds. People shouldn't have to walk around on guard 24/7 holding everything infront of them. Thats what i did for the rest of my time and it was pretty annoying. Can't say iv ever been to a rugby game before where the only people in the big que for tickets outside the ground are all people who have had them stolen.

been back less than 24 hours(neede to catch up on lost sleep)

i witnessed and spoke to numerous people affected by crime, barcelona is probably one of the worst cities i have been to for crime, i only spent 2 days there, choosing to spend time in perpignan in the days before and after the match, they had a huge music festival all over the town, it was fantastic on the sunday night, stages all over the town with different styles of music from jazz to thrash metal.

i've been to hamburg amsterdam sydney aukland london and glasgow on a sat night but barcelona is a pit of crime in comparison, it's so blatant in other cities if you catch a pick pocket in your pocket they would appear to show remorse, in barca they just smile and shrug their shoulders. then they return and try again, we were sat outside a bar and a pickpocket repeatedly came back and tried his luck, the waiter had warned us and told him to do one, it got to the stage where i had to threaten violence before he'd leave, ironically he returned with a friend later!
i had to clench my fists stand up and spit profanities at them, they weighed it up and sauntered of.
i was in a group of 6 and thought the whole thing was worrying.

i had very little money on me, no phone or wallet, no pocket on my wire shorts (cash in socks) and a pretty savvy traveller but believe the people who compare warrington and manchester to barcelona are total dingbats, wake up and smell the roses (pushed in your face by a morrocan)

it was blatant, our hotel was near the police station which had a long line of people waiting to report crimes 24 hours of the day! all nationalities all ages.


that aside i had a brilliant time

No, we shouldn't, but in that area it i well known that you do.

As you (I think) pointed out earlier that you would have to put yourself in a dangerous situation in this country, well that is what we all did by hanging around on the Ramblas. It is well known, and is mentioned on pretty every tourist site.

If you went to Sydney for Rugby and stayed in Kings Cross for example you would have to take the same care, and the point that it is annoying is irellevent (although I must admit Kings Cross was nowhere near as bas as Ramblas)

Ramblas isn't in England, it is well known how bad it was, and it was as bad as had been stated in advance (maybe worse based on the aggression).

When complaining about Barcelona, people need to look at where they were. My hotel was about 1k from Ramblas, and it was very safe round there. If you were in Ramblas, you were in a dangerous location, and you had to take precaution, no matter how annoying it might be.

Does it open up onto the beach? Are the bar staff dressed in the most minimal of bikins? If so, I have been there and it is flippin brilliant.

I know Becky. A bloke ran off with my wallet on first night at top of La Rambla near Catalunya Square. Luckily I realised quickly and chased him and he dropped it. It's a crime hot bed. A great weekend though, with the match, Olympic Stadium, the Nou Camp and the city tour, plus some great bars, making it special.

I've not been Barcelona for years (I was only little).

If La Rambla has such a bad reputation for crime and other trouble...Why didn't people go elsewhere? It's a big enough city...

because it was probably most peoples first time there

I think people knew there was crime there but nowhere near as bad as is was when seen at first hand, I was only in Barca for the day of the game and we had no trouble, but i have never seen so many down and out junkie waste of space low life scum in any other major city.....but Salou was fantastic.

i knew of it's rep personally so i took precautions ie split my money into 4 pockets and left all my jewellery at home i had the luxury of my mates son lived there for over a year and also i'm a big bloke so i didn't really get approached apart from the "tom's" but you live and learn and most will be prepared for it next time

I didnt go to Barcelona but I was gutted today when one of my close work colleagues returned to work who had been .................. they had a great time ............ apart from the fact that on the train he had his wallet stolen and he knows exactly how it was done ( woman with pram one side . he makes way for her .. wallet stolen from other side in the crush) ........... but it was so quick at the time ................ fortunately he had only taken enough money for the game day and had enough to see him through his remaining stay .............but it was still a pain to get his cards stopped etc.

Having said that ............ he said he would go again next year they had a great time!

Yeah, the trains were packed, unfortunately because I was so cynical of everybody it meant I was probably really rude to everybody. Nobody was getting past where I was stood on the train.

You really had to keep your hand in your pocket with your valuables in there. No reason (or excuse) for having it in a pocket or bag without you holding it unfortunately.