It was my third day in Athens. The group was finally complete, and we had no plans for the afternoon, so we decided to head to the city center to do some shopping. I was equipped with my comfortable rubber shoes, a crossbody bag with a zipper, a small wallet, and what I thought were watchful eyes.
We had heard multiple stories about tourists being pickpocketed, and I had watched hundreds of TikTok videos where people shouted, “Attenzione! Pickpocket!” warning everyone nearby that a group with bad intentions was close by. I had almost become a victim once before in Vienna. Inside St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Easter Sunday, of all places. Imagine my disgust when I caught a young woman trying to open my bag while I was busy taking photos of the magnificent cathedral. I remember looking at her and saying sharply, “Really? Inside a church? On Easter Sunday?” She scurried off as I warned the people around me to be careful.
I never imagined lightning would strike twice, and that this time, the thief would succeed.
The incident
Since the weather had been unpredictable, one day hot and the next almost freezing, we decided to buy a few things to survive whatever climate mood swings Greece planned to throw our way. I wanted nothing expensive, just pieces good enough for the trip because my luggage was already heavy to begin with.
We walked into H&M. Almost immediately, I noticed several policemen lingering around the store. It made me think that perhaps this place was a hotspot for these blood-sucking sons of… well, you know. Anyway, we did not stay too long. The store was crowded, and it was starting to get hot. We were lined up at the cashier when I reached for my wallet and noticed my bag was already unzipped. My mint green Chanel wallet was gone.
I hurried to the police, and, lo and behold, none of them could speak English. They were of zero help. I instantly knew what I had to do. Cancel all my cards, which I did, and accept the fact that I would now be entirely dependent on my sister and friends for the rest of the trip.
Unfortunately, part of the tourist experience
Not a day has passed that I have not thought about the incident. I felt violated. My driver’s license, credit and debit cards, business cards, euros and pesos… all gone.
After I posted on Instagram about what happened, I was shocked by the number of messages that came pouring in. Pickpocketing has almost become part of the warning label attached to famous tourist destinations. So many people shared that they, too, had been pickpocketed in Athens. Some lost wallets. Others lost passports, phones, and even luxury watches. One friend told me she did not even realize her bag had been opened until she got back to her hotel. Another said it happened while boarding the train. It suddenly became clear to me that this was not some isolated incident. It has practically become part of the tourist experience that nobody puts in the brochures.
Truthfully, this is not exactly new information. Anyone who has traveled around certain parts of Europe has probably heard stories like these before. Pickpocketing has almost become part of the warning label attached to famous tourist destinations. But perhaps after hearing these stories too many times, we become a little too relaxed, thinking it will happen to somebody else and not to us. I know I did.
So I hope this article serves as a refreshed reminder to those traveling soon. Stay alert. Hold your bags tighter. Do not assume that because you are careful, you are already safe.
What thieves really steal
But what surprised me most was not the loss of money. It was the loss of confidence. For days after, every time someone walked too close to me, I would instinctively grab my bag. Every sudden movement made me suspicious. A vacation that was supposed to make me feel relaxed suddenly had me moving around like a paranoid detective in comfortable sneakers.
And perhaps that is the worst thing thieves steal from you. Not your wallet. Not your cards. Not even your cash. They steal your sense of safety. They make you question strangers, crowds, and even yourself. You replay every second in your head, wondering when it happened, how it happened, and whether you could have prevented it.
Still, life moves on. Cards can be replaced. Licenses can be renewed. Money can be earned again. What cannot happen is allowing one terrible incident to ruin the beauty of a place completely. Athens remains breathtaking. The food is wonderful, the people we met were warm and generous, and the sunsets still looked like paintings.
What this experience taught me, though, is that being 100 percent careful is not enough anymore. You need to be 1,000 percent aware. These people are skilled, fast, and completely fearless. They do not care if you are inside a crowded store, a church, or standing beside policemen.
The biggest lesson I learned while traveling around Europe is this: bring very little cash, use cards as much as possible, and perhaps leave the Chanel or Hermès wallet at home. A simple wallet that does not attract attention suddenly sounds very chic after an experience like this. Luxury is wonderful until you are standing in the middle of a crowded store, realizing your beautiful designer wallet is now living a completely different life with a complete stranger.
And in moments like this, I realized that the best travel insurance is not found in an app or a policy. It is having rich and generous friends willing to feed you, lend you money, and make sure you survive the rest of the trip with your dignity somehow still intact.
Attractions to enjoy in Athens—for free
- National Archaeological Museum: free entry on selected days
- Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center: holds performances and screenings for free
- National Garden: originally designed as the gardens of the Royal Palace, it has a botanical museum, a small zoo, a library, and a playground
- Plaka: Athens’ oldest, most picturesque neighborhood, located near the Acropolis, thus earning it the nickname “neighborhood of the gods”
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