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Whether you’re checking out the international food scene in Düsseldorf or visiting houses of worship in Sibiu, how not to look like a tourist is an essential skill. And, given the recent scenes in Paris and London with violent street thieves targeting unsuspecting visitors of all kinds, fitting in with local culture is as much about safety as it is about anything else. What’s worse – becoming a target of city vermin phone-snatchers or irritating locals who mutter “Les Tourists” through gritted teeth?
How not to look like a tourist may seem pretty obvious. Dress like a local. Know your way around. Prepare before you go. But, there is a little bit more to it that that.
In this blog post, I’ll tackle how to blend in so well, other visitors will ask you for directions to the post office. My comments are aggregated and based on travel throughout Ireland, the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, Hungary, Greece, and Turkey.
What is the Difference Between a Tourist and a Traveller?
I know. For those who have the means to travel, it can seem a little indulgent to split the difference. Here is my take on it.
Tourists (and I’ve been one) are preoccupied with a few things: convenience, entertainment, and comfort – all things you can quite honestly get easier at home.
Travellers are interested in everything! They expect inconvenience and are often amused at a lack of comfort. Who’d devolve into whinging about the quality of the coffee when your tacky cafe overlooks the Colisseum in Rome?! Overstuffed horse hair train seats that disgorge last decade’s traveller dust recede in light of the excitement of travelling to hear Byzantine chanting during Matins in an 18C Eastern Orthodox monastery tucked down a side street in Bucharest. And, chugging through verdant Transylvanian valleys makes any sweaty traipse worthwhile when you find that freshly-baked mahogany bread and sesame seed pretzels dotted with salt crystals that make your tongue fizz await you at Germanic Brasov bakery hatches.
Why Do I Need to Know How Not to Look Like a Tourist?
Because people have their eye on your stuff! Let me tell you a few travel tales.
Scenario 1: Gadget Grab Near Termini Station, Rome
Just outside Termini station in Rome, I received a sharp lesson in vigilance. I set a (cheap) camera down for one second at an outdoor cash exchange counter (back when hole-in-the-wall cash dispensers were unheard of), and it was gone. It was hours before I even remembered I’d had my camera out of my bag. Only one roll of film was lost. To date, it’s only place I’ve ever been a victim of a successful theft.
Scenario 2: Street Urchin Pickpockets in the City Centre, Rome
Another day – on the same trip – my three fellow travellers and I were dandering up toward a fountain on our way on a ramble around Rome on a blistering July afternoon. We were walking a little aimlessly, single file and dressed in requisite tourist attire – shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. Pale Atlantic skin. Most of us wore bumbags (fanny packs for my US readers) and a few of us had cameras. We could not have signalled our non-Roman credentials more. Naturally, the street gangs who employ and control desolate juveniles saw an opportunity. There were 2-3 of them. The kids managed to get their hands into both shorts pockets of both me and my friend behind me. Thankfully, we were savvy enough to have our money and passports in a concealed money belt, while our very modest everyday cash was in a wallet in well-secured bumbags. My friend who was dawdling few steps behind shouted as soon as he detected little hands grabbing for cash, alerting me that something was wrong. I saw them the moment he roared, all of us jumping away from each other in fright.
Scenario 3: Phantom Bag Snatcher in Modern Colonnade Patio at KFC, Rome
Later – yes, again on the same trip – one of my travelling companions had her bag stolen form under her chair at a large, budget burger chain. There were five of us at the table that evening. And, to this day, I cannot understand how they managed to spirit it away. This necessitated a trip for two of us on the train back to Milan to replace the lost money, travellers’ cheques, Inter-rail train ticket, and passport – an expensive and stressful introduction to the risks inherent in trekking by train across Europe.
Scenario 4: Dubious Bus Ticket Validation Fine Targeted at Tourists Only
Same trip. Check. This is not a scam, but it completely spoiled the day, reduced our overall group budget, and made us nervous about using any further public transport.
We asked locals for help, bought tickets at an automated kiosk right at a bus stop and boarded a bus taking us from one area to another on our itinerary. We didn’t notice any locals validating their ticket at a machine inside the bus. But, about 5 minutes into our journey, the bus slowed, ALL the other passengers got off, and several policemen boarded. They motioned to see our tickets, then raised their voices (first speaking in English, then not) demanded we got off the bus, and told us we’d have to go to police HQ with them. It felt like we were under arrest and given they’d initially spoke English, then stopped, and assumed an aggressive stance, it took me the entire walk to HQ to calm down a bit. As we approached the entrance, flower sellers gestured and raised their voices “Boh, no!” at the police as if to say, “leave them alone”. It felt like we’d walked into a common trap.
Entering a grand fortress, we were corralled upstairs to an office, complete with actual ells. We were told that unless we paid (around £40 each from memory), we’d be put in the cells. I was spitting feathers at this point and refused. But, one by one, we capitulated. And, we were then free to leave. The flower sellers on the corner tsked and apologised to us as we walked back past them again, and told us were were welcome in Rome, regardless of how we had just been treated.
This was not something any of us had ever encountered. But, we were young and not well travelled. It turns out that across many countries in Europe – though not the one in which I was born – it is the same.
If you’re travelling in Europe, buy your ticket from kiosks, shops, or stations in advance. Then, as soon as you board, watch the locals and look out for little boxes with slots on the poles on the bus. If you indicate and reach out, people will generally pass your ticket forward and punch it for you if the bus is packed and you can’t quite reach the box.
Scenario 5: Rabid Selfie-Stick Hawkers Doubling as Bag Snatchers at Victor Emmanuel II National Monument, Rome
On a later trip to Rome, during a city-wide hop on/hop off bus tour, our vantage point from the top deck allowed us a clear view of an attempted bag theft. We watched as a pesky selfie-stick seller distracted a group of tourists while he deftly reached for one of their bags! I could not help but gasp at the brazen attempt to thieve during the process of selling!
Note From the Editor: There really were few places where I felt totally relaxed in Rome on my most recent visit. See Rome Dice Basta! (published soon) for details of why. This was due to the fact that I saw multiple instances of scams perpetuated by migrants – never locals. So, while my stories are Rome-heavy, it is because, unfortunately, Rome is where I’ve witnessed the most scams.
How Not to Look Like a Tourist
Locals would never fall for the same ruses. Tourists are at a massive disadvantage. You already look, sound, and act differently. Whether you admit this or not, your ethnicity, behaviour, clothes, and general appearance set you out as different. Fraudsters, opportunistic thieves, and those who wish to cause you harm know you’re not as aware or alert – particularly if you’re vacationing, distracted, or trying to find your way – as locals who know the area, people, language, customs, norms, and tricks.
Here are some ways in which you can avoid standing out quite so much.
Dress Like a European Local
After having watched approximately 347 of Wolter’s World‘s addictive YouTube videos – and trekking around Europe mostly on public transport – I’ve learned a thing or two. If I was to break it down, I’d say you should pay as much attention to the people around you as scammers may be paying to you. This advice will make you all but invisible for bad actors scanning the horizon for their next mark.
- Avoid the temptation to buy all new clothes, shoes, and bags justs before a holiday. Even a fresh hair-cut or colour can make you stand out. Look a bit more worn-in.
- Avoid the clichéd gear that gives away certain types of tourists everywhere: white trainers; sporty shorts, t-shirts and leggings; gem-coloured, crackly raincoats (guilty!); college hoodies and your favourite teams’ baseball caps; or large travel backpacks. Try proper trousers, shirts, sweaters, dresses, coats – with accessories you’d wear at home instead – like proper shoes, messy hair, and everyday bags. Check on Amazon for some normal-looking bags with built-in, concealed pockets and subtle theft-proof features.
- It’s been a little controversial on some of the travel forums I’m on (because each country’s residents do not want to think they’re lacking in style), but I’ve found that dressing down and dressing in darker clothes works best. Most Europeans are clothed casually, not dressed up or ostentatious – even when going out or at events. I prefer travelling off season, and in countries where it’s often much cooler in the shoulder seasons. So, my uniform on trips is pretty similar to home here in the most Northwest edge of Europe: jeans or trousers, long t-shirts under light sweaters, flat leather boots, dark woollen coat, scarf, gloves, messenger or Belroy Light Sling Bag, and a lightweight beanie. You’re simply much less noticeable in a crowd. Our favourite incognito moment was getting asked, in Hungarian, by a local in Budapest if the next tram would be long.
Schlepp Your Stuff in Less Conspicuous Travel Bags
There’s been much written already online about how to carry your stuff while travelling. I travel carry-on (35L), mainly to limit the weight I’ve to lug around. But, I also save lots of time by not standing around at baggage reclaim. If you have similar minimal needs try the Arcido Faroe Backpack. It fits a laptop, extra pair of shoes and minimal clothing and toiletries. But, crucially, its minimal and unobtrusive.
To carry my stuff while day-tripping – wallet, tickets, phone, charger, scarf, gloves, hat, snacks, water, sunscreen, or medication – I wear a small, lightweight but padded cross-body, canvas sling, messenger or daypack (it never leaves my torso!). The trick is not to look too sporty; locals in Europe don’t outside the gym. My latest purchase is the small Belroy Light Sling Bag – perfect for city sightseeing.
To explore further travel bag options, I recommend checking out Chase Reeves’ in-depth and fun bag reviews.
Embrace Uncertainty, Have a Coffee, Slow Down
First, don’t flop around like an expiring fish if you can’t get the exact food, opening hours and health and safety standards to which you are accustomed. There’s nothing more hideous than watching a tourist trash a country’s offerings by insisting they match their own. And, this petulant attention-seeking behaviour is unlikely to bring out the best in locals, whether opportunistic scam ‘artists’ or local tourism or other service providers. Accept what’s on offer, or make a decision and move on. If every country was the same, there’d be no reason to explore.
Here are a few more obvious behaviours to avoid:
- Avoid stopping in the pavement or street and gaping at sights. Find a step, wall or somewhere else to perch, and have a drink or snack while you sit. (Remember to pay attention to local customs around eating in public before you do.)
- Avoid carrying a large camera or vlogging gear out in the open all the time.
- Avoid bringing out large, paper maps, tickets, wallets, and leaflets in the street between locations. Do this indoors or in a cafe before you set off (much less obvious and risky). Even, better, use the copious city maps and other visitor apps available on your smartphone (ask your accommodation provider when you arrive for recommendations). Many have tube, train and bus route apps too, making it easy to get around. Some even include voice directions, meaning that if you’re trekking alone, you simply can tuck your phone safely away into your clothing, plug in earbuds, and start walking.
Be a Curious, Engaged, Relaxed Traveller
- It’s such a cliche, but it will transform your experience in most countries. Learn a few basic phrases. I’ve found that in Germany and Italy, you’ll offend the locals more than in other countries if you don’t know how to say and understand the following before you go: hello, good-bye, please, thank-you, table for two, pharmacy, doctor, bus/train station, ticket, numbers, toilets, and directions.
- Compliment the locals for their country, food, traditions, enthusiasm or helpfulness – or tip where appropriate. It’s a respectful thing to do, but you’ll also get better treatment, consideration, and assistance from those working in the service industries.
- Try new things: Syrian coffee in Budapest, midnight trams, free walking tours, outdoor winter spas, or underrated museums. Experience difference and you’ll soon find you’re craving it more.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my thoughts as a Northwest European. If you have your own recommendations on how not to look like a tourist in Europe and elsewhere, please share them in a comment. Meanwhile, you may want to take a look at my other, recommended travel tools to help you stay safe, organised, and happy while you travel.
Great point on clothing. “Comfortable neutrals + layers” beats costume-y outfits every time—especially with Europe’s microclimates and church dress codes.
Thanks for commenting. :) Avoiding “costumey outfits” is a great way to express it.
Insightful tips on blending in while travelling through Europe. The emphasis on awareness, behaviour, and cultural respect feels more useful than surface-level fashion advice.