There’s no surer way to have a trip ruined than having your pocket/purse picked. Beyond feeling violated, losing money pales in comparison to the time lost reporting the incident, cancelling credit cards, and potentially replacing lost phone and vital documents (like passports).

New research from British-based money.co.uk has revealed some of the worst places in the world for pickpockets – from Las Ramblas to the Trevi Fountain. The study by analyzed Tripadvisor reviews for popular attractions and transport stations around the world to create the following top 10 places where travellers should exercise the utmost care:

1. Las Ramblas, Barcelona (3,271 reviews that mention pick pockets)
2. Eiffel Tower, Paris (2,569)
3. Trevi Fountain, Rome (2,206)
4. Charles Bridge, Prague (1,081)
5. Sacré Couer, Paris (914)
6. Colosseum, Rome (646)
7. Old Town Square, Prague (646)
8. Louvre, Paris (598)
9. Notre-Dame, Paris (408)
10. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona (407)

While Paris recorded the dubious honour of placing four sites in the top 10 – notably all 10 rankings were in Europe – the place with the highest number of reviews that mention pickpockets is the famous Las Ramblas pedestrian walkway that runs through Barcelona, with a total of 3,271 pickpocket reviews. Las Ramblas is a very crowded place at the best of times, but especially during the peak tourist season, and this makes it perfect for pickpockets.

The Eiffel Tower ranked in second place. As one of the most popular cultural attractions in the world, it’s little wonder that at least some of the people visiting Paris have had issues with pickpockets. Specifically, visitors should keep a close eye on their belongings while walking up the main street from the metro station to the tower itself.

Rome is a magnificent historic city although it has historically struggled with pickpockets and one of its most targeted historical landmarks is the Trevi Fountain, where there is a famous tradition of throwing coins into the fountain over your left shoulder, with around 3,000 euros being thrown in each day – and many more lost to pickpockets.

Further study insights:

The research also looked at the places with the highest percentage of pickpocket reviews. The study looked at the total number of reviews compared to the number of reviews that mention pickpockets to reveal the overall percentage of pickpocket reviews.

The Mercado Municipal de Benidorm (Spain) has the highest percentage of pickpocket reviews at 17.02%, followed by Athens Metro in Greece (15.20%), with Colon Street in Cebu City in the Philippines coming in third (11.65%)

Tips on how to avoid being pickpocketed

Of course, nothing can ever be 100% safe against pickpockets, but practicing some of the following advice will certainly help:

• Ensure that all valuables are tightly zipped away in a bag or purse when in tourist areas.

• Zips on bags should also face inwards where possible or be hidden under layers of clothing to make them harder to access. There are also bags and garments specifically designed to counteract pickpockets, with secret pouches and compartments, and money belts are a safe option. Even if a pickpocket knows you’re wearing one, the hassle of trying to steal from one makes you less likely to be pickpocketed.

• Avoid wearing a backpack where possible as they are perhaps the easiest thing for pickpockets to target since wearers can’t always keep an eye on it. The fact that the opening to the bag isn’t touching your body also makes them easier to steal from as you won’t be able to feel something being taken.

• Be alert in crowds and try not to advertise yourself to pickpockets, such as overtly flashing valuable jewellery, items or cash.

• Wallets and phones are better placed in front pockets, rather than back ones, or bags.

• Leave extra cash, valuable documents, and unnecessary items in your hotel safe if possible. After all, you can’t lose what you don’t have.

Money.co.uk is a free, online comparison service that allows users to compare thousands of financial products.