As an alternative, consider either (1) not going, or (2) using it as I do: a place to arrive at, then go somewhere else. My parents were mugged in the Ramblas in broad daylight in 1988 (my father suffered a fractured collar bone), and I was mugged there in broad daylight in 1997. We are a family of seasoned travellers, who know not to walk around sticking out like sore thumbs. In nearly 39 years on this planet, I have travelled about a fair portion of it, and I have only ever been mugged in Barcelona (July 1997) and Lisbon (September 1987). That said, Lisbon remains one of my favourite places, perhaps becasue the vast majority of Portuguese folk are kindness incarnate - not something that one could easily say of the other lot.