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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Europe's Sleaziest Tourist Destinations

From Paris to Athens, avoid (or enjoy) these sex-and-drugs zones

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(Newser) – Ah, Europe, home of landmark cafés, glorious historic churches—and stinking, dangerous red-light districts rife with hookers, drug dealers, and pickpockets. Correspondents for the Times of London highlight the continent's most tawdry areas.

  • Reeperbahn, Hamburg: Germany's decorous port town turns as seedy as it gets here. Pimps fight turf wars with knives, while half-naked prostitutes pelt other women with perfume-filled condoms.

  • Wenceslas Square, Prague: Contains some of the Czech Republic's most beautiful architecture, but you'll probably get your pocket picked while you crane your neck. Police are trying to drive out the drug dealers, and locals are nowhere to be seen.
  • Damstraat, Amsterdam: The conduit to Holland's most famous red-light disrict teems with drugged-out tourists. At least it has a good dim sum joint.
  • Place Pigalle, Paris: The area near the Moulin Rouge has gentrified a bit, but tacky sex shops still line the streets.
  • Omonia Square, Athens: Once the heart of the Greek capital, it's now home to Albanian criminals and African whores. Kiss your wallet goodbye.

Pigalle, in the north of Paris, is still a notorious sex and drugs area despite ongoing gentrification.
Pigalle, in the north of Paris, is still a notorious sex and drugs area despite ongoing gentrification.   (©Brett Hammond)
Wenceslas Square in Prague has soaring architecture, and also a notorious drug scene.
Wenceslas Square in Prague has soaring architecture, and also a notorious drug scene.   (©Daquella manera)
The Reeperbahn, in otherwise sober Hamburg, is a hotbed of prostitution and pickpocketing.
The Reeperbahn, in otherwise sober Hamburg, is a hotbed of prostitution and pickpocketing.   (©chjab)
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5 comments
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jamerican
Sep 5, 09 7:14 PM CDT
Ah...they got nothing on all of our sleezy Washington DC pimps and whores in congress and the white house. Reply
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Rob
Sep 5, 09 11:24 PM CDT
Whatev'
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passinthru
Sep 5, 09 11:38 PM CDT
seems like a biased article. are they judging these specifics because of actual statistics, or is this some soapboxed reporter passin judgment on areas of plight because of his own views. wheres the source of info coming from? ive never been harrassed while in amsterdam. then again, i mind my own business. Reply
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youngblood
Sep 6, 09 12:00 PM CDT
Times Square has become just another Disney Tourist attraction. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
JohnnyDummkopf
Sep 6, 09 3:57 PM CDT
Better that than what it was.
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travel • prostitution • pornography • Amsterdam • Paris • drug dealing • Prague • Athens • pimp • Hamburg

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