Spring Break is approaching, and summer is close behind it. For many people that means it is time to pick a location for an upcoming trip. But choosing where to travel, especially in another country, can be challenging. Crime rates differ not only from country to country, but even within specific countries. For example, one area of a country may be very dangerous with high crime rates, but you may be able to travel twenty minutes in a different direction and enjoy a very safe traveling experience. If an overseas trip is something you are considering, you will want to make sure to research to determine both the safest and most dangerous European vacation destinations.
Keep in mind that in some tourist-heavy markets, criminals focus specifically on tourists as targets. So not only is the overall rate of theft or violent crime high, but you would specifically be at a higher risk because you’re a tourist. What areas of Europe should you either avoid or be on high alert in this summer?
Different sources may identify different cities or countries as being the most dangerous, so you may want to conduct research on your own from several different sources and check out tourist message boards and other resources that provide firsthand accounts. That will give you the clearest picture of what to expect so that you can plan your trip accordingly.
WorldAtlas.com identified the 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Europe in a 2017 article, however many are in areas you wouldn’t typically consider vacation destinations, such as cities in the Ukraine, Lithuania, Russia, and Latvia.
But you might be surprised to know that Belfast and Glasgow also made the list! Every year many Americans travel to Ireland and Scotland for vacation, as the beautiful landscape, historical features, and attractions like famous golf courses are attractive to travelers. So while you might think of rolling green hills, you may not be thinking of potential dangers in these areas. This is a great example of why it is so important to research any foreign destination before booking travel.
Business Insider published in 2016 an article listing the 50 Most Dangerous Cities in the World. No European cities made that list, however it was strictly based on a homicides per capita number, so it did not take into account typical tourist-focused crime like thefts or muggings.
The same web site published an article later in the year taking a broader view of European crime which therefore serves as a bit better guide for tourists. Once again, many of the most dangerous cities are places like Belgrade and Kiev which you would typically not consider traveling to for vacation anyway. But Paris, Milan, Barcelona, London, and Rome all made the list.
Those cities are likely the first ones you are thinking of when you begin thinking about European travel, so you may be surprised to hear it suggested that they could be dangerous. However, you should always keep in mind that most highly-populated large cities are going to have more crime, and that criminals often tend to seek out tourist-heavy cities.
Conversely, there are many studies outlining the safest European cities. For instance, the Economist Intelligence Unit published a list of what it considered to the be the 15 safest cities in the entire world in 2016 based on a variety of factors, and 4 European cities – Zurich, Barcelona, Stockholm, and Amsterdam – made the list.
When considering the safety of European destinations, it’s unfortunately a necessity to consider the threat of terrorism. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office of Britain identified several places that are believed to have lower terrorism risks than others, including destinations that may not seem like obvious first choices, but which have some very appealing features, such as Switzerland and Iceland.
Italy and Spain have also been cited as popular safe European destinations so the key really is to research and compare information from different sources to get a complete picture as to what safety means from one report to another. Some reports may be referring to terror threats, while others are focused on targeting tourists from theft, pick-pocketing, and other crimes. The internet offers no shortage of firsthand accounts from travelers, so use the information here coupled with real travelers’ experiences to make your own perfect travel plans.
