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With the war in Ukraine continuing to rage, rising crime, illegal immigration and the threat of extremism now once again haunting countless European countries, it is only natural for travelers to worry about their safety when crossing the pond.
Europe remains one safe destination in general, but there is no denying that major cities such as London, Paris and Berlin have been facing significant security threats recently, with all the polarizing marches that have taken place recently and the security forces being on high alert at the moment.
Luckily this one 5 other cultural hotspots have enjoyed a higher level of stability and are among the safest in the world according to CEO World Magazine:
How were these cities ranked?
Before we delve into the destinations in question, let’s first take a look at the methodology of this research: CEO World employees are ranked more than 300 world cities based on low crime rates, security measures and stable governments, with a decreasing security score between 100 and 0.
Abu Dhabi, the safest city in the world, received a score of 97.73, while Chicago in the United States is the least safe city in the top 300 at 53.49; in Europe, five cities stood out as the safestincluded in the top 15 with nearly identical, estimated scores of 96.
According to the organization, they are the continent’s least risky areas when it comes to tourism because they are safe urban areas that visitors can explore and soak up the culture ‘with peace of mind’, knowing they are unlikely to be affected by crime be affected, or become entangled in civil unrest.
Without further ado, these are the European winners:
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Ljubljana, the capital and main tourist destination in Slovenia, a lesser-known country in Central-Eastern Europe that Americans would recognize as having produced former First Lady Melania Trump meets all expectations for what makes a European getaway great:
As a medieval town, it has a cultural appeal with cobbled streets, terracotta-roofed houses, pointed church towers and a fairytale castle on a hilltop according to his name; it’s an underrated foodie spot, and it’s also much more peaceful, as the hustle and bustle of France and Italy (and pickpockets) are nowhere in sight.
Tourists never feel tense in Ljubljana day or night, whether they are walking around admiring the beautiful Baroque cityscape, or enjoying an al fresco dinner on the banks of the scenic Ljubljanica River: it is so picturesque and crime-free, it hardly feels like a capital.
Trondheim, Norway
Forget Oslo or Bergen: the safest city in one of the safest countries in Europe is Trondheim overlooked coastal harbour on a fjord, easily distinguished by its picturesque waterfront, lined with colorful wooden buildings and historic canals.
Being largely rural, Norway as a whole is generally quite quiet, yet there will always be the occasional knife attack in the capital, or an increase in radicalized groups in larger urban centres: not in Trondheim, where violent crime occurs . nonexistent.
Apart from the fact that it is statistically among the least dangerous cities in the world, we cannot fathom why more tourists don’t come when it is home to a monumental 11th century cathedral, the imposing Kristiansten Fortress and its location on the fjord provides access to beautiful nature reserves.
Munich, Germany
At number three we have Munich, the cultural heart of the German state (and historic region) of Bavaria, and a sprawling metropolis that you would expect to be rife with banditry, considering it is a magnet for tourism and Germany’s third largest conurbation .
Surprisingly, Munich is one terribly chill placewith very low theft rates in tourist zones, including the 12th-century Marienplatz, where visitors spend most of their time (try visiting Pariser Platz in Berlin without being approached by a single scammer).
Even during Oktoberfest, the iconic Bavarian festival, the streets largely remain intact crime and disruption freeand while we wouldn’t recommend letting your guard down in any major city, especially at night, it’s highly unlikely you’ll be mugged in Munich.
Bern, Switzerland
Believe it or not, Switzerland has no official capital, but it is widely believed to be charming Bern, a compact, walkable medieval city of just over 100,000 inhabitants, full of UNESCO World Heritage-listed buildings and famous for its 13th century Zytglogge clock, the capital de facto.
It will only take you a day or two to tick off all the main sights in Bern, although we recommend you extend your stay as this unofficial gateway to the Swiss Alpswith a number of scenic train routes departing from the central station.
Needless to say, Zurich and Geneva’s little sister is much more Calmwith less traffic pollution, fewer men in suits walking the high streets, bigger, greener, more majestic city parks with ponds, and none of the ‘big city problems’.
The Hague the Netherlands
According to CEO World, The Hague is the safest city in Europe. It’s a canal city and the administrative capital of the Netherlands, and in a way a more mature, ‘down-to-earth’ version of Amsterdam: you know, no Red Light District, no Red Light District. stink of weed, for sure no raw youth making the rounds.
The Hague is usually associated with its international institutions, especially the International Court of Justice and the imperial palaces – the official residence of the Dutch royal family is here, at Huis ten Bosch – but it should not be so easily dismissed as a cultural centre:
The medieval Binnenhof is perfectly preserved, with fortifications on the canals dating from the 13th century, and its unique blend of modernist and traditional mannerist architecture is a striking sight; Moreover, it is much less busy and demonstrably better guarded than Amsterdam.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
