These are the top 5 safest countries in Europe for 2026, according to safety experts

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If you’ve visited a major European city in recent years, you’ve probably noticed that things aren’t the way they used to be.

Between maintaining a state of hyper-vigilance in the public, watching out for pickpockets, and avoiding certain neighborhoods, especially at night, it’s not all fairytale castles and cobblestone streets ready for postcards on the Old Continent.

This year, Le Monde reported on the ‘alarming’ number of knife attacks in Britain. In France even the secretary general of the National Police Commissioners Union admitted There is a significant decrease in the quality of life, and uncertainty is the cause of this.

Even Sweden, previously one of Europe’s least controversial states, was spared: the once peaceful Scandinavian country, where violent crime was the rare exception rather than the daily newsis now struggling with the rise of gangs and teen violence.

So inside in which countries in Europe do tourists feel saferand what can we learn from it?

These are the top 5 safest countries in Europe

According to the latter HelloSafe Safety IndexThese 5 European countries present the least danger to visitors (and locals).

They boast robust public security and low crime, two factors they consider the ‘foundations’ of physical safety, political and social stability (something countries like France and Italy can only aspire to), healthcare and healthcare security, digital security and of course risk management.

They are:

• Denmark
• Finland
• Norway
• Switzerland
• Iceland

But what exactly makes these European states so safe, and how have they managed to keep crime levels lower than average while much of the continent sees increasingly worsening trends? Let’s start with Denmark:

Denmark

Safety index: 89.95

In addition to boasting a high-trust society, effective policing and low levels of corruption, security experts have pointed to the Danish immigration policy as the main reason for the country’s higher safety level, especially compared to neighboring Sweden.

Despite being led by a left-wing government, Denmark still introduced the law a series of measures to discourage illegal newcomersincluding actively combating the formation of ‘ghettos’, tightening the rules for asylum applications and repatriating foreign criminals.

Religious extremism remains a concern nationwide, which is why the US government has not yet placed Denmark at the desired level 1 in its travel advisory, but the good news is that Americans are not exactly discouraged from traveling there. They simply have to watch out for possible terrorist threats.

Finland

Safety index: 90.6

Despite being a neighbor of Russia, a country waging war against a close ally of the Western world, Finland is one of the most stable states in the region: although not immune to Russian provocations, the country has so far managed to avoid direct involvement in the conflict, and National security remains tight.

In terms of public safety, violent crime and other forms of petty crime, such as theft and burglary, are extremely rare, even in major urban centers such as Helsinki and Tampere, and most cities are clean, well-lit in winter and benefit from effective police surveillance.

Even more than in Denmark, the concept of a high-trust society literally applies here: people trust each other and institutions, children walk to school alone, lost wallets are usually returned with the money and credit cards they had left, and good faith is just part of everyday life.

Norway

Safety index: 90.85

Consistently ranked as one of the most peaceful states in the world, Norway is known for its majestic nature, rich Nordic heritage and, of course, enviable levels of public safety and political stability – qualities that most of Europe can only aspire to.

Unlike neighboring Sweden, where gun crime has increased significantly in recent years, Norway remains largely unaffected due to security problems elsewhere on the Scandinavian Peninsula, and in fact statistics for most crimes remain ‘low’, as shown Numbeo.

Whether in the vibrant capital Oslo, up-and-coming Bergen, in the Western Fjords, or in a quaint settlement hidden in a lush Norwegian forest, the risk of being robbed, being the victim of a burglary or other acts of violence is low. negligible.

Switzerland

Safety index: 91.1

As neutral as countries can be, and proud as they may be, Switzerland is an oasis in the heart of Europe that still boasts an impressive level of security despite being surrounded by countries that have dropped the ball: we are talking about France, Germany, Italy and to some extent even Austria.

In this new study, it ranks number 2 for the safest both Europe and the worldin accordance with the official US travel advisory, which considers it a low-risk destination for Americans, and the reasons why are quite simple and well documented:

Most residents have a good income, which means there are fewer incentives for crime. The police are highly professional and able to suppress threats as soon as they arise. The decentralized government helps communities tackle regional problems in advance. Moreover, it has stricter immigration and residence rules compared to its counterparts.

Iceland

Safety index: 92.4

Any country that leaves its babies unattended on the sidewalk to take a nap is largely sparsely populated wild territory, and where the prison system’s capacity is 160 people because the demand just isn’t there will undoubtedly take the number one spot.

Iceland is by far the safest country in Europe the world most secure state. Having been to Reykjavik several times ourselves, we can vouch for the impressive state of peace in the Icelandic capital, and it doesn’t even need police doing the rounds to keep it that way:

The vast majority of Iceland’s residents are law-abiding citizens. Crimes are extremely uncommon and highly frowned upon, both in personal relationships and at government level. Overall, Iceland is too remote, too quiet and too small a country (in terms of population) to attract bad actors.

View the free expert travel advice that applies to your destination

Are you going to Europe this season and are you not sure what the security situation is at your destination at the moment?

Be sure to check our US Travel Advisory Checker for the latest advice, based on the US government’s own guidelines. Just type in the name of the country you’re traveling to and get the information you need, without the usual fluff, in easy to understand language.

Oh, and did we mention it’s free to use?