Question: How Safe Is Amsterdam?
A reader wanted to know:
- How safe is Amsterdam? What are the areas of Amsterdam people should avoid?
Answer: It might surprise visitors to know that Amsterdam is actually one of the safest cities in the world. International consultancy Mercer ranked Amsterdam 22 out of 215 world cities for personal safety in its 2008 Quality of Life Survey. Fellow European capitals Paris and London didn't even make the top 50.
It's not just the practical details -- safe and widely used public transportation, the fact that violent crime is not common here, etc. -- that make Amsterdam safe. The secure foundation that underlies the carefree atmosphere here has a lot to do with the smaller size of our "global village" and the independent and live-and-let-live attitude of its natives. The combination makes for a laid-back feel, which seems to cull criminal behavior.
As for areas to avoid, most Amsterdam neighborhoods are safe for walking, even alone, with a few exceptions. I live in the Museum Quarter neighborhood and feel perfectly comfortable walking alone, even at night.
But the one place I'd say to avoid come nightfall is the Red Light District. While it's filled with all types of people during the day, the area attracts seedier visitors and vagrants at night. Unfortunately, these can include pick-pockets and people discreetly (but persistently) peddling illegal, "hard" drugs.
Again, violent crimes are not common, but tourists should also watch for pick-pockets on crowded trains and trams during the high tourist season.
It's not just the practical details -- safe and widely used public transportation, the fact that violent crime is not common here, etc. -- that make Amsterdam safe. The secure foundation that underlies the carefree atmosphere here has a lot to do with the smaller size of our "global village" and the independent and live-and-let-live attitude of its natives. The combination makes for a laid-back feel, which seems to cull criminal behavior.
As for areas to avoid, most Amsterdam neighborhoods are safe for walking, even alone, with a few exceptions. I live in the Museum Quarter neighborhood and feel perfectly comfortable walking alone, even at night.
But the one place I'd say to avoid come nightfall is the Red Light District. While it's filled with all types of people during the day, the area attracts seedier visitors and vagrants at night. Unfortunately, these can include pick-pockets and people discreetly (but persistently) peddling illegal, "hard" drugs.
Again, violent crimes are not common, but tourists should also watch for pick-pockets on crowded trains and trams during the high tourist season.
