No matter how safe you might feel in a city, there are often a ton of problems under the surface that are anything but secure.
San Francisco, USA
The Golden Gate Bridge is certainly charming, as is the rest of San Francisco. But there’s a catch, the city has a big problem with property crimes.
This includes a lot of break-ins and thefts at a rate much higher than you’d expect in such a well-loved city. Clearly, the city’s shiny image has lost some of its gleam.
Stockholm, Sweden
There’s no doubt that Stockholm is stunning, thanks to its old town & scenic waterways. However, you should keep an eye on your wallet if you’re out enjoying the sights because pickpockets love more crowded areas.
These crimes are especially serious around tourist hotspots and on public transport.
Toronto, Canada
Toronto is well-known for its diversity and cultural richness – yet it’s also struggling with an increase in gun violence & gang activities.
These issues are more pronounced in some neighborhoods away from the downtown buzz. As such, you should definitely be mindful if you’re in those parts.
Honolulu, USA
Not everything’s so perfect in Honolulu, despite all those beautiful beaches. The city is facing a number of challenges, including homelessness & theft, particularly in areas with many tourists.
As you might expect, such problems are quite a contrast to the peaceful holiday spot most people imagine.
Melbourne, Australia
You might fall in love with Melbourne because of its incredible cafes, although you should be careful with your belongings.
Data shows that the city’s residents have to deal with a high number of burglaries & thefts from cars. Most visitors don’t recognize these issues; don’t let that be you.
Seoul, South Korea
Seoul has a major issue with cybercrime. Personal data theft is particularly concerning as this affects many of its tech-savvy residents.
No matter how rapidly the city’s improving, it can’t escape these modern problems. Officials will have to deal with these threats sooner rather than later.
London, UK
London has all the history and cool sights you could want, but it has a major problem with moped gangs, phone snatching and knife crime.
These issues are popping up more often. That’s not exactly great for a city that welcomes so many tourists each year so you should keep this in mind if you’re planning to visit those iconic spots.
Paris, France
Paris is every bit as beautiful as you’d expect. However, watch your pockets while you’re admiring those lovely streets and cafes because tourist scams & aggressive vendors are rampant.
There are also plenty of pickpockets in the city of love who can spoil your day if you’re not careful.
Zurich, Switzerland
It may be one of the best cities for living standards but not every corner of Zurich is as perfect. For example, places like Langstrasse deal with more than their fair share of drug-related crimes.
Such widespread crime kind of clashes with Zurich’s clean & safe reputation.
Boston, USA
Sadly, despite all the great colleges and important history, residents in Boston are dealing with more drug crimes & break-ins lately.
Of course, these aren’t the things they put on postcards. But they’re still happening and they’re an especially serious problem in the less touristy neighborhoods.
Oslo, Norway
Generally, Oslo is rather safe but don’t get too comfy. Over the years, petty thefts & burglaries have been increasing and these problems have become worse during those long winters.
It’s dark most of the day so it’s relatively easy for people to take your stuff. As such, you should be particularly mindful here.
Lisbon, Portugal
Thieves are also causing problems in Lisbon. Many of them will wait on trams going through the city’s numerous historic sites or they’ll hang around in busy tourist spots, just waiting for a chance to steal something.
If you’re out exploring here, you’ll need to make sure that you keep your valuables close.
Auckland, New Zealand
Several major crime incidents in Auckland have started to ruin the city’s reputation of being a safe city. After all, shootings and shop vandalism are enough to turn even the bravest of tourists away.
One report found that Auckland is the least safe city across the whole continent, so watch out.
Prague, Czech Republic
You can’t deny that Prague is downright gorgeous and it has a lot of culture for you to explore. However, it comes with the price—your wallet.
The city has become infamous for tourist traps, including dodgy taxis & currency exchanges that can leave you paying way more than you should.
Las Vegas, USA
Big lights and late nights; Las Vegas is an amazing city. Sadly, there’s also a serious side to this party town because the city has higher rates of violent crimes & burglaries.
You’re not even safe outside of the main strip as even some of the less glitzy areas are dealing with serious crime, too.