Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is a city with a pleasant atmosphere that will make you soon feel at home. Recently, it was ranked as one of the safest cities worldwide and the second safest city in Europe. However, incidents do occur so it is recommended to take normal safety precautions.
Amsterdam was listed as one of the top six safest cities worldwide in the Safe cities list of The Economist. In this index, Amsterdam scored highly for both infrastructure and personal safety. Students also indicate that they view Amsterdam as a safe place to live. In the pan-European 'International Student Barometer 2018', 96% of students polled were satisfied with safety.
As with any city, it is always helpful to take precautions. ‘Petty crime’, theft – especially of bicycles – and pickpocketing does occur in Amsterdam, particularly in the city centre, on trains, trams and near the tourist sites. Pickpockets are known to target major events (especially during the summer season).
Here are a few precautions you should take when visiting a big city: