European countries are popular destinations for summer holidays but many places have travel advisories.
Most countries in Europe are relatively safe but there are some safety tips to keep in mind.
The Government of Canada maintains a Travel Advice and Advisories page to help travellers make informed decisions and travel safely outside Canada.
They analyze trends and incidents affecting international travellers, monitor world events and collect updated reports from different sources.
There is a threat of terrorist attacks in most European countries.
Here are some of the European countries with advisories:
Risks: Threat of terrorism and crime.
Reasons: Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, is common. Cellphone theft is common in certain tourist areas of London. Vehicle theft and theft from parked vehicles also occurs, particularly in tourist areas and roadside rest areas.
Theft is common in restaurants, pubs and bars. Never leave bags or purses hanging on the back of your chair.
Violent crime, such as mugging, knife crime and sexual assault occurs, particularly in larger cities. There have been incidents of passengers being sexually assaulted and robbed when riding in unlicensed taxis.
The Government of the United Kingdom maintains a public alert system on terrorism and the threat level is currently 3 (“substantial”) on a scale of 5.
Risks: Threat of terrorism and crime.
Reasons: Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and bag snatching, occurs, particularly in larger cities.
Organized groups of pickpockets often use distracting techniques. Typically, a member of the group will distract someone by spilling something on them or by asking for directions, while others rob the victim.
The Dutch government maintains a public alert system on terrorism and communicates threat-level changes online and through local media. The current threat level for the Netherlands is level 4 (“substantial”) on a scale of 5.
Risks: Threat of terrorism and crime.
Reasons: Petty crime such as pickpocketing and purse snatching occurs, and tourists are frequently targeted. Organized groups of thieves often use distraction techniques and are particularly active in tourist sites and attractions.
The Government of Italy maintains a public alert system on terrorism. Alert level changes are communicated mainly through local media. Expect an increased presence of police and military forces during holidays and in public places, including tourist locations and major landmarks.
Risks: Threat of terrorism and UEFA EURO 2024 soccer tournament.
Reasons: Germany is hosting the UEFA EURO 2024 soccer tournament from June 14 to July 14, 2024. Games are in ten cities across the country. Crime, such as theft, typically increases around major sporting events. Thieves often target tourists.
The Government of Germany maintains a public alert system on terrorism. Alert level changes are communicated through local media. The travel advisory suggests tourists be particularly vigilant when attending sporting events and during religious holidays and other public celebrations, as terrorists have used such occasions to mount attacks.
Risks: Threat of terrorism and crime.
Reasons: Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, is common. It’s most prevalent in larger cities and particularly during holidays, festivals and weekends.
There has been a significant increase in stolen passports in the Barcelona region during the last few years.
The Spanish government maintains a public alert system on terrorism and communicates threat level changes online and through local media. The current threat-level for Spain is level 4 (“high”) on a scale of 5.
For a complete list of advisories and further information, see the website here.
Lead photo of Venice, Italy: Federico Beccari
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