We didn't expect this number one: The 10 most dangerous cities in Europe

If you watch series likeGangs of LondonWhen you come in, you see London with completely different eyes. Whether murder, extortion or theft, organized crime seems to have a firm grip on the British capital. Nevertheless, the metropolis on the Thames is not the most dangerous city in Europe. Another European city is struggling – at least in some parts of the city – with higher crime rates and is therefore number one on this list. In our ranking we have themten most dangerous cities in Europelisted.

Palermo? No. London? Nope. Frankfurt am Main? Neither. Which is the most dangerous city in Europe? For this ranking we went through theNumbeo Crime Index Statisticsclicked and present the ten most dangerous cities on the continent. This much can be revealed: The supposedly most dangerous city in Europe is located on the Mediterranean and is beautiful.

Malmö, Sweden's third largest city, has attracted attention in recent years due to reports of crime. Among other things, the city is struggling – similar to other major Swedish citiesGang crime. In some parts of Malmö, there are occasional violent clashes between young gang members. AlsoSelf-intrusionare not uncommon. But crime doesn't affect the entire city;In general, Malmö is safeand offers a diverse cultural offering.

Paris, the capital of France, is one of themost famous and most visited cities in the world. Millions of people flock to the “City of Love” every year. Compared to other European cities, Paris is not necessarily more dangerous, but the high number of tourists makes certain types of crime more likely. That's how it isPetty crimes such as pickpocketinga problem in Paris. It is particularly busy hotspots such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Champs-Élysées where pickpockets target inattentive tourists. Alsotrick theft, in which tourists are distracted or deceived by scammers to get their valuables, are not uncommon in well-visited areas of the city.Violent crimeare usually limited to certain neighborhoods, while theDanger of terrorismthroughout the city is contained through increased security measures.

Liège oderLiège– isn’t this a tranquil university town with a lot of history? We were surprised that the Belgian city, with around 200,000 inhabitants, almost the size of Brussels, appeared in this ranking. In Belgium, however, the city on the Meuse also has the insulting name "Palermo-sur-Meuse", a reference to its namemoderate crime rate. The city, like most European cities classified as “dangerous,” is strugglingPetty crimesuch as theft and burglaries, but also withvandalism and drug problems.

Grenobleis known for its university and research facilities, but above all for its proximity to the Alps. Similar to Liège, murder and manslaughter are not necessarily the first things we think of when we think of Grenoble. TheTown in the French Alps, especially atpopular, it is certainly not a life-threatening place. Nevertheless, Grenoble also has its presence in busy or tourist areasPetty crimeto fight. And: In the city, the second largest in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region after Lyon, there is local and long-distance public transportincreased risk of pickpocketingand other attacks.

Who the second season of the seriesThe White Lotushas seen, knows how deceptive the idyll of Sicily can be. And it actually happenedlargest Italian island– and the largest island in the Mediterranean – not least because of those who live thereMafia, the Cosa Nostra, has repeatedly made the headlines in the past. In addition to the capital Palermo, it is primarily the coastal cityCataniain the east of the island, which is under theorganized crimeas well as underPetty crimesuffers. For example, anyone who is bumped into and gets dirty with a stranger's "gelato" should sometimes be vigilant - because such supposed mishaps often serve as a diversionary tactic for con artists. The magnificent baroque city of Catania is dangerous, not least because of one of its most popular sights: the one nearbyEtna is one of the most active volcanoes in Europe.

And another French city in our ranking:Montpellierin the south of the country surprisingly ends up in the top 5 most dangerous cities in Europe. The lively coastal city is struggling with particularly high rates in some areasJuvenile crime, which manifests itself in the form of vandalism or minor crimes.Opportunistic theftsAs in many other urban areas, they also occur in Montpellier.Vehicle attacksAccording to the Foreign Office, attacks from mopeds, for example, have already been reported in the eastern part of the Occitanie region, where Montpellier is located.

Similar to Catania is alsoNaplesnotorious for his mafia involvement. In the southern Italian metropolis, which in this country is primarily known for its...is estimated is theCamorra, one of Italy's oldest and most powerful mafia organizations, is still present. This involves illegal activities such asDrug trafficking and protection rackets. However, tourists are generally not affected by this. But the city has a relativelyhigh rate of petty crime, especially thefts in busy train or metro stations as well as car break-ins are not uncommon. In the past, bags or cameras have sometimes been snatched from passing motorized two-wheelers. In Naples, particular attention is required on the bus lines R2, 152 and 202, which connect the center with the train station, according to the Foreign Office. In general, Naples is a beautiful, lively city, rich in culture and culture.

Birmingham, the second largest city in the UK, is ranked third in our ranking of Europe's most dangerous cities. Next toPetty crime, including pickpocketing, burglaries and car thefts, are recorded repeatedly in certain neighborhoods in the cityViolent crime. According to media reports, dozens of people are caught carrying weapons in Birmingham every day. However, like many other cities, gun violence is usually limited to certain areas. The Lozells district in particular always takes partGun and knife violencetalk about yourself.

Very few people have probably heard of this English city. Located only about 30 kilometers southeast of Birmingham, landsCoventryin second place in our ranking of the most dangerous cities in Europe. The city in the West Midlands of England, like Birmingham, is particularly sufferingPetty crime and Violent crimesuch as robberies and gang violence. Knives are often used here too. If you believe British media reports, some residents of Coventry even haveFear of leaving their homes at night. The increased crime rate is closely related to the socio-economic problems of the affected neighborhoods, which usually have a...high unemployment rateprevails.

What a surprise:Marseille, the second largest city in France, ranks first among the most dangerous cities in Europe. The coastal metropolis with almost 900,000 inhabitants is beautifully located on the Mediterranean coast in the south of the country. The diverse city, shaped by immigration, is known for its cultural diversity, but unfortunately also suffers from onehigh crime ratetalk about yourself. So the city suffers from oneracist social separation, poverty and drug violenceare concentrated far away from wealthier areas. Drug-related crime, especially in the northern residential areas of the city, makes life difficult for many residents; many suffer from theviolent Clashes between rival drug gangs. Shaken in the fall of 2024gruesome murders of teenagers, who were recruited by drug gangs, the French metropolis. With increased police presence and deploymentHowever, the city is taking action against it. Nevertheless, it must be emphasized in conclusion: Marseille - and this also applies to the other cities in our ranking - is a safe city for tourists.

DieClassification of the most dangerous cities in Europevaries depending on the criteria and data sources used. As a rule, such lists are based onCrime rates, which include crimes such as theft, robbery, assault and murder. However, such crime statistics may vary depending on population density, socioeconomic conditions and the efficiency of law enforcement. We have our ranking atNumbeo Crime Index dataoriented, the list of which is based on surveys among online users of the website and is continually updated. It is important to emphasize that the security situation in cities can change and that many of the places mentionedsafe and attractive travel destinationsare. In global comparison - especially to the– European cities and countries are considered safe. To classify: Ranked in the Numbeo crime indexMarseille is ranked 40th most dangerous city in Europe in a global comparison. Before that, there are mainly cities in countries such as the USA and South and Central America. The most dangerous city in Germany in the Numbeo crime index is Frankfurt am Main - in 155th place.