The study was based on a set of 35 objective indicators, based on five categories of criteria: risk of natural disasters, violence in society, involvement in armed conflict, health infrastructure and militarisation.
The UK ranked as the 29th “safest” country in Europe, meaning it is number nine in the top 10 “least safe” destinations. However, the UK’s position is not all bad news.
“Generally speaking, Europe is the safest continent for travellers from all over the world,” said the report.
“In fact, based on the findings, European countries occupy 30 of the 50 safest places in the world, including Switzerland (fifth in the world and fourth in Europe, with an index of 20.51), the Netherlands (20th and 17th, index of 26.22) and Belgium (31st and 24th, index of 28.31).”
Russia, Ukraine, Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Albania and Cyprus all fell lower in the safety index than the UK.
“Of particular note is the poor ranking of France, only 80th in the world and 34th in Europe, with a score of 36 points,” explained the HelloSafe report.
“This position can be explained in particular by the terrorist threat, which is still very present in the country.
“At the bottom of the ranking are Ukraine and Russia, undermined by the conflict that has been raging between the two countries since 2022.”
For the most part, while travelling in Europe, staying alert and understanding your surroundings is the key to staying safe. It’s important to protect your valuables and be aware of your belongings, as well as purchase adequate travel insurance, regardless of where you are going.