Amsterdam is considered a safe city for tourists. In the Netherlands, Amsterdam is known as a rather unsafe city, but that’s compared to the rest of The Netherlands. And The Netherlands is a very safe country in general. For example, the homicide rate of The Netherlands is 0.6 in 2020. That makes it the 23rd safest on a list of 195 countries and states when it comes to homicide. The homicide rate for The United States is 6.3, which makes it 10 times more likely to be murdered in the USA than The Netherlands.
As a tourist in Amsterdam you should take normal precautions against pickpockets and luggage theft, especially in the main shopping streets, onboard trams and anywhere where tourists congregate. The Red Light District can be a bit intimidating to some, but it’s often said that the main streets of the district are very safe because of the lager police presence. Sometimes you will be offered drugs, but after a friendly ‘No thanks’, they will leave you alone. Taking pictures of the sex workers, often result in verbal or sometimes even physical abuse. So just don’t.
In general most areas of the city are safe during daytime. At nightime there are a couple of places probably wise to avoid as a tourist. Neighbourhoods like Bijlmer, Nieuwendam, or a couple of areas west of the Center (Slotervaart or Osdorp) can be a little dodgy at night.
Another thing to keep in mind is football. Amsterdam is a popular city, also for football fans. When Ajax Amsterdam plays at home against another European club, the city will likely be filled with supporters from both sides. And things can get a little rowdy then. This is not the case when it comes to matches in the national league. Supporters from visiting teams will be brought to the stadium in trains mostly and won’t get the opportunity to travel to Amsterdam freely most of the time.
Probably the most dangerous things for tourists in Amsterdam are cyclists and trams. So always check twice before crossing a street and leave the red lanes to the cyclists. They’re not fancy footpaths made for tourists!
So is Amsterdam safe for tourists? In our opinion, yes, it’s very safe!