This Lesser Known European City Named The Safest Destination In The World
With the dire state of the world, with wars erupting left, proper, and heart and crime charges surging throughout all the preferred vacationer locations––Paris and London, we’re you––we do not actually blame you for feeling anxious about leaving your little nook of America.
Flying overseas has by no means come with out dangers, however it appears as if it is a very totally different period for worldwide journey.
Naturally, some locations are more neutral than others, and never solely have they not seen battle just lately, however their security ranges stay very excessive.
That is the case with Bern, a lesser-known metropolis within the coronary heart of Europe that also exists in its personal microcosm of peace, shielded from the Russo-Ukrainian War and the migrant disaster plaguing many city facilities.
Thanks to the newly launched Risk Map 2025 from Safeture and Riskline, we all know now that Bern has been named the most secure metropolis vacation spot on the planet for 2025.
But Wait… I Thought Zurich Was The Capital Of Switzerland?
We hate to interrupt it to you and make you are feeling like you might do with one other yr in class, however Zurich is not Switzerland’s capital.
That title is claimed––form of––by the smaller, much more charming Bern, nestled within the Alps.
We say ‘form of’ as Switzerland, as a federation of cantons, doesn’t have an official capital, with a lot of its establishments scattered across the nationwide territory, however Bern has historically been thought of the executive heart because it concentrates a number of of them.
If you’ve got by no means heard of Bern earlier than, which is the case for a lot of, it is best to know it’s amongst Europe’s most culture-charged, and well-preserved medieval settlements:
Bern Is A Storybook Town Come To Life
The Altstadt (Old Town) is criss-crossed by cobblestone-covered alleys, resulting in both a picturesque Platz (German for sq.), the place you are more likely to discover an ornate fountain and a laid-back cafe or two, or an imposing cathedral.
Speaking of, if you happen to’re approaching Bern with one of those scenic trains, the cathedral is more likely to be the primary landmark you notice from a distance:
Its hovering tower makes it one of many largest in Switzerland, and the expansive stained glass assortment inside is to not be missed.
It is certainly one of many historic websites dotting the UNESCO-protected heart, with different noteworthy examples together with the Twelfth-century Zytglogge, a clock tower that is most likely Bern’s best-known attraction, and the eerie Ogre Fountain, which depicts the foul creature devouring youngsters.
Cheery.
Bern’s notorious fountain could also be a relatively uncommon addition to a relatively romantic, idyllic townscape, however it’s most likely the one unsettling sight you may come throughout:
That is as a result of Bern was just lately named the most secure metropolis not solely in Europe however in the entire world, charting forward of common low-risk locations like Reykjavik in Iceland, Kyoto, Japan, and even the considerably sleepy micro-nation of Luxembourg.
How Is Bern So Safe?
According to the Risk Map 2025, which categorizes locations taking into consideration their security ranges, vacationers going to Bern face the bottom attainable dangers.
The metropolis is joined within the high 3 by Doha in Qatar and Melbourne in Australia.
Corroborating these findings, estimates offered by Numbeo present that the extent of crime within the Swiss de facto capital is ‘very low’, with a price of solely 15.65––in Paris, Europe’s high vacationer vacation spot, it is a staggering 62.03.
The analysis notes that Europe has been dealing with ‘elevated’ dangers just lately, with a number of international locations now positioned within the U.S. State Department’s Level 2 itemizing, corresponding to France, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, although Switzerland stays at Level 1.
They attribute the worsening security state of affairs in Europe to ongoing political unrest, rising public demonstrations, and even environmental dangers: just lately, a whole metropolis in southern Spain confronted its deadliest flood in many years.
Bern, then again, has had no latest pure disasters, it is hardly ever agitated by protesting, and as it’s a smaller city heart, dwelling to round 134,000 folks, it doesn’t undergo from the identical speedy urbanization points, unregulated migration, and ghettoization seen in bigger European capitals.
In other words, it’s the city where you’re least likely to get pickpocketed or robbed at knifepoint across the pond.
How To Get To Idyllic, Peaceful Bern From America
Bern is gorgeous and protected, and the breathtaking Swiss Alps backs it, however how do you get there within the first place?
For a metropolis that performs such a key function within the Swiss Federation, internet hosting the Federal Palace of Switzerland, the World Trade Institute, and extra, you’d count on it to be served by a big worldwide airport, proper? Right…?
Well, whereas it is true Bern has an aerodrome, it is a very small one, providing flights primarily to sunny locations in Europe throughout summer season.
Needless to say, you’ll be able to’t fly instantly there from the United States.
You can, nonetheless, fly into Zurich from as many as 14 U.S. airports or Geneva from 3 departure factors: amongst them, you’ve gotten a number of the States’ best-connected hubs, with JFK, Newark, Chicago, Washington-Dulles and Boston, to call just a few.
From Zurich, it is a quick 1h11 prepare trip to Bern, and you may wish to ensure you e book a window seat for the journey, as you may be gliding by means of some mesmerizing alpine surroundings.
Trains from Geneva take longer, with the shortest trip taking 1h45, however the best way there’s simply as lovely, with tracks operating alongside the serene Lake Geneva, certainly one of Europe’s prettiest lake destinations.
Zurich is, after all, probably the most handy choice, and you might at all times couple a visit to Bern with a stopover in Switzerland’s monetary coronary heart––simply ensure you hold your wits about you and a watchful eye in your belongings.
Zurich remains to be very protected, however it’s actually not as peaceable as Bern.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed listed here are the creator’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, permitted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the put up.