Montreal has been named the world's safest city for travellers in 2027, jumping from 16th place to first in a new ranking by insurance company Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. The Canadian city scored 82.18 points, praised for its low crime rate — though the report quips that the real hazard is traffic, since suburbs straddle both sides of the Saint Lawrence River and bridge crossings into the city can be slow, especially with near-constant roadworks.
Europe puts nine cities in the top 15. Zürich takes second place with 81.03 points, up from third last year. The report's take is that Switzerland's largest city stays safe partly because it isn't a major tourist draw — its conservatism and high prices keep crowds down — while clean, reliable public transit does the rest. The practical advice for visitors is about money, not security: Switzerland is outside the eurozone, so even in a largely cashless country it's worth carrying a small amount of Swiss francs on arrival.
Amsterdam rounds out the top three on 80.81 points, climbing from fourth. The Dutch capital was described as surprisingly safe for a city that draws mostly leisure travellers — think canal walks, dodging bikes and museum-hopping. Reykjavik, in fifth on 78.90 points, is credited with safety by scale: it's small enough to barely have distinct neighbourhoods. It slips from first place in the 2026 ranking.
The remaining European entries are Oslo (sixth), Venice (eighth), Dublin (11th), Copenhagen (12th), Barcelona (13th) and Paris (15th). Outside Europe, Tokyo takes fourth, Singapore seventh, Sydney ninth, Honolulu tenth, and San Francisco 14th.
How the ranking works matters if you're reading it as a travel guide. The list started with 38 popular international and domestic cities for US travellers, then surveyed more than 1,500 people who had actually visited them, letting them score safety based on firsthand experience. Those results were combined with safety indices from Numbeo and The Economist, plus city ratings from GeoSure Global. The company itself flags the main caveat: scores reflect conditions as of the August 2026 survey, so they don't capture whatever is happening right now.
For travellers, the value here isn't just the league table — it's the on-the-ground detail. Each entry comes with a practical note, from Montreal's bridge congestion to Zürich's currency quirk. If you're choosing between city breaks for next year and safety is a factor, the full top 15 is a handy shortlist of places where petty crime and personal security are unlikely to spoil the trip. Just remember the methodology skews toward destinations popular with American travellers, so some equally safe cities elsewhere may simply not have made the starting list.
