Is Amsterdam dangerous?
 

I have recently been reading quite a few stories about knifepoint muggings in Amsterdam. Have any of you had a bad or dangerous experience in Amsterdam?

I have had several dangerous expriences in Amsterdam and, frankly, that's why I keep going back.

I think you may be needlessly worried.

I felt completely safe at all hours of the day and night - obviously big cities all have crime but Amsterdam has a feel of a village.

Where have you been reading this rubbish? Maybe they meant New Amsterdam, now known as New York.

Amsterdam is like any large city, with one big exception! You get a lot of young folks coming there with little money to smoke dope. Summertime around the train station will have hundreds+ of backpackers, moochers, etc....

I've been there about 20+ times and have never been accosted. I do tend to stay around the Leidesplein, which is less likely to find 'dangerous'folks because there are lots of people in that area.

I live near San Francisco and there are places there I haven't considered going to in many a year.

Amsterdam is like any city, good places, great places, and not so good places, and really bad places. Know what you're doing, act like you belong there and know where you're going always helps.

Any and every city has crime. A few friends of mine were mugged and roughed up because they resisted. No weapons, just a black eye and cut forehead. Police did not even take report, happens all the time. I have been to AMS a number of times and the most dangerous plac ehas been shopping in the windows!! My eyes can't handle the strain.

Any place in the world is dangerous is you indulge in dangerous activities:

Hanging out in or wandering through bad neighborhoods (every city has them)

Getting drunk and wandering out of a bar (or stoned and coffee shop) at 2 am

Being too trusting with chance met strangers (esp in bar or coffee shop)

Have been there numerous times, and there are a couple of areas with a lot of stoned kids - but they're more likely to hurt themselves falling over something than hurt you