Cities · 24 guides
Is It Safe? City by City
Cancún, Medellín, Cape Town: what the advisories say about where you are going.
Yes, the specific city you are visiting can remain safe even when a national advisory urges caution for the wider country. At Safe to Go, we see travelers misread the national level, when the warning is about specific regions.
Each city page shows the national level plus whatever the advisories say about the city’s state or region, quoted from the advisory text.
City guides
Why City Advisories Split From National Warnings
Canada also flags countries that have regional advisories on its Government of Canada travel advice and advisories directory.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) does not use numbered levels on UK FCDO foreign travel advice. The UK FCDO instead explicitly names regions it advises against all travel to, or against all but essential travel to, either for the entire country or for parts of it.
What City Pages Do Not Measure
Travel advisories describe risk for the average traveler rather than compiling crime statistics, and Safe to Go does not publish crime rates.
If you want to evaluate two separate metropolitan regions before booking flights, you can compare destinations to see where government agencies place their standing warnings.
Before You Fly to Any City
Before departing on any international city trip, US citizens can enroll trips in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts and be reachable by the embassy. You can also print our free travel safety checklist before you fly. Check your city’s page again the week you leave, because a level can change after a guide was written, and the page shows a note when it does.
Popular City Destinations Covered by Country
We maintain individual assessments for metropolitan centers across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. These city pages combine the national level with what the advisories say about the city’s state or region.
- Mexico: Read Is Mexico City safe?, Is Cancún safe?, Is Puerto Vallarta safe?, Is Cabo San Lucas safe?, Is Guadalajara safe?, Is Playa del Carmen safe?, Is Tulum safe?, and Is Oaxaca safe?.
- Colombia: Review Is Medellín safe?, Is Bogotá safe?, and Is Cartagena safe?.
- Europe: Check Is Paris safe? and Is Barcelona safe?.
- Asia and Middle East: Examine Is Tokyo safe?, Is Seoul safe?, Is Bangkok safe?, Is Hong Kong safe?, Is Dubai safe?, and Is Bali safe?.
- Africa, Turkey and the Americas: Consult Is Cape Town safe?, Is Cairo safe?, Is Istanbul safe?, Is Rio de Janeiro safe?, and Is Panama City safe?.
How to Check a City That Is Not Listed
If your destination lacks an individual municipal page, start by checking the country’s national advisory across the primary government publications. Safe to Go pulls three official advisory feeds every day from the US Department of State, the UK FCDO, and the Government of Canada to monitor global updates.
Look up the province, state or district that contains your city in the US State Department advisories and Canada travel advice. Then check whether the UK FCDO names that province as an area where it advises against all travel or against all but essential travel. Note that the UK FCDO warns travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice.
You can inspect full country-level ratings on every country or review our dedicated directory of city guides. For recent changes across all 232 countries and territories we rate, check latest advisory changes to see if recent adjustments affect your route.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to visit a city right now if the country has a warning?
A city can carry less risk than its country’s national level when no advisory warns against its state or region. Read the regional text on your city’s page in our city guides to see whether a warning covers it.
Does Safe to Go publish municipal crime rates?
No. Safe to Go does not publish crime rates. Travel advisories from the US, UK, and Canada describe risk for the average traveler, and our city pages quote whatever the advisories say about the city’s state or region.
What happens if a government advisory feed goes down?
If a government feed fails on a given day, the previous day’s values for that source are kept and clearly marked, ensuring the advisory panel never goes blank. When an official country level changes after an article is written, the page displays a note until the guide text is refreshed.
Can travel insurance be invalidated by regional warnings?
Yes. The UK FCDO notes that travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice.
Keep exploring
Safe to Go summarizes official government travel advisories for general information. It is not legal, medical or security advice, and conditions can change faster than any page. Before you book and again before you go, read the full advisory from your own government and follow the instructions of local authorities.