Need terrorist-free Western Europe destination ideas

I echo what some of the others have said about not letting the threat of terrorism limit your travel plans, but there is a web site that might help you. Unfortunatley, I don't have the exact address handy, but I believe it's the U.S. State Department's web site - it can give you information about what countries are safer to travel to, or what to be on the lookout for. Maybe that will ease your worries.

The chances of getting hurt by a terroist attack are lower than getting hurt in a car crash so you shouldn't worry about it. You shouldn't let terrorists dictate what you can and can't do, because if you do then their plan of intimidation has worked on you.

Kare, while I understand your feelings following so close to the latest headlines, but think about it...Great Britain is on the highest alert status possible now and for the foreseeable future. What could be safer?

No possibility of anything else happening? Sure there is, but the odds are just not there to warrant being intimidated into staying home.

I completely agree with Megan. London is an amazing city, and if you want to see it, you should see it. Plus, it's not like we are any safer from terrorism in the US. Would you not go to New York or Washington DC or Boston? - 3 places that have been affected by terrorists and 3 of the US's finest cities. If you stay away from London, you let them win without even hurting you. Of course, there are many other fine places in Europe to go, but there is no guarantee at all anywhere in the world. If you stay away because of a fear of terrorism, why not stay away because of pickpockets or car accidents or lightning strikes or train and plane crashes and the list could go on and on forever. of course, you have to do what would make you comfortable, and if you wouldn't enjoy your vacation because of fear, then you should pick somewhere else. Only you can decide that.

Unfortunately I don't see any particular European (or North American, not to mention African/Asian/Australian/South American) city and airport being less likely to be attacked. If that is your concern and limiting your travel, the solution is to stay home. I mean this most kindly, because if you fear travelling in case you might not come back alive, then you absolutely should not go.

However, when you are open to new experiences, and willing to use common sense, you just go. I had landed in Paris the day of the London bombings in 2005 and I did continue with my planned London trip two weeks later. I was there during the attempted bombing, when security was on high alert. I felt totally safe, and other than being inconvenienced due to Tube closures, I had a fantastic time.

In August 2006, just before my Italian trip, the liquids scare happened. I could have cancelled plans and stayed home, but I would have missed a life-altering trip. I refuse to let terrorism alter my travel plans.

The State Department's website is rather political in it's assessment of security. A much better way to check what places are safe and less safe is the UK Foreign Office's website.

As to London and Glasgow - quite frankly you are much more likely to get hit by a bus in Ann Arbor than have any problems with terrorism here. It's not even clear that the Glasgow Airport incident was truly terrorism and not just a couple of nutcases. Frankly, I think you'd have a higher risk back in the good 'old USA.

The sentiment here is that if we let these incidents affect our lives, we let the 'terrorists' (or whomever they are) win. It doesn't seem to have phased people here, and you shouldn't let it worry you either. The UK is a glorious place to visit, security is excellent and get on with planning your visit. Let us know if you have any questions about where to go or what to see while you're here!

Kate

I think you should try not to get too upset about what happened in London and Glasgow, but you always have to be alert and on top of what is going on around the world. I too think the security in London is very good, as they have foiled several terrorist attacks. I personally would fly to London tomorrow if I had the chance. But if you are uncomfortable doing this now -- there is always Italy and France -- you certainly won't be sorry if you go there instead. Even here, or in other European countries though, I would remain alert, particularly in public transportation areas.
Either go and have fun, or postpone the trip -- but I think these kind of issues are unfortunatly with us to stay. We must learn to deal with them.

I agree with the other responders - don't allow terrorists to dictate where and what counties you visit.

That is exactly their intentions.

I am going to Israel and will be visiting the Golan, near the Gaza and many of the holy sites this fall. I don't care if or where the rockets are falling. The terrorists will not make me change my plans.

Fear is a terrible enemy!

At the risk of repeating what has already been said, I honestly do not believe there is a single place that is 100% free from the threat of terrorism.
Frankly, the little bit I've read about what happened In Glasgow leads me to believe that since the two men driving the car were alive to be arrested, they were a couple of looney tunes. And there are crazy people everywhere.

My personal guess on terrorist free destinations: Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Andorra, San Remo, Switzerland (with the exception of the Eurocup in June of 2008 where there is a natural risk of terror attacks)...

You are nearly seven times as likely to be murdered in the US than in Europe. We were in London 2 months after the bombings there. We found London to be an exceptional place. There were no difficulties and it was great fun. By cancelling and rerouting, you surrender to possibilities of danger. Dont Bushify your life ( fear everything and distrust everybody).

Are you kidding? You cannot be serious!

I say you consider just not going to Europe at all. Spend the time more wisely by pondering which Republican candidate you'd like for the US Presidential vote in 2008! Time well spent and a surefire way to help fight against terror!

Besides, they only speak English in the UK, so you'd probably just be bored anyhow. Oh, and the food is allegedly awful. Oh, and the weather isn't so nice.

I think Jamaican or Mexican destinations through Apple Vacations would be more your speed, and might meet your safety concerns.

Thank you, Andreas. Your answer is helpful.

Also, smaller towns like Bruges, Chantilly, Bath etc., probably are not likely targets. The only problem is that to get to them (i.e., through Paris, Brussels, London, etc.), it's hard to avoid larger cities that are more likely the targets of terrorists because that is where the flights go.

When I lived in France back in 1985-1986, terrorists bombed a cafe in the Latin Quarter and the Galleries Lafayette department store. My French parents didn't blink an eye and never stopped me from going into Paris.

The rest of the world has been living with terrorism a lot longer than the US. I hate to be this cynical, but as time goes by I think we'll learn to live with it like the rest of the world and go on with our lives.

I think that anyone is smart not to put themselves in harms way on purpose, but I do hope that as time goes by you'll allow yourself to see all the wonderful sites in the cities that are more likely targets such as London or Paris.

Happy travels

Ireland should be reasonably safe now.

Dear Karen,

To echo everyone else here, there are risks in travelling anywhere, whether to the supermarket or Mongolia. But, it's hard to enjoy travel if you're feeling unsure of how safe you really are. Here's the link to the State Department website:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_1168.html

Regardless of where you go, have a great time!

We were in London this weekend and honestly found our lives were affected by the terrorist incidents only because they were on the news at night. We were all over the city and life was going on as normal. London is too cool a place to miss!

I think the question and following discussion tends to illustrate how poor most folks are in judging risk. I am sure that everyone today has engaged in a variety of risky behaviors that is much higher by many, many factors than the terrorists in London or elsewhere. You will have a much greater risk of injury or death just driving to the airport for your trip than anything you will encountered from terrorist in Europe. The risk of injury riding the Tube is higher than an terrorist but you don't think twice about it. If really concerned about coming home alive -- then don't go. The risk of flying is greater than any bomb.

Your thinking is way off track. I agree with Frank, maybe you should not go. Have you seen all the reports in the last year saying that the US is the most voilent country (murders, shootings, robbery, etc) in the world. The UK is so safe, I never worry one bit about going out at night in London. I wouldn't walk around my town at 11:00pm, like I do in London. You need to stop thinking negative, and realize that you are missing a lot if you let your thinking stop from going places.

I can't believe what I am reading. I'm being treated like the idiot, not the idiots who are killing people. If you can't answer the question, start your own topic somewhere else, but get the heck off mine!

I should stay home? Why? In case you didn't read my question--which I am assuming several of you didn't, I have traveled before in Western Europe. I have not had problems, even travelling as a single female. I am not a person prone to unreasonable fear. Quite frankly there are much sillier questions on this board that were given much more polite answers. If you are this nasty to people, maybe YOU should stay home and not present yourself in a foreign county representing Americans.

I do consider this a reasonable fear. The fanatics are not out to "scare" us. They are out to KILL us. This has been proven over and over. Why would I intentionally want to put myself in the path of one of their hotspots? Terrorists have not won when I re-route. They win when blood is shed.

Karen, I understand where you're coming from. I'm scheduled to go on the Berlin, Prague, Vienna tour this fall. Since I made my final payment, there's been a lot of talk in the news regarding Germany being a top target for terrorist activity. I'm nervous about going and I won't be shamed about feeling so. If I'd known this prior to making my plan reservations, I really would have considered going on a different tour. Do what feels best for you. Andreas' suggestions sound lovely.

Hi Karen,

Your concerns are valid, as all this turmoil in the world is disturbing and won't go away soon. But it's not keeping me at home and it shouldn't keep anyone at home, or away from Europe or anywhere else.

The "smaller" airlines and smaller cities/towns are probably less of a target than more famous airlines/places. Certain countries, such as the Scandinavian countries, Ireland, Eastern Europe, have to date been less of a target than some W. European countries. Of course, that could change, but that's how it is now.

I think the biggest terrorist-related risk of traveling is that there will be some event at an airport/train station, whether or not it causes loss of life, that disrupts traffic and causes thousands of people to be stranded somewhere. Unfortunately that could happen anywhere. I wish you a wonderful trip wherever you go - the chance is overwhelming that things will be great and go off without a hitch (just pack light & wear a money belt :-)

Karen, I agree with you. You posted a perfectly normal, valid, important question. And you got unkind, agressive, rude answers, most of them off topic. I can't belive my eyes when I see adults in this country repeating that media-infused line, If you don't go, you let the terrorists win. This is so... well, I'll say it - dumb. Go with your own gut feeling and Mattias' suggestions.

I meant Andreas' suggestions, of course:)

Karen....I think what some people are trying to point out (some less successfully than others:)) is that your odds of being involved in a terrorist attack are far lower than being hit by a bus, killed on a train, or even dying of food poisoning in the UK. As others have pointed out, terrorism has been a fact of life in Europe for a long time. On my first trip to Europe in 1972, I arrived in Austria to see dozens of machine-gun-toting police...they were afraid back then of PLO attacks. It's more the idea that you have to judge how great that risk is, compared to everything else that may happen to you. If you fear going to the UK because of the latest terrorist attacks, than that's your right; that fear may spoil your holiday (altho with police on the alert there, it might be one of the safer places in the world right now.) But I don't think anyone can say where terrorist will, or will not strike next...that could leave you with a false sense of security. Any NATO nation is a target.

Karen, terrorism is supposed to be frightening, so your fears are completely rational. While people who argue that we all need to carry on in the face of it are correct, that doesn't mean we need to take unnecessary risks when we engage in something voluntary like travel for pleasure.That would be foolhardy. Terror exists.

Go where you and your friend won't be bothered by anxiety. Nothing wrong with that.

Hi Karen,
I've been to Europe several times, but never to the UK or Ireland, so I guess from my perspective, it is not necessary to begin one's European experience from those countries. (I do hope to make it to the UK one of these days, though.) I would suggeest Switzerland. Geneva is an air hub, and although Switzerland may be pricier than other European destinations, there are still ways of travelling on any budget. The scenery is breathtakingly gorgeous, the cities are filled with interesting sites, and because many international companies (in particular, pharmaceutical companies and banks) have their international headquarters in Switzerland, I found a great deal of cultural diversity. Plus, English is widely spoken, so language should not be an issue.

Ksren, I don't think most of the people are trying to treat you as an idiot, but to reassure you. If my best friend had fears, I would try to make her feel better by telling her why everything would be ok. I want you to travel and be happy and confident on your journeys. Many people are just offering reasons to alleviate your concerns. I think most people who write on this website are very caring, sharing travelers, even if ir might not always seem like it. The main goal of this site is to support one another.