Don’t shoot me down in flames- a genuine question.

NotSpaghetti

I think there's a lot of anxiety here.
Please stop worrying.
The vast majority of young people travel the world without problems.

What is "late teens"
18?
You mean adults?

Yes mine did and just as well they didn't tell us everything until they were much older!

It's normal to worry but they have to spread their wings and learn to be streetwise.

I never feel unsafe in cities, including London, where there are other people around. I use my phone and camera without thinking about it. (Though I don’t do that modern thing of walking around with my phone in my back jeans pocket.)

It’s isolated paths in the countryside which freak me out.

Thank you Zoom, I was beginning to feel - well I don’t know- like I must have been really, really lucky to keep going to London all the time and never having any problems.

Yes, sensible precautions you’d take anywhere. But a place to be frightened of going to! Like you say it’s full of young people (and old grey haired people) all living quite normal lives🙂

I live in London and am in and out of the centre all the time. I feel perfectly safe. Just need to take sensible precautions as you would travelling anywhere. My daughter had her backpack nicked on a train in Belgium, stupidly leaving it on the floor .

I’m Manchester but visit London often with friends. I’ve never felt unsafe but I stay in populated areas

I don't think London is any different to any other European Cities . I live in the Suburbs and have never been the victim of crime . Keep wits about you , don't talk or trust anyone you've only just met and girls , stick together at all times and watch drinks in bars and clubs . Don't accept drinks off anyone .
Walking along , don't use your phone in hand to look at Google maps . Work out your directions before you go . At night sit downstairs on the bus .
In Paris the same , stick to the tourist areas , be vigilant on the metro and around The Gare du Nord .
I do think reading too much into media reports makes us all fearful of everything and everywhere . Just be aware of your surroundings and don't be sweet talked by strangers and all will be well .

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/oct/06/people-claim-london-crime-is-rising-because-it-suits-them-met-commander-says

OP, I realise The Guardian may not be your news source of choice, but the above article is worth reading, to help put things in context. Perhaps show it to your SIL too🤔

Robbery figures in London down 13% this year - figures provided by the police.

Nigel Farage and his fans on SM have ulterior motives for portraying London as a ‘crime ridden hell hole’. It is NOT.

I hope your GDs have a wonderful time in our vibrant, exciting, multicultural capital city🇬🇧

Same as any other big city,NY, Chicago,London,Rome. I'm sure they are actually quite savvy and use same rules as anywhere else.

If someone thinks London is more dangerous than the majority of the US they need to get out more and stop listening to propaganda.

Like any big city it's advisable to not wave valuables around but they've got more chance of being locked up by ICE or being shot at home than they, have of any danger in London.

The streets aren't filled with criminals, the hospitals don't have streams of blood, we haven't been taken over by Muslims and British people aren't a minority in London.
Or anywhere else.

The biggest danger is getting lost.

Haven’t been to Paris for years, so can’t comment, but know London well and it’s a great city to visit with a huge variety of shops, restaurants, galleries and museums and different areas which each have their own character.

London feels safe, just be aware of who is around you. The tube network is easy to navigate and the best fun to be had is sitting at the front top deck of a double decker bus or taking a Thames Clipper along the river to see the whole city and you can travel from Putney up to the O2 and beyond. Portobello and Camden markets are packed but fun for late teens.

Avoid mid-Oxford Street as a crowded tourist trap nightmare (Selfridges fun for teens though) but the area behind St Christopher’s place and streets behind this area up to Mayfair are great. Covent Garden and Soho with Chinatown and the theatre district are worth a look, the public parks are wonderful and London Bridge or Blackfriars are the stepping off point for Borough Market and a riverside walk to the Tate Modern and all the buzz of the South Bank. Chelsea from Sloane Square down King’s Road is also great.

Two things to be aware of: I would recommend not wandering around with mobile phone in hand trying to navigate around town, as there is a risk of phone-jacking in tourist areas, often by thieves on bicycles. Tuck phones away, get a wee paper tube map, a pre-paid travel or Oyster card and tap in and out of the tube and on buses rather than using the phone. Or get an Uber or lovely black cab.
Secondly be aware of the very very small risk of spiked drinks and stick together, this would apply anywhere in the world I think.
Hope they have a blast!

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NY was safe under Rudi Giuliani but I wouldn't say it was particularly safe now.

London ranks 15th in the Safe Cities Index compared to NY at 20th.
.

They could be robbed & assaulted anywhere, not just London

Thanks ZoomTheIceLolly - I am heartily sick of people being scared of the ordinary.

There was a great little video in my "news feed" about a week ago. Someone had filmed an older guy walking through London with his backpack open.

At least 20 people stopped him to point it out.

CariadAgain

Oh! Right....

Some good news....oh...

Was hoping there might have actually been some wonderful news....as we could all do with some...

Maybe the good news doesn’t mean didly squat to you but im sure the thousands of people who have had their phones snatched will feel some comfort.

It's isolated paths in the countryside which freak me out.
Me too. Much as I would love to take walks in the countryside on my own, I have too vivid an imagination, I know, but I would be frightened of falling and hurting myself and no-one to help.

If the young people need assistance, most Londoners will help with giving directions, helping with getting heavy luggage up and down stairs etc. Those of us who live in London are proud of our city and want visitors to enjoy themselves. There is excellent advice on here, which hopefully has been reassuring. I do hope that these young people have a great time in this wonderful city.

I live in greater London and don't feel threatened, though I wouldn't take my mobile out if I was alone at a bus stop at night. I'm careful when taking cash from ATM's - I'd normally use one inside a bank or in a supermarket near the security guard. I also take care to keep my handbag closed and tucked close to my body if I'm on a crowded train. Spare cash, valuables and passports would be in the hotel safe when we're travelling.
However I don't think that there are many cities where this wouldn't be seen as sensible behaviour?
I think that having too much to drink makes young people very vulnerable, so I would suggest that they always stay together and take care not to overdo it.

I echo the risks of Rome and Barcelona, a few people I know have been robbed there including my son (twice!) I don't know about Naples.

Years ago, I remember walking for miles down the south bank, at midnight, but would I do it today, no I would not. I just wouldn’t feel safe.

cc

I echo the risks of Rome and Barcelona, a few people I know have been robbed there including my son (twice!) I don't know about Naples.

My nephew was knocked out & robbed in Rome many years ago, I bet it’s much worse today.
He said he would never go back, or walk round any big cities today.

Have they done a bit of exploring in their own country? Suggest that it would be a start to managing on their own before exploring foreign countries. Large cities are fairly similar as far as crime is concerned. London is well known for phone snatching but really walking about holding your phone up in front of you makes you easy pickings. You say late teens, is that 17 or 19 years old. 17 year olds I'd be worried, 19 years not so much.

Most large cities require you to keep your wits about you.

I have lived in London for the past 36 years, working in various parts of Central London for 21 years.

During that time I have had:

2 handbags stolen - one in a pub near The Royal Courts of Justice, and the other in an upmarket tea room in Hampstead. I was rather careless about minding my possessions on both occasions.

1 had my cash card snatched when I was distracted at a cash machine - again not concentrating properly.

Only a few months ago, I had my mobile phone taken from out of my backpack while walking on Oxford Street. Again, it was my lack of forethought that brought this about. My backpack had a zip right across the back and, on reflection, was just crying out to be opened. You could warn your granddaughters that Oxford Street has a high frequency of mobile phone thefts.

However, I don't think that is a terrible record for 36 years of London living. And I still go into central London at least 3 times a month.

Most of these thefts could have been avoided if I had been paying proper attention. So, I believe if your granddaughters heed the cautionary advice on here they should be OK.

My husband and I went to Paris for just 4 days several years ago and during that time someone tried to pickpocket me as I was walking up the steps of the Arc de Triomphe.

I hope your granddaughters have a wonderful time. London is such an interesting and exciting place, and I think we are especially lucky to have several large and beautiful parks.

I recently visited London for the weekend. There were protest marches and due to this i had to walk as busses etc couldn't travel their full route.
I had no problems whatsoever. In fact experienced a very friendly crowd. When I was on the bus/tube etc people were offering me their seats. I didn't take them, I didn't need to but found a much friendlier capital than I had back in the 1990's.
I would not be concerned if my family were going there.
I think everywhere you go you should be vigilant and aware, but nothing different when visiting London. I hope they have a wonderful time

My grandson age 20 and few friends visit London few times a year, only on day trips, and to comic con etc his parents always worry, it’s not a place we’d recommend teen girls to be visiting, and they need to keep their wits about them, belongs ie bags and phones secure especially their mobiles hidden …
We live in the UK around 30 miles from London

Hi, this is my first post, but as a Londoner I must defend my city. It is absolutely no worse than any other busy city, and I am comfortable walking in just about any area at any time of day or night as long as I take ordinary common sense precautions. Public transport is completely safe (because it is so busy). As others have said, your girls must not wave flashy phones around on the street, and they should not put their phones on a table in cafes or pubs, because thieves look out for this. The girls need to keep a hold of their bags at all times - I often wear a small cross-body bag for my valuables. These concerns are not specific to London, they are worldwide. If the girls have any problems at all, passers-by will help. Most Londoners actually are friendly and helpful. I am sure they will have a wonderful time.

I am sure they will be ok with commonsense. They are all intelligent girls and wouldn’t leave drinks unattended. One of my daughters had her drink spiked in London and ended up in hospital - that was in the 1990s when she was over there doing the usual student work placement. It was very worrying, she almost died. I suppose that is why I am anxious for them. They would be marked as tourists by their accents, as she was.