10 “Dangerous” Places That Are Actually Safe to Visit
What on earth are you afraid of? These destinations may have a tinge of danger about them, but take the word of our staff of intrepid travelers and beat the crowds to these formerly PR-challenged destinations. In years to come, you’ll be glad you visited so ahead of the curve.
#1: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Beach lovers flock to the idyllic coasts of Punta Cana and Semana, but many of them make it a point to avoid the island’s bustling capital city of old Santo Domingo. It has a rep for having a gritty stretch or two, so I was surprised to find a breezy colonial town that’s chock full of old world charm (it’s actually the oldest European city in the New World.) Tucked along the historic quarters of Zona Colonial are long leafy boulevards, grand European-style squares like the Parque Colon, elegant restaurants, churches dating back to the 1500s, and quaint little shops. It has a few boutique hotel options, too—go for the ideally located Hostal Nicolas de Ovando, which is housed in a former 16th-century Spanish estate. I felt as completely at home sitting around its pool overlooking the Caribbean as I did strolling around the city’s main streets—which were safe to walk even at night. —Lindsay Talbot
Safe to visit? Tunisia? Really, you might want to rethink that!
I will add my doubts to Tony’s regarding Tunisia and add Iran . Claiming those places are safe to visit is pretty careless. Now I personally visited Cartagena twice and found it charming and lovely. You always have to keep your wits about you and not walk into obviously questionable places. I was taken aback by the number of people sitting along a fence begging. Many were in various handicapped states. We find this in many, many of the Latin American countries. I personally will not cruise to any locations East of Greece on the Mediterranean.
Hola! I’ve been following your website for a long time now and
finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Dallas Tx!
Just wanted to tell you keep up the good job!