Leuven is a very safe and clean city, with very low crime records.
In general, there are no unsafe spots in the city best avoided. The streets are safe, even at night, although you better avoid public gardens at night.
Of course, it is advised to take the precautions tourists are urged to take everywhere (eg. to avoid pickpocketing). If you have a bike, make sure it is secured with a decent lock as students tend to 'borrow' bicycles. Similarly, jackets left unattended in bars may be at risk.
The city centre police station is located next to City Hall at Grote Markt. Don't hesitate to walk in if you have questions.
Police usually patrol by car and on foot, and most of the times anonymously instead of walking around in uniform (especially at night).
There are some spots in the suburb kessel-lo how are better avoided at night.(Casablanca and Vredespleintje)
Beware that police are especially harsh on traffic violations (also the ones made on a bike!), violent behavior and public disturbance.
Note that Belgium and the Netherlands have different drug regulations! Smoking pot (marihuana) is officially not allowed, although it is tolerated when done indoors. An adult can never have more than needed for 'personal use'. Expect any more to be confiscated if they are found by police and you risk being penalized.
Useful phone numbers:
Police: 101
Emergencies: 112 (can be used from mobile phones).
Local police: 016210611 (+3216210611 from abroad).
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Leuven
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Leuven - updated May 2024
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Leuven Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
