Consulates
Baltimore's reputation as a dangerous city was cemented internationally by the HBO series The Wire, and this is not far from the truth. Its nickname, the "Charm City", has been updated by local cynics as the "Harm City," and you can probably find an I *heart* Baltimore t-shirt for sale in which the heart is made of guns and knives. An even less inviting nickname of recent years is the grisly "Bodymore." This reputation is in no small part due to its very high murder rate and its status as a major transit point for drugs. The reputation is warranted, but the average traveler should not get overly concerned. Most crime occurs between individuals that know each other, or in high crime-ridden areas of the city, in which tourists will have little reason to go to. Few if any travelers will have any experience with that isolated culture of drug and gang-related activity, where the murders are occurring. Muggings are the crime for tourists to be concerned with, however.
The areas of Baltimore that attract tourists are safe. You shouldn't worry when going to the opera, museums, aquarium, etc. The popular Inner Harbor area in particular is saturated with police day and night, as the city government relies heavily on this area to bring in locals and tourists and generate tax revenue. Some areas just north of the waterfront downtown above the Inner Harbor around Lexington Market, and around the big public housing projects just northeast of Little Italy can get a little dodgy after dark, and even during the day sometimes. If you're parking your car on street in the Charles Street entertainment district or even in Fells Point, don't leave anything -even trash- visible in your car, in order to deter smash-and-grab robberies. Generally, the worst annoyance for tourists and residents around downtown are the homeless and/or drug addicts, who ask for money. Most will leave you alone if they do or don't receive anything from you. But if one follows you asking for money, it's best to ignore them and keep walking, as they almost always give up after a few seconds. Avoid confrontations or yelling back.
Above all, though, just exercise the usual precautions for any large city in the world: know where you are going and how you are getting there. At night, walk in groups if possible and on well-lit streets, and do not carry large amounts of money. Call a cab if the trip back at night seems beyond your comfort zone.
