I didn’t feel particularly safer in Europe… About the same… Watch your wallet, don’t go down dark alleys alone, etc.
Some things definitely felt more grandiose, but on average things felt like they could be in an American city if not for their vintage.
Public transportation was definitely the biggest difference I observed, trains in Germany were an all but fantastic experience.
I was surprised how heavy German food was and how much smoking folks in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria do. It seemed elevated compared to the average US city.