Solo travel changed me. I want to start there because the conversation around it tends to swing between two extremes: the inspirational "you'll find yourself!" kind, and the fear-based "is it safe???" kind. The truth is somewhere more grounded. It can be wonderful. It is also a thing you have to be smart about, especially as a young woman. This is the version of the talk I wish I'd had.
The general rule that changed everything
The single best piece of safety advice I ever got was: boring is better. Don't try to look like a confident world-traveller. Don't dress to be admired by strangers. Don't do anything that makes you visibly stand out. The safest tourists are the ones who blend in, and the second-safest are the ones who look like they know exactly where they're going (even when they don't).
Before the trip
- Share your itinerary with two people. Not one — two. If something feels off, you want backup. Family, friend, both.
- Save offline maps. Google Maps lets you download whole cities. Do this for every place you're visiting. A phone running out of data in an unfamiliar country is a common, solvable problem — solve it before you leave.
- Photograph your passport. One copy in your email, one with a parent, one in a separate part of your luggage. If you lose the original, the recovery is much faster.
- Have at least one trusted contact in each destination — a hostel reception, a known cafe, a tourist office. Somewhere you can go if your phone dies and you need help.
Where you sleep matters more than where you eat
I'll spend more on accommodation when I travel solo than when I'm with friends. Not because I want luxury — because I want safety. A hostel with strong reviews, a 24-hour reception, lockers, and decent locks is worth €5 a night more than the cheapest place in town. Always check the cancellation policy in case you arrive and the place feels off. Trust that instinct — book somewhere else, lose €15, sleep peacefully.
Walking around
Most of solo travel is walking around. A few things I do without thinking now:
- Pretend to be on a phone call when something feels off — even if no one's there. It's a near-universal "leave me alone" signal.
- Walk with confidence even when lost. Stop in a shop or café to check directions, not in the middle of the street.
- Avoid empty streets at night. The longer-but-busier route is the right route.
- Don't wear headphones in unfamiliar areas. Hearing what's around you matters more than the playlist.
- If a stranger approaches with too much energy or too quickly, keep walking. Politeness is a habit; safety is a priority.
Trust your gut without apologising for it. The cost of being "rude" to a stranger is nothing compared to the cost of being polite when you shouldn't have been.
Bars, alcohol, and why I'm careful
I'm not going to pretend I don't drink on trips. But solo, I have a rule: I never let a drink leave my sight, and I don't accept drinks from strangers — even nice ones. Drink-spiking is real, it's underreported, and it's a thing I've heard about from too many friends. Cocktails I order myself, watch the bartender pour, and don't share. That's the trade-off for solo freedom.
Also: know how you're getting back to your accommodation before you arrive at the bar. Pre-decide your "leaving" plan when you're sober. Drunk-you should not be making transport decisions in a foreign city.
Transport
Use known apps for taxis (Uber, Bolt, the local equivalent). Avoid hailing random cars unless absolutely necessary. On public transport, sit near other people, ideally near other women. If something feels weird, get off at the next stop and take the next one.
Train stations and bus terminals at night are statistically the place where most travel-related theft happens. Don't get there earlier than necessary, don't fall asleep on benches, don't leave your bag unattended even for a second.
Money and valuables
Carry a "decoy wallet" with a small amount of cash and an old card. Keep your real money and main card somewhere else (inner pocket, money belt, separate bag). If you're unfortunate enough to be mugged, you hand over the decoy and your trip is mostly intact.
Don't flash expensive electronics. Don't take your phone out in the middle of crowded squares to record a TikTok — phones get snatched constantly. Step into a doorway or sit in a café first.
The mental side nobody talks about
Solo travel can be lonely. The first day or two, especially. The trick is not to white-knuckle through it — it's to treat the loneliness as part of the experience. Take yourself to nice meals. Sit and read in cafés without your phone. Eventually, you'll find that the loneliness softens into something more like solitude. Solitude is the good version.
Also: hostels are the cheat code for not staying lonely. Even if you book a private room for safety, hang out in the common area. Travellers are some of the friendliest people on earth precisely because they're also alone.
What I'd tell my past self
Trust your instincts more, immediately. Listen to women locals — especially older women — more than to internet forums. Don't try to optimize the perfect Instagram trip; chase the days that feel quietly good. Be the kind of traveller who sometimes spends a whole afternoon doing nothing in a park. That's where the actual magic of solo travel lives, and it's also the safest thing you can do.
You're going to come back changed. Just come back.