Me in Barcelona, one of my top-recommended cities for solo female travelers
I’m of the mindset that women should be able to travel anywhere. But what I feel and what’s reality doesn’t exactly match up. As women, there are certain factors we have to consider, particularly safety. Then, you have to consider basic interests and what different women might be interested in seeing and doing.
I’ve done some extensive solo traveling, and if you’re looking for the best cities for solo travelers, I’ve got you. I want to emphasize that everyone can have different experiences in travel destinations, but from my personal experience, I have felt safe and had no issues in these cities.
Puerto Vallarta - Best City in Mexico for Solo Female Travelers At just 18 years old, I moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I wasn’t a wealthy retiree or a jet-setting digital nomad, just a regular girl who scored an amazing job on the entertainment staff at an all-inclusive resort. Moving there was also the very first time in my life that I traveled on my own. I spent a total of nine months there, and not once did I feel unsafe. While I understand that some folks understandably have concerns as to whether Mexico is safe to visit, Puerto Vallarta has remained steadfastly welcoming in the years since then. Nowadays, there are a lot more Americans and Canadians living there than there (for better or worse), which some travelers may find solace in. But I would emphasize that if you are visiting Mexico, make an effort to get to know the local Mexican people there; they are truly some of the nicest people.
Edinburgh - Best City in Scotland for Solo Female Travelers Edinburgh was the first stop on my big solo 30th birthday trip, and it did not disappoint. My time there coincided with the city’s famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival, so there were many people there at the time. I always felt safe, even out at night with some friends I made at my hostel. I would add that Scotland, in general, felt safe to me and day trips were easy to navigate from Edinburgh. Glasgow is the other major city there. While Edinburgh has a unique medieval charm to it, Glasgow seemed to be a more modern business hub. Some Edinburgh highlights for me where the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle. I would also recommend day trips to Stirling (to see Stirling Castle) and North Berwick (to see Tantallon Castle).
Barcelona - Best City in Spain for Solo Female Travelers Barcelona is a stunning coastal city in Spain that was a gem to wander around in; I especially loved their beautiful Gothic Quarter. It’s also where you’ll find the famous Sagrada Familia Cathedral. Barcelona is usually a bucket list destination in Spain, and I also found it to be a great place when I traveled there by myself. What really set this city apart, though, was a moment in the wee hours of the morning when I had to catch a shuttle to the airport. The time was about 3:00 a.m. and while the shuttle pick was about a five-minute walk from my hostel, I was nervous because of the time and whether it would be safe. After leaving my hostel, I was surprised to see friend groups still out and about, along with people already waiting for the shuttle. My nerves were immediately calmed and just made me love this city even more.
Salzburg - Best City in Austria for Solo Female Travelers If you’re a gal who also loves The Sound of Music and beautiful scenery and architecture, then I would add Salzburg to your next itinerary. This Austrian city is known for being where the real von Trapps are from and where they filmed the iconic 1965 movie, which means you can look for famous movie locations while you’re there. You can either opt to stay in Salzburg or make it a day trip if you’re staying near Munich, Germany. I did a day trip here, but I would say no more than two days should be plenty to really see all the sites here. For those who love to shop, there’s also plenty of that in the city’s old town area. They even have a Sound of Music bicycle tour there. While I didn’t do it myself, I definitely wish I had in hindsight.
Sydney - Best City in Australia for Solo Female Travelers I happened to be in Sydney for an acting job, but I was also able to do some exploring there on my own. I will say the Australian people are some of the friendliest folks out there. I remember having to ask someone for directions, and this man was super nice and happy to help. I never felt unsafe walking around the city, and for those gals who, like me, are terrified at the idea of encountering one of Australia’s infamous spiders, I thankfully didn’t see one when I was there – even when we did a day of filming in the suburbs. Bondi Beach is a great place to check out when you’re in Sydney as well.
Boston - Best U.S. City for Solo Female Travelers I was recently in Boston to experience a genuine New England autumn, and let me just say this city really impressed me with how safe and easy it was to explore. As someone who lives in LA, I’m kind of used to encountering lots of garbage on the streets, but Boston was super clean, and there were always people walking about. It’s got a lot of great U.S. history to it, but it’s also a very busy, modern city with lots to do. Boston is also a great hub if you want to take a day trip to Salem, though I would recommend that if you go to Salem in October, book any shows, tours, or museums there well in advance. And just know that there will be a lot of people there.
Galway - Best City in Ireland for Solo Female Travelers I stayed in three major cities in Ireland during my trip there, and Galway was, hands down, my favorite. Galway is located on Ireland’s western coast. Despite it being one of the larger Irish cities, it always felt very quaint, safe, and easy to explore. Galway is also a great place to stay if you want to do a day trip to Ireland’s Aran Islands. On the flip side, I didn’t feel safe in Cork, though it was the closest city to see Blarney Castle and kiss the famous Blarney stone. Dublin was a cool city, and I did enjoy that one too; I would just say that Galway was more my pace.
FAQS Where do most female solo travelers go? While I couldn’t find any statistical data, some popular destinations among solo female travelers appear to be Spain, Italy, Germany, Japan, Australia, the U.S., and the U.K. Where is the best place to travel solo as a female? Honestly, this just depends on what you’re going for. I would say to go somewhere generally considered safe for women, and if you’re newer to solo travel, consider a country where you speak the language so you don’t have that barrier at least in your first few trips. Which country is best for a solo trip for girls? I would say Spain is the best all-around country for solo trips for girls. Every city I was visited there has felt safe and there are all kinds of places to explore depending on your interests. What is the safest city for solo female travelers? The great news is there are many different cities I would consider safe for solo female travelers, but the city where I’ve felt the safest overall would be Edinburgh, Scotland. Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site. Comments are closed.
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About the author
Jill Zwarensteyn is a writer and comedian who has been featured on Amazon, truTV, The New York Times, Matador Network, BUST Magazine, Sleep Advisor, Tiplr, ARTRPRNR Magazine, YourTango, Thought Catalog, GoMad Nomad, Mashable, The Daily Mail UK, the Cannes Film Festival, LaughFest, Women's Lifestyle Magazine, and the Funny Women Festival LA. Archives
December 2024
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