Best Cities That Are Safe for Solo, Female Travellers

September 15, 2025
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Whether you are planning your first solo trip or are an experienced traveller, you may be wondering where to head as a solo, female traveller. Here are my favourite cities around the world that have so much to offer but left me feeling safe at the same time!

I have been solo travelling pretty much full-time for 3 years now, and it has been such an incredible time. I have now visited 35 countries and while most of them were a positive experience, some cities I certainly felt safer than others. I thought I’d summarise all of my favourite ones for anyone looking for their next travel destination.

Related article: My Top Affordable Solo, Female Travel Essentials

So, here is a collection of all my favourite cities for solo, female travellers. In all of these, I have met many other female travellers, seen incredible attractions and just really enjoyed my travels. Leave a comment with your favourite city to solo travel 🙂

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Table of Contents

Best Cities for Solo, Female Travel

Whether you’re an experienced traveller or this is your first solo excursion, this list is for you. In each of these cities have I felt safe while making the most incredible memories.

1. Montpellier, France

Montpellier was actually the city that started my full-time travel journey. I spent a month here as part of a French language course and fell back in love with exploring and meeting new people.

I had an incredible time here. The city felt safe, there were so many different students and I loved the fact that at night, the streets turned into bars and restaurants. Montpellier also has so many incredible day trip options, so would highly recommend visiting sometime!

Some of my favourite tours in Montpellier:

2. Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is one of my all-time favourite cities to visit. There is so much history, stunning architecture, incredible food and really fun nightlife (the ruin bars are a must-visit).

I also always feel very safe here and have met so many other solo travellers in the city. I would recommend to stick to well-lit areas at night and ideally not walk around alone after dark just as a safety-precaution, but that goes for most cities.

3. Kyoto, Japan

No list of my safest places to solo travel would be complete without Japan. I have never felt as safe travelling as in this beautiful country, and Kyoto has been one of my favourites cities there so far.

It felt safe even at night and I met so many other amazing solo travellers here!

4. Oslo, Norway

At first, I wanted to put Tromsø here as that is one of my all-time favourite destinations, but decided to go for Oslo to keep it more recognisable. That being said, I felt very safe everywhere in Norway and LOVED the country.

Oslo itself is a very walkable city with friendly locals and lots of things to explore. It is on the more expensive side, as is most of Norway, but very much worth a visit.

Related article: Ultimate Guide to Oslo

5. Montreal, Canada

I think Canada in general is a great place to solo travel. I spent a whole year there on a Working Holiday Visa, met the most amazing people and the most stunning landscapes.

Out of the cities I visited, Montreal was one of my favourites (with Quebec City a close second). The hostel here was incredible (M Montreal), the people are kind and I felt really safe.

My only extra safety precaution here would be again to not walk around alone at night. But, as discussed, that applies to most cities except maybe those in Japan.

While I did feel safe in most of Canada, I do need to mention that I felt pretty unsafe in Vancouver centre, especially during the evenings. The drug use is a very prominent part of life in the centre, so I would recommend staying outside Vancouver centre where you’ll find some beautiful areas instead.

6. Vienna, Austria

Vienna is an incredibly safe city to travel and a stunning one at that. Austria in general is considered a very safe country and its capital Vienna showcases this beautifully.

Even in the evenings, most streets are well-lit and still full of tourists, making it a great destination for solo, female travellers.

7. Melbourne, Australia

Australia was my first solo travel experience at 18 years old and I spent almost 10 months doing Work and Travel there. One of the cities I loved the most and felt very safe in was Melbourne.

From great coffee to beautiful nature and fun nightlife, the city really had it all and I met so many other solo travel girls there.

8. Sarandë, Albania

If you have read any of my solo travel guides before, you will likely have heard me rave about Albania and Saranda. It was my first country that I was slightly apprehensive before visiting due to mixed feedback and the country that positively surprised me the most.

I spent four weeks volunteering and travelling Albania last summer, and had the most incredible time. The locals were so friendly, I met a ton of other solo travel girls and it was super budget-friendly.

On top of all, I felt really safe. I have written a full guide on safety in Albania and especially Saranda which you can read below!

9. Singapore

When it comes to my travel so far, Singapore is easily one of the places I felt safest. The first time I visited solo, I was just 19-years-old and SO heavily jetlagged that I wandered around the city all night.

While it may not have been the smartest idea, I did feel very safe and had zero issues. Plus, Gardens by the Bay is one of my ALL-TIME favourite attractions.

10. Porto, Portugal

Last but certainly not least, we have Porto. If you have read this blog before, there is a good chance that you have heard me rave about Porto. But if you haven’t, this is your sign to add Porto to your solo travel bucket list.

The city has so much to offer, from fascinating history to beautiful musical shows like Fado to surfing along the Portuguese coast. And best of all, I felt really safe here!

FAQ about Solo, Female Travel

What are the best safety precautions to take in unfamiliar places?

There are a few important safety precautions to take when travelling somewhere new as a solo, female traveller.

First of all you need to research your destination – is it safe to travel to (check government websites), do other people travel there, how much information about it is out there, where are the safe areas to stay in, what are some things you need to keep in mind when there.

Once you have determined this and made a rough itinerary, make sure to share this with family/friends. When I solo travel, I always text someone exactly where I am staying when including addresses. We also agree that I text daily unless I am on tours etc. This isn’t to be obsessive but so someone knows exactly where you are and can alert authorities in case of an emergency. This is a precaution so don’t let it scare you.

When I solo travel I also trust my gut and put my safety above all else. If a situation feels unsafe, I get out of it no matter the cost. Money can come back, your life doesn’t.

In general, I’d say avoid being out alone at night, know which areas are safe and which to avoid (your accommodation can usually give you advice on this) and drink only when with friends or in a safe location.

How do I choose affordable but safe accommodations?

The first thing I do when choosing accommodations in a new destination is research the area. Which areas are safe for tourists, especially solo travellers. There are usually lots of resources about these things. If you are unsure, you could also reach out to accommodations for advice.

Second, I usually stay in hostels or hotels that are rated well amongst solo-travellers. This is so I can meet other travellers but also so I know that the location is good etc. Hostel dorms are usually your cheapest option though some countries also have affordable AirBnBs – for those I always make sure it is a female host.

Reviews are crucial!! Check several sites such as booking, Google, Tripadvisor, etc. Some red flags are people talking about stuff being stolen, no women leaving reviews, bedbugs and any negative comments about staff. A huge red flag for me is also when a hotel responds rudely to complaints – it’s unprofessional and will probably affect you if something goes wrong.

How do I deal with loneliness while traveling alone?

When I first started solo travelling, meeting people felt super difficult. Even in hostels, everyone already seemed to be in their little groups and I was struggling. I remember being on week 3 of my Australian East Coast trip and calling my mum sobbing because I felt so lonely.

The more I solo travel, the more I have learned about loneliness and making friends. First of all, I am much more comfortable being with myself now. If I don’t find anyone to hang out with, that is okay. FOMO is sometimes still there, but I always remind myself that I am doing my best.

I usually do meet other people though. A good way is booking hostels with activities as it is SO easy to meet others during say a trivia night or a city tour. Another great way is choosing a female dorm – I often find myself bonding quicker with the girls in there. I also use Bumble BFF. That may sound awkward but I have met some of my now closest friends on there and it has been so great while travelling, especially if I am longer in one place. Finally, Facebook Groups – there are hundreds of travel groups out there and so many other solo travellers just waiting to meet you!

Sometimes though, loneliness prevails. Over the years I have learned that when the feeling refuses to leave, it is my time to go home. It’s a sign from my body that I need a break from travelling and constantly meeting new people. I need familiarity and my family. And that’s okay! Trust me, it took me a while to learn this but stopping a trip early is not failure, especially if it has already been a few months.