It’s nothing unusual to consider traveling on your own these days.
The solo travel trend is continuing to grow in popularity around the world as countless travelers decide to take the plunge and go alone on the trip they’ve been dreaming of.
One of the key factors to be considered when planning such a trip is safety, so it’s useful to know that luggage storage app Bounce has recently updated its Women’s Solo Travel Safety Index for 2023.
Bounce revealed the top 10 safest countries for solo female travelers by rating them on numerous factors such as levels of violence against women, percentage of women who feel safe walking at night, and global gender gap index score.
Surprisingly, all the top 10 countries are located within Europe, but there has been a significant reshuffle in the order of the ranking.
Here’s the full list. Which would be most appealing to you as a solo traveler?
1. Spain
It seems everywhere you look, a different part of Spain is breaking a tourism record this year.
With a warm climate, a highly-developed tourism industry, and cities that are well suited to digital nomadism such as Sevilla and Barcelona, Spain has a lot going for it.
The country scored the best cumulative rank of all the factors considered in this safety index.
2. Norway
Scandinavian countries are often considered to be safe, and so it has proved with Norway ranking so highly in this index.
The country had the highest score for the percentage of women who feel safe walking at night (83 percent).
Highlights of Norway include the capital city Oslo, the gateway town to many of the fjords Bergen, and northern Arctic beauty spots such as Lofoten.
3. Netherlands
With Amsterdam considered one of Europe’s most liberal cities, it’s easy to see why the Netherlands scores well when it comes to safety.
Away from Amsterdam, other interesting destinations to visit include Rotterdam and the Hague.
If you really want to escape the crowds, consider a trip to the West Frisian Islands in the north of the country.
4. Ireland
The top-ranked country in this index last year, Ireland has slipped to fourth place but remains a friendly and safe destination for solo travelers.
Always a popular country to visit among Americans, Ireland has the advantage of English being the official language, as well as modern cities such as Dublin and Cork.
5. Austria
With a cultural star like Vienna as its capital, many will be pleased to see that Austria scores highly on the safety front.
Austria is also a great winter destination, with many of its picturesque mountain towns perfect for skiing.
6. Slovenia
The charming towns, beautiful nature, and generally affordable prices that Slovenia has to offer make it the ideal solo travel getaway.
Beautiful Ljubljana is one of the smallest capital cities in Europe, while Lake Bled is widely regarded as one of the continent’s best natural beauty spots.
7. Switzerland
Gorgeous valleys, impressive mountains, and some of the freshest air you’ve ever breathed in – Switzerland is perfect for solo travelers.
While the Alps might be top of your hit list for Switzerland, don’t let cities such as Zurich or Bern slip your itinerary; they are really worth exploring.
8. Belgium
Famous for great fries, great beer, and great chocolate, Belgium is a food lover’s paradise.
It’s also an easy-to-traverse country thanks to its small size and great transport links.
9. Portugal
Another country that has been smashing its tourism records in 2023, Portugal offers the best of all worlds with historic cultural cities like Lisbon and Porto, plus some of the best beaches in Europe in the Algarve.
It has been a particularly popular pick among American travelers this year as it’s a great starting or end point for a longer European jaunt.
10. Sweden
Another Scandinavian country in the top 10, Sweden is a safe and welcoming country to explore.
Its capital, Stockholm, is very highly rated by our own solo travel experts here at Travel Off Path.
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