Is it safe...?

[julia]

Is it safe for two 18 year old girls to travel alone in Europe? We are thinking we will go to Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Italy, and Greece. We would travel by train and stay in hostels. Does this sound safe? Are there any countries we should avoid?

[herrbert]

That of course depends on how you define safe. If you take into account that everything that can happen at home, can happen in Europe, then I would say it is safe.

There are however some things to keep in mind:

Petty theft (pickpockets) can hit everywhere, but most of the times the concentrate on the 'strangers' aka the tourists. So be smart, use a moneybelt and read up on tactics used by pickpockets, so you can recognize situations.

Also there are a couple of no-go areas/neighbourhoods in some cities, but these are usualy not where we tourists go. I don't know your plans for Italy, but Naples is a place at the moment, that I would avoid.

In all cases use your head, and you will be fine. There are a lot of young girls travelling solo, or in a small group. Maybe reading some blogs from these girls can give you some insight in how it is to be travelling here.

[Eagle]

julia, Welcome! herrbert has covered the travel safety questions well, but I have a few points to add.....

Naples - I agree that's certainly one location to exercise more caution than usual. If you're planning on visiting Pompeii or other sights in the south, you might consider just using Naples as a "transit point" and not staying there. Don't travel there late at night!

Hostels- while Hostels are generally safe, there are exceptions. I'd recommend that you choose better quality Hostels, so that you don't end up in a dodgy place where you might have problems. The chain Hostels (HI) are usually quite reliable, as they're required to meet certain standards. I was speaking to someone recently that related the case of two girls (about your age) that were travelling in Rome last year. While in a Hostel (not sure which one?), they were "pursued" by some obnoxious male guests who were "on something". The Hostel staff didn't seem willing or able to deal with the problem when they were notified, so the two girls eventually had to move to a Hotel (likely at a much higher cost).

Good luck with your travel plans!

[pointofnoreturn]

I think if you exercise common sense and stick to familiar areas and don't go off wandering in the nighttime and talking to strange people, you'll be okay.

It's not just 18-year old females that have to be aware. It's everyone