Traveling Europe on Your Own

What to do with a pocket full of graduation-present cash and your last summer of freedom ahead of you? Travel Europe. It’s a great way to celebrate the four long years you’ve dedicated to earning your degree, and the BEST way to postpone the inevitable job search.

Can’t find a friend to scope Scotland with? Travel alone and do what you want, when you want—and learn a lot about yourself in the process. But when hitting Europe solo, keep your head about you and follow these tips for a safer and more rewarding experience.

Make new friends.
Meeting locals and other travelers can turn a good experience into an unforgettable one. Youth hostels will not only help you stretch your cash but will introduce you to other young travelers to help stave off those occasional bouts of traveling loneliness. You might even find travelers heading the same direction for a day or two, allowing you to pool expenses and gain the protection of a group. Sleeping in large hostel bunk rooms (usually of 14-16 people) is also a good way to be safe—it is more public and you can better avoid unwanted attention and situations.

Lock it up.
Most hostels offer secure lockers. Some offer the service for free, while other hostels charge a nominal fee. Take advantage of these lockers to allow you to see a city without having to lug your possessions. It’s good for the nightlife, too. No one at the discotheque wants to dance with the “backpack-girl.”

Keep your cash safe.
Mandy Peterson, a travel agent with Morris Murdock Travel in Logan, UT, has been to Europe multiple times. “Europe is terrible for pick pocketing, especially on the public transit,” she says. Mandy recommends keeping your money in multiple, hard to reach places close to your body, and leaving some locked up in your hotel room or hostel locker. Avoid carrying your backpack whenever possible, as many thieves will spot you as a visitor and take advantage of the situation. One such trick that robbers use is the “map trick.” Two thieves will act like tourists and ask for directions, spreading a map over the top of your pack. While you’re talking to one person, the second’s hands are hidden beneath the map, relieving you of the bag’s contents.