Is Portugal Safe for Solo Female Travelers?
Safety rating
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How safe is Portugal?
Safety at night:Safe
Public transportation:Safe
Street harassment:Low
Petty crimes:Low
Is Portugal worth visiting?
Overall rating
based on 198 experiences from female travelers
Things to do
Safety
Food
Budget-friendly
Carol
United States
Lisbon, Solo travel
As a solo female traveler, I felt so safe here. Walking home alone at night from the pubs, strolling through the markets, meeting locals, I felt safe the whole time. I was only supposed to spend 1 week in Lisbon but I ended up spending 3 because the people are so lovely. Everything is inexpensive and I felt very welcomed by locals.
Posted: December 15, 2024
Olga
Poland
Lisbon, Group travel
Lisbon is definitely my favorite city in Europe so far! People were always extremely friendly and nice, always eager to help. I have to mention pastel de Nara which are my favorite pastry ever. I’m counting days to come back there.
Posted: December 6, 2024
Petra
Portugal
Alandroal, Solo travel
This is a very small simple place to visit. There are not that much to see and you totally need a car. But to stay in contact with nature and with yourself is just perfect. I stayd at a camping park, met a beautiful river beach, met the nicest people at a restaurant where I had vegan food. It was just the best
Posted: December 3, 2024Experienced: May, 2023
Alexandra
Greece
Faro, Solo travel
Faro is a small city but it had a number of activities and things to see. The food was great, as a vegan I found many options, both in restaurants and supermarkets. I would definitely recommend going to the beach to watch the sunset, taking the boat for a little trip around the islands and going on a bike ride on Ria Formosa. I would avoid taking a ticket for one island at a time, you should just get the hop on hop off, I think it saves some money. I stayed in Faro for a month volunteering at Tilia Hostel. It's a very nice and clean hostel with a really homey vibe and I would definitely recommend it. Faro is a small city, you won't need transportation in Faro but you definitely do for going to the beach and to the national park(the bus 16 for the airport) The bus ticket is 2,70€. For the airport I paid 8€ at 3:30 with bolt, so the airport is very close too. For safety, there was a lot of catcalling and men staring, I think a little more than I've experienced at other cities. When you can, especially if it's Friday or Saturday, avoid walking the streets where the bars are alone because there's a lot of drunk men. I would not go out alone at night but I would and I did went out with people from the hostel and it was great, very fun nights.
Posted: November 29, 2024
Jana
Austria
Lisbon, Solo travel
As a vegan, budget food options sometimes were only limited to hummus & salad which I don‘t mind, still … :) I felt very safe exploring the city & it‘s beautiful. There are so many hidden gems, beaches, thrift stores, etc :) loved it :)
Posted: November 27, 2024Experienced: July, 2024Portugal, Solo travel
Last year, I was in Portugal (Porto, Lisbon) and I highly recommend it. I chose this destination based on a recommendation for solo travel in terms of safety, and I wasn't disappointed. The cities are very well connected, and it's easy to meet new people.
Posted: November 14, 2024Lisbon, Solo travel
I volunteered in a hostel in Lisbon in early September. The weather was lovely and warm, so I regularly went to nearby beaches. I met friendly people at my hostel and in clubs or cafés, who I later hung out with. Also, the walking tour I took was a great way to meet new people, see historic sites, and learn the local hotspots.
Posted: November 13, 2024Experienced: August, 2024Faro, Couple travel
Faro is a small but very cozy town. It's nice that you get to know the way around after a while. If you feel like you've seen everything in the town, you can easily take the bus to another city. The atmosphere in Faro is very good. It's very fun to explore the nature reserve with a boat (book via Get Your Guide).
Posted: November 10, 2024Experienced: May, 2022
Paula
Portugal
Porto Santo, Solo travel
It’s a small island of Madeira, not very well known therefore there are much less turkeys even though island has just as much to offer as the main island. Breath taking views, for solo travelers I can recommend destination hostel Porto. Santo - both as a hotel and as a hostel
Posted: October 26, 2024Experienced: October, 2024
Bianca
Portugal
Portugal, Solo travel
Portugal, Algarve is amazing. Great climate through the whole year. Much sun, good temperatures and also every now and rainy days. The coastline is great with it's cliffs and the Atlantic Ocean. The Algarve has many nice and sweet little villages to visit. Like Sagres, Lagos, Villa do Bispo, Salem, Burgau, Silves and Tariva. Prices in cafés and restaurants are good. Cheaper than in many other countries in Europe. Supermarkets are not really cheap, but also not to expensive. But I suggest to buy your stuff from little local shop keepers and at the market. Way more fun, better quality and typical Portugese authentic stuff to get. The environment is beautiful, hilly and green. Silvercoast (Caldas de Rainha, Obidos) is great. Especially the Atlantic Ocean and beaches. The climate is not my thing. Cold in winter, summers are sunny but lower in temperature than the Algarve. There's a high rate of humidity. The environment is beatiful, hilly and green though and Obidos really is a great medieval little town. I prefer the Algarve above the Silvercoast.
Posted: October 26, 2024Is Portugal safe for women?
Safety index
Based on 79 local experiences
Crime index
Based on 79 local experiences
Portimao
Portimao is one of the most famous city’s for summer in Portugal. It’s very popular because it’s in Algarve, we have one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. In the winter you don’t have much to do here. You can surf but not much
Posted: December 11, 2024Petra
Lisbon
Lisbon is a very safe place to visit. Although, as a woman, of course, its always better to avoid walking alone at night, I never had big problems with that... people are living their own life, they dont care that you're passing by. It is very unlikely that you will get mugged by day (or even by night, specially if you're with a group of people. If you're alone, better to just stay home). Happy about describing my home city as safe.
Posted: December 3, 2024Meet locals in Portugal
Noga
About Me
I moved recently to the area of Ericeira to join a housing cooperative. I love dancing, cooking, nature and growing as a human in love and compassion. Im an activist in social and environmental change, mediator in NVC method and facilitator in the area of community building.
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Paula
About Me
I’m 22 years old Polish girl that loves traveling:)
Speaking
Stay with locals in Portugal
Paula
Lisbon
Can host for:
3 days
About me
I’m 22 years old Polish girl that loves traveling:)
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Noga
Portugal
Can host for:
3 days
About me
I moved recently to the area of Ericeira to join a housing cooperative. I love dancing, cooking, nature and growing as a human in love and compassion. Im an activist in social and environmental change, mediator in NVC method and facilitator in the area of community building.
Speaking
Upcoming visitors to Portugal
Jo
About Me
Hi guys, I'm a physics teacher looking to travel safely and meet up with people wherever I go. I love to travel during my breaks (and even the occasional weekend!) as much as possible. I enjoy museums, galleries, theatres, markets, and hanging out. I love learning languages and am obsessed with learning different writing systems in my free time. I am local to Central London, and while I do work full time (and more), please feel free to connect and allow me to show you around, point you to the best musicals, or provide a place to stay.
Speaking
Rachelle
About Me
Hi! My name’s Rachelle, I was born and raised in Calgary and love spending time outdoors. I adore live music (jazz, EDM, rock, indie, folk, to name a few) and baking! You can find me biking along or floating down the river in the summer, or skiing down the slopes in the winter. Can’t wait to meet you!
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Safety in Portugal
