Is Portugal Safe for Solo Female Travelers?
Safety rating
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How safe is Portugal for solo female travelers?
Travel safety index
based on 274 experiences from female travelers
Sari
Germany
Lisbon, Solo travel
lisbon might have given me my favorite hostels ever: good morning solo traveler and sunset destination 😍 it also gave me all the steps per day, with all the hills (that lead to beautiful, traditional neighborhoods) and viewpoints (with lovely kiosks and bars where everyone’s sitting outside drinking their super bock and chatting)! ps: at night, as a solo travel woman, sometimes it felt quite unsafe, specially around cais do sodré!!
Posted: September 2, 2026Experienced: July, 2026
Pauline
Germany
Lagos, Solo travel
I spent two days on my own in Lagos before heading off to a retreat. Lagos is a beautiful city in the Algarve, though it is very touristy. During the day, you can explore the old streets, sunbathe on the beach, or go on short hikes. In the evening, you can go out for a delicious meal, enjoy some great cocktails, and check out the nightlife.
Posted: August 12, 2026Experienced: April, 2026
Gabriela
Poland
Lagos, Solo travel
I did my first solo trip and it was awesome. I slept in a hostel and met many people from all over the world. I became more self-confident and came back with new perspectives on my life. I would like to have the opportunity to fly like this again.❤️
Posted: August 4, 2026Lisbon, Solo travel
I was honestly disappointed with Lisbon. During the day, there are only a limited number of places worth visiting, and once it gets dark, the city doesn’t feel particularly safe. The biggest issue was the attitude towards tourists. Even staff working in tourist areas, including airport employees, often treated visitors differently from locals. The difference in their behavior was noticeable and came across as unfriendly and, at times, discriminatory. Taxi scams are also something to watch out...
Posted: July 27, 2026Ericeira, Solo travel
Amazing for a solo trip to surf. I went to a surf house and I couldn't have felt more welcomed. The city is small but extremely beautiful. With many beaches near the city center that are good to sunbathe and swim. The temperature during June was perfect (around 25C max).
Posted: July 22, 2026Experienced: May, 2026
Feyza
United Kingdom
Sintra, Solo travel
Sintra literally stole my heart. ♥️ It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you can get there by train from Lisbon in about 40 minutes. My overall experience was unforgettable. I hadn’t booked any tickets in advance, so I couldn’t visit as many places as I wanted, but I did get to explore Quinta da Regaleira, and I completely fell in love with it. Overall, I felt safe, and the locals were very friendly and welcoming. It was surprisingly crowded, even though it was almost the...
Posted: July 15, 2026
Enikő
Hungary
Portugal, Couple travel
The weather is perfect for swimming even in October, chill and friendly people, Ocean everywhere and beautiful Nature Reservatories, hiking areas. Braga can be boring after a few days though but Porto and Lisbon are amazing, Lisbon is like the mediterranean Berlin, very bubbly and artsy atmosphere.
Posted: July 14, 2026
Lavinia
Romania
Braga, Group travel
The city is really beautiful and peaceful, I had a great time there. I also went to Santuário de Nossa Senhora do Sameiro and there was a wedding, it felt so surreal in the best way possible. I found it pretty easy to move around by bolt, uber, id recommend it if you wanna go to Santuário de Nossa Senhora do Sameiro, and then you could walk to Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte (yes you have to walk a few good minutes but its worth it, the landscape is gorgeous) The center of the city is also...
Posted: July 11, 2026
Antonia
Germany
Esposende, Solo travel
In 2024 I was in Esposende during my school education to become a horse groom and it was really the start for my love to travel. I really enjoyed the new culture, the people and the experiences that I got from it. It also gave me new courage to travel solo to new countries in the future.
Posted: June 25, 2026Experienced: February, 2024Porto, Group travel
went to Porto with two friends after we graduated school and we really enjoyed our trip! We felt very safe, there weren’t many creepy men and everyone was just minding their buissness! Would always recommend for girls trips!!
Posted: June 24, 2026Is Portugal safe for women?
Women’s safety index
Based on 258 reports
Crime index
Based on 258 reports
Sari
Lisbon
felt quite safe during the day, there’s many people outside, or chilling at parks. just beware of pickpockets and people trying to sell you drugs, they’re either fake or a scam to rob you… or both at night, I felt quite unsafe, even in areas like Cais do Sodré. I saw a group of guys start a fight with some tourists for no reason and it led to violence from them. as a woman, I’d take the more frequented streets back home and avoid any darker or less crowded areas
Posted: September 1, 2026
Abi
Esposende
Safe for lone women travellers. I stayed there for four days. I shared a house and walked around even at night. I never felt uncomfortable. People are nice and helpful. They mostly speak English and help out
Posted: August 23, 2026
Marta
Porto
Porto is a very safe city, and I personally feel really comfortable there. It’s also quite LGBTQ+ friendly, and I don’t really experience discrimination. It’s a diverse city with all kinds of people and cultures, which makes it feel very welcoming. Of course, the usual safety tip applies — it’s better not to walk alone late at night — but Porto has a lot of nightlife, so there are usually people around. Overall, I feel very safe there!
Posted: August 23, 2026Ponta Delgada
Mostly safe. May encounter beggars during day and drunk or drugged people at night in the center of the city. Mostly quiet at night except around the bars. The city center is not very big. Further into the city there are living places. Just watch around.
Posted: August 9, 2026Porto
Quite the safe city however always use moderation and intuition, live here all my life never had an issue. Crime has gone up but not to dangerous levels just i comparison to years before. At night you wanna avoid old city parts mostly for scammers.
Posted: August 5, 2026Lisbon
it's a safe city overall! but as women, we should always stay aware. I've been here for three months, and I've only encountered pickpockets once on the metro! You should always stay alert, keep your phone in your front pocket or securely inside your bag, and avoid leaving any valuables in easily accessible bags or out in the open.
Posted: July 27, 2026Safety in Portugal
Hospitality Exchange in Portugal
Bárbara
Aveiro
Can host for:
7 days
About me
Hiiiii! I'm from Portugal, but I'm currently studying in Delft, Netherlands. I have two younger siblings and a cute kitten 🥰 I'm a spontaneous person and sometimes a danger in the kitchen 😅, and like a good Portuguese girl, addicted to coffee... I love going out and meeting new people, especially from other cultures/countries 😝😝😝
Speaking
Vitória
Figueira Da Foz
Can host for:
2 days
About me
Into art,music and fashion. I Love long conversations and make new friends. Where we go? I dont care , all that metter to me is with who. Im an extrovetid person with a good humor and receptive. My vibe is Lets go? Lets go.
Speaking
