Solo Europe at Age 18

Spain is notorious for shady individuals scamming tourists and having a lot of pickpockets. Be careful. Especially if you are going to Barcelona or Madrid.

To be honest I think the personality of the traveller is the most important thing in this instance. If an 18 year old is sensible and streetwise I would not have a problem with them travelling solo. I know so many people of that age who have travelled solo with no problems.

I travelled solo around the USA when I was 18 and saw far more crime there than I have ever seen in Europe. I got attacked by a dog (and it's gun-toting owner did not help) and some guy tried to rape me (I was out shopping at 3 in the afternoon). I am therefore always a bit bemused that Europe is seen as a hotbed of crime!

Will - no, I don't necessarily think that traveling alone to Spain is, in itself, unsafe. There are so many other things to take into consideration. My personal requirements for my own child would be:

Has graduated from high school, is going to college in the fall, has raised much of the money themselves

Having said that, I would personally advise you to strongly consider going with someone, mostly because of my daughter's experiences while traveling at so young an age. She was very glad to have 3 other 18 year olds with her because they were really so much younger than most of the other hostel-crowd they met. She would have been "lonely" because she was not in the same place as the other young people. With only 1 year of college under her belt I think she would have fared just fine.

And with regards to Barcelona - my daughter and friends went there, had a fabulous time. Ran into a friend of mine the same summer and she told me that her own son, who was 20-something at the time, had also gone to Barcelona with a group of friends. They were robbed. What I'm saying is that in this case, age + # of people traveling didn't prevent something bad from happening. But overall, I'd rather have my kids traveling to Europe than many places in the U.S.

As others will tell you, travel in Europe is not any more or less dangerous than travel in the USA. You could just as easily get robbed in New York or San Francisco, or any other big USA city, as you could in Spain.

Travel experience -- knowing what is safe and what is not safe -- is what really counts in avoiding problems. For example, keep your passport and money in a money belt or neck wallet under your clothing -- even at night if you are staying in a place such as a hostel where you are not alone while sleeping. Know what areas of a city the locals consider to be unsafe and avoid those places. Don't stay out too late at night unless you are sure you are in a safe area.

I hope you have learned some Spanish? While you can get along with English in the big cities, a good knowledge of Spanish will greatly increase your enjoyment of the trip.

Will,

I don't believe that travel in Spain is any more or less "unsafe" than other parts of Europe. However, there are risks (usually petty crime and pickpocketing) and Barcelona especially has a bit of a reputation.

You indicated that you've been "reading every guide book" for the last few years. If you haven't read Europe Through The Back Door yet, I'd highly recommend it (your Dad might find it interesting too). I believe it's an essential pre-read for anyone travelling to Europe for the first time.

I can very much understand your Dad's position! I'm a parent and had a very similar experience with one of my Sons who decided to head to the U.K. at 18 years old. His "adventure" turned out well and he ended up living in Europe for several years.

It's extremely difficult for any of us here to definitively say whether you should or shouldn't travel solo at 18. We don't know you as well as your Dad, and have no idea on your level of maturity or "life experience". However, generally speaking there are lots of people your age that do travel solo and never have any problems.

You might find it interesting to read the Blog written by Jackie (Rick's daughter - on this site). She and a friend travelled Spain & Portugal last month and had a wonderful time!

If you're staying in Hostels mostly, you won't be totally "alone" as there will be a group of others of about the same age to tour with. One important caution though - you'll find the attitudes on "drinking" quite different in Europe, and even if you are able to have a few drinks you should be cautious. Those who become somewhat "incapacitated" are more likely to be victimized.

Your Dad might be more relaxed about your trip if you travel with a carefully planned Itinerary (so that he knows where you are at all times). You could also take a Cell Phone and send a text every day so that he knows you're OK (supplemented by E-mail when possible).

Good luck!

Ken's suggestions are excellent. Unlike the USA, the drinking age in most of Europe is 18 or less, and you will probably encounter some peer pressure from other young people you meet to try wine or beer. Be careful with that especially if, as I suspect, you have little or no experience with drinking. A little wine or beer can impair your judgment and make you more vulnerable to people who are trying to take advantage of you.

I have another suggestion. When I went to Europe at 19 my parent sent me with emergency addresses. These were family friends, business colleagues, friends of friends, family of friends and so on. My parents had contacted these folks telling them that I was coming to Europe for six months and they wanted me to have local contacts in case I needed help. I actually used one of them! My plans for Greece fell apart for various reasons and I ended up calling on the Katsaros's parents. The Katsaros's lived in my home town.

This works if you have a general itinerary. I had contacts in Germany, the UK, Greece, the Netherlands, and France. If your parents don't know anyone, see if any of the language teachers in your high school have contacts. It's amazing today how many people have overseas friends. Maybe you don't need to have your dad do this, but you could build a list which would make him feel more comfortable with your travels.

Pam

Ken's suggestions are excellent.
Staying at hostels is an excellent way to meet other travelers. I met a lot of 18 year olds traveling by themselves (especially female) and none of them had encountered any problems. Just pace yourself on the drinking though! It is easy to overindulge there as it is cheaper than soft drinks and you can drink it everywhere!

I traveled through France and Holland alone at age 18, and I'm a female. This was in 2003 so I don't think things in Europe are much different now. I had no troubles....other than the occasional language mishap :)

I don't think every 18 year old is ready for solo travel in foreign country, but judging from the fact that you've been researching for a few years, have been disciplined enough to raise money to pay for it, and sound like sensible teenager asking advice in the right place, I would say your father is being a bit unreasonable.

Just be good and read all the safety advice in the Rick Steves books, and maybe your dad will come around eventually.

One other big thing - you will be safer and have a much easier time if you learn a bit of Spanish!

Good luck!

Thanks everyone for the great advice.

I'm planning on doing the same thing next year, except that I'm female and won't be turning 18 until halfway through my trip. I'm going through four countries (not Spain though) and have been planning since freshman year as well. My parents are uneasy about me going by myself, but I know I can do it and I'm sure you feel the same. Just remind your parents that you need to grow up eventually and since you're going to college soon you need to get used to living and travelling on your own.

Have fun! I know I will :)

Maybe dad needs to get out and live a little, suggest he goes with you and find out for himself that Europe's not dangerous.