three 18 year old girls alone in europe safe or no?

Do you have any traveling experience, especially in Europe? Any trips with your mother along, where she's had a chance to 'see you in action', so to speak? And here's the biggie............and be honest here..................Is there ANY REASON WHY your mother is very worried "that she won't be able to get to (you) as fast as she can"? Be Honest! Is there some history here?!? ;-) Let us know!

You probably know the drill already - it's not that different than going off to college. Use common sense just as you would here in the US. Don't split up. Always have your cel phones in case you get separated. You'll be old enough to drink in many places in Europe - don't overdo the drinking so that you'll always be aware of your surroundings, and if you're in a bar, don't let your drink out of your sight(of course that's standard here in the US too). Text your mom every day...just so she knows you're alive.(I know just how your Mom feels). Don't take candy from strangers and have a wonderful time!!

Parents are always nervous. Do you have a set itinerary? Or at least a general idea of the cities that you plan to visit? One way to reassure your mom would be to get some emergency addresses...adults in Europe...that you can go to if anything goes wrong. You can find these people by asking the language instructors at school if they have a contact. Maybe friends mom or dad works at a company with a office or two in Europe. For example, I could provide a name in Finland and England for a friends daughter. Basically, the contact lets the European know that a "young American" is traveling alone and Mom and Dad would appreciate their serving as an emergency contact. Then you have to promise to contact them in an emergency. (Make sure you define emergency with your mom!) The local can give you advice. If you get sick, find yourself in a really uncomfortable situation you have someone local who will help you. This will make your mom feel much, much better. Pam

Heather, it's difficult to provide a "blanket" answer without knowing you to some extent (this is what Eileen was mentioning in the first reply). However, I'll provide some "general" comments. Generally speaking it should be perfectly safe to travel in Europe, especially as there will be three of you. To some extent, there's "safety in numbers". I routinely encounter girls your age travelling solo, and they manage just fine. Your Mother would probably be a bit more accepting of the trip if it's WELL PLANNED, so that she has some idea where you are at all times. I would also HIGHLY recommend that you travel with a Cell Phone. If your Mother also has a Cell, you can text back and forth - it's very cheap! Could you provide some details on whether you have a Cell phone now, and if so which network it's with? You indicated that you'll only be in "tourist spots". I assume you're referring to the more travelled countries in western Europe? If you haven't already, I would STRONGLY suggest that ALL of you pre-read the Guidebook "Europe Through The Back Door". That will provide a lot of information to travel safely in Europe. The country or city-specific Guidebooks will give you ideas for sightseeing in each location, and lots of information on budget lodgings, Museum opening & closing hours, transportation, etc. I'm also a parent and can appreciate your Mother's concern. However, I have three Sons so the situation with boys travelling on their own is a bit different. For "advice on safety", the first thing that comes to mind is wear a Money Belt! Perhaps your Mother would like to read these replies, so that she can get a better idea of the opinions expressed by all of us. Good luck and hopefully Happy travels!

I know someone that outfitted her adult daughter with one of those GPS trackers and that thing caused WAY more anxiety than it solved. The mom lived and died by the latest GPS report. If she didn't get one at a certain interval she just flipped out and was convinced her daughter was dead. It was crazy. There was a good article in the NY Times this weekend about how people are misusing them and how it's causing authorities major headaches (the article was specifically about in national parks, but I imagine it can apply anywhere). People are pressing the panic button in non-emergency situations, or getting themselves into situations that are potentially risky because hey, they have rescue at their fingertips!

One thing that might help: Look up statistics of personal and violent crime in major European cities, compared to the US. Show her you'll be safer in Europe. You must be going off to college this year or next, right? Compare the European statistics to crime on your college campus. And if she's not going to ask you to wear a SPOT tracker in a US city or at college, why would she ask you to wear it where crime is lower (and why in the world would you agree?).

As a parent I would never give "permission" to my 18 year old to go to Europe with other 18 year olds.

Ditto what others have said. Wear a money belt. Stick together. Don't go off with strangers, no matter how good looking and/or charming they are. Stay on main streets when walking around at night. Be careful about alcohol. Know ahead of time how you're getting from place to place. And have a great time!

Thank you, I have been to Europe once without my mom and she has the "what if " problem, I also will behaving a gps located thing that if I press ok it tells them I am and if I press 911 it informs the local police and my parents!

Also, when I did travel it was with a small school group with one very airheaded teacher! And I will be using a cell phone! Also again, is it illegal to carry a pocket knife anywhere in Europe? Or should I just buy pepper spray?

Pepper spray is pretty much illegal. Carrying a pocket knife for "protection" seems as much over the top as the pepper spray. Where are you planning on going that makes you think you need such drastic protection? ......As another tip, 911 will not get you the police over here. This number is only good in the states.

Not positive, but I believe pepper spray is illegal in at least a few European countries. Whether it or a pocketknife is legal is not the issue. Neither one of them will ensure your safety, they will just make you feel safer. That means you will be MORE likely to come to harm with the false sense of security they give you. I also happen to feel the same about the gps gadget. Nothing can equal street smarts and intuition. You and your friends should take a good self defence class together. Not one that emphasizes martial arts but one that helps develop street smarts. Check your local Y or women's bureau.

Heather: When I was 19 a girlfriend and I toured Europe for 7 weeks. It was one of the best times of my life. Not without drama and the occasional squabble after so many weeks with one person, but never unsafe. (OK, there was the guy I threw my clog at on the train platform at 5 AM in Munich, but he was drunk and I was not!) Yes, it was MANY years ago, but I was mature enough, level-headed, and my mother trusted my judgment. We did NOT have cell phones "way back when" and left a list of dates we thought we'd be in certain cities to retrieve mail at AmEx offices. It was like the Dark Ages. My mother would have had a terrible time trying to get to me! Would she approve of everything I did? No, but that is always the case with parents and children. Did she worry? Sure. So will yours, but it doesn't mean you should not go. You sound level-headed and if you heed the very good advice here on the Helpline, AND read ETBD, you will do fine.

Europe is generally a safer place to wander around than the U.S. is, IMO. But your physical safety depends a lot on your own personal maturity and judgment. "You probably know the drill already - it's not that different than going off to college." That's scary. European travel overall is probably safer than that for most 18-year-olds. Too many college freshmen abandon their common sense in some new town for all sorts of debauchery. Fortunately, you won't be totally surrounded by a lot of hormonal nonsense in Europe - unless you choose it. I'd be especially cautious about hostel contacts, where there's often an abundance of party mentality among people who don't always control themselves well and feel little responsibility toward others. Hostels are sometimes a bit like freshman dorms without the accountability.

911 doesn't just call 911.. It alerts the local authorities I looked very much into it and the knife willl be for safety but even just for other little things...

If you think you need a knife or pepper spray (illegal as many have noted) for safety in Europe, you have a very distorted view of Europe. Use the knife for anything other than slicing cheese or salami and you'll wind up in a European jail. Having said that, Europe is a very, very safe place for tourists. Generally the worst crime people encounter is having something stolen. That only occurs as pickpocketing or grab-and-run - NOT muggings with weapons. Are there rare instances of such - yes of course - but you are FAR more likely to encounter that in the US than in Europe. The thing I'd be most worried about with 18 year olds traveling is that they are of drinking age. Because the US drinking age is 21, 18 year olds likely have not yet learned their limits or how to drink responsibly. Address this honestly with your mom and give her assurances that you will be responsible and will stick together when drinking. Girls your age will get attention from men there and you need to be aware of that and that European men can be much more forward than Americans. Lastly - with the advent of cell phones, email, instant messaging, GPS, and Skype - travelers in Europe are FAR more connected to home than just 10-15 years ago. College kids your age travelled just as much then without problems.

I'm now 57 years old but I went to Europe all by myself at age 21, not having traveled anywhere alone and it was a breeze. In those days there were no cell phones, email, etc. and I only communicated with my parents by postcard. I had a Rail Pass and stayed exclusively in youth hostels and not once did I encounter any "wild partying." Youth hostels are wonderful places to meet other wonderful travelers your own age. Traveling alone takes thinking, but it's not difficult in Europe. I would say that you would have it even easier than I did since you will be in a group of three. The biggest difficulty I encountered was the much greater forwardness of men (you will quickly learn how to avoid this attention but it will be noticeably greater in Europe than it is in the US...gain, it is almost never dangerous, just annoying). Go and have a wonderful experience, and check in with your folks every day by email.

Where did you read that calling 911 will alert the authorities? In which countries? For the EU it is 112.

Heather,, perhaps the Europeons need protection from YOU ,, carrying a knife,, talking about pepper spray,a bit scary. All you need is common sense,, don't wander down dark alleys drunk ... don't leave bar with new "friends",, keep your drink with you at all times. Wear a money belt for travel. Weapons are not needed dear, and unless you are properly trained they will likely be taken away from you by assailant and used ON you . I am sorry, but weapon carrying is so very weird to me, its simply not done really, ,, it is sad that comes to mind as how to be safe. I had a co worker spend months travelling around Europe last summer, she had just turned 18 and only went with one other girl. She never once discussed taking a weapon. She asking common sense questions about where to avoid and what to see. Perhaps your mom has a reason to be worried,, if you think a GPS is going to be any real help if you get yourself into a pickle. I travelled Europe for 3 months when younger, ( I was however older then you) and back then we had no cell phones or gps,, I phoned home about twice during whole 3 months.. nowadays people need to phone everyday. I advise you to apply common sense, stick together in some situations, and use a moneybelt.

If I were one of your parents, the first thing I'd want to know is why you thought the teacher that accompanied your school group to Europe was "very air-headed."

Heather, I'm a little concerned. I don't know you but I kind of wonder if Mom is more concerned about what will happen to you, or maybe what you will get into. .... You just can't rely on any GPS gizmo to get you out of trouble. Maybe in Keene, but not in a city. By the time you press it, it goes through all its hoop jumping and communicates with the control in, say Paris, and they ask one of the gendarmerie to have a look for you it will be too late. You need to learn street smarts and that DOES NOT mean carrying a dangerous illegal weapon. If you get caught with either a knife or cs spray or pepper spray, you will need to find a way to call home because Mom will be visiting you in your cell. Weapons are taken very seriously here. I speak about Europe in general, but the UK in particular because I know it so well. ..... As said by others there is very little physical crime here but most times if you have a weapon it will turned against you. ..... Keep an eye out for trouble, be smart, and if you don't like the look of something go the other way. .... Be smart, 3 girls smart, and cover each others' backs. .... And not only will 911 not work in the UK (nominally 112 would but I wouldn't trust it)the number here for emergency help is 999. If you're inside and it can't see satellites how does it know where you are? I assume it uses cellular technology to notify. Does it work in all the countries you are going to? What if you are in an area with bad or no cell service? Surely the bad girl or guy won't wait for you to go outside and find a signal. ... Do it the old fashioned way. Be alert. .... Don't drink, and don't let anybody give you a drink if you do, get it yourself, and don't let anybody near your drink. .... Oh, and chuck the knife and spray idea. ... Oh again, let Mom read what we are saying. ..... Oh yeah ... enjoy your trip.

College aged kids go to Europe for a semester or a year all the time and are perfectly safe, unless they get themselves into trouble. I spent a semester in Austria waaaay back in the days before GPSs and cellphones, and I was fine. You've been given good advice about staying safe, now it's up to you to prove to your parents that you are mature enough to make the trip.

Give your mom a detailed itinerary - cities, dates, hotels/hostels, and the phone number of each place you stay. Also give your mom the cell phone numbers of your friends, and your friends' moms should have all of this information too.

I have three daughters and all have been to Europe alone or with girlfriends. If you are one of those young ladies who believe that you have a right to dress any way you want, act any way you want, go anywhere you want and no one has a "right" to touch you or act improperly toward you, then you are not mature enough to go to Europe alone. If you are mature enough to know that not everyone has read all the articles in teen magazines and do not care what your "rights" are, then you should be fine. It is a proven fact now that the brain of 18 to 24 year olds is not entirely mature often and young people that age often do not make good decision. Listen to your parents, be vigilant, trust no one and make no decisions your mother would not make. I gave my three daughters an Italian vacation as a present when they were that age and none had any problems.

This reminds me of a thread a while back where someone had just seen the movie "Taken" and was convinced the Albanian mafia were roaming the streets of Paris and snatching young girls. Like everyone said, common sense will get you farther along than a knife or pepper spray. Numerous sources, including Rick, cite the fact that most of Europe is much safer than cities in the U.S. When I was 19, I routinely hopped planes to Chicago, LA, and Austin by myself, despite any paranoias my mom tried to instill in me. Don't be dumb and you'll be fine.

I totally agree with Gwen. My first trip over was at 21 back in 1971 and I was solo. Those were the days to travel: no GPS, cell phones, Blackberry, iPads, laptops, and any other addictive electronic gear. It was a 12 week charter flight and except for traveling with family in north Sweden for 2 weeks, I was on my own for the rest of the ten weeks, stayed in hostels, except twice in a Pension, West Berlin and Malmo, and had a 2 month Rail Pass. True, I didn't tackle the difficult areas, such as going to Italy, or Spain or even France, or the communist countries, such Hungary or CZ on my first trip. I spent the bulk of the trip, 8 weeks, traveling in West Germany, West Berlin, and Austria, set my own itinerary and went after it. In the hostels I met Europeans (Finns, Germans, English, French, Swedes, Dutch, Swiss, Irish), Canadians, and Americans...even homesick Americans. Remember you have got a good deal of good advice here, follow it, use common sense, think, and if the European girls, who are your age, can travel alone or in pairs or threes over there, so can you. Throw out the pepper spray and the pocket knife..do you want to get arrested? What dangers are surrounding you? Unless you go to Neukoellin district in Berlin?

• TIM, * "As a parent I would never give "permission" to my 18 year old to go to Europe". You didn't specify whether you were referring to boys or girls, but I chuckled a bit when I read that. One of my Sons "informed me" when he was 18-years old that he was leaving for England. I didn't have a lot of "say" in the matter. I trusted for the best and everything turned out well. Cheers!

HEATHER, as the others have said, packing Pepper Spray is a REALLY BAD IDEA! You could be subject to criminal charges for assault, which would put an end to your backpacking trip in a big hurry. As Rick has said on many occasions, Europe is generally safer than many places in the U.S. and for the most part all you'll have to be concerned with is "petty crime" such as pickpocketing, theft of bags, etc. Regarding the knife, unless you're planning to use it for cutting the deli items for your lunch, I'd strongly recommend leaving it at home. Again, you could be landing yourself in a "world of legal problems" if you WERE to use it for "defense". You may wish to have a close look at Chapter 26 in EUROPE THROUGH THE BACK DOOR, "The Woman Traveling Alone". While it primarily deals with solo woman travelers, many of the points will be applicable to your situation as well. Chapter 23, "Outsmarting Thieves" would also be good. Regarding the GPS device, I have the same concerns as Jo and the others. As with any satellite based device, it will only be able to pinpoint your location if you have "line of sight" to the sky. If you need personal assistance quickly, it's doubtful whether a Call Centre Operator would be able to access emergency services since the 999 (UK) or 112 (some places in Europe) can only be dialed from within their respective coverage areas. The Call Centre would need to have a "regular" phone number for the emergency services in EACH area of Europe, and I doubt they have that ability. By the time they figure out WHO you are, what the difficulty is and WHERE you are, the emergency would be long over. You'll get better service with a Cell Phone and just dialing the emergency numbers directly (although of course the language difference could be an issue). Cheers!

If you can go off to military service and yes, war, without your parents at age 18, you can certainly travel to Europe at 18......My daughter and her friends have been traveling like this since they were 17. Teens and young adults travel alone in Europe, it is the norm. As far as the drinking, most countries allow drinking beer and wine by age 16, but not driving, so by the time teens are 18, the "lets get trashed" way of thinking has already been done and is now out of style....When staying in hostels, some are known for partying, some are known for having lots of activities and are a wonderful way for meeting friends.....Perhaps if Heather hasn't been scared away by us yet, she could tell us where she is planning on going, since Europe is a large continent, and things are very different in the various countries and cities.

A school trip to Europe where everything is very planned out in advance and you have an adult chaperoning doesn't register on the "What If Danger Strikes Scale" of a parent. (Although it should register if you, like me, went on a school trip to Cancun at 19 with a teacher chaperone who got drunk on the flight over and stayed drunk the entire 7 days. In fact, the only place we could ever find our 55 year old chaperone was plunked on her butt at the bar sucking down one cocktail after another). Understandably, Mom is worried and will fixate on all the things that could go wrong if there is no adult nearby to step in. You're not leaving until next May. Why not do a test run trip over a long weekend with the same girls to a tourist city in the States or in nearby Canada? I believe you are legal drinking age in Canada, if you can prove you are able to successfully plan and execute a long weekend trip and demonstrate your maturity level by checking in regularly with mom as you navigate around a large city, it may put her mind a bit more at ease when it comes to being separated by a large ocean. It will also test just how well you can travel with your friends and give you a heads up on which one of your friends may cause problems if she proves to be immature, a constant complainer, or a hard partier. A pocketknife or pepper spray are useless. You need to watch how much you drink, don't take drugs, don't ditch your friends and go off alone with some cute guy you met at the hostel or pub 2 hours ago (while Europe may not have the same violent rape stats as the U.S., date rape stats are skewed as victims often don't report it to the authorities for fear no one will believe them or embarrassment they got drunk or high and someone took advantage of them). Just keep your wits about you, watch out for each other, and you should be fine.

I'd like to add to Ceidleh's advice about doing a short practice trip before the big one. You may find out things about friends when traveling that surprise you. It's happened to us; and we're far from teen-agers, seniors, in fact. In one case, it was so bad that we now just refuse further invitations to do trips with them again. The surprises can include chronic complaining, recklessness, differing ideas about money, refusal to compromise when choices need to be made, etc., etc. Traveling together can be a real test of friendship.

This is so basic that I hate to post it. My daughter had been to Europe with us twice by the time she was 18. Her first solo trip with friends was to Mexico for 5 days. HOWEVER, when she got to the airport, neither of the other two had gotten their passports!! This was just after the law went into effect that you had to have your passport to travel to Mexico. The other two couldn't get on the plane! My daughter assumed since they had discussed the issue, the other two had taken care of business. Not so! I'm hoping your friends are a little more savvy than that! Just don't assume anything unless you have all traveled together before.

ED, "Went to Led Zeppelin, Roxy Music, Mott the Hoople". Good heavens, Mott the Hoople! I haven't heard that name in a while. That trip was certainly some time ago. Cheers!

Ken: "One of my Sons informed me when he was 18-years old that he was leaving for England." That's why I said I would never "give" my permission. At 18 I guess they can go if they choose and if they have a Credit Card, Passport, money. But if they were to ask I would say "no".

I find that kids today, you young whippersnappers, are overly reliant on cell phones. You need to react and deal with the situation at hand. I've seen a woman stuck on ice, telling someone on the phone they're so scared-well, get out and push. I berated my daughter once because she thought someone was following her, and she had my number on her phone ready to call me. Told her she first needed to run to a nearby occupied house, or call 911, but not me. What am I going to do? I won't be there first. And another thi-oops-ouch-clunk. Sorry, fell off my soapbox.

So Heather, hopefully we've all "straightend" you and your mother out. So now tell us where you are planning on going and seeing. For me, the planning and anticipation of the trip is a lot of fun!

You really won't encounter any more dangers than you will in the USA. I honestly was the victim of more crimes travelling in the USA than in Europe! Just think about the way you would behave if you were going for a night out at home, dealing with a pushy guy in a club or if you were having to walk through a rougher part of the area you live. I agree that you need to educate yourself to any particular scams operating in the area you are visiting. You also need to be aware that you may stick out because you are a tourist. But, really your natural common sense should be enough. Young girls travel all over Europe on their own all the time.

Well, if the three of you manage to stick together, most certainly you won't be "alone." As long as you share the same basic values and morals, you'll be just fine. Problem is, all it takes is for one of you to seriously screw up to potentially endanger the entire group. You've received excellent advice from seasoned travelers...use it. Having said that, my third trip to Europe was my first solo trip at age 17. I spent three weeks with a Caravan (I think it's now Globus) tour group doing their "Eleven Country Grand." This was the mid 70's and it was like following the script from "If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium" (dated, but funny movie). I was the youngest person on the bus and those nice old ladies did their best to get me drunk every night. Made friends for life. After the tour was over I had my 1-month Eurail Pass and I was completely on my own. Went to Led Zeppelin, Roxy Music, Mott the Hoople, and nearly a dozen other concerts. Maybe I was too "stupid" to feel unsafe, but I've never felt as though I was in danger throughout my many years of European travel. That's why I keep going back as do all the previous posters on this thread. When you get back, you'll be the one giving advice. Bottom line: If it's ok for your country to employ you at age 18 in the armed services and send you to Afghanistan, then it's ok to travel in Europe "alone." Relax and have the time of your life!!!

thank you everyone for your POSITIVE replys, please do not be putting my mother down for beind worried or sending me with an air headed teacher.. there were other chaperones.. she knew that. and all i needed was a simple awnser about the knife and pepper spray so thank you very much for the people with positive and HELPFUL replies. Charles- i am certainly not one of those girls who thinks i can do anything i want, and i did not say anything saying i was... so THANK YOU FOR THE POSITIVE THINGS :) they were very helpful!!

Heather, I would also suggest that as a basis for planning your trip and deciding where to go with your 2 companions read the Let's Go: Europe and the individual country Let's Go books. Traveling with friends does indeed test the strength of friendship and patience too. Traveling solo takes self-discipline. You have to plan for yourself and watch out for youreself. My first time over there as a solo traveler in the summer(July and August) of 1971, as posted above, I saw homesick Americans...always American girls, (maybe the guys were too macho to admit it), at the hostels, especially in Heidelberg, where the DJH hostel was swamped with Americans. If you intend to be only in the tourist frequented areas, you have it made...no problems, and you'll realise how civilised it is.

How about some type of teen tour or even an adult group tour where they have independence yet the support of traveling in a group? The world is a strange place these days and one needs to be wise to navigate successfully. I'm not saying this is a terrible idea but I wouldn't let my teenager travel alone with other teens unless I knew they had some life experience under their belts.

Douglas- I know what you mean! We plan on starting in London then doing a loop to Barcelona, across to Italy then Germany to Amsterdam! I've been given so many tips on what buses and groups to go with so were on a good start! The one thing is should we buy plane tickets now or when it gets closer? Which is cheaper? We are all so excited! And this is real good for me, i'm going to school for tourism :)

Heather, I have no idea where Keene is, there is a tleast one in Canada and one in the US, so it is difficult to give specific advice about air fares. I do not think you have said when you are going, unless I missed it in this rather long thread. If you are going with a cut rate one, generally the earlier you book, the cheaper it is. With a regular aairline, keep checking. Their fares vary from day to day, sometimes several times per day.

Heather, it may be a bit early to buy air tickets. The fares for mid-May probably won't be posted for a month or two. They could be higher than fares now, or they could be lower. In the same situation, I'd probably wait.

Heather, From one Heather to another, you'll be fine, your mom is just being a mom! My father was NOT happy when i travelled to Europe with 2 friends @ 18 after high school graduation. Even with an English family (friends of ours) that we were staying with and checking in with, he was very concerned. We toured the historic sites and museums, went dancing at night, and enjoyed every moment, as you should too. Remind your mother that you're responsible and safe, and provide her with a detailed itinerary. I called home every day or two to check in, which made my Dad very happy! There was unwanted attention from men at times, but as there were three of us, there was safety in numbers and we were never truly in danger. Just be safe and logical. Have fun, and leave the spray/ knife at home. No need for it! :)

My goodness, I appreciate my parents a LOT more now for letting me travel at that age. Some of you guys are brutal!! And, EVERY generation thinks "kids these days" don't know how to do this or that. Ignore them The question isn't whether you will be safe or not because, you will be safe as long as you follow the general safety guidelines all travelers do. The question is how do you convince your mother. To reinforce what others have said... Give your mom a firm itinerary with hotel address and phone numbers. Have her be a part of the trip by helping you plan it. If you plan on hotels with internet access, you could even keep up a blog with pictures so she can follow along with your adventure. Promise you will check in with her every day by blog or phone. Promise her that you will not drink to excess. Others have said that the three girls must stick together at all times, I don't really agree with that entirely. At night, definitely...but, if you're at a museum or tourist site, it's good to be on your own for a few hours.

Heather, to add to something that Otter mentioned in the previous reply, you'll probably find that each member of the group needs some time on their own. I've heard from NUMEROUS other people that travelling even with close friends can have challenges at times, and it's possible to "get on each other's nerves". Be sure that the solo time is in a safe environment though. Don't go out clubbing or whatever on your own. Cheers!

I am one that said "stick together" but I added "in some situations" ,, meaning exactly that, late at night, at bars etc.. not during day. I travelled for a few months with my best friend from childhood, and even then we needed to seperate occaisonally during day.

Here's my advice: Don't get drunk. Don't dress like a slut. Stay with your friends and don't split up at night. Don't go home with men you don't know even if they're cute, charming, and rich. Keep your money and your passport with you at all times, preferably in a money belt or pouch. Be aware of your surroundings and look confident, even when you're feeling uncertain. This is advice I'd give a girl your age traveling anywhere. I spent a year studying in France when I was 20 and rarely had trouble. When I felt in danger, it was always because I had disobeyed one of the above rules.

i love Ashely's advice. I was in Germany and Europe for 6 months when I was 19. It was a fantastic time and to this day I am grateful that my parents sent me off. I know that there were moments that were very tense for them, whereas I was a bit oblivious. I hope, Heather, that you will be less oblivious. As many have said, be conscious of your surroundings. Be open to the people you meet, but don't be naive. Come home wiser and more than you were when you left. Have a wonderful time and plan your next trip. ; ) Pam

First tip: the emergency number in Europe is 112, not 911. This being said, I'd second to what others said here. You should be safe as long as you take normal precautions. A trip to Europe is as safe as a trip to New York City.

Throughout the years I have seen Europe...western Europe: England, Austria, Germany, France, even Poland in east central Europe. I've never seen New York, don't plan to either in the near future, and I would bet on safety in Europe anyday, where I know and what to avoid, than on New York city.

I'm a little late here but I wouldn't worry too much as long as you use common sense. With three 18 year olds traveling in Europe by themselves I would say the biggest danger is getting too drunk somewhere and letting down your guard. Don't mean to offend you as I don't know you from Adam but I've seen it happen. 18 is legal drinking age over here and plenty of 18 year olds go overboard since they can drink legally. Don't bring a pocket knife to Italy, anything over an inch I think is illegal to carry so best not to take the chance. (BTW, I see you're from Keene - I got my undergraduate degree from Franklin Pierce College, not too far away from you.)

I think Europe is 1000x safer than NYC! Or any city in the US...I disagree completely with that analogy...I moved to Paris when I was 18 and lived there for a year. Traveled throughout Europe with a friend...never once had a problem. Been back often ever since...My 20 yr old son is going with friends in a few days and I have no fear at all...It's a wonderful opportunity Heather! Have a great trip!

Heather, some good advice so far. I would forget the knife and the pepper spray, not only because it does give you a false sense of security (and may be illegal), but a knife or other weapon can be used against you. About the charmers you will meet: I married one (I couldn't bring home a souvenir like a normal person), but I was 35. Not only should you not wander off alone with a stranger, but all three of you togethere shouldn't get taken off the beaten track after dark. Have a great time. You can check in with Mom from internet cafes in most places, even if you don't have a cell phone.

I think it would be a good idea to tell someone at your hotel where you'll be going that day, so that if - God Forbid - you don't turn up, they'll know where to start looking. I do this when I go hiking in case I get hurt or lost. I just mention it casually over breakfast, not like I'm checking in with my mom.

Make sure that each of you always has a business card, or just a note scribbled on a piece of paper, with your hotel specs - actual name of hotel, address, phone number, etc. in case you get lost walking back, or need to take a taxi after a long day (or night...).........I have to admit that for the last two weeks, I've been a little troubled by the fact that you really wanted to take a knife for protection - and you've already been to Europe. What type of scenarios are you imagining that might potentially require you to knife someone?

Heather, every single reply has been HELPFUL - maybe not smiley-happy positive and supporting your point-of-view, but very helpful nonetheless. Yes, we're all old geezers - much older than 17 - but we know of that which we speak. And your original post didn't ask about the knife and pepper spray; you asked for advice on safety, and you gots lots of it. All good advice. Learn lots about your destinations in the coming year, study up on travel skills (start with RSs video series on that) and do have a bunch of heart-to-heart talks with your travel partners - you three need to discuss every situation you can think of that might come up: what will you do when one of you doesn't make it onto the metro car, but 2 of you do and the train pulls away...what if one of you drinks too much...what if one of you wants to go off with a new friend you meet...or the new 'friend' wants to tag along with you and all 3 of you don't want that...If one of you loses your passport (and that won't happen because you're wearing your moneybelts) will the other 2 give up their fun to help the other get their new passport...what if one of you gets horribly homesick...or a hot new romance between now and next summer and doesn't want to leave their boyfriend...??? I know many duos/trios that left for Europe together , but most definitely didn't come home together...

I wonder if we are talking to ourselves. Heather hasn't spoken for 2 weeks.... sad ;-(

Eileen, did Heather post something in-between your posts and remove it, or is that Mary woman making voices in your head again? :)

For some reason it hasn't shown my replies! But thank you all for your advice :) I'm actually going to do a tour instead of on my own! I decided this cause I won't have to worry if one of my friends or both don't end up going! :) but I will apply all your advice to my small trips! :)

A very good decision, Heather. I wish you a wonderful time, and I hope that every day of anticipation for your tour makes you feel better and better..... You'll have a great time - I bet. By the way, will it be a RS tour or have you decided to go with another bunch?

Heather that's what I decided to do as well. I figured for a first time in Europe especially alone group is the way to go. I leave Friday! Have a great time on your trip.

None of my posts have been posting! :-( ... Thank you all for your advice! I have just recently and drastically changed my plans! I will not be backpacking through with my friends I will be going solo with a known travel group for a month :) thank you all!

Thank you so much for the advice, for some reason when i post using my cell it doesnt appear... I will be traveling with a group now first so i can get a feel for europe with new people and meet new people! But i will use your advice when I go traveling by myself! Thank you!