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Solo Women traveler

This is my first trip overseas all by myself. I have been reading some blogs to get some helpful hints and the do's and donts. I will be flying into Rome from the States and traveling by train to Florence and Venice. When it comes to the luggage for train travel are there any requirements? I am trying to only bring one large suitcase. My main concern is how much of the language is necessary to learn? I have been trying to learn some essential words but of course I am not going to be very good at it. Are there any recommendations? I am traveling in 8 days so its getting really close.

Posted by
26841 posts

Taking "one large suitcase" is a big mistake. You, yourself, will have to get that thing up narrow steps onto the train and (probably) lift it onto the luggage rack near the door. At your destination you will have to get the suitcase down the steps onto the platform. At some stations you may have to walk down an entire flight of steps, cross under one or more tracks, and climb back up to find your platform or exit the station. If you're changing trains, you may not have many minutes to accomplish that. Elevators may be present but broken.

You may encounter cobblestones on the way to your hotel. Even if the hotel is equipped with an elevator, there may be steps to negotiate to reach the elevator.

I understand that some travelers have special needs. I, myself, take extremely long trips and start out with considerable weight in vitamins and supplements. But ask yourself whether you really need all the stuff you're planning to put in that suitcase. I can travel all summer with 3 or 4 pairs of slacks, 4 or 5 tops, 4 or 5 changes of underwear, one warm layer (sweater or fleece) and a waterproof/windproof jacket. Many folks here take less than that. I don't take an extra pair of shoes. If you're planning to take more than two pairs, re-consider.

Think seriously about the quantity of toiletries you will need for the length of your trip and take only that amount. All hotels supply soap and shampoo. More upscale places may also offer conditioner and lotion.

Posted by
13809 posts

I travel solo and am a senior female.

On the train you need to be able to heft your luggage off and on and I could not handle a large suitcase. I used to travel with a 22" but last year went down to a 21 inch roller bag. I can lift it up the 3 steps or so onto the train and get it back down. You may also run in to stairs in the train station going up or down to tracks and you'll have to lift your bag off and on the vaporetto in Venice. In Venice all the bridges are actually steps not ramps so you'll need to carry your bag up and over.

How long will you be traveling? I've gone as long as 8 weeks with the small carry on bags but I don't mind doing sink wash.

Language-wise, know your greetings, thank you, basic numbers etc. My own language skills are terrible but I try to stumble thru and it seems to be appreciated. I do take a phrase book with me. Many people in the tourist industry speak multiple languages so you'll do fine.

Have the addresses of your hotels typed out and taped on to an index card. If you take a taxi in Rome or Florence you can show it to the driver. If you are turned around in Venice you can show it to someone for direction.

Posted by
17 posts

Thank you! That is very helpful. I will be only there 11 days. I was only considering just one large case to prevent multiple bags and the return flight due to me buying souvenirs and etc. I do not plan on bringing many clothes since I believe the weather will be a bit more chilly and I can re wear the jeans.

Posted by
95 posts

It's not chilly. It's been warm for several weeks. Mid 70s in Rome last week a little cooler today in Florence but don't need any heavy clothes. If you can don't bring large suitcase. Sometimes no room on trains for large cases and difficult to manage on the steps.

Posted by
95 posts

In those 3 cities very little need to speak Italian. It is nice to know some greetings, please, and thank you,

Posted by
312 posts

Solo female traveler checking in. I'm making my fifth solo trip to Europe (Italy, this year) in June. I love solo travel and I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Others have covered the issue of luggage on trains. One good piece of advice is to make sure you can lift your packed bag on top of your refrigerator, and then take it for a 15-minute walk around your neighborhood. Also, carry it up a flight of stairs. If you can do all that, you should be okay. I feel so much more confident and in charge when I can easily handle my suitcase no matter what the circumstances. And one advantage of traveling alone is that nobody will notice if you keep wearing the same clothes day after day!

Incidentally, I have made major use of Sarah Murdoch's packing advice (http://www.adventureswithsarah.net); she has lots of great tips for packing light.

As for language, I'm also preparing for my first trip to Italy, so I can't answer exactly But with only eight days left there's not much you can do about it anyway. Maybe make sure you know the real basics - hello/goodbye/please/thank you/etc., and then have a good phrase book or app available. There are some apps where you can enter a phrase and the app will translate and speak it aloud.

Posted by
7130 posts

Have a wonderful trip, and Italy is a great choice!

Be sure to wear your moneybelt, so you don't need to worry about essentials.

For language, I would recommend jumping on YouTube and learning to say the Italian numbers. I find it helpful when traveling by train, and they call out the train number and which location to board. (It's usually posted on the overhead reader boards, too.)

Also, you might feel more comfortable to go onto www.rome2rio.com and enter your train station and address of your hotel. It will give you the map, plus bus #, etc. And, Google map your hotel, so you know what it looks like from the street. : ) I really like to walk out of a train station and feel like I know which direction to go, even if we're taking the occasional taxi.

Posted by
2455 posts

I am not a woman, but I do travel solo quite a bit. I travel with a Rick Steves 21 inch rolling carry-on, plus a Samsonite Tote Bag that slides over the handle of my carry-on. That fits plenty of stuff for six weeks, especially since I use those travel zip lock bags where you can roll the air out of your clothes. Reduces space clothes take up, although does not reduce the weight. The carry-on expands by 2 inches if you need some extra space as you travel. I also pack a very light weight, totally collapsible, modest-sized duffle bag, in a pocket of my carry-on. That way I know that if I accumulate purchases while traveling, I have that duffle to check for the return trip, padded with clothes, books, etc. it helps if you leave most of your purchases, especially of any space-taking items, for your final stop. I would not want to travel with a large suitcase, for all the reasons mentioned, plus your checked suitcase may not arrive when you do.

Posted by
4138 posts

Is your one large bag actually carry-on size? If not, you will have to check it...and take the chance that it won't make it to your destination.

For most airlines, carry-on means 22" x 14" x 9". Keep in mind that those are total dimensions, including wheels and handles. If it is not a US airline, the requirements might be smaller.

You are quite close to your departure date, so there isn't time for most online vendors to ship a new bag to you if needed, unless maybe if you have Amazon Prime. You can find "carry-on" luggage in many places at discount (Costco, TJ Maxx, others). If you decide to replace your bag be sure to take a tape measure to check the size. My experience is that most labels will have the "right" dimensions or say they are carry-on, but they do not include the wheels or handles in their measurements.

Also pay attention to the weight, especially if you're not flying a US carrier, but mostly because of all the issues others have raised about placement in the train, herding the thing through the airport or train station and getting around, particularly in Venice over the bridges which have stairs, even though they look like they are ramps.

You are going to have a great time in Italy. It will be even greater if you pack light in a carry-on bag.

Posted by
17 posts

I have purchased the rick steves translation book a few months back so I have been doing some studying. I will take everyone's advice and stick to the carry on luggage. I was worried about losing a checked bag so this will definitely save all that hassle. Does anyone know if there is a limit on how many bottles of wine we are allowed to return with? I was thinking 3. One from each city.

Posted by
8378 posts

kawaiifrgy, you can bring back as much wine as you want, you just have to declare it on return at Customs and be prepared to pay duty for more than one liter. But your real question should be, how to bring it back. You cannot bring liquids in your carryon (just like flying here in the US). So it has to go in checked luggage, well packaged and protected from breaking. You can certainly buy a bag over there, or bring an empty duffle to fill with souvenirs for the return, but you will be stuck with carrying all that while traveling around.

The best tips for packing light are right here on this page. Look to the left and see the link that says "Travel Tips". Then look for packing tips.

Posted by
792 posts

in Venice, there are many porters who will happily transport your baggage up an over the many bridges to your destination ...for a fee of course

Posted by
78 posts

Hi,

Good for you in taking the leap to be a solo traveler. I'm a little shy, so I like to to be in a group of people on tours - I am taking the RS "Village Italy" tour this summer. I also found a good online, cheap language site called "Babbel" - you can download it on your phone or Ipad from the Apple store for $6.66 per month. They actually pronounce the words in Italian, giving you a feel for the native conversational sound of the language. And, if worse comes to worse, there is always "Google translate" for that on-the-spot language translation! Buon Giorgno!

Posted by
45 posts

I travel solo as a female, with 1 large wheely bag but for 8 days you might be ok with a carry-on size wheely bag; depends how many souvenirs you may want to buy. Last time I checked you can fly with up to 5 litres of alcohol on most airlines and I've never had to pay taxes on such coming into the States as long as I respected the 5 litre rule, but maybe others haven't had this experience? The issue for me is making sure they somehow survive the flight when in glass bottles. The important thing with the bag, as many have mentioned, is that you have to be able to lift it yourself, get it up and down stairs, be prepared for quick platform changes and running with said bags in places where stairs may be your only option (many places). And yes, you have to be ok with rolling said bag down cobbled streets and make sure your bag is strong enough to handle it too. But if you can do it, go for it! I bring so many meds w/me everywhere I HAVE to overpack; it's not a choice lol. I've never actually heard of requirements on the trains and have moved across Europe with 7 huge bags before without getting ticketed or kicked off a train, just a lot of dirty looks lol....if you're not seriously immigrating by train or in the import/export business this isn't a problem though :P

Posted by
1056 posts

One thing to add about bringing wine home from Italy. As mentioned before, it must be in a checked bag. Unlike in the US, you are NOT allowed to buy wine or spirits in the airport after security and then take it in your carry on. It will be confiscated at your boarding gate, where there is a second security check. I have seen this happen multiple times to travelers who weren't aware of this difference. Always wondered who gets to keep the confiscated spirits. LOL

Posted by
13809 posts

You may be familiar with the Italian wines that are available in your area, but if not you might want to check some out. I was sitting in a restaurant in Venice a few years ago which had wine bottles sitting around and was shocked to see my usual Costco Tuscan wine sitting on a shelf! It has a distinctive little piece of wood as a decoration and I spotted it from across the room. So funny!

http://www.cantinazaccagnini.it/catalogo/?collapse=1&lang=en#filter=.vini

Posted by
792 posts

To clarify the rules regarding alcohol

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/190/~/bringing-alcohol-(including-homemade-wine)-to-the-u.s.-for-personal-use

The rules are made by US customs, not the airlines. There are no restrictions about how much you can bring back (in your checked luggage) but only 1 L of it will be tax free. You are supposed to declare more than that and I believe the tax rate is 3%. Many people sneak through more alcohol and don't declare it. But the law is clear.

I am also a solo traveler and you will have an amazing time in Italy. Rome, Venice, and Florence have high numbers of English speaking tourists. Therefore English is widely spoken by those in the tourist industry although they appreciate when you try to speak Italian. Have fun learning the language but don't feel pressured to reach a certain level of comprehension. As others have mentioned, make sure you are able to manage your luggage alone, including lifting it overhead as will be required on the trains.

Posted by
305 posts

I used a 21 in roller that is expandable and my personal item. On the trains you might not have to put the roller bag overhead as there are these little triangles between the seats that you can slide your bag into if you are taking the fast trains. If I expand the bag I check it on the way home and take am lightweight expandable bag for my souvenirs - mine is from LL Bean but Rick sells one too
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/91561?feat=677-GN3&page=lightweight-packable-tote&csp=f
I found that even the 21 bag got a bit heavy so I would not take anything bigger with all that moving around. Ok maybe I shouldn't have bought the 3 pasta kits for my family as gifts in Venice :)

Have a great trip.

Posted by
82 posts

I travel frequently to Europe with a roller bag and a backpack. My roller bag is not full on the trip over and contains almost exclusively clothes. Other items like toiletries, electronics, itinerary, credit cards, and money are in my backpack, along with a collapsible purse I break out once air travel is completed. Returning home, most gifts go in the suitcase. I suspect well packaged wine would easily fit in a checked suitcase if it is not stuffed full on the trip over. Either way, a trip to Italy as a solo traveler is a wonderful experience. Have fun.

Posted by
752 posts

Take one small bag with you, like the 20-inch RS rolling carryon, i add the RS Euro Flight Bag on me. My rolling carryon weighs no more than 15 pounds total. My flight bag holds my travel laptop, some allergy meds, and a small pack of wet wipes.

You need the advantage of one light bag on the trains, often stairways up and down are long, steep, and narrow, steps often so narrow they hold barely half your foot sideways.

Inside you have to hoist your bag up and down the overhead rack, make it easy for yourself, manage a small light bag, you don't need all that weight and big size.

Posted by
17 posts

Thank you everyone for the advice!!!! I am definitely taking a carry on and bought a duffle bag to use for the return flight. My only other concern is the trains. I will be taking one from rome to Florence and Florence to Venice. Are these at all difficult to understand? The trains were pre-purchased with my package so It is reserved. Do I still need to visit the ticket office to have a ticket printed out? Also I read they need to be validated before getting on the train?

Posted by
3067 posts

If you have pre booked your train tickets, you need to carry the printout with you, and the Conductor/Inspector will come through the train and scan it .
No need to validate a prepurchased ticket.
When putting your luggage on board, if you have to put it in the rack at the end of your train car, make sure to get up at each stop to check that no one else has gone off with your luggage.
Or put it above you in the rack if it will fit, so you can see it at all times.
I can't stress enough to wear your money belt at all times.
Keep your credit/debit cards in it and your passport and cash.
Just keep enough cash for that day in your purse or pocket.
I travel alone a lot ,(female) and you can't be too safe or too prepared; then you don't have to worry if you have taken all the precautions!
I also do this: I take a photocopy of my passport and bank cards, with the phone number to call the bank if they are lost or stolen, and 50-100 Euro, and put it all in a small ziplock bag.
Then I slip that under the inside insole of my shoe.
If you're wearing sandals, you can't do that, but maybe tuck it in your bra.
That way if you are robbed , (and you are confident ,aware , prepared solo female traveller!, so you won't be) you always have some money and some ID.
This last trip I also wrote my emergency contact numbers on the paper too (person back home, name and number of vacation rental landlord, hotel, etc.)
A picky thing, but it could save you!
Another tip is: after you pass passport control on your arrival day, and you are finally in Italy (you're in Italy!!!), go to the restroom in the airport with your luggage, and spend a minute INSIDE a cubicle ,transferring all your cash, bank cards and passport into your money belt .
Keep enough to pay for your train ticket, taxi to your first stop, then: being jetlagged, by yourself, in a foreign country, you will feel more secure on your first day.
Zip all your pockets, put your bag crosswise across you, and walk confidently.
Again, all sounds paranoid, but it sure makes me feel better.
Have a wonderful trip! and please take the time on your return to let us know how it all went!

Posted by
170 posts

S Jackson, thanks for that info! I'm also a solo woman traveller travelling on Monday to Italy on my first trip to Europe. Your advice is spectacular!

Posted by
7130 posts

The trains are very easy to understand. Look up a Google image of "Italian Train Departure Board". You'll see these at the stations, showing the Train numbers, Departure, etc. A few minutes before the train arrives, the board will be updated with the location # to board the train. Walk to the train & down the length until you see your Train Car # and enter the train.

Enjoy your trip to Italy!

Posted by
11613 posts

The train number is the most important piece of information to look for on the departures board; your destination may not be the final one for the train. The board should show all the stops, make sure yours is listed.

Have a great trip!

Posted by
3067 posts

Happy to help, Eve!
Have a wonderful time!

Posted by
324 posts

One other thing about the trains....DO NOT accept assistance with your luggage from ANYONE standing outside the train car entrance!!! They will certainly look and be very helpful but then will harass you to give them a tip. If you are OK with that or are very comfortable ignoring them after saying one or two "no"s, then disregard this message.

It is very easy to fall for this trap but if you do, you won't be robbed, just will have someone standing over you with their hand out. Some of these "porters" can deceive you into thinking they work for the train company by standing and chatting with an official from the train. They can be male or female. Once on the train, if a kind gentleman or woman offers assistance to help you get your bag on the rack, that should be OK to accept.
Have fun!!

Posted by
977 posts

Do not go into a stall in the women's room and waste time and keep other women from using the toilet, arranging money and stuff into a money belt; this should be done well before you leave home before you go the airport in the USA.

I am a single man, also traveling alone, also having never visited Italy. Last time I traveled, I went to England alone, for 8 days. I took one partially filled 22 inch duffle bag - the kind that has no wheeles - and one backpack which my mother gave me which came with her membership to the sierra club. I'm not sure that it is a good quality backpack but it was free for me. I don't use bags or cases with wheeles - I don't want one hand occupied pulling a suitcase.

I don't drink alcohol. But if you have to use the stuff, why not just buy Italian wine in the USA?

For the language barrier, I am thinking of using a phrase book or Italian teaching book, to figure out what I think I will want to say, and teaching myself to say it in Italian, before I go to Italy; my theory is that most of the time we will keep quiet or not need to talk to anybody. Others are right to write your hotel address on index cards to give to people in case you need directions or a taxi. I want to figure out how I want to get from the airports and train stations, before my trip, so I can just swiftly walk or take busses or trains like I know where I am going.

Posted by
1315 posts

why not just buy Italian wine in the USA?

yes - I have had severe disappointments with wine I brought back from Italy. I don't know if they didn't travel well or if they missed the ambience of Italy - but they did NOT taste as well as they did in Italy.

Posted by
752 posts

It's Not that I've never accepted help with luggage on Italy trains, in my early days I did. Then I got older and wiser. I'm saying that it's best to pack so that you don't need help from anyone else on the train. It's best to pack luggage that you can manage yourself and be in control of at all times, walking on sidewalks, and going up and down train stairways and hoisting up and down overhead racks.

There are times when no one will help, they'll just sit there and stare blankly at you. They expect that you should be able to manage your own luggage, and you should.

The other concern is you don't know who's helping. I've talked before on this Forum about the time me and my friends watched another passenger help one of us who had overpacked and couldn't manage her own luggage. This was deboarding at Firenze SMN. He robbed her of all her cash, debit, and credit cards, and not one of us saw it.

So my RS 20 inch carryon weighs no more than 15 pounds total, and my RS Euro Flight Bag holds only a few items. And I never place my flight bag on the seat, i keep it hanging cross shoulder at all times.

The freedom and dignity you will feel managing all your extensions is exhilarating! Sometimes elevators are out of order and you have to manage luggage on stairs or escalators, or there are No elevators or ramps for that matter! Just stairs, lots of stairs!

Posted by
208 posts

I agree with what Mike said -- MOST of the things that need to be in your money belt (under your clothes) should already be in there. However, I agree with the previous poster -- if you have anything else to put into your money belt, DO go into a washroom stall and do whatever you need to do within the privacy of it. (BTW -- another good reason for carry-on sized luggage -- it can fit in the stall with you).

Be aware -- one way or the other, that you will have to present your passport to your hotel, so you will need to have access to it then. If I remember correctly, they will even hold onto it for awhile, as they have to register all guests to some government agency, I believe.

Have a FABULOUS time!!!

Cheers,
Vivian

Posted by
3067 posts

Sorry Mike:
The OP is a single woman travelling alone, and she is trying to be as safe and worry free as possible.
OP; please disregard his advice not to go into a stall and "waste time".
Do it, and you will feel safer after you have tucked away all your valuables in your money belt.
It will only take you a few minutes, and we are not concerned about time here, but safety.
Besides, you can't put passport in your belt till you have gone through customs and PP control in Italy!
I have traveled to Europe more times than I can remember , solo, and I always do this.
If you would like any more travel safety advice, please feel free to ask me: a solo female traveler.

Posted by
17 posts

I appreciates everyones advice!!! It is much more information than I had before. Everyone at home thinks I am insane for doing this alone but I love thrill and experience. I think I was just letting them get to my head. I know there are many women out there that travel alone. I been reading much about it. I booked some tours in hopes of meeting someone with the same plans.

Thank you everyone!! :)

Posted by
11613 posts

There are quite a number of solo women travelers, happy to help.

Feel free to duck into a bathroom stall if you need to rearrange your belongings. Note that train station bathrooms may require payment of a €1 coin.

Posted by
792 posts

My only caution is this: Once you travel solo, it's hard to go back! It is wonderful and freeing to be able to design an intinerary that is 100% about your interests.

Posted by
5188 posts

Kawaiifrgy,

You've received great advice here!

You're smart to have changed the size of your luggage, you won't regret traveling light.

If you end up buying something too heavy or big, and don't want to lug it around, you can always send it home via 'Mail Boxes, Etc.'

I look forward to reading your trip report upon your return ;-)

Wishing you an amazing trip!

Posted by
977 posts

@ S. Jackson: Why not put your money and stuff into your money belt before you leave home? Then you can avoid doing it in the bathroom. Why do you have take an empty money belt in your luggage and wait until you get to a stall in a women's room at the airport in Europe before finally putting your passport and money in it?? I have used a money belt as a substitute for a wallet, but I put my passport and important stuff in the money belt at home, took my passport out of the money belt when I need to show it, then put it back in - I filled the money belt and put it around my torso in my living room before I left to go to the airport in Michigan instead of in the men's room in Europe. You are doing the same thing I do, just in an strange location (a bathroom cubicle after you get through customs in Europe versus in your house before you leave for your trip)

Edit: to original poster: I am a man. You traveling alone shouldn't be worse or stranger or more unsafe than me traveling alone; people think single women traveling alone are in some kind of greater danger than men traveling alone; men are more likely to pack lightly; carry the minimum amount of stuff you will need to just barely survive.

Posted by
347 posts

Yes. It's true. Traveling as a woman should be 'no different' than traveling as a man. Thanks for explaining that.

However, it is different. As every woman knows.

Posted by
324 posts

kaw...
61 year old solo traveler here. Disregard anything Mike L has said since there is no way he can relate.
Have fun but be smart.

Posted by
3067 posts

We don't want to turn this into an argument, but again I would stress that you should be as careful and safe as possible as a solo traveler: male or female; and we all have our things that we do to make us as individuals feel safe.
It IS different for women, as all the solo women travelers on here know.
OP: we all want you to have an enjoyable trip going solo!
You are smart to join some tours.
I always take a couple of walking tours, even in a place I've been to before, and have met some lovely people.
Have a wonderful time planning, and on your trip!
You are not crazy, just adventurous!

Posted by
752 posts

LOL! This is so funny but I used to duck into a bathroom stall to fix my money belt and neck wallet until one time I dropped the entire contents of both in the toilet !!!!
The stall was really tiny and I was trying to get around my carryon and maneuver my flight bag out of the way. I was so stunned and exasperated that I just screamed, two female and one male attendant rushed my stall, I looked at them in horror and pointed down in the toilet. They were horrified at the mess I had made. They got me and my bag out into the foyer, and then came back with all the droppings washed, rinsed, and dried!!!

Never again. LOL! Now I fix my money belt and neck wallet out in public, someplace in a large open space, like where the ticket counters are.

The nearest I come to traveling like a man is wearing the money belt and neck wallet. But that didn't stop a Gypsy (Roma) man from stalking me on the train from Ancona on the Adriatic to Rome. He had spotted me sitting with a bunch of gals in a rest area around the Ovest track. I saw him watching me, but realized he had targeted me when he followed me all the way nearly to the front of the train and sat down catty corner in a near empty car and stared at me!

I know when I'm marked, having lived in southside Chicago for 11 years now and i knew I had to break away. It was a Regionale with a First Class car, and I had a First Class ticket. When the Conductress came in and told all First Class ticket holders to follow her to the First Class car, I got up and foiled his little plot!!

So yes there's a difference, the stalker on the train would Not have followed a guy I'm sure!

Posted by
15682 posts

Do not go into a stall in the women's room and waste time and keep
other women from using the toilet, arranging money and stuff into a
money belt; this should be done well before you leave home before you
go the airport in the USA.

Sorry but that's nonsense, Mike. When was the last time you spent any time in the ladies' room? :O)

OK, kawaiifrgy, you've already gotten oodles of help on the bag thing. My take on security is that money belts do not work for me. They do not work for my husband. We've gotten around it other ways, namely a cross-body pacsafe bag and just pinning a small zippered bag inside the waists of our pants for small amounts of cash we want to access for sightseeing. Some others have pockets sewn into the inside of their jackets or whatever. There are all sorts of ways to manage it, and the biggest thing is not to carry anything of value in an exterior pocket or a regular purse that can be easily accessed by fingers other than your own. If a money belt works for you, then so be it but they're designed not to have to be accessed much if at all during the day, and never in public.

Don't sling a bag onto the back of a chair or set it by your feet.

Don't lay cellphone or credit card onto the table of an outdoor cafe where they could be quickly snatched by a passerby.

We carry our passports more often these days than we used to, and those go into the pacsafe along with the credit cards. Whatever works...

Copies of your cards, first pages of your passports and travel insurance documents are good things to have: keep them separate from the originals or scan to an electronic device. Alert your bank and CC company in advance where you'll be traveling and when so they don't put a freeze on your accounts.

Language has not been an issue (so far). We learn the manner words/phrases, and have access to a translator (book or ipad) for situations we may need them for. Rome, Florence and Venice are all well used to hosting travelers from all over the world, and a reasonable amount of English tends to be more spoken than not among employees in the hospitality industry. Just "buongiorno", "grazie" and "per favore/per piacere" can go a long way. :O)

I have women friends who've traveled all over the world by themselves and done just fine. Italy is not difficult. It is not dangerous. If you keep your valuables where light fingers can't get to them, you'll be fine too. If you get confused at the train stations, just head to the customer service or information desks.

DO NOT accept assistance with your luggage from ANYONE standing
outside the train car entrance!!!

I'll go along with this BUT if you have a question, don't be afraid to politely ask others, say, waiting for the same train or otherwise haven't just shown up, unasked, to 'help' you. Italians are generally very nice, and other travelers doing the same thing you are can be helpful too.

Enjoy your trip: it's a wonderful country!

Posted by
977 posts

The difference between you traveling and being a single woman versus me traveling being a single man shouldn't be much different than just living being a man or woman. Do you think men are more suspicious or scary looking than women? If a woman steals from a man or worse, the man probably won't want to seem like a pussy by trying to report the theft or worse.... One time, a strange man started following me for the length of a city block, while saying something in French, while I was on my way to the subway in Montreal, Canada. Fortunately he quit following me as I started walking down the stairs towards the trains and nothing bad happened. Another time, I got stuck sitting on a train in Canada next to a guy who drank four cans of beer and was talking too much or too often.... one time in New York City, an angry middle aged women claimed that I rolled my suitcase over her foot, asked where I was from, and demanded that I give her two dollars. Men run into suspicious characters of both sexes and so do women. Single men in general are just people; most are not trying to figure out how to rape or assault every woman they happen to look at.

I have used a money belt as a substitute for a wallet. I took money out of it and put reciepts into it, mutiple times a day. The idea that a money belt is not supposed to be accessed regularly is false.

Posted by
752 posts

You're right! I just need to learn how to take 'em down! Fast and hard! Then the field gets more even!

Posted by
312 posts

Of course most men are not looking to rape or attack women. If only we could get y'all to wear signs so we'd know who the good and bad guys were, we'd be all set.

Posted by
17 posts

i HAD AN AMAZING TRIP!!! and I thank all of you for the advice. It definitely came in handy. I took just a carry on suit case and had it checked for the return home flight instead. The roads ended up destroying my suitcase and my ankle but it did not stop me from walking over 157 miles total!! I was never worried about my purse or anything being stolen. I felt comfortable even when I was alone the entire time. I purchased a money holder to hide under my shirt but I did not even use it. The men in Rome were overwhelming. It was annoying when I try to eat dinner and the waiter wouldn't leave me alone. "I have rooms upstairs, come see them." " I will give you some champagne on the house" I was even kinda followed around in Venice by one man and I had to turn and walk very quickly the opposite direction. No doesn't mean much over there and they are very persistent. Everyone spoke English but I also did reciprocate the favor speaking what I knew of theirs.

Posted by
549 posts

I just want to say this is an awesome, inspiring thread, exactly the kind of discussion I hope to find when I come to the forums. Thank you, kawaiifrgy, for the update on your trip, and to Mike for the male viewpoint, in particular!
Cynthia