Ideas for young female solo traveler

I had extremely limited travel experience (and all of it domestic) before I took off for a full summer in Europe by myself at 20-1/2 years old. Your daughter sounds totally capable of managing any of the options you mention, though I agree that the luggage may be burdensome. However, she can Google Luggage Storage Valencia (or some other city) and probably find a place to store the extra piece(s) until she's ready to depart. However, she will certainly incur substantial extra expense if she takes all of that with her on budget flights.

I don't know anything about the size of lockers in hostels, or whether it would be a problem if she needed to use two of them.

There are lots of great destinations made accessible by budget airlines if she can finesse the luggage situation. It's all a matter of what interests her. I tend to focus on expected weather, so Seville would be my first choice. However, three flights within a few days is more than I, personally, would want. I just hate dealing with airports and the degree to which doing so cuts into your sightseeing time on any day you have to fly.

You didn't mention Barcelona. Has she covered it reasonably well during her time in San Sebastian? There is tons to do in Barcelona, and the weather there should be reasonably mild. There are a couple of rail departures each day that take just under 6 hours. I assume there are flights from Barcelona to Edinburgh, so she'd have the option of not returning to SS to pick up luggage.

Fares for the short intra-European hops are increasing as we discuss this. Three flights could be very pricey if she waits to buy those tickets. Even one flight could end up near $200 (or perhaps more?) plus fees for luggage, etc.

Thanks for the reply. She loves Barcelona and would probably love it there- but I'm not comfortable with it, given the political unrest. I know it sounds silly, but I am a worrier and I'd rather her go somewhere that's not in the news :) You are right with the pricey plane tickets- I'm hoping we can talk on the phone this weekend and she can get her travel plans figured out soon. I'm sure she can also take a train or bus to Seville, but it seems like that would be a looonnnggg trip!

I understand how sometimes one sees these sensational things on the television and tends to worry, but in many cases the reality is far different on the ground. Let me be clear, you and your daughter have absolutely nothing to worry about regarding any political unrest in Barcelona whatsoever.

Most of the political unrest that you mention is actually not unrest at all, but rather the political responsibility of the people of any democracy to assemble peacefully and let their voices be heard. Even then, most of the images of unrest that you are probably thinking of happened over a year ago. While there are still demonstrations today, they are all peaceful, I doubt if any tourist will even realise there is one going on.

However, I understand that this is your family and ultimately this is your and your daughter's decisions, I just wanted to dispel any notion that Barcelona is somehow unsafe due to any perceived political unrest, as this is very far from the truth.

Carlos- thanks! I needed to hear it :) I guess the warnings I saw were a year or so ago, and I would certainly go as a family. I guess it's just the thought of my baby girl by herself :) I should clarify the issue is with me alone-- she loves Barcelona! However, I've been doing a little research and found a hostel that looks amazing, so I'm going to try to call her tomorrow and we'll talk. To be honest, Barcelona would be the easiest for her to plan-- there's a direct train from SS and good flights to Edinburgh.

@athorste glad I could lay some worries to rest, I think if your daughter is all for it, then Barcelona would probably be the best option :)

However, I would double check on that direct train from San Sebastián to Barcelona, I was under the impression that there was currently was no direct line from San Sebastián to Barcelona. Although there may be a direct bus. Personally I would either rent a car (not an option in this case) or fly using one of the low cost airlines.

According to trainline.eu, there are direct trains but not it doesn't look like everyday (renfe runs on Saturday but not Sunday). The direct bus appears to run everyday. It looks like the bus may be a better way for her to go. I told her to go to the train station in SS as soon as she figures out her plans.

If it eases your concern at all, I am a solo American traveler currently in Barcelona.

I have been here 3 nights, and there has been no political unrest whatsoever. There was a minor protest on Plaça de Catalunya on Friday evening, but it was extremely peaceful.

The people here have been warm, welcoming and friendly, and I have not felt remotely unsafe at any time, even when I explored the southern part of the Gothic Quarter.

Thanks, nathanboley8! I'm hoping to talk to her today, so she can get it all figured out. The more I think about it, the more I think it would be better for her to leave her stuff in SS and just take a bag. It's more travel but then she doesn't have to carry all of her luggage. We'll see what she decides :)

So, I just talked to my daughter and she agreed that travel back to SS to get her stuff is a good idea. The lady she's living with has been giving her ideas as well and will help her make travel arrangements. My daughter found on google flights a multiple-city ticket: fly from Bilbao to Lisbon; fly out of Seville back to Bilbao. She also found a bus from Lisbon to Seville (it's a long but direct route). Times look great- not too early or too late.. So, I think she will do that. She's planning on having one full day in between getting back to SS and flying out to Edinburgh (we booked the ticket today), so that should allow for unexpected changes in flight schedules. Thanks for your help! Now to just keep my nerves under control-- haha

This is a late reply but I just got back from Spain and wanted to chime in that the political unrest does not mean there are issues in the city that tourists should worry about. The protests and anger is clearly directed at the government by the locals and is in no way the anti-Western or anti-foreigner unrest that you may be thinking of from the 80s and 90s in areas further east of there.

I'll also add that I spent Halloween before last with people who had just returned from Northern Spain who were there during the independence election that the government tried to quash with police and troops. They reported that even that was exciting but never scary and they never felt threatened or in danger. If tourists can exist comfortably in middle of the highest levels of actual unrest then daily or weekly protests in the big cities should not be an issue.

Hope that helps,
=Tod

Thanks for the late reply! It made me realize I haven't updated the thread :) I really appreciate the assurances from everyone. This is my first real experience as a parent with an adult child- it definitely is different when your children are grown but you hold on to them like they are children.

So, anyway, she ended up on a 10 day backpack trip to Lisbon, Portugal; Sevilla and Granada. She flew back to San Sebastian for a couple of days, so she left most of her luggage there. My first big worry (her carrying all her stuff around) abated. She stayed in three hostels and they were all amazing. She met interesting people at each one, had great dinner experiences and signed up for all the walking tours and even a day trip to Sintra. So, she was a solo traveler, but she wasn't necessarily alone. She saw amazing things and had such a great time!

She's now on the plane to Edinburgh! I'm so looking forward to seeing her on Sunday! Personally, I'm coming out of her experience with a new perspective of my young, very capable young adult :) (but, she still calls for little things, like filling out the customs card :))