TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - For solo female travelers, safety is the top priority. Earlier this year, Private Tour England released an analysis identifying the best destinations in Europe for solo female travelers. As a result, Krakow, Poland, was chosen as the best destination for solo female travelers.
The research analyzed 21 metrics with five categories: the risk of fraud in each destination, how comfortable it is to walk at night, and overall safety statistics. The study also considered the cost of visiting each place, including food prices, accommodation, and transportation. This includes social comfort measured through friendliness scores and English language proficiency, as well as the number of activities in each city.
According to the research, Krakow ranked first with the highest score for security, particularly walking safety. "Violence against women is low, but scam risk sits at medium," according to the study, as cited in Travel+Leisure. Meanwhile, food and transportation prices are low, and the hostel that is safe for women is quite expensive.
The city also offers museums, spas, widely available online transportation services, and fast internet. Local residents have a good command of English, so travelers can easily walk around.
Attractions in Krakow
Krakow is the second largest city in Poland. It was once the royal capital and is now famous for its medieval Old Town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. As reported by Travel and Leisure Asia, some places visited by travelers include the royal family's birthplace at the top of Wawel Castle and Cathedral, climbing the famous Sigismund Bell Tower, enjoying the wide view of the Vistula River, and the rooftops of Krakow.
Other places of interest include the Market Square and the Rynek Underground Museum, an advanced archaeological site featuring holographic recreations, scented soundscapes, and rocky merchant paths. It's like going back 700 years, when merchants sold spices, amber, and fur under wooden kiosks.
Plan a visit to St. Mary's Basilica and watch the trumpeter play the Hejna Mariacka every hour in commemoration of a 13th-century guard who was killed by Tatar arrows. In Podgrze, a former wartime ghetto that has been reborn as Krakow's creative district, travelers can enjoy street murals and design boutiques along the way to the Eagle Pharmacy Museum. Don't forget to take a photo on the Bernatka Footbridge adorned with padlocks and floating statues.
Other Cities in Europe
Zagreb, Croatia, follows Krakow in second place. According to the study, the score for walking alone safety at night is quite high. Transportation costs are among the lowest in Europe, but women-only hostels are less popular compared to those in Krakow.
In third place is Wroclaw, Poland. Although the safety index is high, walking alone at night is lower than in Zagreb. However, food and hotel prices are below the European average. The top 10 cities for solo female travelers include Poznan, Poland; Seville, Spain; Warsaw, Poland; Prague, Czech Republic; Edinburgh, Scotland; Malaga, Spain; and Porto, Portugal.
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