Help me decide where to go on my first solo holiday.

[DobbyIsAFreeElf]

I have 9 days off work end of September early October. I'm looking at booking a short break maybe 4/5 nights at a max £300. I'm hoping for decent(ish) weather but cannot decide where to go. I'm open to city or beach. I've looked at Barcelona but many of my friends have said it's not the safest city especially for solo female travellers.

If it's city I would like lots of sights to see unless the hotel has swimming pool or the city is in a beach location. With beach holidays I prefer a swimming pool that I can lounge around reading all day and not too far from main resorts.

I usually holiday in Greece but this is likely to be to expensive because the flights are not cheap and I've already ruled out krakow due to planning a trip there with family next year.

DD and I went to Barcelona when she was 9. Perfectly safe, we had no issues being out late, stuck to the main tourist places.
Seville
Granada
Rome
Krakow

Budapest - lots to do, and cheap as chips compared to western Europe. Airbnb tends to offer the best bang for your buck there.

I've just come back from Funchal, Madeira. Tons to do, very safe, lots of decent hotels at a good price. Eating and drinking out were very reasonable cost-wise, too. Weather is good, but can change very quickly if you're in the mountains. Not sure about flights, as I got mine on points. I loved it and would go back.

I'd also recommend Budapest. Plenty to do, some gorgeous spas for relaxing and some good bars and restaurants.

Vienna
Seville
Jerez

Lisbon?
Porto?

I'm open to city or beach. I've looked at Barcelona but many of my friends have said it's not the safest city especially for solo female travellers
Two of my female friends, on in their 20s and the other on rgeur 50s chose Barcelona as their first time solo holiday destination this year. One went in Nat and the other in July. Both were nervous. ( they dont know each other). They had an absolutely amazing time! The fb photos were fabulous and interesting. One of them nearly cancelled her trip because she was concerned about safety and said as long as you did normal safety things to keep yourself safe it was fine.
I'm planning on going by myself in September.

Is Co-op Travel still a thing? Years ago, after I'd been let down by a friend, I called in there, told them what I wanted and needed, and they came up with some place in Turkey.All sorted there and then and i flew out on Turkish Airlines 4 days later. Fab time.

Having just come back from a week in Budapest, I'd definitely go there on my own. There's loads of places to see and an amazing organisation that organises free walking tours several times a day. Also eating alone is way more normalised there than anywhere else I've been. Every restaurant we went to there were people sat by themselves.

I wouldn’t be nervous as a female traveller in Barcelona, just be street wise as you would anywhere. Lisbon also nice, or a French city such as Montpelier, beach and city?

I'm glad to hear other people's positive experiences of Barcelona. I'll look again and see if there is accommodation to suit. I'm thinking of booking a package holiday including transfers (unless the airport is close to the hotel) since it's my first venture alone so wouldn't rather not air bnb.

I've always fancied Budapest but wasn't sure what there was there apart from the spas so that's another option.

I have been to following cities in Europe on my own

Paris, Barcelona, Seville, Florence, Copenhagen, all were absolutely fine

I enjoyed Berlin and Amsterdam on my own.

I went to Barcelona on my own in February & loved it. I just took the precautions I’d normally take in London.

Malta is safe and very affordable. Good bus service and everyone speaks English if that makes you feel better. Lots to see and do and weather should be perfect.

DD10 and I took a bus from airport to hotel, didn't take long at all.

In Barcelona I meant lol.

In Barco you can buy a ticket for the tour bus which you can hop on/hop off. But remember, the pickpockets are so skillful they've pretty well made it into an art form. I'd love to revisit there - that Gaudi architecture is fab and the food in the tapas bars is sublime.

Ibiza....i went on my own last year. Loved it.

I've just returned from Krakow. Granted I wasn't alone but it felt incredibly safe and it's a beautiful city

I really enjoyed Berlin on my own. Lots to see and I felt completely safe. It's a fascinating place. I walked a lot of it as it's not a massive city.

I've been to Rome on my own, although it wasn't my first time there so I sort of knew my way around already. I've taken dd to Vienna and found it incredibly easy, and safe, to get around.

Krakow. Definitely a safe city and police around at all times. Loads to see and do

I haven’t been to Barcelona myself but my friend moved there alone last year and she’s had no problems.

I’d recommend Vienna. I’ve been there a few times solo and it feels so safe. It’s so easy to get around too. Same for pretty much any German city, Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

The only place I’ve felt slightly uncomfortable as a solo traveller was Lisbon. I didn’t have any issues as such, but men were very chatty (my taxi driver asked me if my breasts were natural, for example ). I got quite a few stares from men too.

Malta is safe and very affordable. Good bus service and everyone speaks English if that makes you feel better. Lots to see and do and weather should be perfect

Another vote for Malta - and compact! - but no longer cheap