I’m a female solo traveller… here are THREE European cities I wished I’d skipped
A solo female traveler has revealed the three European countries she would have preferred to skip.
Food and travel blogger Sooyeon, who passes by @soos.foods online, traveled to 17 different cities – backpacking from Porto to Prague and Seville to Salzburg.
But some of the biggest cities on her whistle tour left her disappointed
Her list started with the Spanish capital: ‘First is Madrid – the main reason is that I have been to both Madrid and Barcelona on the same trip and I feel like Madrid didn’t have that many other things to do, for me at least, except the palace and the museums.
‘If I were to make this trip again, I would probably skip Madrid and spend more time in Barcelona.’
Food and travel blogger Sooyeun backpacked from Porto to Paris to Prague last year and revealed the three cities she would skip if she had time again
Madrid (the Santa Maria la Real de La Almudena Cathedral pictured) was first on the list, with the 22-year-old upsetting some by saying she preferred Barcelona
Second on her list was Catania, Sicily, where she said she didn’t feel completely safe as a solo woman
Second on Sooyeun’s list was the Sicilian city of Catania.
“I went there hoping it would be a nice Italian vacation,” she recalled, “but the town just felt a bit run-down and not exactly safe.”
The 22-year-old traveler explained that she was stared at by locals and it made her feel uncomfortable.
Finally, and perhaps most divisive, was Berlin, where she admitted she “would like to live.”
Sooyeun was particularly impressed by the “cool cafes, shops and arterial roads,” but she was put off from the city by the abundance of museums – especially history – in relation to other tourist options.
She also admitted that she was “getting serious museum fatigue” at this stage of her European tour.
The other problem the food blogger had with the German capital was the lack of ‘authentic local food options’ compared to a rapidly growing international food scene.
Sooyeun documented what she ate in many cities in separate vlogs, so she focused on sticking to traditional cuisine.
One comment suggested that ‘if you didn’t like Berlin it means you didn’t know where to go’, while someone else said it was a ‘must see’.
Others insisted: ‘Berlin has so much more than history museums.
‘Skip Berlin? You must be kidding, it’s one of the best cities in Europe, there’s so much to do.’
‘Berlin? There is so much to do and see and I didn’t spend all my time in the museum. I feel like you missed a lot!’
The backpacker did respond that even though she knew Berlin should have an excellent nightlife, she didn’t try it because, as a lone female tourist, she felt unsafe going out late at night.
There was also plenty of commentary on Madrid’s defence, with the mention of Barcelona also seeming to rattle a few nerves.
Sooyeun told her followers on TikTok that Catania (photo) did not meet her expectations
Berlin was the third and perhaps most controversial admission, saying she was experiencing “museum fatigue.” Pictured: Berlin Cathedral on Museum Island
While most of the upset comments defended Madrid and Berlin, one TikTok user joked: ‘Never been to Catania but immediately add it to the top of my list if you don’t like Berlin and Madrid’
‘Madrid is so much better than Barcelona, there is so much to do!’
‘Madrid is much better than Barcelona, the people are just not ready for it yet.’
‘Barcelona better than Madrid?’
Fewer people came to Catania’s defense, perhaps because it is a smaller place and less popular tourist hotspot than the other two.
However, one comment joked: ‘Never been to Catania but I’ll put it at the top of my list if you don’t like Berlin and Madrid.’