Solo female in London/Paris needs advice
 

I'm strongly thinking to head off to London and Paris for a week or so in March or April and need some serious advice. I'm a 26 year old female. I've traveled quite a bit. I'm from Canada; been to a ton of US cities and places in the Carribean. I've only been to Spain in Europe (incredible trip!), but I've never traveled solo. I'm a pretty decent planner if I say so myself so not concerned about that, but traveling solo does make me a bit nervous.

1) Do I book on my own or with a tour?
I think tours are a pain in terms of bus rides and following someone else's schedules and overpriced, BUT the pro of this is I'm thinking I'll meet fellow travelers. Plus I'm very nervous to explore nightlife on my own and that's where the tour group should help right? I'm looking into Contiki. I've read good and bad reviews. As long as I can do my own thing during the day if I wish, I'd be game for this. Thoughts?

2) I'm thinking 7-8 days for both Paris and London. Starting in London and ending in Paris. I don't have a large budget. I found some reasonable priced hotels. London: Royal London, Tavistock Hotel, President Hotel. Paris: Ibis Styles Paris Gare De L Est, Hotel Magenta Paris. Any reviews on these hotels? I've read some and they seem decent. I'm most concerned about location.

3) Any recommendations of how many days to spend in each city and things to do?

4) If I choose to not do a tour, should I not go out at night? I've watched Taken a bit too many times so that makes me nervous. :/

5) How much cash should I have on me? I prefer to use my credit card but wondering what's best.

Thank you for reading. Appreciate any advice.

If you are planning to go with a tour, you have to analyze the itinerary very much to be sure you're getting what you want out of it. Contiki is targeted for 18-35(?) y.o. but some people say that it's actually 18-20 y.o. but since you're going in March/April you might end up with more people closer to your age.

I haven't traveled solo (yet) but most of the advice I have gotten from others is to look at youth hostels/backpacker hostels. There you will meet and form nice bonds with people who will go with you out during the day and night!

Many of us are women who have traveled solo throughout the world. London and Paris should not be difficult. If you need encouragement, check out this collection of solo trip reports:
http://www.fodors.com/community/trav...collection.cfm

There is no need to join a tour unless doing so is your preference. But DO invest in a few guidebooks -- they will answer questions you didn't even know you have!

A trip of 7 or 8 days that includes both Paris and London would let you get a taste of each city. I don't think you would regret it if you can add on a few days, so you have 4 or 5 days in each city.

I trust you have looked at hotel reviews on tripadvisor.com and booking.com?

I can't imagine staying in during the evenings just because I was traveling solo in either of these cities. Just be mindful of your circumstances and take normal, reasonable precautions.

ATMs and credit cards should work fine. Make sure the bank that issued your ATM card belongs to one of the networks that includes these countries (e.g., cirrus) and if don't already have one, see if you can get a chip-and-pin credit card -- you may not be able to use other kinds at some locations. (And if you don't know what they are, that's another reason you need a good guidebook!) See if you can get cards that don't charge for currency exchange. Always charge in the foreign currency; don't accept charges in Canadian dollars (for which you will almost certainly pay an unnecessary fee).

You'll have a great time! :-)

Thank you both for your replies. Great advice. Appreciate it.

And rodarte, yes it's for ages 18-35 but I heard the same thing as it being a bit younger.

My nephew who had just turned 18 took a Contiki tour.. most people were in fact under 26.. and frankly ..the shorter tours are booze cruises.. and you get very little time in each place.. and you stay outside the city centers so the free time you get you can barely use. so .. no.


Now why not consider staying at hostels.. there are some good ones in Paris and you will meet other young folks ( although hostels also attract all ages) and be able to socialize with them.

Taken is possibly the stupidest movie ever. Really. I am going to be blunt.. but the white sex trade slavers don't want or need tourist girls. they have poor desperate girls from poor eastern europeon countries that they trick into working for them.. they hold their passports. the lie to them etc. and the girls are dirt poor and need the money. trust me.. they don't want you .

Look at MIJE hostel. its always well reviewd and its in a good central area in Paris.. can;t help with London. You may meet some nice girls there that will invite you out for a night on town with them.. hardly think a couple of aussie girls.. or some nice dutch girls are going to kidnap you .. lol

PS another thing about Contiki,, they SEEM cheap mut my nephew said they are constantly nickel and diming you.. he spent way more then he planned on extras they entice you with( well everyone on the bus is going in.. you going to sit it out.. )

justineparis, thanks for the reply. I've heard the same booze stories and staying outside city centers about Contiki which both do not entice me. And definitely agree, Contiki is probably going to cost the same or more as me going on without a tour. (Ha @ Taken. I know it's ridiculous but it's in my head!).

My problem is...I'm a nice person and all (I swear!)...But I can seem a bit...anti-social and not always approachable which makes me uncertain if I'd meet people without the tour. >.<

No reason you shouldn't go out in the evening on your own in both cities. In London there's the theater, and more pubs than you could possibly want. In Paris dinner can occupy most of the evening. Late night clubbing, yes, you'd be better off with company, and a youth hostel would be good for finding some.

You could easily spend all of your time in either city.

Much ado about nothing. Go, have a good time seeing London & Paris, go to pubs, meet people, don't meet people - what possible difference will it make for 7 or 8 days. You'll have plenty to occupy you, enjoy your own company if necessary as many of us do regularly. You'll have a great time.

Thank you for the advice. I'm okay if I don't get go to a club; been there done that. I do enjoy experiencing nightlife in different cities though. And yes, I'm perfectly okay if I don't meet people. I do love spending time with myself, ha.

check out http://www.franglish.eu/ if you also speak a bit of french, they're always in need of English speakers plus you get to know people in a friendly, social setting.

Usually at the Mecano Bar (Oberkampf) or at the Lizard Lounge in the Marais.

Or take a cookery class and get to know people that way. There are also english speaking "expat" get togethers that are interesting.

By the way, that Ibis near Gare de l'Est is perfectly fine. There's also a Kyriad hotel inside Gare de l'Est, probably just a bit cheaper, though skip the add on breakfast there, it's not worth it and there's lots of place near Gare de l'Est to have breakfast.

For London hostels:
http://www.yha.org.uk/places-to-stay/london

I believe the Thorntree forum may be more geared towards younger peoples' travel and users there may well have useful advice.

I used to stay in hostels when I traveled with my two young daughters. One of the things I liked about them was all the people we met. The average age was a bit younger than mine, but there were plenty of people older than I. (I was in my early 40s at the time.) People were constantly organizing excursions and planning to go out in the evenings together. The hostels usually helped by posting notices on their bulletin boards.

I once stayed in a hostel in Manhattan, which isn't that far from where I lived at the time, but I was going to a late concert and didn't want to return home that night. I was amused to learn that one of my roommates was an upper middle class women in from Connecticut to do some serious shopping. Her strategy was to spend all the money saved on hotel bills at Bergdorf Goodman.

Hostels tend to have personalities. Just like some tours, some hostels are mostly frequented by juvenile party types, and some are more on the Boy Scout line. Do your research to find those that suit your style.

Security for a single woman in London or Paris is the same as in any Canadian city. English pubs can be quite sociable or can be dumps; ask the staff where you are staying for advice. Paris has less pub culture (although you can find a couple of Canadian sports bars in the 5th/6th arrondisments, vastly overpriced) but lots of music clubs in various styles. Both big cities are rich with plays and concerts while Paris is the world's best cinema city. As to tours, you can compromise by making your own plans and then taking guided half-day tours, finding casual conversation with like-minded tourists. Also, in the Internet era, your smartphone/tablet/small laptop can be your companion at night if you choose accommodation with free WiFi.

Check out www.walks.com very popular and affordable walking tours in London and you are sure to meet people in your group...the pub walks are great for cool pubs and meeting fun people in the evening and don't worry it's not a drunken pub crawl...you only have a small drink then walk to the next...about 4 a night.

I've traveled solo all my life (as well as with people). I'm not naturally the kind of person who hits a bar expecting to start up a conversation, so I get where you're coming from (I do enjoy being by myself). One of the things I absolutely adore about Paris is the café culture, which makes it entirely comfortable to just take a seat and sip on something and people-watch. Often, I've struck up a conversation with someone else, but just as often, not...and it doesn't matter. There are solo women all around being perfectly content just sitting and watching, or reading, or talking on their cellphones, or writing, or whatever. As far as I'm concerned, Paris is the perfect hassle-free comfort zone for a solo female traveler.

I would never in a million years join an organized tour, but that's me. Type A personality who needs to be completely in charge of herself, where and when she goes somewhere, how much time she spends there, when to take a day off....that kind of stuff.

There are Paris Greeters, by the way, locals who will, for free, meet up with you and give you tours. Might be a great way to have some companionship. I believe you're requested to give a small donation to the company (not the local), but I think the amount is at your discretion. I haven't done this...just offering it as information.

Well said, StCirq.

Besides the Paris Greeters (and greeters are great), you may find someone on couchsurfing that would be interested in meeting for a drink or a meal rather than offering a couch.

Thank you. You all are so helpful and give such excellent advice.

I feel I'll most likely not do a tour but just plan my own thing. I'd love to go out to pubs in London but I'm okay with a more quieter time in Paris. Thinking 3 nights in each city?

I just need to do a lot of research now. I'm a bit confused about the best spot to stay in London. I think I'll go with a hostel there and have found a few online but just determining the best area.

Will research and then hopefully book next week!

"Thinking 3 nights in each city?" Can you extend? If not, then keep jet lag in mind -- you'll lose a chunk of time to jet lag in your first destination. Also keep the time for transit in mind -- and not just the time for the transportation, but time to pack/unpack, travel between your lodging and train station (or whatever), time to get oriented in the new city and get local currency, etc. NONE of these things pose any insurmountable challenges -- just things to keep in mind as you plan.

Good point, thank you. Extending the time shouldn't be a problem. Perhaps 4 nights in each city? I don't think I'd want to do longer than that.

I'm also wondering if I should fly or train from London to Paris. It's a pretty inexpensive flight but train may be a better experience??