The safest countries for solo female travelers

Iceland

After decades of solo travels around the world, these are the countries where I felt the safest. I’ve visited these places on the list several times except for Finland (which I had the pleasure of visiting once) and didn’t encounter any threatening incidences in any of them. I found instead the people were positively responsive when I approached them for directions or help with the language barrier. I especially remember my experiences in Ireland where I needed to find a plug adapter and a saleslady took time from her work to show me the store that carried it, in Japan where the non-English speaking train ticket agent painstakingly helped me with a smile despite the long line behind me or the restaurant chef who showed me how to order my meal using a strange machine, or in Finland where I met friendly people in church and whose friendship I’ve kept to this day as I have with my friends in the Netherlands and Romania. There are so many beautiful stories from my solo trips which may not have happened if I had been on a group tour or with a travel companion. The list below is in alphabetical order and I’ve included links for some of the stories and travel guides of my visits to these countries.

1 Austria

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2021/08/vienna-revisited.html

2 Croatia

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2022/06/aqua-therapy-in-cavtat.html

3 Finland

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2018/07/helsinki.html

4 Iceland

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2017/06/stunning-south-iceland.html

5 Japan

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2017/08/osaka-city-of-kuidaore.html

6 Netherlands

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2021/07/summer-2021-in-amsterdam.html

7 Republic of Ireland

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2010/07/adare-irelands-prettiest-village.html

8 Singapore

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2013/05/singapores-chinatown.html

9 Slovenia

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2021/07/lake-bled-i-feel-slovenia.html

10 Switzerland

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2018/12/iseltwald-brigadoon-by-sea.html

Finland

Austria, Iceland, Japan, Singapore, Slovenia and Switzerland are on the top 10 safest countries in the world in 2023 according to the Global Peace Index. Iceland topped the list. The study is based on crime, violence, corruption, internal and external conflict, political instability, militarization and other indicators. Finland and Croatia are ranked 13 and 14 respectively. Finland is also the happiest country in the world in 2023 according to The World Happiness Report. The Report includes Iceland, The Netherlands and Switzerland. The Netherlands is #16 on the Global Peace Index and while lower on the list, I have included it on my list based on the number of times I traveled to this country over the years and the good memories and great times of my visits there. I consider it my third home. For more stories about the countries on my list of 10 safest countries for female solo travelers, check this link: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/p/destinations.html

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Images by TravelswithCharie

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was...

Filipino Struggles in History - Carlos Botong Francisco

In 1968, Antonio Villegas (then Mayor of Manila), commissioned Carlos "Botong" Francisco to paint the history of Manila for Manila City Hall. The series of large scale paintings was called Kasaysayan ng Maynila (History of Manila). The paintings deteriorated over time and no attempt was made to preserve these historical canvases until 2013 when Mayor Amado Lim sent them to the National Museum for extensive restoration. Four years later, in 2017, Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada and the Manila City Council signed an agreement with the National Museum to leave the paintings at the museum so they may reach a larger audience in exchange for museum grade reproductions to replace the originals. Kasaysayan ng Maynila was later renamed Filipino Struggles in History and is now on display at the Senate Hall of the National Museum . Carlos "Botong" Francisco died in March 1969, a few months after completing the paintings. He is one of the first Filipino modernists and...

The Gold of Ancestors: Pre-Colonial Philippine Treasures

Openwork basket, Surigao, 10th-13th century What a wonderful surprise this exhibition is! These gold objects, about a thousand of them, add a rich layer to Philippine history. This collection which was found in various sites in the Philippines, date back to the 10th-13th centuries. It demonstrates the well developed culture of pre colonial Philippines which the Spaniard, Antonio Pigafetta, recorded in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan landed in the islands. A thriving interchange between the Philippines and its Asian neighbors existed prior to the arrival of Magellan as attested by some of these gold accouterments which show for example, images from Hindu mythology. The motifs and curvilinear ornamentation of the openwork basket (shown above) intimate Chinese designs found in their ceramics and textiles. Torso ornament, 10th-13th century Weighing four kilos of gold, this sash is worn across the chest similar to the upavita (sacred thread) style in Hindu culture. This sash w...

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