How do I stay safe while walking alone in unfamiliar areas?

Before and during

• Read up on the neighbourhood, especially how it differs after dark. Accommodation hosts give better answers than search results.
• Look like you know where you are going. Check the map in a shop doorway rather than at a junction.
• Keep your phone in a front pocket or bag, not in your hand as you walk.
• Stay on lit, populated streets, even if the shortcut is obvious.
• If something feels wrong, act immediately — cross the road, step into a shop, change direction. You do not owe anyone politeness.

If you are approached

• Keep walking and keep talking to a minimum for the classic distraction approaches — a petition, a dropped ring, an unexpectedly friendly guide.
• Move into a shop, hotel lobby or café if you feel followed, and ask staff for help.
• Use a ride-hailing app to leave an area quickly rather than walking out of it.

Preparation that costs nothing

• Save the local emergency number — 112 across the EU, 911 in the US and Canada, 999 in the UK, and check the local one elsewhere.
• Share your live location with someone you trust when you head out at night.
• Carry a personal alarm if it makes you more confident, and keep enough cash for a taxi separate from your wallet.