Solo women can travel safely in most of Eastern Europe, but like any other solo traveler, they might find it difficult to book any room at a single-room price. In fact, solo travelers may pay a premium to get a room. On package vacations, single travelers are often hit with a "single supplement" to the base price. To avoid it, you can agree to room with other single travelers or find a compatible roommate before you go, from one of the many roommate-locator agencies.
Travel Buddies Singles Travel Club (tel. 800/998-9099; www.travelbuddiesworldwide.com), based in Canada, runs small, intimate, single-friendly group trips and will match you with a roommate free of charge. TravelChums (tel. 212/787-2621; www.travelchums.com) is an Internet-only travel-companion matching service with elements of an online personals-type site, hosted by the respected New York-based Shaw Guides travel service. The Single Gourmet Club (www.singlegourmet.com/chapters.php) is an international social, dining, and travel club for singles of all ages, with club chapters in 21 cities in the U.S. and Canada. Many reputable tour companies offer singles-only trips. Singles Travel International (tel. 877/765-6874; www.singlestravelintl.com) offers singles-only trips to places like London, Fiji, and the Greek Islands. Backroads (tel. 800/462-2848; www.backroads.com) offers more than 160 active-travel trips to 30 destinations worldwide, including Bali, Morocco, and Costa Rica.
For more information, check out Eleanor Berman's latest edition of Traveling Solo: Advice and Ideas for More Than 250 Great Vacations (Globe Pequot), a guide with advice on traveling alone, either solo or as part of a group tour.
Note: In macho countries like Romania, Bulgaria, and the Russian Federation, a woman traveling solo may encounter harassment or other difficulties. In addition, it is not wise for a woman to travel alone at night in these places.
Check out the award-winning website Journeywoman (www.journeywoman.com), a "real life" women's travel-information network where you can sign up for a free e-mail newsletter and get advice on everything from etiquette and dress to safety; or the travel guide Safety and Security for Women Who Travel by Sheila Swan and Peter Laufer (Travelers' Tales, Inc.), offering common-sense tips on safe travel.
