Is the Camino de Santiago safe for a woman to walk alone?

This is one of the most common questions women ask when they’re thinking about walking the Camino solo, and it’s exactly what I’m answering in this episode.

I spent 31 days walking the Camino Portuguese alone, starting in Lisbon, walking through Porto, Santiago, and continuing on to Finisterre. In this episode of the Redo You Podcast, I share my real, lived experience of what safety was actually like as a solo female pilgrim, including the fears I had before I started, the precautions I took, and what actually happened on the trail.

If you’re worried about personal safety, shared accommodation, carrying valuables, or walking alone through cities and isolated sections, this episode will give you honest reassurance based on experience, not fear-based storytelling.

This episode is especially for women who feel called to walk the Camino but are wondering if it’s truly safe to do it on their own.

In this episode, we cover:

Personal safety as a woman walking the Camino alone

Arriving in Lisbon solo and navigating the city at night

Hostel security, lockers, and protecting your valuables

Whether money belts and padlocks are actually necessary

Staying in albergues and sharing dorms with men

Walking alone through cities, industrial areas, and rural sections

Road walking safety between Lisbon and Porto

Flooded trails, river crossings, and unexpected environmental risks

Ride shares, buses, and public transportation safety

The kindness of strangers and the Camino community

Why fear doesn’t deserve to decide whether you go

Episode Timestamps

0:01 Is the Camino de Santiago safe for women walking alone?

1:42 Arriving in Lisbon solo and initial safety fears

2:09 Walking through Rossio Square at night

2:45 Hostel security, lockers, and keeping valuables safe

3:40 Ditching the money belt and what actually mattered

4:20 Walking out of Lisbon and early trail experiences

5:05 Staying in albergues and concerns about theft

5:44 Carrying passports, pilgrim credentials, and cash

6:40 Shared dorms, mixed-gender spaces, and personal comfort

7:50 Being a woman in busy sections of the Camino

8:40 Road walking safety between Lisbon and Porto

9:14 Flooded trails, river crossings, and unexpected risks

10:12 Ride shares, buses, and public transit safety

10:55 Kindness of strangers and Camino community

11:31 My honest conclusion on safety walking the Camino solo

11:55 Camino resources and planning support

Camino Resources

If you’re planning your own Camino and want support beyond this episode, I’ve created a growing resource hub where you can access my detailed itinerary, diary emails from my walk, and practical planning tools.

Visit: https://www.lifeuntethered.com/camino

I’ll continue adding resources to help you walk your Camino, your way.

About the Redo You Podcast

Imagine having a best friend who’s also a transformational life coach, someone like life coach Emma Hull, guiding you through life’s pivotal moments.

In the Redo You Podcast, Emma Hull, Canada’s top confidence coach and founder of Life Untethered Coaching, warmly invites you to join her on a journey of self-discovery and reinvention.

Whether you're navigating an empty nest, a divorce, or a career change, Emma is here to empower you with the confidence to embrace your authentic self and chase your audacious dreams. She understands the hurdles of feeling stuck and offers practical, actionable advice to help you find your passion and purpose.

Tune in, subscribe, and become part of a community that rises together, sharing the tools to transform your life, one episode at a time.

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