10 Safest Cities for Women to Travel

Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, sits on the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager, linked to Malmo in southern Sweden by the Öresund Bridge. Indre By, the central district, contains 18th-century, rococo Frederiksstaden, home to the royal family’s Amalienborg Palace. The city's center also has the Christiansborg parliament building and the Renaissance Rosenborg Castle, which has a museum of royal artifacts and a popular garden.

Melbourne, Victoria’s coastal capital, is a city of stately 19th-century buildings and tree-lined boulevards. Yet at its centre is the strikingly modern Federation Square development, with plazas, bars, restaurants and cultural events along the Yarra River. In Southbank, the Melbourne Arts Precinct is site of Arts Centre Melbourne – a performing arts complex – and National Gallery of Victoria, displaying Australian and Indigenous art.

Oslo, the capital of Norway, sits on the country’s southern coast at the head of the Oslofjord, and is known for its citywide green spaces and museums. Many of these are on the Bygdøy peninsula, including the Norwegian Maritime Museum, the Vikingskipshuset, with ships from the 10th century, and the Norsk Folkemuseum, with artifacts from Sami and Viking cultures.

Reykjavik, Iceland’s coastal capital, is renowned for the late-night clubs and bars in its compact center. It's home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland’s Viking history. The striking concrete Hallgrimskirkja church and rotating Perlan glass dome offer sweeping views of the sea and nearby hills. Exemplifying the island’s dramatic landscape is the volcanic setting of the geothermal Blue Lagoon spa.

Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades, legacies of the city’s 17th-century Golden Age. Its Museum District houses works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and modern art at the Stedelijk. Cycling is key to the city’s character, and there are 400km of cycle paths.

Toronto, the provincial capital of Ontario, Canada, is a large, ethnically diverse city sprawling along Lake Ontario’s northwestern shore. A dynamic metropolis with a core of soaring skyscrapers, all dwarfed by the iconic CN Tower, it also features abundant green spaces, from the orderly oval of Queen’s Park to 400-acre High Park and its trails, sports facilities and zoo.

Marseille, a port city in southern France, has been a crossroads of immigration and trade since its founding by the Phoenicians in 600 B.C.E. It’s a place of tranquil squares and stepped streets, bustling 19th-century avenues and souklike markets. At its heart is the Vieux Port, where fishmongers sell their daily catch along the boat-lined quayside. La Canebière, the main thoroughfare, runs east from here.

Dublin, capital of the Republic of Ireland, is on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. Its medieval buildings include 13th-century Dublin Castle and imposing St. Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191. Temple Bar is a riverside nightlife and cultural quarter, home to the Irish Film Institute. Bustling, largely pedestrianised Grafton Street is the city’s principal shopping area, also famed for its buskers.

Setúbal is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The city of Setúbal is located on the northern bank of the Sado River estuary, approximately 48 kilometres (30 miles) south of Portugal's capital, Lisbon. It is also the seat of the Setúbal District.The main historical monument of the city of Setúbal is the Monastery of Jesus, with a 15th- and 16th-centuries church that represents one of the first buildings in the Portuguese late Gothic style known as Manueline.