Hello I am African American female. I lived in Belgium, with my family, many years ago for 8 years and I have been back to Europe several times with spouse. I would like to go back and visit more of the Southern regions, in two years possible by myself. What countries would I be most welcomed in as a solo African American female?
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Stay in Europe for 2 months
- Thread starter ju35bj
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Ian Sutton
1000+ Posts
A question that I find it difficult to answer, as it will be based on anecdotal evidence and the at times selective (and manipulative) nature of news reporting.
So I offer these thoughts up, but take them with a large grain of salt:
Generalities
- Cities tend to be more cosmopolitan, and thus often have a wider, well-established racial mix. Whether this means a better reception, or merely less surprise at different skin colour / accent, I can't answer. Single females used to suffer unwarranted attention, but I sense that's eased off in recent years.
- Touristy locations are used to a wide variety of people visiting, and perhaps are less likely to even notice skin colour / accent (at times it feels they only care about the colour of money). Not places I particularly enjoy, but if safety is a concern on landing, then starting in a touristy location might not be a bad idea at all.
- Coastal tend to have a degree of tourism, but often more relaxed, though maybe the place most likely to experience unwanted attention for a single female?
- Countryside. Most relaxed IME, and certainly in Italy it seems to show the very best side of people, with genuine hospitality. Might attitudes be insular / suspicious? FWIW, not in my experience, but I can't say it wouldn't happen.
Countries
The heaviest caveats apply here
Italy: Quite a long established African presence. I've seen prejudice for sure, most notably in the North of the country, where their distrust of migrants from the south of Italy shifted to a distrust of migrants from overseas. Difficult to judge how prevalent it is, and whether a tourist would experience it.
Portugal: Perhaps my recommendation, as there appeared to be a Brazilian style racial integration on my one holiday there. The food and wine is superb IMO (and it can be great value as well).
Spain: I've not visited, so my only perspective is from the news, which does rather seem to paint Spain as having some of the worst residual prejudice. I have no idea how true that is in real life.
France: Long time integration, though the news does have occasional blow-ups of racial tension.
I can't give any insight into Turkey or Greece. Both have tourism as significant industries.
So I offer these thoughts up, but take them with a large grain of salt:
Generalities
- Cities tend to be more cosmopolitan, and thus often have a wider, well-established racial mix. Whether this means a better reception, or merely less surprise at different skin colour / accent, I can't answer. Single females used to suffer unwarranted attention, but I sense that's eased off in recent years.
- Touristy locations are used to a wide variety of people visiting, and perhaps are less likely to even notice skin colour / accent (at times it feels they only care about the colour of money). Not places I particularly enjoy, but if safety is a concern on landing, then starting in a touristy location might not be a bad idea at all.
- Coastal tend to have a degree of tourism, but often more relaxed, though maybe the place most likely to experience unwanted attention for a single female?
- Countryside. Most relaxed IME, and certainly in Italy it seems to show the very best side of people, with genuine hospitality. Might attitudes be insular / suspicious? FWIW, not in my experience, but I can't say it wouldn't happen.
Countries
The heaviest caveats apply here
Italy: Quite a long established African presence. I've seen prejudice for sure, most notably in the North of the country, where their distrust of migrants from the south of Italy shifted to a distrust of migrants from overseas. Difficult to judge how prevalent it is, and whether a tourist would experience it.
Portugal: Perhaps my recommendation, as there appeared to be a Brazilian style racial integration on my one holiday there. The food and wine is superb IMO (and it can be great value as well).
Spain: I've not visited, so my only perspective is from the news, which does rather seem to paint Spain as having some of the worst residual prejudice. I have no idea how true that is in real life.
France: Long time integration, though the news does have occasional blow-ups of racial tension.
I can't give any insight into Turkey or Greece. Both have tourism as significant industries.
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Thank you, we have gone to Greece twice and we spent two weeks in Greece 2024 one small interaction in passing. That same trip two weeks in Belgium and no problems at all. I am seriously considering Italy and Portugal.