A tour of Europe has been considered the ultimate discovery for centuries. Many travelers choose to tour and discover on foot.

Perhaps the earliest European trekker was Otzi the Iceman, a Neolithic traveler whose violent demise, evidence shows, was at the hand of enemies on the slopes of the South Tyrolean Alps in Italy about 5,000 years ago. Others argue that the first European road tripper was the Roman Emperor Hadrian. He awoke one day with the irresistible urge to travel from Rome to Sicily to climb Mt. Etna so he could witness the sunrise from the summit. More recently, French adventurer Jeremy Marie spent eight years traveling more than 100,000 miles around the world, much of it in Europe, according to the Daily Mail. More astonishing is that he didn’t spend a single Euro on his travel.

College grads aren’t too dissimilar from these legendary world travelers. Certainly backpacking across Europe is a lot safer today than it was in antiquity. For one, travelers of today aren’t too concerned about highwaymen and marauding Huns. Keep in mind that backpacking in a foreign land does involve a certain level of risk, however. Mitigate risk by taking common sense precautions and following the advice of people who have personal experience. Here are some tips to help ensure a safe and fun backpacking excursion:

• Travel with a partner. You’ll become less of a vulnerable target if you have a travel buddy who can also keep an eye out for threats within the surroundings. A solo trek may seem romantically adventurous, but the risks are major. You also lose companionship and someone with whom you can share expenses.

• Be security-conscious in hostels. Staying overnight in hostels during European backpacking trips is common and affordable. You’ll share close spaces with a lot of strangers. Most hostels provide a locker to store your belongings so be sure to pack a good padlock. Carry as little cash and plastic as possible. Also, store your valuables together in a small bag or case and keep them close at all times.

• Beware of “shoulder surfing.” Shoulder surfing is the simple act of someone looking over your shoulder while you’re using your credit card, entering a PIN number or writing down sensitive information. Be especially wary of your surroundings in crowds and look out for anyone invading your personal space who might be using who’s using a smartphone to take a picture of confidential information. Protect your personal space and you’re practicing reliable ID and credit protection.

• Use a money belt. Money belts are a much safer solution for carrying cash and important documents than a wallet or purse. Also, it’s a good idea to carry copies of documents instead of originals whenever possible.

Always be aware of your surroundings and travel confidently to a destination. You’ll be well prepared for a memorable, and safe European backpacking adventure.

This is a guest post by Jin Cheung who loves nothing more than travel and read. Although Jin was accepted into an Ivy League school, he opted to follow his heart and pursue a career as a freelance travel writer.