So, you’re thinking about taking your first solo trip? Congratulations! It’s an exciting first step, and while it might feel daunting, I promise you that the rewards far outweigh the nerves.
I’ve travelled by myself to Italy, Germany and Greece and have learned to really enjoy solo adventures. I still get occasional butterflies in my stomach, but there’s something so liberating about stepping out of your comfort zone. It challenges you and makes you feel more resourceful, independent and self-confident. To help you feel more prepared, I’ve put together this blog post, filled with practical advice and my personal tips.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means that I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). This helps to keep the blog running and growing, with lots of free content for you to enjoy.
Choosing Your Travel Destination
For your first solo trip, I recommend picking a place which is regularly visited by tourists, or somewhere where you can speak the local language. This will make communication and navigation much easier, especially if you get lost or need help with something.
If you’re living in Europe like me, any capital city is a great choice because they’re so used to tourists. For English speakers, London, Edinburgh, and Dublin are ideal options. These cities are filled with native English speakers, and all the menus, signs, and announcements will be easy to understand. Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries are also great choices, due to the high level of spoken English there. If you’d like more destination ideas, check out Best Countries for Solo Female Travellers by the Travel Ladies app. It features reviews, comments, and ranks each location based on public transportation, safety at night, petty crime, and street harassment.
Do Some Planning, but Stay Flexible
Before your first solo trip, do some research and make a list of things you’d like to see and do when you arrive. Make a rough itinerary, taking into consideration opening times of restaurants, museums and art galleries (which may be very different from your home country). If you need to buy tickets in advance or make reservations, factor these into your schedule.
Do some research but also try to keep things flexible. One of the joys of travelling solo is having the freedom to decide what you want to do and when you want to do it. If you don’t have a rigid schedule, you can go with the flow, choosing what you want to do on a day-by-day basis. One day you might be in the mood for a full day of sightseeing, the next maybe you just want to chill in a piazza with an Aperol Spritz, watching the world go by. It’s totally up to you!
Research How to Get Around
Before arriving in a new city or country, look up how to get from the airport to your accommodation. Google search: “how to get to XX city centre from the airport” and make a note of the bus/train you need to take you to the centre, or how much it should cost in a taxi. Take screenshots of the information so you can easily access it on your phone. This massively reduces the stress of arriving in a new place and having to wander around, looking for someone to direct you.
If you’re travelling via taxi, research how much it should cost (Google search: “How much is a taxi from XX airport to the city centre?”). If you know roughly how much it should cost, you’re much less likely to be ripped off by taxi drivers hoping to overcharge tourists.
Here are some more navigation tips:
- Research the local public transport options. Does the town and city have a metro? How does it work – do you buy paper tickets or can you pay via your credit/debit card? What time does the metro open or close?
- Find out if the city has Uber (or equivalent). You might feel more comfortable taking taxis rather than public transport, especially at night.
- When taking taxis, share your ride details with a friend and double-check the driver’s numberplate and/or ID.
- Avoid picking up taxis from the street. Instead, use Uber (or the local equivalent) or ask the staff at your hotel or hostel to pre-order one for you.
Meeting People While Travelling
Solo travel doesn’t mean being alone all the time. Here are some great ways to meet like-minded people:
- Join group tours: Companies like Contiki, EF, Topdeck, G Adventures, and Intrepid offer tours for various budgets and interests. These tours provide a balance of group activities and time to enjoy your own company.
- Use travel apps: Apps like Meetup and Couchsurfing events help you connect with fellow travellers. Even if you’re not staying on someone’s sofa/couch, you can still attend Couchsurfing events and meet locals and visitors.
- For other ideas on how to meet people while travelling, check out this post: 7 Ways to Avoid Feeling Lonely as a Solo Traveller.
Safety Travel Tips
Safety is an absolute top priority when travelling by yourself. Here are my personal suggestions:
- Don’t tell people you’re alone: If someone asks, mention that you’re meeting up with friends later or that you have family nearby. I normally say “My husband is working at the moment, he’s joining me later” when asked if I’m by myself. No one has ever questioned that!
- Trust your gut: You’ll meet plenty of kind people during your travels, but scams and human trafficking sadly exist. Be wary of overly eager strangers, especially men. If something feels off, listen to your instincts and remove yourself from the situation. It is better to appear unfriendly or rude than risk your own safety. Remember “No” is a complete sentence and you don’t need to do anything or go anywhere that you don’t want to. It’s your trip and you are 100% in charge!
- Check in with friends and family: Share your itinerary and send updates to your loved ones on a regular basis. You can even share your live location via WhatsApp. Just make sure you have constant internet access, with a local SIM card or e-SIM like Airalo.
- Share your accommodation details: Let someone you trust know where you’re staying, including the address and booking confirmation.
- Be careful with alcohol: Many travellers bond over bar-hopping and pub crawls, but it’s easy to get carried away. Pace yourself and drink lots of water between alcoholic beverages. Keep an eye on your drink and don’t accept drinks from strangers, using the same common sense you would in a bar back home.
Where to Stay as a Solo Female Traveller
Where you stay depends on your budget, preferences and how much you want to socialise. Hostels and co-living spaces are a great option if you want to connect with other people, as there are usually common areas where guests meet and mingle. If you need your own space but also want people to hang out with, consider booking a private room in a hostel for the best of both worlds.
Here are some more tips for hostels:
- Choose female dorms: Mixed dorms are open to everyone, and while they can be fine, female dorms tend to offer a more comfortable environment.
- Pick smaller dorms: Choose the smallest dorm size you can afford (4-6 beds is ideal; anything over 8 can feel chaotic). In my experience, the fewer people to share with, the nicer the experience.
- Read reviews: I am obsessive about reading every single review – good and bad – and looking for any possible red flags. Pay extra attention to any comments about safety, both in the hostel and the surrounding area.
I am a big fan of Airbnbs and private rentals because I often do “workations” (working holidays). As I work online, I need really good internet and don’t want to share my bandwidth with a hostel full of guests. Don’t worry about feeling lonely in an Airbnb; you can get your social fix by joining tours and group activities, and enjoy peace and quiet in your own space.
Packing Essentials for Solo Travel
- Crossbody bag: A bag which sits across your body is safer than a backpack or shoulder bag. I use this anti-theft handbag which has tons of zips, pockets and locks and doubles-up as an evening bag. Pricey but worth every penny!
- Portable phone charger: Get a high-capacity battery pack so you never run out of power, especially if you rely on Google Maps.
- Padlocks for hostel lockers: Padlocks are a must if you’re staying in shared accommodation.
- Emergency cash: Keep some hidden in different places in case of theft.
- For more packing tips, check out my blog posts Minimalist Packing Hacks Every Traveller Should Know and Backpacking Packing List: How to Pack Light and Travel Smart.
Preparing for Emergencies
If you’re feeling very anxious, it might soothe your nerves to save the local emergency number in your phone, and find out where the nearest hospital and embassy are. You can add these locations to your Google maps. Hopefully you won’t actually need to use these emergency contacts but it might reassure you to have the information close to hand.
I hope this blog post has given you lots of useful information to help you prepare for your first solo trip. Once you take that first step and push through the initial nerves, you’ll realize just how capable you truly are. Travelling solo is a really brave thing to do. The way I see it, courage isn’t about never being nervous or scared; it’s about feeling the fear…. and doing it anyway!
If you’ve travelled by yourself before, do you have any tips or experiences to share? Drop them in the comments below!
Ciao for now
Izzie, the Curious Sparrow
Feature image by SplitShire from Pixabay