Solo travel guide

SOLO TRAVELING THE WORLD!

It’s not as weird or scary as you think. Sure, your first-time solo traveling can be intimidating but you just become more and more comfortable when you realize how easy it really is.

I was really afraid at first but I got over it quickly after I realized how amazing it made me feel to go out on my own.

People often describe me as brave because I travel alone and I recently moved to a new country alone. I moved from the US to London and often get shocked faces, like “Wow, you moved to a new country by yourself. You are so brave.”

Solo Travel Guides: Italy | Spain

My first Solo Travel Trip and why I travel Solo

My passion for travel started when I worked at Delta and could travel the world for practically FREE! I started solo traveling at this time because I couldn’t benefit from these travel perks with friends outside the company since my plans could never be concrete (standby life ‑ no seats left on the flight means you can’t get on). I also tried to make friends at work to travel with but they didn’t have the same ambitions as me to go EVERYWHERE!

I finally found someone who said she’d go somewhere with me ‑ but then she canceled! My heart was broken but in that moment I decided I wouldn’t let it stop me. I was so scared and I took my first flight solo. I thought if I didn’t make the flight because it’s full it wouldn’t be meant to be.

But that day, I made the flight and it forever changed me.

Fast forward 2 years and I left my job at Delta which was a hard thing to do. I then made it my mission to move abroad because I wanted to have Europe at my fingertips. It’s now been 6 years since I found out my dream of moving to London from Atlanta, GA (big change!) became real.

I have traveled to over 40 countries and 15 have been solo!

first time solo travelers

Top tips for first time solo travelers:

  • Start small: If you’re afraid to go on your first trip alone, why not start by going away to a nearby town for just the weekend. This will let you ease into solo travel and allow you to find out if it is right for you. You might find that you really like it and then plan for other trips. You might become addicted like me and start going everywhere! But don’t feel discouraged if you don’t like it the first time.
  • Go on a group tour: If you are still nervous to travel solo, there are many group tours you can do to ease into it. Viator has some great options!
  • Safety: Safety is a big concern traveling solo. Make sure you always tell a friend your wherabouts and research the location ahead of time. Safety can be an issue everywhere though – even your home town – so just be smart about it. You can read my guide here on the safest countries to visit.
  • Use an offline map to get around: I love the CityMaps2Go app. You can learn how I use it to plan my trips here!

solo travel spotlight:

Meet Ivana
Meet Sam
VIEW ALL Solo travel interviews

FREE Solo Travel E-Book!

solo travel e-book

Your guide to traveling solo.

My free solo-travel e-book will give you the confidence you need to start traveling the world alone.

  • Where you should travel if you are just starting to take solo trips
  • Top safety tips
  • How to meet people while traveling solo
  • Tips for eating alone
  • How to get that solo travel shot!
  • Some of the adventurous things I’ve done traveling solo
  • Apps I can’t survive without
  • FAQ’s

latest from the blog

frequently asked questions

1. Don’t be afraid to ask a stranger.

When I was in Venice, I had a photo taken by a group of cute older ladies. They were confused when I asked them to stand on the bridge and take the photo of me sitting down the canal. And they were so thrilled by my idea and thought it was so great. They took several pictures!

2. Use a Tripod! When I started bringing along my own lightweight tripod by Manfroto, life changed. This has been a game-changer for me. Now I can take the perfect shot without having to ask someone! and it also is great when you go to the quiet charming streets where no one is around. If you want a simple phone tripod I also love this one as It’s very compact. Read my blog post: What’s in my Camera bag for more info.

3. Hire a photographer! I did this when I was in the tulip fields in the Netherlands. I used Airbnb experiences to find a good deal on this. We rode bikes and stopped at different fields for pictures.

Join a fb group such as Girls Love Travel or Solo Female Travel. They offer a HUGE community of women who love travel so there’s bound to be someone traveling at the same time. There are also subgroups for individual countries where you’d have an even higher chance of meeting someone also traveling or locals who are wanting to meet new people.

Sites connecting travelers: There are so many sites out there for connecting like-minded travelers: Couch Surfing, BackPackr, and Meetup.com.

Take a tour: Taking a tour can make things feel not so lonely because you will be with others. It might even help you meet someone you can hang out with for some of the trips. I took a pinxtos bar hopping tour in San Sebastian and ended up meeting the girl I met the next day for dinner. A cooking class Is another fun one! Great ways to find tours are through Viator or Get Your Guide! There are also free walking tours In most cities just google xx city free walking tour!

Dating apps or BumbleBFF: I’m also not going to lie, I’ve used dating apps such as Tinder and have had some amazing tours from locals by doing this, the free way. Just be safe and let a friend know where you are and who you’re meeting. BumbleBFF also allows you to meet female friends.

Stay in a hostel: Most hostels are built to connect travelers and have social events! Two of my favorite hostels I’ve ever stayed in was the Generator Hostel which is in many major cities. The other was Combo Venezia in Venice, Italy. It was so nice and I loved the garden area which was a good meeting place.

read my full post for more tips

I can’t tell you how many times I have gone out to eat at a nice restaurant by myself. I am a huge foodie and can’t miss the opportunity to taste amazing food just because I feel embarrassed going alone. I do tend to pick places that aren’t as formal or make me feel out of place but there have been times I’ve dined nicely alone.

When making a reservation, you can tell them you will be alone and to put you in a place that doesn’t feel too awkward, like the bar or maybe the small table that isn’t right smack in the center of the place. Don’t feel weird! No one is going to be paying attention to you as you think. Also, if they do, how do they know you aren’t traveling for work or meeting a friend later?

Read my full guide on eating out alone here.

Read my blog post on the safest places to travel as a female. It’s based on a woman danger index (the higher the number the more dangerous) ranking the safest countries to go based on important factors such as walking alone at night, sexual violence, and intentional homicide of women.

But personally, I would recommend

these places and here’s why!

Kyoto, Japan: There is very little crime in Japan so it’s an easy place to travel solo and feel safe.

Rovinj, Croatia: I definitely felt safe at night walking here and Croatia is one of the safest countries.

Manarola, Italy (Cinque Terre): If you love hiking, this is a great place. I’ve traveled literally all over Italy and always loved it and felt super welcome.

Ireland or Northern Ireland: The perfect first solo travel location as you won’t have to deal with a language barrier if you only know English!

SOLO TRAVEL INSPIRATION

quotes for solo travel

“Solo traveling the world! It’s not as weird or scary as you think. People ask me why I travel alone some think it’s strange and I tell them that if I didn’t I would end up being at home on the couch and not seeing the rest of the world.” –Jackie Rezk

Check out all the solo travel quotes
still afraid to solo travel?

Book a coaching call with me!

Tired of waiting on friends to travel with you? Want to start seeing the world on your own schedule? But are afraid to start? Book a 1:1 session with me and I will guide you through all the steps so you can feel more confident. I have traveled solo to over 20 countries and have some wisdom to share! My goal is to inspire you to see this beautiful world and not be afraid to do so alone.

book a coaching call