Do you dare to travel alone in Europe? Going out on our own to live a solo adventure is a great way to experience Europe and something that everyone should be encouraged to. Not only because of the diversity of cultures that abound in the continent, but because of the landscapes, history, and mysticism that exist in each of its corners. However, you might face certain challenges that you don’t need to encounter when traveling with friends or family.
It might just seem strange, to some people it might even sound boring, or you might think it’s for adventurous and daring people only. But the fact is that more people embark on trips like this every day. Are we losing the fear of doing things alone or is it simply a way to challenge ourselves?
If you have a trip to Europe in your head but you still can’t make that last decision, the fact that you’re reading this guide already speaks for itself. The decision is made! Yes, you’re going to make that trip, and following these tips, it will be one of the most beautiful ones. Today we give you 10 fantastic tips to make your trip the best adventure of your life.
Choose where
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Yay! – you finally made the decision to travel alone to Europe! Good for you – but let’s jump to the details and to the more complicated part. Being such a giant area, something to keep in mind is the intelligent management of your time: a good way to do it is to decide the area you would like to visit and then plan your itinerary. We can divide Europe into 6 parts, to make it easier for you to organize: Western Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Baltic, and Scandinavia.
There’s truly a load of places that you can go to. Something truly essential, for example, cities and capitals like Rome and Paris, because of their importance in what the old continent has been at a historical or cultural level. Madrid, Istanbul, London, Athens, Poland or Berlin shouldn’t be missing from your list either for this reason. Other lovely destinations no one should jump over would be Budapest, Bruges, Lisbon, Florence, Barcelona, Venice, French Brittany or Edinburgh.
Read also: Top 10 Europian Countries to visit in 2024
Think about the best accommodation
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Accommodation can be the most difficult place to save money when it comes to traveling alone in Europe. An easy way to save is to opt for a bed in a hostel, but what if you want your own room in a place with a little character? In that case, it’s recommended going to a small independent hotel that offers deals with smaller single rooms.
Of course, staying in a hostel is a very social experience open to travelers of all ages. From the moment you register, you will be part of a community that loves this way of traveling. Each hostel is different, but you can usually find people hanging out in the common areas or lobby, planning their day or chatting. This is an excellent option when it comes to traveling alone in Europe.
While most of the big chain hotels charge almost the same (if not exactly the same) for double rooms, luckily, in Europe, many of the classic cheap hotels that we like so much offer reduced prices when it comes to just one person. And if you don’t mind sharing a bathroom, you’ll save even more. Even if you book a private room, you still receive the social aspect of a hostel sharing data at mealtimes or special social events. Many accommodation employees are great sources of local advice and can book cheap visits or local experiences.
Find some companions
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Okay, so the first thing about this is – when traveling alone, you’ll never be alone. Today there are many people moving around the world and you’ll definitely meet people from different countries willing to share the adventure with you everywhere. Some people even made a business out of it, believe it or not. The owner of the website Solo No More, irresistible Elie, has decided to offer his assistance and company to all the ladies who look for a male companionship or anyone who needs someone to travel with. An original idea, wouldn’t you say?
As we said in the previous section, the easiest way to meet people is to rent a shared room. But if you prefer your privacy, the hostels still have common rooms (such as kitchen, living room, terrace, patio) where you can interact with travelers. Staying in one of these small family-run hotels? Try to book an offer with breakfast (for a fee or included). This offers a great opportunity to meet other adventurists and exchange opinions.
Download Maps.me and other handy apps
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Maps.me is a location app that works offline. All you have to do is download the map of the city you are going to visit and voila! Of course, keep in mind that when the cities are large (for example Paris) the map is divided by zones. Therefore, you need to download them one by one – if you only download “Paris”, it will show you the downtown area. Maps.me has saved you in the areas where it’s impossible to get Wi-Fi.
There are also many other useful apps that could really give you a helping hand while traveling solo. From itinerary planners, price search engines, collections of experiences to online banks. Some of them can be used around the world, but many also primarily focus on services in Europe. Today we use our mobile phone for everything and thanks to many applications it has made life easier for us in many aspects.
Take care
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And finally…. Wandering around alone might be one of the most incredible things you can do in your life. But we can’t ignore that it’s not equally safe as having someone by your side. Also, in case you’re a woman, you’re automatically exposed to some dangers that men aren’t.
No, we won’t advise you not to take candies from strangers, not to talk to them and to distrust everyone. But always be a little alert and connected with your body. If you’re talking to someone and suddenly you have that strange feeling in your belly, you better get out of there. (This is not the same as the cute feeling of butterflies when you’re talking to a very handsome Frenchman in a bar!) You better listen to your body and avoid exposing yourself to an unpleasant situation without need.
Don’t share more information than necessary. Following your instinct, if you suddenly find yourself in a chat with someone and it bothers you, simply go away. If you’re asked if you are alone, if you have someone with you or where you are staying and you start to feel out of place or that you simply are not interested in sharing that information, we insist – just go away. Most likely, throughout your trip, you’ll find people who only want to help you, get to know you and genuinely care about you. However, the most secure option is to simply trust your instinct in order to enjoy your journey and get to know cultures and beauties without any issues.
