There is a lot of advice out there about taking your first solo trip. But I was more interested in the experience itself: what exactly happens when someone decides to stop thinking about it, books the trip and goes.
So I asked women who travel solo to think back to the first time they travelled on their own.
The answers turned out to be very different. One traveller ended up exploring the Italian capital on her own after a group tour was cancelled. Another extended a work trip to Amsterdam, liked the city so much that it eventually became home. Quite a few travellers found that language schools, university placements and cruises made travelling solo far more social than they had expected.
And despite very different circumstances, travelling independently eventually came to feel natural to many of the contributors.
That is perhaps what these stories capture best. A first solo trip does not have to look a particular way. It can last a day or several months, begin by choice or by accident, and be exciting, uncomfortable, or several of those things at once. After all my years of travelling solo and writing about it, hearing other women share their experiences still gives me the same encouraging thought: ha! She went anyway.
Here are eleven travellers looking back on their first solo trips.
Table of Contents
First Solo Trip to Rome: Easing Into Independent Travel
My first solo travel experience came on a trip when I wasn’t expecting to travel solo. I was young, inexperienced, and nervous about traveling alone in a country where I didn’t speak the local language, so I booked a guided weekend trip to Rome. It was a place I had always wanted to visit and since I was already in Europe for a study abroad program, it seemed perfect. I’d get to see Rome and would have the comfort of a small group.
Less than a week before my flight to Rome, the trip was cancelled due to a lack of participants. Thankfully, the tour company was nice enough to give me contact information for the other two people who had signed up. The three of us met up and tried to make the best of the situation as we toured the major sites.
Due to a difference in flights, I still had to spend one and a half days in Rome by myself. The first day wasn’t bad since I had to navigate to the hostel and only wait two hours for the next person to arrive, but my final day in Rome was fully solo. However, by that last day, I had gained enough confidence in traveling around Rome that it wasn’t so bad. I felt like I knew what I was doing as I took the metro across the city to marvel at St. Peter’s Basilica and get one more gelato. It felt weird traveling on my own, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
I think there’s a common misconception that your first solo trip has to be a big production, but that’s not true at all. I’m incredibly comfortable traveling on my own now, but that’s because I was able to ease into it. Sometimes solo travel is breaking away from your travel group for just a day to explore on your own.
Submitted by Kristen from www.atlasobsession.com
First Solo Trip to Helsinki: Putting a Long-Planned Trip Into Action
After graduating from High School in 2008, I went on my first solo trip to Helsinki, Finland. I’d been obsessed with Finnish Rock Music and the country itself for years, but none of my friends shared these passions, so I decided to travel to Helsinki by myself.
First I was worried that I couldn’t handle traveling alone in a foreign country, with a language I barely spoke and customs I wasn’t familiar with. But after reading some travel guidebooks about Helsinki, this fear quickly turned into excitement!
Once I arrived in Helsinki, I noticed that there had been no need to worry about traveling to this beautiful city on my own. For example, I was relieved that pretty much every local person spoke English and the hostel receptionist was happy to recommend attractions I shouldn’t miss in Helsinki.
Then I visited tons of great spots in Helsinki, including Helsinki Cathedral, Market Square, learnt about Finland’s flora and fauna at the Natural History Museum, spent time next to the Baltic Sea on Suomenlinna sea fortress, and even checked out a Rock concert at a local bar!
My first solo trip to Helsinki made me realize that I could travel on my own with no issues. So I have traveled to many countries alone since then, and honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I went back to Helsinki this year and I still think that it’s a great city to visit as a first-time solo traveler. Thanks to its many attractions, it never gets boring in Helsinki, the public transit is excellent, the locals are happy to help, and I never felt unsafe here as a solo female traveler.
Submitted by Joey of Joey is a Traveler
First Solo Trip to Amsterdam: Extending a Work Trip
I was in Amsterdam for work and extended my trip to stay on for the week afterwards and enjoy the city. It was my first week of true solo travel. I was a bit worried about eating alone and about the days without any social connection, but those fears were gone by the end of the first day. I fell in love with the city.
I visited in June, when the sun is shining and the city is at its best. Summer is when Amsterdam moves outdoors — every terrace along the canals full, chairs turned to face the water, the sunlight bright until ten at night. I spent that first evening just walking, past table after table of people drinking and laughing with their friends outside, and it was genuinely magical. Then the thought that comes so often when you travel popped into my head: I could really live here.
Editor’s note: When in Amsterdam, seeing the city from its canals is a must. Try this 90-minute Amsterdam canal cruise around the UNESCO-listed canal ring and past landmarks such as the Rijksmuseum and Skinny Bridge.
I flew back to the US and told my manager I wanted a role in the department we were opening in the Netherlands. I moved by the end of that year. Eight years later, I am still here.
Two things I would tell a first-timer. Book a private room in a hostel rather than a hotel — ClinkNOORD in Noord is the one I recommend: en-suite, a free ferry from Central. You get a door that locks and your own bathroom, but you are still in a building full of travelers who are always up for a meal together or a day of tourist activities.
And on safety, I can only speak for myself: in eight years here, I have never had a problem walking or cycling home alone at night.
Amsterdam is a wonderful city to visit in spring, summer, and fall, and I would recommend it for a solo trip without hesitation. If you are planning one, this is how I would spend three days there.
Submitted by Steff Kulis from JustTravelous
First Solo Trip to London: Finding a Rhythm in a New City
The first time I decided to travel alone was just after I got out of uni. I was dreaming of living abroad in a big city, so I picked London. My first trip there was to look for a bedsit, and shortly afterward, I moved to the city for a year, first to Hackney and then near Archway.
It was the first trip I ever did on my own, and since it lasted so long, the experience truly changed my life. Traveling alone forces you to rely completely on yourself for so many new things, and the amount of growth you get out of that is enormous. At the same time, I enjoyed the experience tremendously, as it gave me the absolute freedom to do things I wouldn’t normally do when out with family or friends. I loved visiting cat cafés in London and elsewhere in the UK, for example, or reading for several hours in a park or at the Barbican, or watching more stage plays than another person would consider normal.
London also felt like the perfect place for a first solo trip, since all our usual conveniences are still there. It’s simply a new (and very chaotic) place where you have to learn to find your way, while having many new things to discover that you can’t find anywhere else. The experience still feels challenging and new compared to just staying around a swimming pool, but it’s not quite as adventurous as trekking through the jungle on your own.
Editor’s note: Consider adding some English village charm to your London trip with this small-group Cotswolds day trip, which takes you from the city to three scenic villages in the English countryside, with transport included.
While it took me several more years to travel solo again, it has now become my favorite way to travel, mainly thanks to that freedom. Going somewhere on your own means you never depend on someone else to decide whether you visit a certain destination or how long you stay there. Of course, it can get stressful at times when you can’t rely on other people to help you out. Still, that’s an inconvenience I gladly accept.
If I could restart my life, this is definitely one experience I would choose to do all over again.
Submitted by Vanessa Morgan from Traveling Cats and The Cat Movie Archive.
First Solo Trip to Los Angeles: Enjoying the Freedom to Explore
My first solo trip was to Los Angeles, California. I had a remote job and had just gotten out of a relationship, so I decided it was time to travel and booked 5 weeks in a Hollywood bungalow. I chose L.A. because I’d always wanted to go and see all the iconic sights, like the Hollywood sign, and see where famous musicians got their start. Because I lived in Minnesota at the time, and it was winter, the weather and nearby beaches also appealed to me.
I wasn’t too worried about traveling solo because I’d done my research and knew I was staying in a safe neighborhood. I was used to living alone and working remotely, so I figured my day-to-day wouldn’t be all that different.
I’m not really sure what I expected, but I was surprised by how much green space LA. had. There were so many great places to hike, like Griffith Park and Runyon Canyon. I spent most of my free time hiking or relaxing on a nearby beach, or just venturing out and exploring.
L.A. is also a good home base for seeing other parts of southern California. For example, I took a weekend trip to San Diego and Joshua Tree.
I’d recommend L.A. to other first-time solo travelers, but only those who are used to large cities. I felt safe, had no trouble getting around, and never felt out of place being on my own. I’ve also put together a guide to things to do alone in Los Angeles. I enjoyed my first solo trip so much that I ended up extending my stay in California and taking a week to explore the northern part of the state once my time was up in L.A.
Submitted by Natalie from Outsider Odyssey
First Solo Trip to Puerto Rico: Joining a Language School
When my daughter left for a two-week summer camp on the East Coast, flying home to California and back made little sense. My partner couldn’t get the time off, but I work remote — so instead of two round trips, I booked myself into a Spanish language immersion school in Puerto Rico, accommodations included. Traveling solo still made me nervous, and when my flight was cancelled and I scrambled for a last-minute hotel, that nervousness spiked into real anxiety.
It dissolved the moment I walked into the school. Coffee, a stored suitcase, a warm introduction to my classmates — instantly calming. I was surprised by who made up my cohort: a pilot married to a Puerto Rican woman, a New Yorker reconnecting with her family’s roots, a high school Spanish teacher, a remote-working biologist staying six weeks. Most were older, and most were traveling solo, too.
I’d chosen a homestay over the dorms for a more local feel, and it paid off — my own room, a shared kitchen, a house mother who left meals in the fridge, and housemates who walked to class with me each morning. I was never really alone.
The two weeks filled up fast: a Spanish-language yoga class, a dance class I had no business signing up for, kayaking through a bioluminescent bay, swimming with turtles, a rainforest day trip, a solo dinner at Puerto Rico’s famed Chinese food scene. I even got happily lost navigating the bus system home from the Botanical Garden.
By the end, I didn’t want to leave. I’d sharpened my Spanish, built real friendships, and proved to myself I could navigate somewhere new alone. If you’re weighing solo travel, language schools are worth a hard look — they’re affordable, come with built-in accommodations and activities, and hand you something rarer than fluency: instant community.
Submitted by Stephanie Antin from Almost Free Family Travel
First Solo Cruise to Alaska: Finding a Social Side to Solo Travel
I don’t usually travel solo, but I’ve done it a few times — usually because of my husband’s work schedule; once because heart surgery prevented him from traveling. My first solo trip came about when he found a deal on the Norwegian Bliss, known for its studio cabins. He encouraged me to go solo.
Cruise lines usually charge a double-occupancy fee, but this time I paid for only one. I booked a spacious balcony stateroom that was built for two but priced for one. Onboard, I enjoyed access to a solo coordinator who organized meet-and-greets, events for solo travelers, and group dining.
My booked studio cabin included a $50 credit towards ALL cruise line tours. Because some were $60-70, Norwegian waived the extra and let me tour for free. I enjoyed three complimentary excursions in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. I took these with fellow passengers, so I always felt safe.
Was solo cruising to Alaska easy? It depends on your personality. I’m outgoing by nature, so striking up conversations at group dinners, meet-and-greets, or in the studio lounge came naturally. It made the whole trip feel social, not lonely. But I talked to other solo travelers who didn’t share that ease. A few described themselves as introverts and said the need for conversation in a crowded atmosphere was a bit unnerving.
Is cruising ideal for solo travelers? Ships have traditionally been geared toward couples and families, but that’s changing. More lines have started adding solo cabins, with Norwegian Cruise Line leading the way.
Booking a solo room gave me 24-hour access to an exclusive studio lounge stocked with complimentary cookies, fruit, snacks, specialty coffees, teas, and juices. I found it one of the best places on the ship to meet other people traveling alone.
Submitted by Karen from Alaska Trippers
First Solo Trip to Andalusia: Studying and Living Abroad
When it got to my last year of nursing school, I discovered I could complete my final placement in Cordoba, Andalusia. Having previously studied Spanish, I jumped at the opportunity before it was time to settle down and move to Sussex.
This is when my first taste of solo travelling happened during this Erasmus placement. Having returned to University at 24, I thought I was really old and considered myself a mature student. 14 years later and I realise how young I was!
Although initially tentative about my rusty Spanish, I completely immersed myself in Andalusian way of life. I have so many fond memories of this trip, which didn’t feel like solo travelling at all, due to the very welcoming nature of the Spanish people. I actually quite liked that not many people spoke English, which forced me to improve my Spanish!
One of the nurses encouraged me to visit her hometown in Granada, where she let me stay in her apartment for a long weekend. I felt safe travelling through Andalusia solo, sometimes using the hitch a ride app with complete strangers.
I have fond memories of waking up before sunrise and passing the majestic mesquita on my walk to the hospital in the mornings. Having desayuna (breakfast) with the nurses at break time, where we would all enjoy a variety of breads, local meats, tomatoes and of course, coffee. Hearing the call to prayer in the evening times, which was so soothing. Cooking in my accommodation’s outdoor cooking area. Picking lemons off the garden tree to add to my food. Relaxing in the Moroccan baths with fresh herbal mint tea. Visiting the Alhambra and enjoying some of the many tapas Granadian establishments feed their punters! I also had some of the best olives of my life in Granada.
This trip was eye opening for me in a number of ways. I knew the Spanish people were warm and welcoming, but to feel the pure love and community they have was something special. Especially as I was initially a total stranger to them! It was even more special to have such a privileged role as student nurse within the local services.
I soon realised that travelling solo was not lonely at all. Meeting people along the way made it that more memorable. It was probably more memorable than travelling with other people because you are forced to branch out for connection rather than staying secluded in a bubble.
Submitted by Gillian from Secret Sussex
First Solo Trip to Colombia: Teaching and Traveling for Six Months
After I graduated college with a degree in history, I wanted to travel to South America, and Colombia in particular, since it was a big focus of my studies, but I wanted to stay longer than just the normal trip so I signed up to spend half a year teaching English in the Coffee Region of the country (specifically Santa Rosa de Cabal).
After flying south, making it through a two-week orientation period where I seriously considered returning home, and getting sick the first day I was supposed to go to my school, I met my students and fellow teachers, and just like that, 6 months had passed, and I was sad to be going home.
I had a great time at my school, which was perfectly matched for me (an athletic girl at a mostly all guys school), but some of my favorite memories are of my times making solo weekend trips around the country and having amazing adventures like horseback riding to ancient archaeological sites, mountain biking up to a colonial monastery, navigating myself through the huge capital city, descending down into a salt mine cathedral, and hiking through breathtaking mountains, palm tree valleys, and even up to a glacier.
It was by no means an easy experience traveling so far from home all on my own (especially for my autistic brain), but it remains the greatest adventure of my life so far, and I’m beyond happy that I went, stuck it out, and explored every inch of the country I possibly could during my time there.
I felt like it was easy to blend in (although speaking Spanish definitely helps with that) and I found that people were so willing and happy to help, so for aware and reasonably cautious people, I think Colombia is a fantastic destination to visit even as a solo traveler, and it’s a huge plus that it’s a pretty cheap place to visit so you can really have some awesome adventures there.
Submitted by Haley from Adventure Evermore
First Solo Trip to Poland: Learning Along the Way
I was about to turn 21 when I left home for Łódź, Poland, to study. Five days before my birthday, actually. Where I’m from in North Macedonia, a young woman travelling alone wasn’t exactly encouraged, so I was nervous. I chose Poland partly because it was hard to reach from Skopje, and I wanted to prove to myself I could.
What worried me most was the journey itself, and the thought of building a life somewhere new for half a year without speaking the language.
The journey turned out to be the whole story. It was meant to be one bus and sixteen hours. It became three buses and twenty-seven. My bus never showed up in Skopje – who showed up was a stranger who drove me to the Serbian border and told me I had to cross it on foot with two suitcases and two backpacks. Luckily, another traveller was with me and helped me carry them. I don’t know how I’d have managed without him.
Near Budapest I was moved into a van with seven older men. Nobody spoke English. I had barely any internet, just enough to glance at the map now and then. One glance said Hungary, the next said Slovakia, and I never saw us cross a border. I sat there certain I was being smuggled somewhere. I only found out later that inside the EU there are no border checks. I wasn’t being smuggled. I was just clueless at the time.
I arrived late at night, more than twenty hours in, and slept at a friend’s place in Warsaw.
I have never once regretted it. If anything, I regret not being braver more often. That trip opened the door to travel for me, and I haven’t stopped since.
Editor’s note: Feeling inspired to explore the Polish capital? Check out Marija’s recommendations for some of the best places to stay in Warsaw and find the right base for your own trip.
Would I recommend Poland to a first-time solo traveller? Ten years ago I wasn’t sure. It felt conservative, and friends of other nationalities had a harder time than I did. Today, yes, without hesitating. The architecture, the food, the people. Still one of my favourite places on earth.
Contributed by Marija Petrushevska from MissTourist
First Solo Trip to Singapore: Making It Work on a Budget
I had just turned 21, just broken up with an emotionally abusive boyfriend, and just gotten my first passport. So I had plenty to celebrate, and I wanted to do that by leaving the country.
The only problem was that I was broke.
I also didn’t have much time off work, so I needed somewhere close and easy. Living in Malaysia, Singapore was the obvious choice. I knew it was clean, modern, English-speaking, and safe, which made me less anxious about being abroad alone for the first time.
But I also knew that Singapore is notoriously expensive.
So I came up with a solution that made perfect sense to me at the time.
I booked an overnight train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, arrived in the morning, spent the entire day exploring, then took another overnight train back to Kuala Lumpur that same night.
That way, I didn’t have to spend money on accommodation and I also didn’t have to take time off work.
Looking back, it probably wasn’t the most comfortable introduction to solo travel. But I was young enough to survive two overnight trains in a row and a full day of sightseeing with no rest.
And Singapore really did deliver as the perfect destination for a first solo trip, as long as you have the budget for it, or find ways to save a dollar or two like I did.
It was a short, whirlwind trip, but it was enough of a taste of solo travel to get me hooked for life.
Contributed by Ummi Nadrah from Ummi Goes Where?
