Seen as both attractive and sometimes uncomfortable for many, solo travel is a special experience. I have long wondered about the advantages and disadvantages of such a trip, and how I might feel during these few days alone with myself. The opportunity arose for me to take my first “solo trip” and to share with you my feedback, my assessment, and my advice for living this little adventure as best as possible.
II’ve talked a lot with friends and family who don’t want to travel alone for a whole host of reasons (fear of boredom, loneliness, insecurity, anxiety, etc.) and I’ve always wondered if these fears about solo travel were true, and if I too would be able to take the plunge one day. I admit that I find it a terrible shame not to travel and to deprive ourselves of experiences because our usual travel partners are not available or attracted to a destination we want. I fully understand all the concerns related to solo travel, sincerely, and that’s why I wanted to share my experience today to help, perhaps, other travelers to take the plunge.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve never had the opportunity to go somewhere alone for several days. I’ve always been accompanied by my family, my boyfriend, or my colleagues. When I changed jobs at the end of the year, the opportunity arose to take my vacation at the last minute, in the middle of the week, without any loved ones available to accompany me. The opportunity was there, in front of me, to go abroad for the first time for a few days alone. I was both very excited to live this experience, but also a little worried about finding myself alone, 24/7, for such a long period. I chose a country I know well, England, where I wouldn’t feel too out of my comfort zone. I booked my tickets and accommodations for London and Southampton (where I lived for a year during my Erasmus in 2025) and prepared myself for this little new experience in my life as a traveler.
As I write these lines, I’m upstairs at a Prêt-à-Manger in Southampton, getting ready to head back to London to catch my plane the next day. The trip is almost over, and I wanted to share my feelings, my experience, and my advice to dispel some of the prejudices about solo travel. Until you’ve experienced it, it’s difficult to form an opinion. That’s why I strongly encourage you to try it, at least once, and form your own opinion on the subject.
My advice for a first solo trip
I’m far from being an expert in solo travel, and sharing my adventures around the world with my partner, who has the same “travel style” as me, remains my favorite option. On the other hand, I am now reassured to know that I am capable of traveling alone, enjoying myself, living a unique experience, and discovering new places in the world if the opportunity presented itself to me again. These are, therefore, the tips that I could give to all my loved ones who do not dare to travel alone and to you who, if you are reading this, might still be a little tempted by this idea.
Choose a comfortable destination For a first solo travel experience to go as smoothly as possible, I advise you to choose a destination that gives you confidence. There is no need to increase your anxiety if you do not speak a word of the language, or if the chosen city is huge and you have difficulty finding your way around. Start small by booking 2-3 days in a European capital, for example, a city that you already know and want to explore more or a French-speaking city. Among the cities that I have already visited, I can recommend London, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Strasbourg, Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin…
Organize your trip before departure for me, organization is the key to overcoming most of the apprehensions of traveling (transport, location of accommodation, means of payment, routes to get from the metro station to the hotel, etc.). I usually drag all the documents or screenshots relating to my trip into a Google Drive folder to centralize everything. I also always download the Google Maps of the city in offline plan, to be able to orient myself even without a network. These little tips allow me to drastically reduce my stress when faced with the imperatives of the trip nd to mentally integrate the map of the city or my routes even before arriving.
Plan your visits. For a Forach trip, I like to roughly plan the visits I want to do per day. If I have one piece of advice for a solo trip, it’s to not hesitate to schedule fixed events in your day (visit a museum, an exhibition, a movie screening, etc.). This allows you to give your day a rhythm. I had booked a ticket to go see “The Lion King” at the Lyceum Theatre. It was a great experience, already for the show, which was incredible, but also for having spent a very good evening, with stars in my eyes, which was a bit of a change from my usual travel rhythm.
No pressure: this is your first solo trip, and there’s no question of tackling all the challenges at once, nor of demanding a huge effort from you that might make you feel uncomfortable. First things first. Accept that you won’t travel at the same pace as when you’re traveling with someone, that you’ll stop by your accommodation for a bit of a rest during the day, and that you’ll listen to yourself. Solo travel is a different experience, so it’s normal to adjust to it.
Don’t neglect your safety. Choose a place where you feel comfortable, even if it’s a little more expensive. Find out about recommended neighborhoods, and don’t hesitate to buy a day pass for transport so you can quickly return to your accommodation and easily change locations when you’re not comfortable. Choose accommodations with lots of reviews and staff on-site who can be available if needed. Especially as a single woman, it’s important not to put yourself in danger. I believe a lot in intuition, and without being paranoid, don’t linger in places that don’t make you feel safe.
Bring something to keep you busy: some waiting times can quickly become long when you’re alone (transport, latency between a restaurant and a show, long waits in a train station, etc.). Don’t hesitate to take one or more books, your computer, external batteries, etc. In short, something to keep you busy and allow you to think about different things during your trip.
My feelings
I spent a total of four days alone on this trip between London and Southampton. Here are my initial thoughts a few hours before the end of the journey.
I wasn’t bored per see: I discovered that being bored wasn’t so bad. I enjoyed sitting on a bench and watching the squirrels in the park, sitting at a cafe and imagining the lives of the people around me, reading while the Lyceum Theatre filled up… I enjoyed letting my thoughts wander, and even though I’m a very sociable and outgoing person, those days alone actually did me good.
I stimulated my creativity: on a personal and professional leve., I thought a lot and generated quite a few ideas that I will be able to implement upon my return. Letting your imagination run free is really beneficial and somewhat “forced” by the fact of finding yourself alone. I returned from this trip even richer in ideas to fuel my projects.
I learned how to sit alone in a cafe: i was probably the most complicated point for me during this trip but I finally overcame it with flying colors. Well, I haven’t tried the restaurant experience alone yet ; that iwillbe for another time. I learned how to sit alone at a table and to take the time to sit down without eating in 10 minutes to quickly escape this situation or spend the entire meal on my phone. That’s a step that made me proud.
I have confidence in myself: I knew I was capable of organizing a trip without too much difficulty, of being comfortable in English, and of easily finding my way around a city. This solo trip nevertheless allowed me to strengthen my self-confidence, to show myself that I was capable of traveling alone and enjoying it. Above all, it removed the obstacles and possible anxiety of having to, one day perhaps, for this or that reason, travel alone. Today, I no longer see it as a challenge to take on. I am happy to have done it and I would have no trouble repeating the experience, especially in a city I do not yet know.
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