Travelling alone for the first time
A first solo trip usually goes wrong because of the destination, not because of being alone. These are the places where it's easy.
What makes a destination easy alone
Three things: public transport that works without a car, social accommodation where you meet people without effort, and a culture where eating alone in a restaurant is normal. A beautiful place where you need a car and everyone dines in couples is a bad first trip.
Easy destinations in Europe
Portugal (Lisbon and Porto), Scotland, Czechia, Hungary and the Netherlands. All with good transport, plenty of shared accommodation and people used to solo travellers.
Start close to home
A weekend alone in a city three hours away by train tells you more about whether you enjoy this than any amount of thinking about it, and if it goes badly the cost was minimal. It's the best possible trial run.
How to plan the days
Don't fill them. The freedom to decide as you go is half the point of travelling alone, and a locked schedule cancels it. One fixed plan a day and the rest open works very well.
Eating alone
This is what feels most awkward at first and what passes soonest. Counters, markets and places with communal tables make it far easier than a restaurant of tables for two.
Safety, without drama
Tell someone your itinerary, carry a digital copy of your passport, don't carry all your cash, and avoid moving at night through areas you don't know. These are the same precautions as any large city, not special measures.
What nobody tells you
You'll have a low patch or two, usually on the second or third day. It's completely normal and it passes. It doesn't mean the trip is going badly.
Keep reading
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