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Quick answer: If you are thinking about a first solo trip, start small: choose an easy, safe destination, travel for three to five days, book your first night and your airport transfer in advance, and keep your itinerary flexible. Most first-timers say the hardest part is the decision, not the trip.
Why the decision feels hard
Common worries include loneliness, safety, eating alone and making mistakes with no one to share the burden. These are normal. The useful move is to break each worry into a specific problem you can plan for.
A simple way to decide
- Define the trip: How many days, what budget, and what you want from it (rest, culture, adventure, company).
- Pick an easy first destination: A city with good public transport, English widely spoken, a strong hostel or small-hotel scene and a reputation for safety. Examples include Lisbon, Vienna, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Tokyo and Singapore.
- Try a low-stakes test: A solo day trip or a weekend in your own country shows how you handle your own company.
- Plan your exit: Decide in advance what you will do if you hate it (for example, book a flexible return or a nearby friend visit).
What to know before you go
- Loneliness comes and goes. Plan social moments: a walking tour, a cooking class, a hostel common room, a language exchange.
- Eating alone gets easier. Bring a book, sit at the bar or counter, or start with lunch rather than dinner.
- You are in charge of the schedule. Do not overpack the days. Leave blank space.
- Safety is mostly preparation. Share your itinerary, keep copies of your documents, use official transport at night and trust your instincts.
- Money: Carry a backup card in a separate place, and tell your bank where you are going.
Practical checklist
- Passport valid for the required period, plus any visa or authorization.
- Travel insurance that covers medical care and cancellations.
- First night booked, plus transport from the airport.
- Offline maps and a way to get mobile data. See how to stay connected while travelling abroad.
- Copies of documents. See how to protect your travel documents.
Common first-timer mistakes
- Over-planning every hour, or booking nothing at all.
- Choosing a remote destination for a first trip.
- Arriving late at night in an unfamiliar city without a plan.
- Skipping insurance.
Our guide on 5 mistakes to avoid when traveling alone goes into more detail.
FAQ
Is solo travel safe for beginners?
Yes, with sensible destination choices and preparation. Read our solo travel safety guide.
How long should a first solo trip be?
Three to seven days is plenty to learn how you like to travel.
What if I get lonely?
Plan group activities, stay somewhere social, and call home. Loneliness usually passes.
Keep planning
Hi, I’m Lily, a solo traveller, slow travel advocate and writer based in Wales. I’ve been exploring Europe independently for 9 years, mostly by train, mostly without a rigid itinerary, and almost always alone.
I’ve taken 55+ solo trips through France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, the Balkans, the Baltics and Scandinavia. I speak French and Italian, both learned on the road rather than in a classroom, which means I’m better at ordering wine and arguing with train conductors than I am at formal grammar.
My particular passion is the parts of Europe that don’t make the Instagram highlight reels: the underrated cities, the regional trains that no one takes, the local markets, the restaurants where you’re the only foreigner and the menu isn’t in English. I’ve eaten alone in some of the world’s best restaurants and some of its scruffiest tavernas, and I firmly believe solo dining is one of the great underrated pleasures of travel.
I write practical guides for solo travellers who want to actually experience a place, not just tick it off a list.