Hi everyone,

I’ll be going on a backpack trip soon and would like to hear some of your experiences. I’ll be staying mostly in hostels (dorm rooms) and i wondered how people with tinnitus sleep in hostels. I always play white noise on my phone speaker while sleeping but it’s quite loud and it would definitely disturb other people sleeping in the same room. I have used airpods in the past to still listen to the white noise without disturbing others. I don’t feel comfortable with doing this my entire trip, as i am afraid my T will get worse This way.

How do you guys deal with this while sleeping in the same room as others? Would greatly appreciate any tips and tricks. Thanks!

It's a cold dark day in London, like most days right now and I'm just reflecting on what a dull and grey mood I'm in :). Last winter I was in a warmer climate elsewhere and got through it no problem, but being back in the UK is a reality check.

Does anyone else just feel like we (solo travel junkies) are a different breed to regular people in your hometowns? How people are just content living their 9-5 life on repeat, going home to darkness on a Monday or Tuesday and not doing anything but going to maybe the gym for example. And then repeating this for 40+ years. It seems like insanity to me. I'm doing it now but not for anything like that period. And then once you reach your 30s you see your friends get settled down with a partner and it becomes harder to even see these friends who settle down anymore, to the point where my social life has just dwindled alltogether. They get married and think you are a bit weird for staying single and not tying yourself to a house or something.

I remember visiting some family in another city in England and they couldn't believe I stayed in a hostel. They genuinely thought I was a bit mad but they found it funny also. The experience itself saw me meet some people from around the world (I met someone from the British Virgin Islands for example in a small city far away from anywhere). They thought I would pay 5x the price to stay in a hotel by myself.

At work they want to talk about their 'weekends'. Whilst my mind wanders to mountains and volcanoes that I want to see or meeting other solo travellers in hostels. I actually quite enjoy my job, paid reasonably well, but I'm constantly struggling to justify 'why'.

I'm just reflecting on how it feels like most people are concerned with ticking the boxes, and I don't want to tick any of those boxes. I just want adventure, freedom and to meet interesting people along the way. Yet I'm stuck in this life that feels so empty and lacking. It doesn't come near to the thrill of the nature and the world out there.

Any other slightly lonely souls out who just feel a bit lonely this winter and alienated from the fixed way of home life?

Booked a very last minute short solo 3 day trip to Bucharest Romania with Ryanair when they had flash sales and this is what I did. Might help someone thinking of a similar short trip. My itinerary included only key major landmark attractions, and excluded the museums, restaurants to try and thermal spa due to time. All in all very enjoyable, and there’s definitely room for improvement in investment and marketing in the Romanian tourism industry.

Practical info =
100 Lei (£18) withdrawn from local ATM (any bank is fine and avoid Euronet/airport exchanges). Revolut contactless card widely used, including some market stalls. Felt safe throughout my whole trip but of course be vigilant as you would be normally.

Day 1 = Flew out of Stansted airport arrived Bucharest around 8.40pm. Took the No 100 bus which is literally outside of the ground floor arrivals hall. I paid 3 Lei on the machine inside the bus, making sure all lights were green and you hear a beep. Journey took 40 minutes to Piata Romana, close to where the majority of the hotels are, and walkable to Old Town area. Grabbed dinner at a burger joint from across the hotel.

Day 2 = I booked a day tour with GetYourGuide. It was an extremely long but worthwhile day. Bus pickup from Piata Universitatii, at 7.15am. There’s a couple of toilet break stops during the entire journey at service stations which was useful. 

First stop Peles Castle – we waited no more than 10-15 min as we were quite early and helps it was on a weekday. Have read stories where queues could be up to 3 hours long. Our guide was really good explaining the history of the various rooms, which were really grand and opulent. Now the tour only covered the first floor. For 2^(nd) and 3^(rd) floors, additional tickets have to be purchased separately. The outside of the castle was unfortunately covered in scaffolding in one section, but beautiful nonetheless. Mountain views were breathtaking.

Next stop Bran Castle. Call it a tourist trap with all that tacky Dracula connection but I enjoyed and just rolled with it. Still had leftover Halloween decorations. Its small but the castle history is quite interesting. In the market area outside, you have your usual souvenir gifts and food vendors.

Last stop Brasov. Beautiful small town, has its own Hollywood type sign on the mountains, a massive black church, town square, main promenade has assorted eateries, shops, cafes, money exchange. From there it was a 3.5 hour drive back to Bucharest, arrived at the same pick up point at 9pm.

Day 3 = Took the metro to the Village Museum, which showcases the historical Romanian village life. Many of the buildings were locked, but there were a few that allow you to look inside and take pictures. Spent just under 2 hours here. Then a quick wander around Herastrau Park. 

Then it’s off to Palace of Parliament (did not do tour, only took pictures outside), Stavropoleos Monastery, Revolution Square, Old town with its variety of restaurants, cafes and shops. If you prefer, there’s always a free walking tour you can join. After a late lunch, then back on the No 100 bus to the airport.

Foodwise ate ribs, sausages, cabbage rolls, papanasi, and drank Romanian wine, coffee, based on random google searches for restaurants.

Hi, I am 23F and considering going on a solo trip to Washington DC. I have never traveled by myself before. The election has reminded me of my love for history, specifically learning about the US presidents and the history of our country in general. I have been to DC once on a school trip ten years ago and have always wanted to go back, especially now that I can appreciate it more as an adult. Would DC be a good place to have your first solo trip?

I plan to go for about 3 or 4 days. I want to go on a guided tour of the city, visit the holocaust museum, and im still looking into other activities I can do there.

I’ve never traveled alone but im tired of waiting for someone to go with me. Ever since I was a kid I have wanted to travel and was never able to unless it was a school trip or a friend invited me on their family vacation. Now, as an adult, I have the money to do so, but not the guts to do it by myself. Over the years I have asked every friend I have to go with me to numerous locations (all in the US and some that were not even all that far away) and every single person I asked has told me no. Ive also asked every family member I am close to, and they too, are unwilling to go anywhere. I’ve decided I can’t just sit around letting other people dictate what I do with my life. I can’t spend another year or 2 or 3 sitting around hoping someone will finally tell me yes. It’s depressing and sad. I can’t rely on other people to fulfill my dreams and this is something I want to do, but as a young woman it just makes me nervous. However I feel that if I do do this, it will bring me so much confidence.

3 years ago I actually did go on a 3 day trip to NYC with a friend. I planned everything out and was kind of the one “in charge” of the trip so to speak, and it went good. We didn’t get lost (at least not for longer than 20 minutes lol), I even had to deal with a man that was harassing me and I think i handled the situation as best I could. However it brought me peace of mind knowing I wasn’t completely alone and that if something went wrong I wasn’t all by myself.

Basically I guess im just asking for solo travel tips (and motivation to actually do it) and wondering if DC is a good place to go by yourself.

As the subject of this post suggests, this is with regards to spending a day in Imlil. I have also posted this on the Morocco subreddit but have not received any response yet. I’ve done some research about how to spend a day in Imlil (staying here overnight) in the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco but am unsure as to how to make the most of my time here. These are the short hikes in the area that I’ve shortlisted.

a.       Hike to Aremd village.

b.       Hike to the radio tower.

c.       Tizi n’tamasert pass 

d.       Cascade Imlil

Which of the above is possible in a day? Any thoughts on how I should prioritize these? If I needed a guide for this, what would it cost me? I’ve heard the paths aren’t marked clearly. Any input here would be super helpful. Thank you in advance.

I'm planning a 6 month trip in a bit over a year to Italy. It's all pretty theoretical at this point but I'm considering staying with a family in Italy and traveling for a week each month to other countries in the region. I'm using language learning apps in spare time right now but do you think I should try to take a course or something a bit more serious first. It would delay my trip because I have to meet some financial goals first. But it could make connecting to people easier on the trip if I can communicate really well.

I’m currently planning a solo trip around West Africa, I have both the UK and Irish passport as I currently live in Northern Ireland.

My current Itinerary is… Morocco (Marrakesh and Casablanca), Mauritania (Nouakchott), Senegal (Dakar), The Gambia (Banjul), Guinea-Bissau (Bissau), Guinea (Conakry), Sierra Leone (Freetown) and Liberia (Monrovia).

I like fast paced travelling only staying in the one city for 2-4 nights before moving the next, just wandering if anyone has any tips or information about how difficult or easy their experience getting Visa’s were, or if there is any recommendations for cities I should stop at on my travels.

Budgeting on this trip is not a huge problem and just like to experience and explore without thinking too much about the cost of it. I prefer the atmosphere of hostels but understand these are not widely available in this part of the world yet.

In terms of travel I’m not sure what is most convenient; whether or not to fly where I can or experience the local buses from city to city.

All information and tips welcome, as I have never travelled to this part of the world before.

Helllooo solo female traveler planning a trip for this Spring. Have never been to Portugal or Southern Spain before so would love to hear some input on must-see spots versus places that shouldn't take up too much time.

Current plan:

Fly in to Porto-->Lisbon-->Sevilla-->Cordoba-->Jaen-->Granada-->flight back from Malaga

Does this seem like a worthwhile/feasible plan given the amount of time I will have? And if so what are some places in each city that y'all have loved!! I'm a big eater and love art, history, and architecture so hoping to hit some museums and historic sites :)

Would appreciate any and all input!

Hello everyone!

I have a rough plan to visit La Palma in early/mid January (6th-13th) via Tenerife from the UK.

The idea is to fly into Tenerife on the 6th and get an early ferry on the 7th to La Palma. This cuts costs on the direct flight which is 4/5x the flight to Tenerife and should hopefully be somewhat scenic?

I want to ask about your experiences for solo La Palma. Is there a hostel culture? Is it easy to traverse without a car? (I don’t drive). What can I expect weather-wise in January? What about public transport/restauraunts etc?

Any other information/tips would be great. Thank you! :)

Hello,

I will be travelling to Sri Lanka in a couple of days and I want to rent a scooter for most of the trip.

The itinerary is Colombo - Sigirya - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Ella - Bentota - Colombo.

But, for this trip, I want to go from Kandy to Nuwara, or even Ella, by train, and here is where the problem appears.

I would like to either book a scooter in Colombo and drop it in Kandy, then book another scooter in Nuwara / Ella, that I can drop in Colombo...

Or get the scooter somehow from Kandy to Nuwara / Ella...

Do you know of any agency that could help with any of those options?

I assume that you can't take the scooter in the train, like in Vietnam, right? And I can't have someone unknown to the rental agency drive it between those two stations either...

I know only about Sri Lanka Bike Rental, but I am not happy with their prices: $50 to drop it in Kandy and another $50 to pick it from Nuwara / Ella.

Hey all! I’d love some help with my trip. I don’t drive, so I’ll be Uber and joining tours. I’m into exploring historical areas, dancing (salsa/bachata), enjoying local food, nature, water activities, and hiking. Any tour suggestions or general travel tips would be so appreciated, especially for getting around without a car.

Here’s my rough plan:

Old San Juan (Nov 21-24)

• I’ll spend two days exploring the historical areas, and museums, and hopefully finding some spots to dance salsa and bachata.
• El Yunque National Forest: Planning a 1-day tour to El Yunque. I love long, challenging hikes, so I’m open to tour recommendations.
• Fajardo Bio Bay Night Kayaking Tour: Planning one night for a bioluminescent bay tour in Fajardo.

Condado or Isla Verde (Nov 24-26)

I’m debating whether to stay in Condado or Isla Verde or just Uber from Old San Juan for beach time.

1 night to Culebra (Nov 27 - Return on Nov 28 Afternoon)

I want to snorkel in Culebra, maybe at Flamenco Beach. Would staying overnight be enough to fully enjoy the island?

Thanks so much for any advice! 😊

Edit: 7 days :)

Fellow solo travelers! I (27F) would love your feedback on my two week itinerary for Colombia in January. I’ll be solo for the first 4 days (friend arrives day 4 late at night) then we’ll be traveling together the rest. Most of my logistical questions are about the first few days as I’m trying to squeeze in quite a bit in the North. I don’t mind packing a lot in, particularly when I’m solo.

Day 1-4 Santa Marta & the North. My flight lands in Cartagena in the early afternoon, so I’ll need to bus 4-5 hrs to Santa Marta that evening or early morning on day 2. I want to do an overnight stay in Parque Tayrona for sure, and either spend a night at the Rio Hostel Buritaca or spend a night in Minca (don’t think I have time for both). Need to meet my friend back in Cartagena day 4 night or day 5 morning. 

Day 5-6 Cartagena, maybe a day trip 

Day 7-9 Fly to Medellin, explore city 

Day 10 Guatape day trip  

Day 11-12 Jardin  

Day 13-16 Salento / coffee region. Definitely want to do a hike in valle de cocora and explore smaller towns. Fly home out of Salento.

I know we don’t have Bogota or the lost city hike scheduled in. Unfortunately I just don’t think I can make those happen on this trip. 

Questions:

• How would you do the first 4 days? Is Minca skip-able if I have so much time in the coffee region later – it seems like they offer similar activities? Is Rio Hostel Buritaca worth it? Any way I can do both??
• Do we have too much time scheduled in Jardin / Salento / coffee region? Any off-the-beaten path recs we shouldn't miss in this part of the country? 
• Will I regret not doing lost city?? 

Thanks in advance!

Will Immigration raise eyebrows at me for not having a job as a solo traveler? Do I tell them my previous job title, or will this cause an issue? I'm asking as a Canadian travelling to USA, and places Europe and Asia. Can someone let me know their experience? Did they ever check your phone?

Hello all!

I am traveling to Angkor Wat this January, and had a question about logistics/planning.

I plan to head over from Phnom Penh and to stay in Siem Reap for 3 in total. Ideally I would spend as much time at Angkor Wat as possible in this time.

The earliest bus with Giant Ibis leaves at 8:45 and takes 6 hours, so assuming minimal delays I would get there by 2:45/3:00 PM. Is this enough time to make it to Angkor Wat by sunset and see some temples? I am assuming not but wanted to ask.

The other option of course is flying, which would get me there for 9:20 and leave me more time during that same day to explore. I would like to avoid flying if preferable but this may be the better option.

Lastly, there are overnight buses but some reviews online suggest to avoid these. Does anyone have experience with an overnight Giant Ibis bus? Would save a bit of money and allow me to avoid having to fly, but if it's going to be noticeably more uncomfortable then it wouldn't be worth it.

Thanks!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to report back on my (29F) latest solo trip to Oslo. I spent 4 days there and had a lovely time. These are my recommendations:

• I stayed in a hostel very close to Akershus Fortress - the accommodation was great and of course it is very central, but at night it felt like a dead part of the town. I'd consider staying near the City Hall or in Grunnerlokka instead

• It was incredibly easy to get around the town - buses and trams were extremely organized - however, it was indeed quite expensive, so I mostly walked everywhere. Had no trouble at all finding my way.

• Doing a floating sauna is a must. Highlight of my trip

• If possible, I'd aim to see an opera or ballet at the Opera House - it was not so expensive and it was marvellous

• Kon-tiki museum, Fram museum and Maritime Museum were not very interesting to me. I'd skip them. The cultural history museum, however, was worth it just to see the Gol Stave Church

• The food is insanely expensive. I ended up just having street and fast food u- but I really enjoyed Max and had plenty of hot dogs and waffles. Freya chocolate is also quite nice!

Overall, I had a blast! Highly recommend.

Ive had it happen to me before. I live in us and went to vietnam for a month. Then my flight home got delayed and it was nice because I spent 3 extra days in vietnam. However now I have a new job that doesnt let you take much days off. I plan to visit a different us state but how often do planes cancel fligth and reschedule to days or even months later?

Hello! I’m a 24F who has getting the itch to travel again. I just moved into my own apartment in my city and have two cats. In the past I have had roommates who were always willing to watch my pets while I would go on my trip. Now that I’m on my own, I was wondering how fellow travelers are able to solo travel with pets at home?

Anyone travelled to Iquitos in December / during wet season? The previous posts I’ve seen on about Iquitos note travelling there basically all other months except December. I’ll be there for about a week (Dec 1-8th) and will travelling from California to LIM to IQT airports.

I’ll be staying in the jungle primarily at a retreat but understand there is downtime/freetime and want to know if there will be options to purchase Alpaca goods near?

Also, I’m thinking of bringing Lems waterproof boots as my main shoe along with sandals— are the boots too hot for the weather even though it will most likely be rainy?

Thanks

Perhaps this is an esoteric take, but couchsurfing is such a beautiful idea in principle. It is the antithesis of voyeuristic tourism. Couch surfing has enabled me to directly engage with the locals and to explore their cities through their eyes. The few times I used couchsurfing apps (warmshowers primarily) this past year had given me some really positive, memorable, eye-opening experiences.

This leads me to wonder: why has couch surfing dwindled so much as a social norm over the past decade? While I don't know the exact data around number of couchsurfers over the years, couchsurfing has definitely declined in its cultural relevance with its peak in 2013.

People argue that Airbnb is one of the main drivers of such decline. But Airbnb provides a different functionalities than couchsurfing platforms. Professionalized vacation rentals sells privacy, comfort, and predictability; whereas couchsurfers use couchsurfing platforms to seek out and to befriend locals. Airbnb's ease and budget-friendliness has taken away couchsurfers who only couchsurf to save money, which I imagine is a lot of people. But surely there are still millions of people who want to couchsurf primarily as a way to meet others? Would love some reality check here.

The huge fumble by couchsurfing.com also can't possibly be the main reason why couchsurfing has lost its entire appeal either. Several alternatives that are community-driven, non-profit, and free exist today, like couchers.org, bewelcome.org, and warmshowers.org. None of these platforms have successfully revived couchsurfing despite their improvements and are focused on a small community of users.

Maybe couch surfing had always just been a niche way to travel. Maybe I am idealizing over how often couchsurfing is actually fun for others. For those who still couchsurf, how is ur experience these days and which platforms do u use? What is the biggest pain point for you? Why do u not use it not as frequently any more? And for those who haven't tried it, what makes u hesitant?

content warning: brief mention of depressive episodes

First ever reddit post so I hope I'm doing this right!

I, 23F, have been working and in school pretty much my whole life. I graduate in December and will have at least 7mths before I go on to do more schooling. I've never done completely solo travel, and while financially my life is not great, I know with at least a month or two of full-time work after graduating that I could afford a decent week long solo trip. I've struggled with depressive episodes on and off for a good chunk of my life, and desperately want some inspiring and grounding time to really connect to myself and life.

Here's the problem...

1. I am scared I guess?
2. No idea what is considered safe
3. No idea what is affordable (while still safe)
4. I'm not a hugely social person

I know I probably sound silly with these dilemmas, but I'd appreciate any tips.

Places I've debated

• Small little towns in the middle of Switzerland
• Norway
• Ireland (I have Irish ancestry so I feel like this could be cool?)
• Sweden
• British Columbia in Canada

These are just ideas, I'm really just in need of a nature filled break!

Thanks, r/solotravel ♡

edit: I am from Canada, thank you to those pointing out that I should add that

A month ago I moved abroad for a year and have been absolutely miserable since I came. A lot of people talk about a honeymoon period but I haven't had this at all. I'm in New York and I love the city but honestly I can't enjoy myself cause I just feel so out of sorts. I think if I had a partner or friends were with me I'd be enjoying myself but I just feel like the best things in life are for sharing and I feel totally depressed on my own, and I am an independent person my parents have always said I was good at doing tbings on my own from a young age and I enjoy my own company too but this whole experience feels very hollow. People think just because you can do something on your own that youenjoy it but that's not necessarily true. I have joined clubs and gone out with my roomate who is nice but when do you know if something just isn't for you

Hi everyone!

Coming back from another solo travel, i came to a realisation.

When I solo travel, it seems super easy to strike conversation with random people without giving it a second thought (Other traveller or local). I meet someone and the next day we are out on an adventure.

Back in my country/city, i don’t seems to have this ability to create opportunities that easily.

My questions to you guys are :

Do you have the same feeling/experience?

Have you ever tried to change the way you interact with people in your daily life in order to get these opportunities?

Would like to hear your experiences about this!

Hi everyone. I have 5-6 weeks to kill starting November 25th, and I’ve been going over options from Laos/Thai/Malaysia to SA and Tanzania, but I think being a 29F solo backpacker who enjoys the backpacking culture with a sense of adventure, wider age range, and less belligerent nights out, I figured Mexico was a good option.

Looking into my options in Mexico has been a bit overwhelming for me, however, so I’m hoping I could gain some insight.

A little about what I want from this trip:

• beautiful hiking/adventure (Guatemala blew me away. Is there something similar here?)
• I’ve seen so many ruins in other countries, so they are not a priority for me here
• nice beaches
• occasional night out, but nothing like Thailand
• culture & food
• somewhere not boasting with holiday tourists like tulum or Cancun (or please correct me if I’m wrong about that assumption)

I’d love to go to Mexico City and Oaxaca but even between these two places I could be looking at 2-3 weeks already out of my 5-6.

I’m just overwhelmed with the amount of places Mexico has to offer. Can someone please help me figure out timeframes for places that suit my interests?

Thanks in advance

Before 2020, I used to travel several times a year, even moving abroad twice when I found some pretty cool jobs. It was my reason for working and I have fond memories of the cultures, cities, romances, and friends I had met and experienced over the years.

When the world shut down, I had to move back to the States, where I eventually found new work and at the time decided to finally finish my bachleor's in an online program. I had told myself I wouldn't travel until I finished school, as I was still working full-time to ensure I didn't go into debt.

It's been a busy couple years and I sometimes felt sad that I might have lost the travel part of my identity. I was somewhat saved by a southwest road trip with long-time friends in 2022 and was thankful for that. Newer friends that I've met post-Covid don't even know me as the type that goes anywhere. I had gotten into watching a few travel YouTube channels to live vicariously through them to try to keep that part of my identity alive.

I finished school earlier this year and my birthday is at the end of the month. I had planned to finally travel at that time. My plan to travel in late this year was almost derailed after I started suffering from some pain in September that the doctor's haven't been able to diagnose. It's been a stressful few months. However, as of a few weeks ago, I've suddenly been feeling much better and seem to be coming out of the hole.

My hobby is a cyclist and while I have still have little body pain, I have returned to doing 30 mile rides and have felt fine the next day.

So here I am emailing a bicycle rental shop in Taipei and then buying air tix this weekend to fly out next week for 3 weeks of my saved vacation to attempt my dream trip of cycling the famous Route 1 in Taiwan. I have visited a few times before but always for shorter trips. It's always been my favorite country to visit and it feels right for it to be my first trip before I hit up new countries I've been wanting to visit next year.

I'm beyond stoked to get out there again and needed to vent that out!

I did a solo trip around Europe and now I'm feeling motivated to share my experience in a post considering that some of the advices I saw in the chanel helped me a lot before and during my trip, so maybe something I mention here could be helpful for other person.

This was my schedule:

-Madrid (4 days)

-Barcelona (3 days)

-Paris (4 days)

-Brussels (1 day)

-Amsterdam (2 days)

-Berlin (2 days)

-Prague (2 days)

-Venice (1 day)

-Florence (2 days)

-Pisa (1 day)

-Rome (3 days)

Before continue I'd like to give a little context and is that I'm traveling from Argentina (12 hours flight to Madrid) and a week before my trip started I received an email from the airline mentioning that my flight has a 5 hour delay. I did some research and I was able to schedule a new flight a day earlier (and spend 1+ night in Madrid). Also I receive a compensation of 600 euros, so if you have a similar situation please check with the airline because probably you should be compensated too (this is a matter of law in Europe). Maybe for people from Europe this is normal, but thinking in a situation like this coming from Latinamerica is actually insane.

Other topic I'd like to mention is that some weeks before my travel I posted a question about how much money I should take with me for food/public transportation ( https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/1f1qlge/going_to_some_cities_in_europe_for_27_days_how/ ). In that post I got a lot of criticism on how much travel I was doing for the short period of time and blah blah. After doing the trip I can tell you that for me the schedule works almost perfect (there is only a detail I regret but I'm gonna mention this later). Considering that I was solo, the tours I wanted to do and the type of turism I like, it worked perfect for me so cool if you think that you should stay a week in Berlin, 2 days for me was enough. About the question how much money I should take for food/public transportation for my trip, considering that the obvious answer is depend on how much you drink and eat on fancy or cheap places, the answer for me was 50 euros per day (magnets and gifts not included).

So I started my journey in Madrid, first day I did a solo tour that I think it was ok but not great. I think Madrid have a lot in common with Buenos Aires where I live and I actually had a great time. I visited Santiago Bernabeu Stadium (it was impressive but all the museum part is meh if you dont like soccer), and also did the 3 more important museums (Reina Sofia, Thyssen and Prado). My favorite one was Museo del Prado, definitely one of the highest moments on the trip. Also I did. the tour of the Madrid Royal Palace and I reccomend 100%. I was able to do some shopping in Madrid and save a luggage with a friend and something cool about Madrid is that you can actually have the tax free with no minimum amount (in Paris was 100 euros or more I think). So Madrid I think it's the best city for shopping (if you're a normal person who likes Uniqlo, el corte inglés, Zara, etc).

In Barcelona I went to some of the Gaudí constructions but for me the most impressives are La Pedrera and La Sagrada Familia (this one is a must and was other top moment of my trip). I was also able to do the tours in both and it was pretty cool, specially la sagrada familia. La casa Batlló, Park Guell and Palau Guell they were fine but for me it was not super impressive (the experience was worth it). Barrio Gótico and El Born were two excelent walks. I also did some walk on Barcelona pier and the beach at night and it was amazing. But Barcelona have a great issue and is that a guy tried to rob me at the end of my last day (if you wanna know the story is posted here: https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/1g7u4oo/a_guy_tried_to_rob_me_in_barcelona_during_my_solo/ ). If it weren't for this detail, Barcelona would be among my top places I visited.

Then I moved to Paris and Paris was my favorite city in terms of infrastructure and construction. I had a great moment when in my first day I saw Eiffel Tower for the first time (another highlight of the trip). During my second day I went to the Louvre that for me it was a dream come true, to Napoleon Tomb (amazing) and the Pantheón. In the 3rd day I had an amazing experience in Disneyland and for my last day I spent the morning in Versalles. The palace is impressive outside and the gardens are amazing but inside I think (and this is my opinion) that the Madrid Royal Palace is more impressive (again, don't kill me, is just an opinion). Versalles it was a good experience but I think I was expecting more inside the Palace. I finished Paris visiting Opera Garnier (a must on my opinion) and doing some walk on Barrio Latino.

My next stop was Brussels and I think is a very interesting city with a lot of random stuff (the fact that nobody knows why one of their major attractions is a statue of a child urinating seemed at least curious to me). The Grand Place it was other top moment of my trip. The square is absurdly beautiful. I meet with a friend to eat mejillones and it was good. A day in Brussels for me to know the most interesting things in the city was enough.

The Amsterdam day arrives and omg...we all know how is the situation on Amsterdam, we all know about the red light districts, the windows, the girls, drugs, etc. But being there and seeing it live blew my mind. Besides this aspect of the city, I think that the city is BEAUTIFUL. It was my third favorite city in all the trip. In my opinion the canals in Amsterdam are much prettier than the canals in Venice (again, this is an opinion, please don't kill me). Ana Frank house is a must in the city (amazing experience) and the Rijkmuseuum was very good too. In Amsterdam I lived what I think it was the top moments of my trip, and is that I tried mushrooms. I'm not going to talk about this experience in detail because I do not intend to make an apology for drugs (the only drug I tried before this was marihuana and I don't even drink alcohol lol).

In Amsterdam also happened the most strestful moment of my trip, and is that my train to Berlin left at 11:05pm. I traveled with European Sleeper, so I arrived to the station at 9:45pm. Checking the screens I noticed that my train didn't appear, so I checked the ticket and it turns out my train wasn’t leaving from Amsterdam, but from AMERSFOORT. Imagine my face at that moment when I didn’t even know if Amersfoort was a place in the Netherlands lol. By the way, I had bought the ticket months ago and I hadn’t realized this. Luckily, Amersfoort is a city 45 minutes away by train and there was a train leaving from Amsterdam to Amersfoort at 9:55pm and I managed to get there. It was a journey too because when I arrived in Amersfoort the QR code didn’t work, there was no one at the station, the train was delayed, basically everything happened to me. Luckily, I was able to get to Berlin.

My first day in Berlin I was very tired (for obvious reasons) but I managed to have a good time because I met and stayed with a friend who lives there. I spend two days with her and it was a nice experience. Not much to say besides that the city have some great buildings and monuments. Maybe something I didn't like a lot is that as tourist it looks like everything is related to the WW2 and the wall and I'm more into art and museums maybe.

My next stop was Prague and I have to say this was my second favorite city of the trip. The one that surprises me most. I didn't expect anything from Prague and I had a blast. I did the free tour that it was really good. I loved the vibe of the city, the castle, the watch, the bridge...everything. I think that in Prague and Barcelona were the places where I saw the prettiest girls in my whole trip (I'm single and I had a tinder date in Prague lol). In conclusion, I need to live in Prague for a while.

Venice in a day was perfect for me. I think that going Venice on your own is a good plan if you're a fan of the concept of the city (I realize there that is not my case). I did a couple tours (Basilica de San Marcos and Palacio Ducal) and did a lot of walking but my feeling was that if I stayed for another complete day, I probably would have gotten bored.

Florence was one of my favorite places. The views from the top of the dome of the basílica is a must in Florence. Also other top moment of my trip was visiting the Uffizi Gallery and Gallery Academy (seeing the David statue was another dream come true). The food was also amazing here. I went to a fancy restorant and ordered a Tomato Soup that blows my mind. Florence is one of the places I would definitely visit again.

And now is moment of talking about Pisa and here is my only regret with the itinerary. My train arrived Pisa at 8am, and my train to rome was schedule at 9pm (13 hour in Pisa). I think that I spent too many time here. 7 hours was time enough for me to visit the city so at 5pm I was already bored (maybe there is people that spent 3 days in Pisa and had a great time and that's ok too). The tower was pretty cool and have some nice views from the top. I think this is one of the places I wouldn't visit it again because I don't think it has much more to offer me. I visited a couple museums too but nothing that seemed too incredible to me.

And my last stop was Rome. Amazing city. It's an open-air museum. The food was amazing. I eat a Lasagna that was 10/10. I also eat the best tiramisú that I have eaten in life (the place is called "Best tiramisu to go"). I did the guided tour of the Roman Coliseum and it was good, but my favorite attractions from Rome was the Pantheon (the first time I saw the Pantheon I said "holy sh*t") and the guided tour to the vatican (museums and Saint Peter church). This last one is a must on Rome.

The whole trip was an amazing experience. I reccomend to everyone. I'm trying to repeat the next year with some modifications on my schedule (I'd like to visit Copenhague, Budapest, Zurich and Munich for example). Sorry for my english and thanks for reading :)

Is there a politically correct way to deal with this? I don’t wanna pick a fight by complaining at the reception but I also cannot help that my vacation in Amsterdam is ruined because of this. Last minute bookings are very expensive so moving to a different hostel would be difficult financially

How much do you let weather predictions affect the trips you want to take?? For example I am looking into trips to Thailand (specifically some islands), Costa Rica, or Colombia (bogota, Medellin, Cartagena) for May. Unfortunately it is rainy season that time of year for all of those locations. I can’t decide if I want to push a trip off until later in the year (when I’m not sure my schedule/time off) or just go for it with the time I know I have.

Anyone been to these countries that time of the year and have any input? I would want to enjoy the nature/beaches/outdoor activities more so than museums.

Hey guys,

Long time lurker but never posted. I’m 22M doing one of my first solo travels this weekend to Germany - have travelled in the US alone but first time in Europe. I’ve been going around Spain for a few months now but mostly in groups. Before I return to the USA for holiday season, I’ll be traveling from the 13th - 23rd of December. I wanted to get thoughts on my itinerary, which I built based off solo travel feedback here, where flights are relatively the cheapest and within budget as well as some acclaimed Christmas markets I’ve seen when reading online.

1. Krakow 13-16. Have heard great things and also would plan to do a day trip to Auschwitz, something I’ve wanted to see for a while.

2. Prague 16-19. Heard this is a good place to be solo and that the Christmas market is quite nice here. Additionally have had some friends personally recommend it before. Not a ton of knowledge but curious on thoughts.

3. Budapest 19-22. Everything I’ve read almost makes this out to be the holy grail of solo travel. From sites to see and bath houses for relaxation, it seems like a great spot.

I have to return to Spain where I am now to pick up some luggage on the 22nd before returning to the USA on the 23rd. Really open to any suggestions / thoughts on the above - I know most of you would likely go to 1-2 places max in this time span, but I’m not too sure when I’ll return to Europe so I’m trying to see as much as possible. Again, open to thoughts on that too. Really love this community and thank you all for constantly sharing your experiences!

Looking forward to the feedback : )

As the title suggests, I'm 40. I'm male. And I have never really travelled before in my life. I did a little bit of Australia and to Nauru when I was in the army 20 years ago but nothing that would be considered recreational and nothing I consider significantly inspiring.

For a very long while now, I have wanted to travel. Pretty much since I saw movies like Legends of the Fall and The Beach and watched Tristan the wild man decide to go off and visit crazy untamed places eating and Leo swim to that uncharted island and discover a secret off the grid community. And I have always thought I would be able to have my own life changing, reflective, world view altering experience someday.

Ok, so back to reality, I know it's not going to be like that. I'm not going to discover a secret civilisation or feast on the flesh of a freshly downed wild antelope but nonetheless I can't shake the feeling that it will still be life changing. At 40 I feel like I would love to finally fulfil my dream. I feel like I would love to at least try a more 'raw' experience, maybe backpacking and walking and really getting the feel of the country I'm in rather than staying in a more insulated hotel or running with a tour group. I don't want to party and I don't even necessarily need to make friends. I'd love to walk the streets, sample the street food, interact with the locals, sleep rough if necessary. I could get fit, quit smoking, absorb some different cultures, lose some weight. Thankfully I have enough money to completely throw this plan out the window and nestle into some cushy foreign hotel or even fly right home if all this proves too much for me but maybe.... Just maybe, this could be an experience of a lifetime.

Any over 35's/40's that could weigh in on what it's like to travel, especially if it was your first time. Was it scary? Is it as life changing as I feel it might be? Was it actually really anti climactic and bothersome?

This is my first big solo adventure which is very exciting but also nerve-wracking!! I've had a rough year so when travelling came up I thought I might as well go big (I'm Uk based). I will stay with friends mostly which seems to be the best route for a new traveller.

Puntas Arenas + Patagonia - 40 days - Ill be staying with friends and travelling mostly with them. I'd like to tackle Torres Del Paine, see penguins, take in the area.

Easter Island - 7 days - I'll be there for some of the Tapati festival, super exciting!

Christchurch, NZ - 30 days(?) - Staying with friends.

Any recommendations? Where would you go afterwards? I've not got any time limits, just money limits. I was thinking SEA as again got friends there and the expenses are less.