Enjoying a solo tour of Europe
When traveling alone, think of train rides as an opportunity to meet people. Credit: Dominic Bonuccelli
The nature of my job means I spend a lot of time in museums, restaurants and bars by myself. But that's also the way I prefer to experience Europe.
When you're with a companion, it's easy to forget about meeting Europeans and other travelers. Without the comfortable crutch of a friend, you're more likely to know the joys of self-discovery and the pleasures found in the kindness of strangers. You'll be exploring yourself, as well as a new country and culture.
Solo travel gives you complete freedom and independence. You decide where to go, how far to travel, how much to spend or when to call it a day.Of course, there are downsides to traveling alone: Accommodations typically cost more, because you're not splitting the bill and you may be more vulnerable to theft when you're alone. But the biggest struggle is loneliness. Here are some tips:
KEEP BUSY AT MEALS
The idea of eating alone can be intimidating - until you do it. Use the time to learn more of the language. Practice your verbal skills with the servers. Read a guidebook, write in your journal or scrawl a few postcards.
INVITE COMPANY
Eat in crowded places that force you to share a table. Most countries have a type of dish or restaurant that's fun to experience with a group. When you run into tourists during the day, make plans for dinner. Invite them to join you for, say, a rijsttafel dinner in the Netherlands or a paella feast in Spain.
PLAN AHEAD
Evenings can be tough if you're feeling lonely. Use this time to visit an Internet cafe and send travel news to friends and family. Stroll along well-lit streets, enjoying the parade of people, busy shops and illuminated monuments. Take advantage of evening entertainment: concerts, movies, puppet shows and folk dancing. If you like to stay in, get a room with a balcony overlooking a square. You'll have a front-row seat to the best show in town.
JOIN A TOUR
If you don't feel comfortable traveling aloneand you don't mind surrendering control over your itinerary, consider a tour. All of your hotel rooms are reserved, a guide plans most of your activities, and other tour members keep you company. I've talked to too many people who put off their travel dreams because they don't want to do it alone. Don't delay. Just think of Europe as one big gelato social. The first step is to show up.
