girl travelling solo tips!

Piggywiggy

Keep a little bit of money in your bra just in case you get in a muddle.

dawyldthing

I spent the last 2 weeks in Thailand on my own as me and my friend fell out. I'd say to book things if you can (there's nearly always someone to speak to). I often go to gigs, concerts and stuff on my own. Went to cheltenham on my own Wednesday as people couldn't come. Always keep your card/ passport on you and I always sleep on my bag to keep it safe. It's not too bad really. I'd suggest taking some music/ a book.

Enjoy!

Dr._Shoe

Venice is a typical place for single females to travel to I gather. You could also think about Florence or Milan., or anywhere in Italy. Greece is a favoured destination too: think Shirley Valentine!

Eat in the hotel if you're self conscious about dining alone. You may even meet another girl in the same situation but as she's not a "mate" you won't feel compelled to spend the rest of the day with her. Dining companions are common in places where a lot of singles tend to go.

I did exactly this one holiday and met a lovely woman about the same age as me. She was slightly more posh than me but not so much so we didn't have much in common. We enjoyed our meals together but we didn't hang out at all.

pathtofreedom

Maybe start with city breaks as you could get a lot of them with a £1500 budget and still even stay in hotels. It depends what sort of holiday you want though I guess, ibiza out clubbing would be a lot more expensive than rome or Venice just doing sight seeing type things.

I did Venice a few years ago and stayed in an apartment place I found on expedia. Do you want somewhere people will speak some english in shops etc or are you happy enough going less touristy or to somewhere where less english is spoken? I've been to Amsterdam a couple of times with friends before but am thinking of going again by myself soon as it is a lovely city.

Where ever you pick remember to check hotels etc through quidco / top cashback etc to help reduce the costs a bit.

symphonies

Wow, so many responses! Thank you to everyone who contributed! You've not only clarified things I was uncertain about but given me enough confidence to take the plunge!

Torn between Venice and Barcelona!

symphonies

MasterPoo wrote: »

A girlfriend of mine travels alone all the time! She usually stays in hostels ( apparently they're not as bad as we think, personally I'm not convinced?!?!?!?).

Tips: 1. Stay safe - just because you're on holiday, don't leave common sense at home.
2. Possibly book some planned excursions for your chosen destination?
3. You could do a tour, i.e. with a group of other single travellers? An OAP I know (I know you're only in your 20's) used to go on a SAGA dancing holiday every year by herself, I'm thinking there must be something for your age group? Google is your friend.

You could go to Italy, Rome (Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, etc), Florence, then travel to sea side, other options that could offer you Cultural experience and Beach, Barcelona, Turkey, Greece, Dubai.

Pick a destination, then go onto TripAdvisor, research hotel options, research flight options, decide if you want to go AI/Half Board, use the travel sites to see if pricing it up yourself as opposed to package deal works out cheaper?

Personally I enjoy doing everything myself, it adds to the excitement of the holiday. Package deals, if ATOL/ABTA protected will obviously offer you protection should something go wrong.

Ask questions on the relevant Forums on the Travel sites, e.g. on TripAdvisor if you do decide to go to Rome, there is an entire forum section where you can post your questions etc.?

Read up as much as you can about your destination, and then have a FAB SAFE holiday.

Thanks for the tips! I think I will do lots of research on sites like Trip Advisor and it'd be nice if I bump into single females along the way. I'd love to do a walking tour of the city so I'll definitely look into that.

symphonies

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

Yes.

Yes.

Be flexible. Compare package holidays against DIY. Use the internet to search for flights (Skyscanner), hotels (I use hotels.com a lot others may suggest Expedia, Alpharooms and numerous other options including research on TripAdvisor) and ways to get from airport to hotel (taxi costs, transfers etc).

Consider what you want to see and how to get there from your accommodation.

Serious question. What could go wrong? Get to the airport in good time. Avoid war zones. Carry a credit card to pay for a crisis. Have travel insurance.

Malta. Murcia. Barcelona. Greece.

If you can pack light a Ryanair flight from Birmingham to Murcia could be in the region of £50. Avoid school holidays and cheap hotels are available too.

Google "interesting things in <insert destination or locality> make a list and go for it.

Get a burger. Book a self catering apartment near a supermarket. Try a hotel with room service. Eat in a cafe. Numerous options. Just get out and do it!

Yes you do!

I went to Dublin in my early twenties.

They did buses, trains, bars, restaurants, hotels, museums, entertainment and all sorts. You'll find these things across Europe! The only thing that held me back was my own lack of imagination.

Many places you'll find people speaking excellent English. Where they don't, taking the time to speak a few broken words of the local language is usually welcomed and often gets an English response in return (you've been to France ...). In the Czech Republic I discovered pointing and waving with a smile effective too.

Plan it well if you're a nervous type. But very little can go wrong. Post your thoughts here and you'll get ideas, warnings and suggestions too. It helped fine tune an excellent driving holiday around South West USA for me and my family.

No reason why these people can't help you to cover all bases as your ideas evolve.

Money - look into getting a Halifax Clarity Card or similar
Passport
Flights (research on Skyscanner, book direct with airline)
Transfers
Accommodation (research on Trip Adviser)
Attractions
Insurance / EHIC card.

Oooh, thanks for the checklist! I'll check out Ryanair for some cheap flights. Just because I have a £1500 budget doesn't mean I have to meet it especially if I can get cheaper deals.

The good news is, I have plenty of time to do some research and if I book well in advance then hopefully, I'll get good rates/deals.

I don't know what could go wrong, that's just the worrier in me.

I'm always happy to learn a phrases in a new language so going to a place where they don't always speak English, is no problem. Especially if I can master the phrase, 'NO FISH!'

symphonies

Mike10 wrote: »

I went on my first solo travel (male late 20's) two years ago and haven't looked back since.

Flights; I just used all the budget airlines websites to find the cheapest flights. I've flown with Ryan air numerous times and never had a problem. Just make sure your luggage fits within there requirements if taking it on as handheld.

Accommodation; I didn't stop in hostels but used booking.com and found cheap private rooms always available where I wanted. The rooms basically had a bed in with a wardrobe but that was fine for me.

I went to Rome for 3 days and paid about £180 for return flights from Birmingham and a room in the centre using the above.

The advantage of travelling alone for me is the freedom to do what I want, when I want. Conversely, if things don't go to plan or do go wrong, you do have to rely on yourself to sort them out.

Food/Drink; I generally ate/drank in small cafes but I always found it quite interesting seeing tables of couples who were sat in complete silence anyway.

I've been to Rome, Berlin, Venice, Iceland and Mexico alone and loved every trip. I'm planning on going away at Christmas to Prague, Vienna and Budapest also.

Go for it! If you don't like it, don't do it again. Chances are you will and will spend most your free time planning your next trip.

What have you got to lose really...

Hopefully, I'll feel the same way in that I'll want to travel further afield after this experience!

That Rome deal sounds pretty good. It's not bad for £180.

I'm the type of person who's quite happy just spending time by herself so I think I'd love the freedom to go and do whatever I feel like. The last time I went on holiday was with some friends - and it just didn't work. They were into the party scene while I just wanted to visit a museum and have a picnic near the river.

I think that's a good idea regarding eating/drinking in small cafes. I'll make sure to take a newspaper or book to keep myself occupied!

I love the sound of the places you've been to. Hopefully, I'll be able to rattle off a list like that when someone asks me where I've been by myself in the next few years!

Thanks for the tips!

symphonies

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Easy...

Avoid high street travel agents since most of their deals are for couples.

Hostels can actually be really good... also consider Air B n B.

Rather than formal restaurants, there are plenty of places to eat where being alone would not be unusual. In Spain, a tapas bar is an obvious option.

I've been looking at hotel sites (trivago, last minute) and flight sites. It seems quite simple to match up and check out the best deals. In theory it's fine. It was just the practicalities I was worried about. Actually going out there and doing it.

That sounds like a fab idea. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!

symphonies

sexyshark wrote: »

I have recently come back from kracow by myself and loved it, stayed in a hostel just off the main market square, had no issues with it whatsoever, receptionist very helpful, and would go by myself again

Good to hear! And oooh, kracow! Never heard of it, but I'll Google it later and see what it's like. I've heard bad things about hostels from friends and friends of friends but I suppose I wouldn't rule them out especially if they look nice and have good reviews.