I thought I knew what I was in for. I thought I had it all figured out.
I’d taken 30-hour train trips up and down the East Coast, spent seven nights sailing the Caribbean on one of the world’s largest cruise ships, and traveled by rail to Niagara Falls, Montreal, and Quebec City — all by myself.
So I was pretty used to traveling alone by October 2022, when I went backpacking through Europe. I took a two-week train trip through Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland. I spent the first half of the trip by myself, and a friend joined me for the second half.
That first week alone in Europe made me realize that I’m still learning about the art of solo travel.
When planning my trip, I learned that some countries are safer for solo travelers — particularly females.
When I travel alone, nothing is more important to me than safety. In my research ahead of my trip, I found that some countries are generally safer than others for solo travelers.
The migration firm Global Citizens Solutions releases an annual study about the safest destinations for women traveling alone, based on gender equality, crime rates, and community security initiatives. Both of my solo destinations, Austria and Germany, made the 2025 list, though only Austria made the 2026 list, which included 14 countries.
When I visited Austria, I stayed in the heart of Vienna, which allowed me to explore the city streets into the night. In my experience, people kept to themselves, and I didn’t doubt my safety while exploring after dark.
When I visited Germany, I stayed in an Airbnb in Neustrelitz, a quaint town outside Berlin. I found it relatively easy to figure out the local train system and get to and from Berlin each day. I felt safe walking around on my own in both places.
If you’re traveling solo, researching your destination beforehand is a must, but your safety is never guaranteed. So stay aware of your surroundings along the way, and use your best judgment throughout your trip.
Taking public transit immediately made each destination feel less intimidating.
I live in New York, where I take the subway pretty much everywhere. Still, I was nervous about using public transit in foreign countries where I didn’t speak the primary language or have a good sense of where things were.
I didn’t have to be.
I may have felt uneasy stepping into the underground world of Berlin’s subway system, but it was no different from my home city. The platform looked the same, with signage identifying the coming trains.
I thought both Berlin and Vienna had great transportation systems, and taking trains and trams helped me get a better sense of each place. Public transit apps made it easier to get tickets and plan trips.
When I was riddled with self-doubt about navigating these cities, taking public transit gave me a real sense of competence as I stood among local commuters.
Booking a stay within city limits made exploring alone easier.
On solo trips, being intentional about where you stay is important. For this trip, I booked a combination of Airbnbs inside and outside the cities to give me a chance to see what life is like in the heart of the metropolis and the surrounding areas.
Commuting to small villages with a travel companion later in the trip felt like a little adventure each time, where we could plan and recap our days. But when I was alone, these treks felt more mundane, like I was wasting time and energy I could have spent exploring the city.
In Germany, I booked a stay at a tiny home hotel in Neustrelitz and commuted to and from Berlin by train, about an hour and a half each way. While I was glad I got to experience Neustrelitz, staying far from the city center made my days in Berlin shorter.
When I got to Vienna, I stayed in an Airstream trailer in the heart of the city. This made it much easier to explore from morning to night. Though it wasn’t as quiet as Neustrelitz, I left Vienna feeling like I had a better sense of the city than I did in Berlin.
While staying outside the city can be an adventure, I recommend that first-time solo travelers stay in the center to make their trip easier.
I spent one week alone in Europe before a friend joined me, but I surprised myself by wishing I’d booked a longer solo trip.
My first week in Europe was tough. Getting used to navigating and exploring on my own took some time. Without someone else to share the process with, I found the first few days difficult to fully enjoy.
But by the end of the first week, I felt settled into the nomadic lifestyle and confident in my abilities to navigate cities independently. In fact, I left Europe wishing I had given myself more time alone to truly immerse myself in these new places. Each challenging moment I faced allowed me to grow.
To those planning a solo trip to another country, I recommend giving yourself at least two weeks to explore — especially if it’s your first visit. After finding your footing that first week, the second week will feel even better.
When I’m alone, my headspace can make or break a trip. So, I learned to stay in the moment, celebrate small wins, and not dwell on mistakes.
My trip wasn’t perfect. There were times when I went to the wrong train station, got caught in the rain, and struggled to sleep. Dwelling on these mishaps made it harder to overcome them and get back to enjoying myself.
Early in my travels, I made a conscious choice to push through and focus on what I could control, like buying an umbrella, arriving at stations early, and taking extra time to sleep. These small wins boosted my spirits.
When I arrived in Vienna on an overnight train from Berlin, I was exhausted and hadn’t slept. I knew I needed rest, but I couldn’t check into my Airbnb until 3 p.m. I started going into random hotels to book a room. By the third hotel, I had booked a safe, comfortable place to doze.
I framed this as a small win to celebrate. I got out of my head by focusing on positive problem-solving and found exactly what I needed.
My trip was full of little victories like this, from finally getting to my Airbnb in Neustrelitz on the day I arrived in Berlin to finding a delicious food cart next to a park while exploring Vienna.
Being dehydrated and tired made it harder for me to stay positive. I learned that it’s important to prioritize health when traveling solo.
Sleep makes everything better.
That last-minute hotel booking in Vienna changed everything. When I first got to the city, I didn’t notice how it looked or felt because I was so exhausted.
After some much-needed rest, I remembered why I was there and felt a new wave of excitement about my travels. I could appreciate where I was and take in the architecture surrounding me.
Getting sleep also made me feel more in touch with what my body needed. As soon as I woke up in the hotel, I chugged my water bottle while trying to remember the last time I’d had anything to drink. I realized that I must have been so dehydrated. From then on, I took every opportunity to fill my bottle.
I learned that it’s easy to pack exploration into every hour without planning for rest when visiting a new country for just a couple of days. But without it, I couldn’t enjoy myself. Staying in good health became a priority for the remainder of my travels.
Language barriers can make communication tricky, but I’ve found that smiles and gestures go a long way.
While living in New York City constantly exposes me to foreign languages, I rarely communicate with people who don’t speak English.
In Europe, I encountered more language barriers than ever before. But that didn’t hold me back as much as I thought it would, thanks to gestures and body language.
At first, I wasn’t confident about communicating in different languages, and I approached people nervously, making it harder for me to ask for help when needed.
When I started with a smile, people seemed more eager to help me. From checking out at markets and stores to asking for directions on the train, locals communicated across language barriers using gestures, such as pointing to things around the room.
The time difference made it hard to stay connected with my loved ones. I learned to schedule calls instead of hoping our free time would overlap.
I never used to schedule calls on trips. I just called my loved ones whenever I got a chance. However, traveling to a very different time zone made me realize that staying in touch would take effort.
On this trip, I was six hours ahead of New York, which meant I was already asleep by the time my people got home from work each night.
So I called loved ones during their lunch breaks, around 6 or 7 p.m. my time. This helped me feel less lonely during my trip since I didn’t know anyone in Germany or Austria.
Ultimately, I found that traveling solo in other countries makes me appreciate the times when I’m traveling with a buddy even more.
Traveling solo in new countries is hard but rewarding. I learned a lot about myself and pushed through uncomfortable situations, which made me feel like a stronger person coming out of the trip.
It also made me appreciate traveling with someone else in new ways. When problems arise, I feel grateful for someone to solve them with. I take advantage of all the things I miss out on when traveling alone by initiating conversations, like daily recaps and deeper discussions about our perspectives on the destination we’ve chosen together. I cherish little moments, like sharing a meal and saying goodnight.
If you had asked me if I’d travel alone through Europe again in the middle of my first week, I probably would have said no way. But now that I’ve been through it, I’m more confident than ever that I could do it again and would enjoy it even more.
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