How to Travel Solo (And Why You Should)

It starts quietly. Maybe it’s a tired kind of quiet, the kind that sneaks up on you when life feels overly scheduled, overly shared. Or maybe it’s the thrilling kind, the silence just before a spark. One day, you find yourself staring at a map, a flight deal, or a train route, thinking, “I could go.” Not “we” – “I.”

Solo travel is a love letter to your own curiosity. It’s written one ticket, gas-lit street, and sunrise at a time. If you’ve ever wondered if you could do it – be alone in a new city, sit by yourself for dinner, or navigate the world with no one to lean on but yourself – know that you can. And you definitely should.

Why Go Solo at All?

This is, perhaps, the most personal question. Why go alone? Well, one reason is that, in solitude, you meet your truest self. No one else on this earth can hand you the kind of clarity that comes from walking through the world on your own.

Solo travel lets you rediscover the version of yourself that often gets buried beneath routines and expectations. When you’re on your own, there’s no one to entertain or impress, and no one to make compromises with. It’s just you, choosing your own rhythm, writing your own story.

Let’s briefly savor the quiet joy of the “why,” then slip into the “how” – the part where intention becomes reality.

The First Time You Sit Alone at a Café

Your first moment alone in a café in, say, Rome will forever be etched in your mind. You’ll remember the heart the 80-year old man put in your cappuccino, the clink of the utensils, the warmth of the mug in your hands, and the way the light caught the steam. 

Fair warning: at times, moments like these might feel awkward, even a little sad. But, once you push past them, you’ll notice how present you are, how the moment stretches out and invites you to see more. Solo travel teaches you to inhabit yourself fully, to sit still in your own skin and savor life’s simple contentments.

The Beautiful Ache of Being Unknown

At home, you wear many different names: daughter, coworker, friend. Out here, you’re just a face in the crowd. And that’s freeing. When no one knows your history or habits, you get to meet yourself on new terms.

You’ll learn what pulls at your heartstrings when no one’s steering the day. Is it museums or markets? Long walks or lingering at a café? Do you talk to the shopkeeper or savor the quiet of being anonymous?

Being unknown can feel lonely, yes, but it’s also full of possibility. You’re not performing. You’re discovering. 

Okay! Now that you have a sense of what’s possible, let’s discuss how you can make it a reality.

Book the Ticket Before You Overthink It

This is the hardest part: deciding to go. But, once the flight is booked, everything else is logistics. Don’t wait for the perfect plan. There’s no such thing. It’s just a moment when your courage outweighs your hesitation.

Choose a place that excites you, even if it scares you a little. A walkable city, a seaside town, a tucked-away village? Go where your curiosity pulls. When you arrive, allow yourself to meander. The experience will shape itself around your willingness to show up.