What I Wish I’d Known Before Solo Traveling Through Europe

Article Summary:

• For nearly two months at the age of 21, I solo traveled for the first time through Europe. I was happy-go-lucky when I should have been much more prepared.
• Safety is a major aspect of solo traveling, especially as a female. There are some major do’s and don’ts of the game.
• Budgeting, packing, and planning lead to success. I set myself up for failure more times than not — but you can learn from my mistakes and avoid the ugly side of solo travel.

In my opinion, solo travel is one of the most impactful and profound ways to see the world. I experienced the best and most memorable times of my life when I was just 21 in Europe. 

I met new people in brand-new places without any set plans. I visited 10 countries in 7 weeks all by myself. But it wasn’t always a fairytale. Young and without any solo travel experience, I blindly and very optimistically went into my travel adventures with a stupid level of naivety. 

Most of my negative experiences could have been avoided if I’d used my head and resources. In hindsight, I put myself in some dangerous situations.

However, I learned from my mistakes and now, I’ll share them with you so you don’t have to experience the ugly side of solo travel through Europe. Come along as I reminisce on everything that went wrong during my adventure.

Here’s What I Should Have Done…

Listened to My Gut

One of my first nights alone in Europe was in a 30-bed hostel in Prague. You read that right: 30 BEDS IN ONE ROOM!!! It was a dirt cheap place to stay, just $9 a night. But man, did it give me the heebie jeebies. It was dark, dank, and had a very unsettling energy to it.

A man stared at me from his bed the moment I settled into my bunk across from him. I’m not exaggerating when I say he would not stop staring for over an hour. 

I was extremely uncomfortable — not just with him, but with the entire 30-bed scenario. I felt like I was in a hospital, with strangers hacking and sneezing all around me.

To my dismay, the man eventually approached and asked if I’d like to visit his apartment in Paris. I kindly declined, but he tried to convince me with photos. What he showed me looked like a psych ward: white walls, white floors, white beds, and no windows. He kept asking me to go with him after his trip to Prague. Not the most enticing offer, let me tell ya.

I cried on the phone to my mom on the curb outside before calling it quits. I was at that hostel for only four hours before booking an Airbnb. I just couldn’t do it. I should have listened to the customer reviews online.

The weird man, the crowded bunkroom, the darkness — it was all too much. And even though the Airbnb was $100 a night, it was worth every penny to feel safe and comfortable in my own space.

What I wish I’d done differently was listen to my gut. I felt uneasy the minute I got to that hostel, but I ignored my intuition. 

In doing so, I soured my initial perspective of solo traveling. In my head, this was how it was going to be for the rest of my trip (which was luckily, not the case).

I learned very quickly that when solo traveling, it is inherent to get into uncomfortable situations. Outside forces press in a little harder with no one to accompany you. 

However, you can minimize this discomfort with where you stay and with whom you associate. You need to be prepared for people to recognize that you’re alone and keep your wits about you so that you can stay out of strange or dangerous situations. And definitely keep away from weirdos like the guy at my hostel.

Ruthie’s article on hostel tips for first-timers would’ve come in handy.

Done My Research

I’m someone who coasts off the group’s ideas when I travel. I won’t do so much as look at a photo of where I’m going if someone else is making the plans. The less responsibility, the better.

When I went solo in Europe, I missed out on a ton of history because I didn’t even know where or what I was getting into. I was so used to having plans made for me that I didn’t even know where to begin researching on my own.

I scheduled a tour of Auschwitz when I visited Kraków, Poland, something I had always wanted to see. But there was so much more history to the concentration camp that I simply wasn’t aware of because I didn’t do my research. 

And I hate to admit it, but I was also hungover from a bar crawl I’d done with my hostel the night before. I was an inconsiderate 21-year-old to my core.

I did a similar thing in Berlin, a city jam-packed with rich history and stark culture aside from the Berlin Wall. I didn’t even recognize the Brandenburg Gate as I stood before it. I just didn’t know what the hell I was doing.

I wish I had devoted time to learning the history of each place I visited. The mental preparation would’ve given me a much deeper appreciation for each destination. 

That is by far my biggest regret on my solo travels. Who knows if I’ll ever get the chance to return and redeem myself?

Now, I make sure to read about or watch a documentary on each place I travel to so I can immerse myself in my surroundings and have a valuable experience. 

The journey is so much more meaningful when you understand what you’re seeing. Educate yourself so you don’t feel like a dummy like I did.

Create a Realistic Budget

Create a budget for your solo travels. It’s very different from traveling with a group when you and your friends and family split hotels, and meals, and figure out what to do based on everyone’s wallet size. When it’s just you, you might ball out a little too hard like I did.

I worked three jobs before I went on my European adventure. I had more money saved than ever before, so I thought I was rich as hell. When I got to Europe, I treated myself like royalty. Think Michelin-star restaurants, bottles of wine to myself, and lavish picnics beside the Danube.

I didn’t know how to budget, so I just kept spending. I spent and spent until I literally had nothing left. My parents had to buy me my flight back to America because I fully ran out of money. I don’t know what I would’ve done if they hadn’t had the means to help me out.

I started my solo travels with an admirable chunk of cash. The fact that I blew through all of my savings in less than two months was shocking. I would never allow myself to spend the way I did then today.

Of course, I don’t regret what I did in Europe because I had a great time. But now, I allocate my funds responsibly so I don’t have to rely on my parents, or anyone for that matter, to get me out of a financial pickle. 

Where I stay and eat, what excursions I go on, and how I get from place to place are arranged with a wise budget.

Don’t Just Pack Light — Pack Right

My wardrobe was a bust for my solo travels. I thought a pair of Converse shoes would be perfect — they’re lightweight, packable, and fashionable. What more could I need?

That was the only pair of shoes I brought with me when I packed for Europe. I visited every museum, park, and major landmark in each city on foot. This required a lot of movement. I didn’t realize that I would be walking 10 miles a day through steep hills and cobblestone streets.

My Converses got holes in the soles so big I was basically barefoot just halfway through my trip. I was so stubborn about spending money on shoes (I told myself money was for food and experiences only) that I wore them for the rest of the trip. 

I’m pretty sure my feet still have issues because of how much I walked through Europe with zero arch support.

If you’re traveling on foot, pick the right pair of shoes. I wish our solo travel packing list existed before I left for Europe! Don’t worry about what looks cool or what matches your outfits. Wear sturdy walking shoes that are built to last. Your feet will greatly appreciate the support.

Don’t under-pack like I did, either. If you didn’t notice, I’m wearing the same outfit in nearly every photo in this article. Those leggings and that blue jacket got abused. 

It was a pain constantly visiting laundromats, but I had nothing else. Pack several pairs of the same reliable pieces and you’ll be good to go.

Keep That Phone Charged

Don’t forget to charge your phone! I took a six-hour bus ride from Kraków to Budapest. My phone battery was garbage to begin with (I think it was half a decade old). 

By the time I crossed the border to Hungary, my phone was long dead. Good thing my e-ticket and the directions to my hostel were on there!

I didn’t worry too much because I thought the bus route would be pretty straightforward. I was wrong. I asked the bus driver when I should exit, but he didn’t speak a lick of English. Neither did any of the passengers.

I blindly got off the bus at a stop that read “Budapest.” But as I collected my things and looked around, the bus rolling away from the stop, I realized I had no clue where I was. We were in the middle of a field with no sign of anything in either direction. I was baffled.

I asked more people at the bus stop where I should go, but I struck out again on English speakers. I repeated “Budapest, Budapest!” over and over, just to have people give me a thumbs up and an awkward smile. 

Finally, an older gentleman pointed down a road and gestured that I should just… walk? So that’s what I did. I was in panic mode at this point, but I didn’t know what else to do. 

I had no clue where I was, no phone, no portable charger, and even if I did, nowhere to plug it in in the middle of the grassy fields. I took the man’s word for it and started moving.

After nearly two hours of walking through light sprinkles of rain and potholed roads, I came to the outskirts of what I hoped was Budapest. 

I entered the nearest coffee shop and plugged my phone in, overjoyed to have working technology back in my hands. I was still a two-hour walk from my hostel.

I sat in the coffee shop until I had a full charge, then made my final trek to the hostel. It turns out I got off the bus about a full hour from when I should have. 

Had I not been an idiot and purchased a portable charger, I wouldn’t have been in such a sticky situation. Hell, who knows what could’ve happened to me in the middle-of-nowhere Hungarian countryside?

I learned a valuable lesson that day: technology only works if it’s on! I didn’t think about how there might not be charging ports on the bus or at the bus stop. 

I desperately needed my phone to figure out where I was going, and without it, I was utterly lost. These days, I never leave the house without a full charge on my phone and my portable charger.

Homesickness is Real

Traveling solo can get lonely. It’s not always that way, but there will be moments when you’re going to miss the people you left behind. That’s just the human experience.

When I first started my trip, most of my friends back home were graduating from college. I was so sad about missing their celebrations that I spent the majority of my time in Berlin and Prague moping around the streets feeling sorry for myself. 

I remember thinking, “Why am I here all by myself while the people I love are back home celebrating? I should be there.” 

After wallowing in self-pity for a while, I realized how lucky I was to be doing this. I’d dreamed of solo traveling my whole life, and here was my moment. That mindset change gave me a whole new wave of completely different emotions. I was a bit of a mess.

It’s important to realize that it’s okay to feel lonely. Even when you’re in an incredible place doing something amazing, it still might not feel right. 

You might not always enjoy yourself because you miss home, or because you feel overwhelmed by the vastness of the world. But getting homesick is totally normal.

Recognize how you feel on your solo travels versus when you travel with others. Then, you can learn how you travel best. 

You might prefer sharing your experiences with a group. Maybe you require exploring at your own pace to get the most out of your journey. It’s all about finding out what you like. That’s the beauty of solo travel.

I Still Solo Travel — But I Learned That More Often, I Prefer Experiencing Destinations with Others

I credit solo travel for who I am as a traveler today. I learned more about myself than I ever did before my seven weeks of traveling alone in Europe. I found that I most appreciate the camaraderie of sharing my travel experiences with my loved ones.

It was hard to return home and talk about my adventures only to see people’s eyes glaze over as they lost interest in my stories. I didn’t blame them — hearing about a trip is nothing like being there and experiencing it yourself.

For me, reminiscing with others is the best part about traveling. 

But I am still a huge proponent of solo travel. I go somewhere by myself every year or so just to realign with the world and get away from the chaos of everyday life. 

My last solo trip was to Belize, and it changed my life. Solo travel is a necessity for me, and it might be for you, too.

***

Now, you know everything I wish I’d known before solo traveling through Europe. My hope is to prepare you for your own solo travels because I certainly wasn’t prepared for mine. 

I experienced the hard sides of solo travel when I was 21 and clueless, and I’m grateful for the lessons I learned. I hope that my experiences inspire and encourage you on your solo adventures wherever they may take you. Don’t get into too much trouble out there!