I’m 63 and I’ve travelled solo in 14 countries – here are my best tips
If you want inspiration and advice on the joys of travelling alone, travel writer Joanna Moorhead gives her expert guidance – and urges you to give it a try.
If you want inspiration and advice on the joys of travelling alone, travel writer Joanna Moorhead gives her expert guidance – and urges you to give it a try.
Waking up in a new city, with a day of unfettered exploration ahead – no-one else to please, no expectations to fulfil, no agenda to follow – is one of the greatest joys of my life.
Solo travel is something you either get or you don’t: but if your heart jumps at the possibility of an adventure that is truly your own, curated in your own way and experienced without the judgement of others, I’d urge you to give it a try.
After more than 35 solo trips to 14 countries over the last 20 years, here are my top tips for how to have the best time – without wishing anyone else was there too.
As on any holiday, where you stay is paramount. Hotels can be fun but it can also feel lonely to be surrounded by couples and families. For three nights or more, consider renting an apartment.
I’m just back from a solo trip to Rome. I stayed in a flat with a sitting room/kitchen and double bedroom and – best of all – a large roof terrace overlooking the crowded Campo de' Fiori, one of my favourite spots in the Eternal City.
It felt delicious to be able to dip into the busy square below for a drink or an ice cream, before retreating to my own private oasis. And all this cost less than a single room in a nearby hotel.
Eating out is a must on any holiday. I tend to eat a late breakfast and then have my main meal in a restaurant mid-afternoon. Most places are less busy then, so you can enjoy being alone rather than feeling different.
It’s also easier to bag a good table, outside or on a terrace – and then you can enjoy watching the world go by. But keep a notebook or novel to hand in case you need to signal that you’re busy and would rather be left alone.
If you want to mix and meet with others – not obligatory – walking or special-interest tours (visit a winery or gin distillery, or take a guided art or history tour) can be a good bet. My modus operandi is not to plan specifically to meet others, but to always be open to conversations – at the supermarket till, with the waiter in a restaurant, even with the people at the next table.
Be watchful for clues as to whether they’re up for a chat or not, and trust your instincts about whether you want to talk to them. Human contact is life-enhancing – but you won’t want to chat to every human you encounter.
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Budgeting is always an issue. Solo travel has never been about luxury travel for me – I enjoy treating myself without spending a fortune. My main money-saver is to almost always use public transport: taxis are expensive, especially when they have just one paying occupant.
Single rooms in pricey hotels can be a good buy: they’re often a lot cheaper than doubles, and if you enjoy the vibe of the bar, restaurant, spa and other facilities, you can be on to a winner.
I often take the breakfast-free option at a hotel, which can save as much as £30 a day, and go out for coffee and a croissant in a cafe or take it back to my room.
Having said that, don’t be afraid to push the boat out a bit. This is a holiday, remember! I arrived in a hotel in the south of France a couple of years ago to find I’d been given a rather drab room facing onto a back courtyard.
The 40 euros a night I paid to upgrade to an airier room with a balcony overlooking the town square was worth every cent.
Ditto those cocktails I enjoyed on a Mexican rooftop: extravagant, but they gave me a memory I cherish.
You don’t need a plan or agenda of any kind: some of my best days on solo holidays have been spent wandering the streets of Venice or Paris, San Francisco or Madrid – following my nose on what I want to see, where I want to hang out, and what interests me.
I remember stopping for one drink in a leafy square in Lisbon, falling in love with the fado music being played there, and staying put for the whole afternoon. No-one else to consult or get on board: it was my choice, and I loved it.
Having said that, a project can also be a good basis for a solo holiday. On a trip to Cornwall a few years ago, I got interested in the story of the bal maidens, the women labourers of the tin mines. I bought a book about them and looked for information about them at the mines and museums I visited.
If you are considering going solo on a cruise, Saga’s sociable, smaller-sized ships are the ideal choice.
There’s a big selection of single cabins (book early as these are so popular), a wide range of activities to join and you’ll be invited to a “singles mingle” party and lunch to meet other solo guests.
Solo beach holidays can be a dream. Interruption-free days on a lounger with hours to gaze out to sea, swim and read a novel.
In Baja California last year I found a beach club I liked – a local one, low cost and offering everything I needed: I went back three days running.
Solo travel is about owning the experience. Sure, there are holidays you’ll love to share with others: but this is a holiday just for you. I don’t tend to post much on social media when I’m away – I do sometimes, but mostly I just lap it up for myself.
If you find yourself wishing you were away with your family or friends, remind yourself you will have those breaks another time: don’t wish this one away, lean into it and enjoy the things solo adventures bring. Be curious about the place you’re visiting, the others who are there, and the opportunities that present themselves.
I’ve danced in Dublin with a group of strangers I met in a bar; I’ve joined a jazz cruise off a harbour town in France; and in Italy last week I shared a fun evening with a woman I met when we both arrived at a museum ticket office at the same moment, only to be told we were too late to go in. Instead, we started chatting and then headed off to continue our conversation in a nearby bar.
On holiday on your own, nothing is a requirement – and anything is possible.
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