Going away for a city break is always exciting. I love exploring new cities in new countries, taking in the surroundings and experiencing the new cultures. There’s so many places that I want to visit, especially in Europe – I have a massive list! I’ve taken a few trips with friends, but right now all of my friends are in relationships. I’m the only one who is free single and I have been for the majority of the last five years, so I don’t have an instant travel partner. This bothered me a bit until I realised that I could actually travel alone. In June 2015, I booked a week off work and spontaneously booked flights to Amsterdam. I stayed in a female only hostel and had the time of my life and this is where my love for solo travel started.

Since Amsterdam in 2015, I’ve taken a few other solo trips including a trip to Germany and the Netherlands (Dusseldorf, Cologne and Amsterdam again), Berlin and Newquay. I have also been away with friends, I’ve explored Paris several times, travelled to Cologne again and I’ve taken a couple of trips to Spain but there are so many cities left on my travel wishlist. I’ve decided that 2018 is the year I finally cross some of these cities off my list and I’ve booked some flights. Next weekend, I’ll be flying to Luxembourg and exploring Luxembourg City for a few days. Then in June, I will be flying to Krakow, going on to Budapest and then Bratislava before flying back to London.

Why I love travelling solo

When you’re travelling on your own, you don’t need to worry about keeping anyone else happy. You can do things at your own pace and visit whatever monument/museum you want to. You can eat wherever you like and you don’t have to wait around for anyone who’s walking slow. When I went to Amsterdam for the first time I was walking 20,000+ steps a day. I also managed to visit at least three museums a day. After four days, I managed to fit in almost everything I wanted to see and it was wonderful. When you’re travelling alone, you can take breaks whenever you want. You can sit by the canal eating a waffle and watch the world go by. Whatever you want to do, it’s up to you!

Tips for travelling alone

If you want to go on holiday as a single traveller, you shouldn’t be scared or nervous. Here are my top tips for travelling alone.

• Research the area before you go. Make sure you know what you want to do and try to plan how you will get there.
• Read up on where you are staying. Check places like TripAdvisor for reviews before you book somewhere to stay. Don’t go for anywhere that has three stars or less!
• Go for female only rooms. If you’re a female solo traveller and you choose to stay in a hostel, go for one that offers female only rooms. I have never stayed in a mixed dormitory when I have been travelling by myself and I’ve always felt safe.
• Make sure you get travel insurance. This is important whether you’re travelling alone or not, but you should definitely make sure you have travel insurance. You will need to keep a note of whatever numbers you need to call in an emergency as well.
• Take a tripod. If you’re worried about not getting any photos of yourself in front of famous landmarks, just take a little tripod with you. I’ve bought myself a Joby gorillapod which I’ll be using when I go to Luxembourg next week. You can always ask a passer by to take a photo of you too.
• Keep in touch. Although solo travel is fun, your friends and family back home might be worried about you. Always make sure you check in with them during your trip so that they know you’re safe. It’s a good idea to give them details of where you are staying as well as your flight information.

Have you ever travelled alone? Where are your favourite places to visit?