5 week Solo Trip to Europe May/June '15

Michael,

Congratulations on your (almost) graduation!

I think it's feasible to travel on your budget especially by staying in youth hostels and traveling via public transportation.

You will probably meet other young students who will also be traveling solo.

If you're an art major, you must go to Florence while you're in Italy!

What are your parents main concerns?

The fact that you will be traveling solo? Or the fact that you will be spending all your $?

Thank you Priscilla for your response! I think my parents are concerned about my safety being alone, the fact that I haven't really planned anything yet, and that I will run out of money while abroad. I have heard from several people that I will probably meet other students or people my age also traveling, so hopefully that is the case.

Michael,

I'm a parent of 3 young adults & I understand your parents, especially when you say this:

"the fact that I haven't really planned anything yet, and that I will run out of money while abroad"

I'd suggest you start researching your travel plans.
Start by reading this:

Tips for traveling solo: http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/trip-planning

You need to have an idea as to where you want to go and how much it will cost you.

If you have family in Rome, I'd take advantage of that & plan to stay there longer than 5 days.

You may be able to stay with them for a week or 10 days? While you're there, you may be able to take
day trips nearby.

You may also consider getting the book; 'Europe Through the Back Door'.

You will get some ideas here from others but ultimately you will need to do your own research.

Best of luck to you & happy planning!

Michael,
What a terrific opportunity! I was just looking at the hihostels.com site, and some of them look very tempting, even though I'm decades older than you. Traveling alone is a fine, fine thing, you do meet people as you go, and it's so easy these days to stay in touch through email. It's only natural to feel jumpy beforehand, but once you're actually on the road, you'll do great.

Hi Michael. I am. 50-something woman who loves to travel solo. Here are a few recommendations...

In Italy, I used Monastery stays.com in Venice, Florence & Rome. I searched through the properties ensuring I was able to walk or use public transport easily; some locations are far out of town. I made sure they had free or cheap wi-fi. They were great places which saved me a lot of $$. The rooms were a good size, Rome being the smallest.

I do a lot of web research before departing, making a bit of a plan for what Are my top priorities of must-sees or grocery stores. I do print off a lot of info, leaving behind the pages when I leave. It is all at home in my computer. Although I have a phone I travel with, I prefer paper to refer to, less chance of a pick-pocket trying to get my phone. It is handy for compass when out and about though. I have been more lost in Italy than anywhere ever, narrow winding streets, changing names of the street is common.

Pick-pockets are experts. I do suggest something like a neck or waist hidden wallet. This last trip I used a neck wallet but had it cross body, under my shirt. That worked well.

Do consider some walking tours; RS books recommends some. I did a couple in Florence that made such a difference, including much info in art and helpedto see highlighted paintings in a packed museum. Some museums I do on my own, RS has audio tours ehich I enjoyed.

Have a great trip.

You are going to be just fine in Europe! I started traveling to Europe when I was 18 years old, sometimes alone and other times not. $85 per day is tight but you can do it if you plan carefully. Your biggest expense will be traveling from city to city. You have plenty of time to plan how you will divvy up your $$; I wouldn't worry too much. Here are some things I have learned to save $$.
Get your food at grocery stores, not cafes and restaurants.
Use airbnb.com to find places to stay - many people rent inexpensive rooms in their homes and even let you sleep on their couches for not much $$. I did a quick search in Paris and came up with these shared room/private room listings. all for $50 or less per night. Some are quite cheap...just pay attention to the reviews and read carefully - I've stayed in people's homes in several countries and had great experiences!
If you are really adventuresome then try Couchsurfing. I haven't done this but have friends who have - they thought it was great.
Hostels are a great option but not always the cheapest especially in big cities. Many of them do offer some sort of breakfast though which can save some $$.
If I think of anything else I'll post again...have fun planning!

Good for you!! Go and enjoy. Thousands of people in their late teens and 20's travel in Europe on their own. I think staying in hostels is best. Use a site like hostelworld.com to find hostels. They have detailed descriptions of each place and reviews from people who've stayed there. The dorm rooms are pretty cheap. I think you'll need a lock for the lockers to safely store your stuff. While most people are pretty honest, you can never be sure, so even if you just leave for a few minutes to shower, lock up all your valuables. Staying in hostels, you'll be able to mingle with lots of other people, truly from all over the world, find people to hook up with for a walk, a day, or even a few days. You'll get lots of advice on everything from them - how to get around in your next destination, where to get cheap food, how to use the local trams! Many (most?) hostels have free wifi and some provide a few computers for general use, so you'll be able to keep in touch with your family and lower their concerns.

If you don't have one, invest in a good compact camera and maybe a waterproof pouch (for taking showers :-) . You will want to take lots of photos, so you will probably want a couple extra memory cards and a spare battery is a good idea too.

As an art history major, you may want to skip the south of France and go to Spain instead. Madrid has superb art museums, not just the Prado, and the art and architecture of Andalusia are wonderful too.

I agree with Priscilla, don't skip Florence. You'll need 3 days just to see the best: Uffizi, Academia, Opera della Duomo (all the art from the Duomo is in the museum), the Bargello, the Medici Chapels, the churches . . . . Spend 2 days in Ravenna to see the fantastic 5th-6th century Byzantine mosaics.

If you are ready to lock into an itinerary, you can get budget flights . . . Paris to Madrid, then Seville or Granada to Italy (doesn't really matter where - nothing's more than a 2-3 hour train ride away), then back to Paris.

Great suggestions so far. Hostels may have shared kitchens or even provide inexpensive meals.

Look for city passes to get into as many museums as you can for little cost.

As your itinerary firms up, post again. I studied art history and visited cities based on a piece of art I wanted to see; for example, Sansepolcro and Arezzo are near Florence and have many works by Piero Della Francesca. Don't go to Paris without day tripping to Chartres. Nothing is as good as standing in front of the real thing.

Many great adventures and post again!

Michael,

I guess those free credit cards they give out during frosh year is burning a hole in your wallet?

Just some thoughts. how much was that "good deal" of a plane ticket. I ask because, for me and where i live, it has cost me approximately 1200+ USD round trip (r/t) just to get on dry land over there. So you can see where I'm coming from. Thats half your wish budget. Also, for me so far, I've been averaging 150~200+ USD/day including transportation for my travels since 2012. But I've been to more places than you want to go and some of them are more expensive. Chances are you booked R/T tickets so you may have to backtrack. Just a note, back tracking isn't good $$$ and time wise, but consider this your shakedown cruize and you are allowed to make a lot of mistakes just as you learn from them. I think you have learned several and you havent even left yet.

you may want to get Rick Steves "Europe though the back door" book and readup on whats what. there is even the Paris book along with other places. You can also look/get the Lonely Planet guides too and see how those work out. If you have any used bookstores in your area check those out too. Just because a book is one year old doesnt mean that most of the data is bad. Just be aware that times/cost and address can change since printed books dont.

Then planing is a piece of cake. If no one in college told you, "dont make anything harder than it already is" is one thing and the other is "knowing where to find the answer" is the 2nd. you have the www at your fingertips where as your parents didnt so that info wasnt as available.

Where to go:
I would make some prints of countries you would like to visit and go from there. you can buy a map of Europe or the counties/regions too. Laminated would be better so you can mark on them. Or just use google maps and print it at home. My geography sucks so i have to see it in real life to see patterns. Once you have a map, just start marking where you want to go. It doesnt have to be detailed but you need to see/read the city/town/village so you can figure out the logistics.

Lodging:
Hostels. didnt you spend time in a dorm while you were in college? Think of it as a cheaper version. But you can find in some Hostles single/double rooms but you pay more. If you're going to spend more time in a place, you may want to look at an apartment. It maybe less expensive in the long run, but i havent spent that much time to do so but others have. Are you going to spend more time in your room or out and about? think about where you want to spend your $$ and time.

Transportation:
Look at seat61.com for train info. Also, bahn.de (or .com) will get you to another train site. sometimes you won't see $$$, but you can see travel duration and stops and get an idea how long you will be sitting. I dont do bus, so i will let others speak on that. I will use them for short hops, but so far I've only used 1.

another site you can try is rome2rio.com. I only use it to look at the logistics and have not purchased any tickets from them, but it may give you an idea on what you're facing.

1 of 2

Happy trails.

2 of 2

Traveling SOLO;
Is it fun? This is subjective. Its like me asking you do you like Blonds, Redheads or Brunettes? Or do you like Football, Baseball or Hockey? By now you should have an idea on if you're a "people" person or not or a mix. Do you find yourself NEEDING to be with people 24/7/365? Can you spend 2~8 hours alone? Your trip is what you make of it. If you want to be alone, you can do so and probably find someplace too. If you want to go out and meet people, thats possible too. sometimes there are barriers that have to be overcome, but you will find that where ever you are.

I find that i notice my traveling SOLO when i sit down to eat a meal. Thats usually when I'm in the chill mode and have to wait for a menu, food and check. Most of the times i will go over/review the pictures i took, make notes of them in my notebook and review whats next. If there is a hot waitress i may chat with her or sometimes just chat with some other workers, but note that they are working and may not have the time whereas i will.

The fun part:
Since you are an Art/Architecture major, you are going to Love Paris since that is where a lot of the stuff you spent years learning will be. You have an opportunity to do what a majority of the AA majors dont so have a blast.

Just another comment. Since you are going into Paris, you may want to think about heading into London/UK too. Its only a 2h20m Eurostar train ride and if you book your tickets in advance, you can save some $$$. You can stay in dorm rooms in London too if you choose or go. they will probably be more expensive than you want, but I've use them 3x so far and all of my stays have been <100 USD per night including breakfast. Its closer to the 100 USD /night.

also dont think of this as your one and only chance to travel. Look at it as your first time out and getting your feet wet. Once you do it and learn the ropes, the others will be easier and you will know the "how to's" and not make the same mistakes you have now.

one last comment. If you learn to travel SOLO and can tolerate or enjoy it, you will find that "NEEDING" others to go won't bog you down. what you will also find out is that not everyone likes/loves to travel, want to plan a trip, has the $$$ and time to do so, has your likes/dislikes and may want YOU do to everything for them. Also, if you want to getup and go you can, if you want to stay longer admiring the Mona Lisa, you can. I find that traveling SOLO allows me to do things on my terms not someone else's.

happy trails.

Someone suggested skipping the south of France - absolutely don't skip it! I have spend a great deal of time there and am always amazed at the beautiful art and architecture especially in churches that is not well-known. There are some fabulous frescoes, paintings, mosaics, etc that you will encounter. Who knows, you might stumble across some unknown work that could be the basis for your graduate thesis or doctoral dissertation! There is also an amazing art scene in some of the small towns that have become havens for artists. The western part of the south of France from Montpellier on toward Spain is lovely and there is so much to see from an art history perspective.

Of course, the opportunities to see great art in Europe go on and on (and on), but a particular one to think about would be the Scrovegni Chapel in Padova, for the Giotto frescos. You would need to make advance reservations on their website.

Go for it Michael! Your budget is around dollars a day which will stretch further since you will be staying with family some of that time. I think that is a doable budget if you plan to stay at hostels, which is also a great way to meet people. I enjoy traveling alone. It does get lonely sometimes but you will encounter a lot of other travelers your age. If you start planning some concrete details of the trip, you may get more interest from your friends. If money is an issue for your friends, maybe they can join you for shorter legs of the trip.

Some general tips solo travel/budget travel (some of this is probably repeat)
-Don't pack more than you can comfortably carry around with you. You will have no one to watch your stuff if, for example, need to run to the bathroom in the train station
-hotels/hostels will be more expensive on the weekends. When possible, stick to the smaller, less expensive cities on weekends
-take advantage of free walking tours (or cheap walking tours) that many cities have. Great way to meet other people and learn the lay of the land.
-There are a lot of websites out there for booking hostels. I like booking.com and hostel world. Hostels are very basic as far as amenities. But they are generally safe and in central locations.
-In London, some universities offer budget rooms over the summer. Maybe the same is true of Paris and other cities?

Some things to ease the worries of your parents:
-Violent crime is much less in Europe than in the United States
-Free wireless is pretty abundant. So if you bring a smart phone or an I-pad you will be able to contact your family pretty frequently. When I travel solo, if I do not have free wifi, I send my mom one text message a day (25 cents with my carrier) to let her know city, location, general plan for the day. I also give her a copy of my general itinerary before I leave.
-It should be very reassuring that you have family in Rome. If you need to get to them, or they need to get to you, that shouldn't take too long.

Have a great trip! Whether friends join you or not, I think you will have a great time.

Hi,

Great that you're going over solo at 21, a great time in life. So did I, alone, at 21 in 1971. I'm glad I did the first trip solo. You learn.

Rule of thumb...don't wait for your friends to go. I didn't. You wait, chances are you end up not going. Then all that time will have been wasted since you could have taken that missed trip that never materialised thanks to your friends. My folks were, admittedly, pretty anxious when I went solo the first time for three months. . But now, if you are bringing electronic gear, you have instant communication, unlike then when the family had to wait 5 days for a postcard or an aerogramm.

Staying in hostels in dorm rooms is your cheapest option. I did and still do, depending where. It's also a great way of meeting other budget travelers, solo or not.

I think this is a brilliant time for your trip, right after graduation and the dollar is stong this year.

You have taken the first and hardest step committing to the trip with your airline tickets!
Congratulations!!

A circular route to accommodate RT Paris is so easy and fun to plan, especially for an Art History student.
Enjoy the research, pin down lodging for the first and last segments and both you and you're parents will gain confidence.

Enjoy the planning and the trip!

I agree with Fred that you don't wait for someone to go with. I thought I had a friend to go cycling thru Europe. He backed out. fortunately my brother was able to go. 4 years later I did the first of two solo cycling trips

I too agree about skipping the south of France at your age.

You should be visiting cities with lots of young adults--like Munich, Budapest, Prague. By staying in hostels in such cities, you'll find others like yourself to run with.

I'm sure your relatives in Rome would make sure you see the Borghese, and don't miss it. Reservations needed.

Most electronics (cell phone and laptop/ipad) don't need a converter, but you will need plug adapters. They can be bought at Walmart, Target or I have gotten them cheaply at Ace Hardware.

Have a great trip and don't forget to come back onto this website to post a trip review and let us know what you thought of Europe
and how the traveling solo was for you.

Mimi

Hi,

As pointed out, I went solo the first time for 12 weeks solo at your age. You learn not to rely on others, psychologically, or even physically if you are nervous as to personal safety, ie getting jumped in the streets. You learn how to travel solo, eg, being on guard. I don't mean being paranoid. You learn about yourself, how to cope and think. You see others of different nationalities of your age do it You don't need "any friends to join" you so that your trip can be enhanced. I take the view if others can do it, so can I, barring obviously health issues. Ask yourself: Why can't I travel solo? Be glad you have five full weeks to undertake this trip solo.

Mostly, I still travel solo but not exclusively as in my younger days. Some private, independent hostels do have an age limit, usually to 35. The HI hostels do not. You get used to staying at hostels, which have an additional advantage: laundry facilities so that you won't be limited to the room sink.

Michael
I always start my trip planning by figuring out what is on my 'must see' list. This is the 'research' part that a lot of us here enjoy so much. I then look for festivals or holidays that might be awesome and try to work them into my plan. It sounds like you are going to be in some great areas so the must see list will probably be really long and may need to be edited. I was a little bit younger than you my first trip to Europe but now ten years later the memories I have are of people and experiences, not things. I remember getting my hair cut in LeHarve, France, drinking beer with Belgians (all in their special glasses), and getting a hotel room (and a sandwich) in Caen, France at midnight where there was no common language. I don't remember there being any canals in Amsterdam, or anything other than the Hermitage has a lot of art. So don't sweat it if you can't make it to everything you want to, or can't afford everything. You will find that there are hostels almost everywhere and most of them have lots of people around your age interested in meeting new people and exploring new places on the cheap, and usually at least a few people interested in partying like the locals. After your first or second hostel you probably will have recomendations on where to go next or where to stay. Think of hostels like a big dorm room or a room in a frat house; the floor might be sticky, there might be alcohol or marijuana in the open, and you will probably make friends with people from all over the world. If you would like to avoid the party atmosphere look at online reviews to avoid the major party places.
My parents worried when I was gone as well. I think that giving them an outline of where I am going helps, as well as where I will be staying on a given night. WiFi is becoming more common and it's easy to fill them in as you travel. Sometimes a call home helps calm parents as well, just leave out the crazy parties. You will probably be safer in Europe than at home.
Travelling solo is much more fun than travelling with a partner. You can do what you want to, and don't have to worry about making your travel partner mad if you spend 45 minutes or 10 hours at the Lourve. Over the course of 5 weeks this can break marriages and kill friendships (or make them stronger). It makes you more approachable to locals, and forces you to break out of your comfort zone and talk to other people. You will find (usually for me at the begining of a trip) that you have a period of lonliness and 'what did I do to get myself into this' feeling. For me it's usually cultural overload and exhaustion and is cured by a good nights sleep and slowing down. Changing location also helps if an area just doesn't fit you. It always passes within the next day or two.
Pack everything you want to take (I like an internal frame backpack that fits under the carry on limit) then wear it for at least 2 hours while walking, climbing stairs, and moving around. Some people walk around the block or run errands like this but I usually do it around the house. The tendency is to overpack and you will pay in the metro ride from CDG to your hostel. Anything that you 'forget' can be purchased in Europe.
Don't miss the Borghese gallery in Rome, it's the best art museum I have been to. Runners up are the Orsay in Paris and Uffizi in Florence.
Sorry for the long reply, I think you will have a wonderful trip planned already

I'm glad to hear from a young traveler who's going for history and art, not just beer and beaches. It's not necessary to lock in every step of the plan. But the more you read and prepare now, the more confident both you and your parents will feel. Don't be like me, barely calling my parents once in 5 weeks. Send them regular emails or web postings. Even if you plan to stay in hostels, which aren't the main focus of Rick's books, my % best advice is to read and bring Rick Steves' latest guidebooks for Paris, Provence/Riviera, and Italy. The France book has more other regions, but the Provence/Riviera has more coverage of that region.

See more tips on this site: http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips.

Your school no doubt has a study abroad program. The kids in it have spent months in Europe, traveling with friends and alone. They probably have regular meetings to try and encourage other kids to sign up for the program. Go to one of the meetings. Not to sign up for the study abroad program, but to get some tips and advice from those peers of years that have already done it. Rick Steve's "Europe through the back door book" is also a good introduction to travel planning.

The problem you face isn't what to see, it's what to leave out! Over the years we have spent time that adds up to much more than five weeks in Europe, and there's still so much we have never seen. A pair of books to give you some other ideas about what college age kids have done is Rick's "postcards from Europe" book and also Bill Bryson's "neither here nor there".

Michael,

If your parents are worriers, theres not much you can do, its them.

but you can do the e route and email them everyday, but you can also use the postal services and mail post cards back home. I do it all the time for my trips. I also pre print address labels so i dont have to write it and using a printed label is easier and readable.

happy trails.

Hello everyone,
I can not thank everyone enough for your extremely enlightening and beyond helpful tips, advice, and suggestions! I apologize for the delayed response, but I have been reading everyone's replies. I will definitely use and take into account everything that everybody said. I really appreciate you all taking the time to reply and help me out on my upcoming trip! I will keep everyone updated and post any more questions that I am sure I will have! Thanks again!!!!
-Michael

Michael, if your parents are worried about you running out of money on your trip, you could tell them how to make deposits into the checking account you will be using for ATM withdrawals ... either that will reassure them that they can bail you out if needed OR they will quiet down so you don't start considering that a realistic option ;-)
Parents worry -- it's in the job description. But we learn to handle it. As noted by others, a short "I'm in xxx . " message every few days makes things easier for everyone.

Hello Michael. If you can spend a total of $ 3000. at Europe, in a total of approximately 35 days, you can spend an average of $ 85. each day. To help insure that you will not run out of money when you are at Europe, I suggest that you choose one of these options :
1) Change the date for your flight returning to the U.S.A. to an earlier day. You would pay money (a fee) to the airline for changing your airline tickets. Thus, you would be at Europe less than 35 days.
2) When you are at Europe, avoid long distance travel in railroad trains. And I guess you can not afford an airline flight within Europe. Do not travel in more than three countries in Europe. You said you will go to France and Italy. I suggest : try to also go to Austria.
* I guess : you will not wish to stay at Rome for more than five days, because riding in the METRO (underground trains) in Rome is a stressful experience. Rome is a stressful city.
* As a general advice, I think if a person will be on vacation in Europe, travelling solo for 35 days, it is best to not make plans for every day and every night. When you will be at Europe, you might be informed of a place that you would like to be at several days, and you could afford it. That place might be in Austria. But, because you can not spend much money, I advise you, before traveling from your home, to reserve a bed in Hostels for every night that you will be at Europe (except for your free accomodations with family). Very very very many people will be travelling in Europe, sleeping in Hostels, the days you will be at Europe. When you will be over there, you could change your travel plans. You could cancel your reservation at a Hostel (via E-mail ?). Reserve a bed at an other place, before you cancel a reservation that you have.
* Being a vegabon at Europe for five weeks can be a wonderful experience. Items to bring : Your primary bag should be of carry-on size (for airplanes). I suggest : the total weight of your bag when fully loaded be not heavier than 12 pounds. I do not put shoes in a bag. Some travelers do not bring extra shoes. They bring an extra pair of insoles. If the insoles in shoes are wet from sweat, they replace those wet insoles with the dry and clean insoles. I guess you will not bring a sleeping bag to Europe (if you will not bring check - in baggage for the airplanes). I recommend : bring a sheet sack (cotton sleep sack, available from Rick Steves' business in this internet web site). When I am at Europe, I carry a shoulder bag (not more than 10 inches wide) nearly all of the time. My shoulder bag, loaded, has light weight. In my shoulder bag is a Nalgene bottle for water, and my camera, and my Journal book (diary), and a pair of clean socks and one clean undershirt (some days, when the weather is warm). I write in my Journal book, more than once in each day. When I planned to write in my journal book in the evenings, that did not happen, some evenings, because I was busy doing other tasks. When I think of a thought or experience or name or information to write in my journal book, I write it in my Journal book, at any place I am at : in a bus, or in a train, or in an airplane, or in an art gallery, or when I am standing outside on a sidewalk. And I carry a small tape recorder, for recording my talking. Do you own a small digital recorder for recording your talking ? And I like recording the sound of people talking in European languages, and European people talking in the English language.
* Plan to have a day for resting, in each seven days. In a city, look for a park where you could lay down on the grass.
*Drink much water, every day. I suggest : do not buy any beer in Europe. Spending money for beer would not be a good use of your money. I carry Chamomile. I make Chamomile tea, using hot water. Drinking Chamomile tea can eliminate a person's feeling of suffering from stress.

I found Rome to be fun and not stressful at all, and the Metro was easy and cheap. If you have 35 days, use them. You may never get the chance to spend this long on vacation again unless the US changes its' policy in the future to match the rest of the world on vacation allowances.

Divide your 3000$ up into 5 weeks so you can see how much you can spend per day. Check prices for hostels, make lunch your main meal of the day and learn to love ethnic food. Big cities are going to have the most hostels and a wide variety of cheap food. Go grocery shopping for meal items you can put together yourself. If you stay in central areas, you may not need public transport at all. Most hostels are going to run about 15-19 euro per night and often include breakfast. Subtract that amount from your 3000$ to see what you have left for museum entry fees and meals.

As an art history major, you might want to add Berlin to your trip. The city is chock full of art. Dresden would also be good, and Frankfurt would be a great possibility too. The Staedel in Frankfurt is holding a huge Monet exhibit beginning in March. Any place in Germany is going to be a heck of a lot cheaper than London which is very pricey.

May is not very far away, so you need to get some of your train and plane fares locked into place soon while they are still cheap. You could do a train from Paris to Frankfurt for 39 €, then Frankfurt to Berlin for 39 €, Berlin to Rome, I would fly.

Read the info on scams and pickpockets. Nothing can spoil a trip more. An young employee of mine was caught in a scam in Greece that could have have been serious but he had was able to get out of it without much of a loss. A 50ish couple I know were pickpocketed in Rome causing a major headache. Be knowledgeable and aware, but don't obsess about it.