travelling alone

Martha, I'm in a somewhat similar situation, and celebrated my retirement earlier this year by embarking on a longer-than-usual holiday in Europe, which included a RS tour of Greece and the Pelopponese as well as time on my own in Switzerland, France and Germany. Most places in western Europe offer similar degrees of "navigation and safety", so anywhere you choose should be fine. A more important question would be what countries/cultures are you most interested in seeing? Travelling somewhere primarily on the basis of "safety" may not be as enjoyable if you're not interested in the sights in that area. Were you travelling solo on your previous visits to Ireland, London and Paris? It would help to have some idea on: > Which countries are you most interested in seeing? > Do you have an "special interests" (ie: art, architecutre, etc.) > How long will you be travelling for? > When are you planning to take this trip? Good luck with your planning!

How about Scotland, we loved it, especially Edinburgh and since I assume this might be first time alone, it is very safe, no language problems and lovely B&B's. Where ever you go, good luck.

The English countryside, and towns outside of London. Obviously the language is a lot easier, and some wonderful sights to see. But you will probably be fine in Europe too.

How about Belgium and the Netherlands? Lots of interesting, low key places to explore and minimal language obstacles. Super safe and excellent transportation options.

Martha - The first solo trip I took was a mini tour of Austria, from west to east, ending up in Vienna. As a solo woman traveler, I found all my bus and rail connections easy and convenient, scores of low cost accommodations, and a warm welcome wherever I went. Since then, I have traveled extensively all over Germany, and I never felt confused or over-whelmed by it all, being by myself. I totally understand your concerns. If you've never been there, a trip through the German and Austrian Alps would be well worth it, and very easy to plan.

Salzburg and Munich. Why? Close together and easy peasy to connect by train. Lots to see in both. Easy to navigate Salzburg and plenty of easy daytrips either by guided bus tour or on your own. Decent weather most times of the year. Most folk that you meet will not find your English a barrier. They are beautiful; the surrounding areas are too. And you can get to a fairytale castle. Congratulations on your independence...

kpf - two minds with a single thought...

Good one, James! I've never been to Birmingham.....

On my first big trip to Europe I was alone for most of the time and went to 7 countries (mostly big cities and capitals) and had no problem anywhere. I felt completely safe everywhere and found the public transport easy to navigate and convenient. I felt particularly safe and welcome in Copenhagen, where English is very widely spoken. I have always found Italy very solo-friendly, that's the country that really stole my heart and I keep going back, currently planning my third solo trip, so I am a little biased, but Vienna alone was fine, Amsterdam was fine, etc. While I was with a friend in both Lisbon and Barcelona, I am hopign to return to both, probably alone, in the near future. What are your interests, and what are you hoping to accomplish/do/see on your trip? I really think you'll be fine almost anywhere and you are probably better off picking a destination based on your own personal interests. You might do well to grab rick's "Best of Europe" book from the library or leaf through it at a bookstore and read about all of the "top" european destinations and see what sounds good to you. Everyone here will have our own favorites and suggestions but it's ultimately your trip and your money! Wherever you decide to go, I'm sure you'll have a great time!!

I have to agree that Salzburg makes a great base for touring. It is one of my favorite places. Scotland is also a wonderful place to explore. Easy to get to, good rail and bus service. Lots to see and do and a variety of city/rural places to see.

I'm going to second Scotland. One of things that I like about Scotland is that the people are friendly. You can understand them despite the burr, except for some occasions in Glasgow! ; ) It's easy to get around, beautiful scenery, easy to go out even at night on your own. And there are lots of day trips you can take to meet people if you want some conversation. Stay in B&B's or in small family hotels. Pam

I know you have been to Paris before, but I suggest returning there on your own, and hanging out in a familiar place exploring it further. I have done this twice and loved it. It feels almost like returning home. When traveling by myself I feel more comfortable re-visiting a place I'm already familiar with, though I can see the excitement of discovering a new place as well.
If you want new, I suggest hanging out in the lovely little hill town of Cortona Italy.

For lodging, try "smoothhound.com. I think it is mostly the UK, but not sure. It lists b&b's, cost, star rating, etc. We have used it for UK and never disappointed.

"...an easy first destination to travel alone in regard to navigation and safety..." The mostly law-abiding Germans don't have the street thievery that is more common in Paris and Southern Europe, and the train system, with something like 5,500 stations, is both extensive and dependable. Germans speak English more fluently and more often than the French, the Italians, or the Spanish. The only other places that might compare in terms of ease of travel and safety are Switzerland, Austria, the Benelux countries, and Scandinavia.

i think russ is pretty right on. i have traveled alone to europe since i was 34, i am now 50. yeah i am a guy, but pretty scrawny and not too scary. it is good if they speak alot of engilsh (holland, belgium, germany, ireland, scotland, etc...) safety is good almost everywhere, be careful in parts of (romania, hungary, czech republic, russia) it could be unsafe anywhere, anytime if you let it happen. to me the dutch, the irish and the germans were the most helpful. no disrespect to the french, the spanish and the italians, but that is my sense. you will be fine, and have a great time. have fun, be safe.

If your trip will be between May and October, and you have at least 10 days, and you would like to see something totally different I would recommend Greece. Specifically, I'd suggest a few days in Athens and about a week on the island of Lesvos, at the Hotel Votsala. It's the most fun, interesting place and would be perfect for a single traveller. You can fly there and back from Athens. Food is wonderful and inexpensive. You can take optional guided excursions. I love the place, obviously. PM me or look it up on Trip Advisor for more details.

Italy or Spain would be good choice. I have travelled both on my own and had a great time. The trains were easy to use and the people were great. I speak junior high French and was able to understand a little Italian and Spanish since they all have the same base. But I had no problem finding someone who speaks English. I added a tour to my Spain trip to Morocco. This was the best of both worlds. Two weeks on a tour in Morocco and three weeks on my own in Spain. While I loved Spain Italy is the place I would go to over and over. Wendy