Should I travel alone?

I have gone by myself and with others to Europe. Traveling alone has its issues but it also has its benefits. (You decide on the complete plan for the day instead of half it it etc). Only you can decide what is best for you but my feeling is there are only so many chances in life to do something you will never forget.

I am a fan of solo travel but the holidays do pose a problem. I generally have no issues dining alone but the thought of Christmas dinner in a restaurant alone, I'm not so sure about (esp. since I'm betting only nicer places or hotel restaurants will be open). I'd reschedule. $300 isn't that much for a ticket change. Solo travel can be just as affordable, if you stay in hostels (where you will easily meet others), so I'd go ahead and take the solo trip, but during a better time of year.

I agree that traveling solo on Christmas and New Year's is bound to be depressing. Worse, most of whatever city you happen to be in may be closed down, making transportation and meals a real problem. If it was me, I'd take the $300 hit and reschedule. Much better to pay the money than to spend three unhappy weeks in Europe.

Lisa, I have to agree with the others, and in the same circumstances I'd pay the $300 fee to reschedule. Especially at that time of year, most people are probably going to be spending time with family and friends, so you may be spending a lot of time by yourself. Some of the sights may be closed or operating at reduced hours, and restaurants may be closed. As someone else mentioned, staying in a Hostel might provide some company, but that's not a sure thing. I'm assuming that your friend knew that you'd already booked a flight to come for a visit, so it was very inconsiderate and "tacky" of him/her to put you in this position. One thought that occurred to me is that perhaps you could reschedule your flight and spend time with your friend and his/her family at their home in the U.S.! At least you'd get some "value" for the $300 fee, and would have your friend and the family to spend the holidays with. You could always book a Hotel near to their house if they don't have room for you. I'd suggest heading to Europe at another time when the conditions are more "favourable". Good luck!

It really comes down to whether you want to travel at that time of year by yourself. The weather can be pretty bad and many places are shut down. Plus during the holidays themselves a lot will be closed, including transportation. That just enhances the fact that you will be alone (unless you meet fellow travelers, which is very possible).

Hi Lisa. There's a section on this site where single travelers can look for other travelers to meet up with. Go to Graffiti Wall - Help! - European Travel Partners Wanted. If you want to take this trip, you can look for other travelers who will be in Spain (or other countries) during the time that you'll be there.

tell your friend not to be a flake. i'd be pretty pissed if i spent the amount necessary for a trip to europe and my "friend" arbitrarily changed plans on me.

In my youth I did some solo travel in Europe and enjoyed it. However, it was during Summer when the days were long and sunny, everything was open and I met other people along the way. Spain will most likely be cold and the days will be short. If it were me I would pay the fee and reschedule.

Personally, I would never consider a Christmas trip alone. It would just be too depressing for me, particularly if I would be constantly thinking about how the trip could have been different in the original circumstances. I'd pay the change fee and go another time.

If you do go think about staying in a hostel at least over Christmas. I am not sure about Europe but when i was in Australia over Christmas I meet people and we cook dinner together and had a great time. I did not feel lonley at all. But that is just me. I travel on my own most of the time. Wendy

Dear Lisa, Trying to read between the lines (perhaps assuming too much), you don't come across as adventuresome enough to go solo. This is not meant as being critical. I , for one, hate traveling alone, but do so for work. I would eat the $300.00 and reschedule.

you can plan your trip during the holidays around a special event in the country you are visiting: the xmas markets, a religious event or procession, special exhibits during this time period. or plan to volenteer in the country you are visiting during the holiday! contact the european equivalent of a group you enjoy here in teh usa. there may be some exchange programs going on during the holidays. try sabbatical homes and see if anyone has a home for rent for that week. you could be a local during the holidays. i had to work holidays for 10 years so I know you can survive the day. enjoy a great experience!

Lisa, if your friend agreed to host you over the holidays and then dumped you, I would not travel to his/her home in the states. Neither would I change travel plans to visit him/her at a different time. No way. I would consider Lee's recommendation and spread your wings a bit and perhaps learn a little about yourself on the journey. Look for Holiday events in the community, attend church to be around others, look into the availability of a hostel, look for a Christmas Market, go to the museums, visit art galleries, and any number of others activities. On Christmas Day, read a good book, take a walk, watch tv, eat Holiday Goodies, and relax for the day. I would not rent an apartment as my experience tells me you could spend a week in the same apartment and never see another person coming or going. In a Hostel or Hotel you know there will be some one there. I would also make sure my accomadations were in a central area where there is life and activity in the evenings and on the weekends.

I'm really surprised at a lot of these responses.. I just turned 26 and am planning to travel around Europe solo over my holiday break, it's just a question of where to go! I spent a a few weeks travelling in Europe last year by myself, it was the first time I had ever done anything even remotely like that before, and would absolutely recommend it! Yes, I am absolutely (if I could italicize that I would) worried about being lonely or far from family and friends, but that's why I am doing my homework, trying to find just the right spot where I could potentially have an amazing experience.
Family and friends will always be there- the ticket in your hand won't. In general, I found that I could be way more cost effective by myself (I, too, am on the post-college budget), so I'm looking for good homey hostels/pensions/B&Bs- they do exist at decent prices. I've been reading about Germany, Amsterdam, UK, Ireland being great places for the holidays (the last two especially for New Years).. I'm still just starting to plan, which is how I stumbled on this thread, but let me know if you have any more questions!

Absolutely, in Germany in the big cities good, cheap , and safe Pensionen and hotels can be found, such as in München, Hamburg, Dresden, Berlin, Lübeck, Leipzig, Frankfurt, even Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Kiel, Magdeburg. The same applies to London but still Berlin is much cheaper.

Since you asked the question. being alone for the holidays is probably going to bother you like hell. Reschedule. Since money's a factor, solo travel is a lot more expensive (I do a lot of both). Reschdule. Staying with a friend is a lot cheaper than traveling around and since money is a factor......Reschedule. Three hundred bucks is a cheap price to pay to avoid misery.

I love solo travel (even though I also have a Facebook account, but then again, even 80 year old grandmothers have Facebook or MySpace accounts now), but the fact that you have never traveled alone before and that you are already worried you will be lonely, especially during holidays, is just a big red flag that solo travel probably isn't going to be your cup of tea. If you do decide to go to Spain, are you fluent in Spanish? It's not a prerequisite to traveling there, but if you are really limited with your language skills that might stress you out and make you feel more isolated. An English speaking country would probably be a better idea over the holidays if that's the case. And hostels are a great way to meet other people around your age. I traveled for a year solo and went through plenty of major holidays and my birthday with no family around, but always found other solo travelers in the same boat who wanted to get together for a meal, drinks or just walking around the town. Renting an apartment is not a good idea if you are the kind of person that doesn't like to be alone. It's also one of the more expensive lodging options as a solo traveler as you need to come up with not only the rent on the apartment, but also the security/cleaning deposit, on your own and in advance of the trip.