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Traveling alone in Italy -- 9 days / nights -- couple ?s

Posted by (Chicago) on

I am a 30 year old woman traveling alone from end of June through early July. I am flying into Florence and out of Rome. I was planning on splitting 4 days in Florence / 5 days in Rome but considering 1 night in Orvieto. I am planning to book Airbnb accomodations in Florence / Rome, a hotel in Orvieto. Couple of questions:

  1. Should I hit Orvieto? Is it worth a full day / night? Or more?
  2. Has anyone had experience with Airbnb in Italy and/or those cities? Tips? I have used it in the US and had great experiences.
  3. What neighborhoods would you rec for me in the cities? I am 30, single, actually traveling for my 31st birthday. At night I do plan to go out to dinner, drink wine, meet people (maybe?). Want to be near sightseeing too, but live in a large city in the US and used to walking long distances throughout the day/public transit so not overly concerned about making my way around.
  4. Any other tips for me? I may not be too old for hostels but was planning to avoid, should I reconsider?

Thanks in advance!

Posted by
1637 posts

Orvieto is easily worth a 1 night stop. In our trip we are planning on 2 nights to give us one full day.

Posted by
1074 posts

Orvieto is very interesting during the day. At night the walks through town are very beautiful. Plan a late dinner for the full effect. OK, I'm a male and travel alone to Italy every year, and yes a bit older than you. I really feel safe in Italy - just keep your wallet safely tucked away especially on the bus in Rome. In Rome my favorite places at night are Piazza Navona and Trastevere - especially near Santa Maria Trastevere. Lots of activity, lots of fun and lots of people of many ages. You might also like the crowd at Campo de Fiore - younger and louder. But I like the street performers in Navona. Between Navona and the Trevi fountain is also very populated at night and even very late it always looks and feels safe. The police presence in Rome is very visible, if that is of any comfort. Florence at night, especially around the Duomo, can be a lot of fun. Lots of musicians and people just relaxing in the cooler part of the evening. Much of the medieval city is walkable and well populated at night. Enjoy your trip and happy birthday!

Posted by
11613 posts

I've been to Orvieto many times, it's definitely worth a night. It's different from the bigger cities, especially in the evening/early morning. Hotel Duomo is around the corner from the cathedral, good hotel and not expensive.

You're not too old for hostels, by the way. Happy birthday!

Posted by
792 posts

I think hostels are great for solo travel and meeting people! Many hostels have a private single room option, often with a bathroom. It's a no frills situation but they are clean and safe and definitely cheaper than hotels. A lot of hostels organize group events or night mixers too. I wouldn't discount them.

Posted by
291 posts

Sarah,
I think hostels would be worth looking into since age is not a factor. I have stayed at The Beehive in Rome and Hostel Archi Rossi in Florence, and I'm older than you. I highly recommend both of them. At The Beehive, I stayed in a dorm, but they have private rooms. At Hostel Archi Rossi, I stayed in a private room in The Annex. It had a private bathroom and a wonderful rooftop terrace (shared but rarely used by others). Lots of stairs to get to The Annex - but that meant I could stop for gelato more often! I found the prices very reasonable.
Happy birthday!
Sharon

Posted by
7 posts

Thanks y'all for the thoughts! I will look into the hostels. I don't know why they have a stigma for me, but I'm learning they're perfectly reasonable so lesson learned.

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