Traveling alone: How to make the perfect singles vacation

For some it comes naturally, others have never done it before: traveling alone. Solo trips are a very special experience, but sometimes they need a bit of courage. Maybe you are facing the same questions that many people ask themselves: Am I made for traveling alone? What do I have to consider when planning a single vacation?

We want to answer these - and even more - questions for you. We want you to go on a trip with exactly the courage in your luggage that gives you a good feeling. So that you can enjoy your trip completely and feel absolutely safe. So let's start with the first question?

Traveling alone: What are the advantages?

Of course, each type of travel has its own special charm. On an extraordinary short trip with children you have a lot of action together, on a vacation in a Tiny House you get together with your loved ones and on a workation you combine office and travel feeling.

These six points speak for traveling alone:

1. Full freedom: when you are on a singles vacation, you don't have to make any compromises. You alone decide which sights you visit, at what time you start the day and whether you just let yourself drift.

2. Make new contacts: Those who travel with family or friends often only stay in a group. When traveling alone, it's a different story. You get to know other people - locals as well as other travel enthusiasts - get into conversation with them and often learn good insider tips.

3. Improve language: As you get to know other people, you will also get to know their language. Sometimes these are completely new, but other times they are languages that you have already learned and can now improve naturally. Without learning vocabulary, but authentically in conversation.

4. Support soft tourism: Talking to locals, getting insider tips on local restaurants, learning the local language - these are all aspects of traveling alone that promote soft tourism.

5. Arrive at yourself: Whether you talk to other people or prefer to stay with yourself is, of course, up to you. As I said, you have complete freedom to do what you want. If you decide to withdraw during your singles vacation, you are doing something for your mental health. The best thing to do is to take a journal with you, in which you record everything that goes through your mind. Maybe you can answer questions that have been burning on your mind for a long time.

6. More self-confidence: When traveling alone, you're not only leaving your familiar surroundings, but your entire comfort zone - including mentally. You will surely face challenges that you have to solve yourself. You will discover that you can do things that you were never aware of before. This strengthens your resilience and pushes your self-confidence.

While we're on the subject, let's continue right here and look at what obstacles you might face on your singles vacation. If you know about them, you can face them much more confidently and have a little more courage in your luggage. So let's move on to the next question:

Traveling alone: What are the challenges?

As we have just told you, challenges should not deter you from planning and tackling your singles vacation. They can have a positive effect on you once you have mastered them.

1. higher hotel costs

The challenge: When you book a hotel, you usually pay for the room. You can specify that you will occupy it alone, but usually it remains at the standard twin room price. On a singles vacation, you have no one to share the cost with.

The solution: hostels are a cheaper alternative to hotel rooms. Especially because there are not only huge dorms with bunk beds, but also the option to book a single room with shared bathroom. It's also cheaper if you book in the off-season - which is absolutely possible because you don't have to stick to anyone else's schedule or school vacations when traveling alone. Or you can download the "Couchsurfing Travel App" on your smartphone and look for local hosts who will let you sleep on their couch.

2. more responsibility

The challenge: Traveling alone also means planning alone, thinking of everything alone, bearing the responsibility alone. This can put pressure on you or make you afraid that you might forget something.

The solution: Plan well in advance, but stay as relaxed as possible. Keep in mind what is really essential for your singles vacation, and that everything else will fall into place. The really important points are, for example: booking your arrival and departure, possibly applying for a visa, informing yourself about vaccinations, checking whether your passport is still valid, taking out foreign insurance, telling your bank in which period you will be withdrawing money abroad, and checking the travel and safety information at the Foreign Office.

Of course, you can make it even easier for yourself if you book your singles vacation as a package deal with a provider.

3. less security

The challenge: Traveling all alone carries the risk of getting into a dangerous situation sooner. Women traveling alone in particular can get into dicey situations.

The solution: When planning your singles vacation, you can already find out which countries are considered safe. According to the Travel Safety Index, the three safest countries are Singapore, Denmark and the Netherlands. (Source: ADAC) Once you're there, you should listen to your gut feeling and your common sense. Dark alleys? Maybe you'd rather take the Uber home. A day at the beach, or a solo excursion? Leave your valuables at the hotel.

For women traveling alone, we recommend the app "Tourlina". Here, female travelers can connect, plan trips together and arrange to meet on site. Backpackers traveling alone can do the same with the app "Backpackr".

4. feeling of loneliness

The challenge: Especially if you are planning a long singles vacation, you may eventually reach the point where loneliness overcomes you.

The solution: FaceTime with family and friends or socialize in your accommodation and other public places. Are you shy and don't like to talk to people? Then the apps "Meetup" and "Eatwith" will help you.

Traveling alone: What are the ideal places to travel?

With our last question we dedicate ourselves to concrete tips for you, where you can spend a great singles vacation with and in safety. We have already mentioned three countries - Singapore, Denmark and the Netherlands - for traveling alone. They lead the Travel Safety Index. This is a list of the 50 most visited travel countries, which have been checked for their safety by "The Swiftest". Risk factors such as natural disasters, hygiene and homicides are examined.

The top ten safest countries also include Sweden, Austria, Ireland, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. We'll tell you where to go on a sustainable city break in our "City breaks in Germany" blog post.

Here are five more tips for traveling alone outside Germany:

#1 Hiking in Austria

More sustainable to reach by train, a way to reconnect with nature and a landscape that makes you marvel. In Austria, you can have a great active vacation in the mountains as a solo traveler.

The nice thing about it: in the rustic mountain huts that are on your way, you can quickly make contact with like-minded people. The "Premium Wanderhotels" have designed their tours for singles and offer, for example, hiking weeks in Styria.

#2 Marvel in Singapore and then on to Bali

Get on the plane, offset your CO2 emissions, and be amazed when you arrive in Singapore. If you have wanderlust, the city is definitely worth a trip. Even though there are many fascinating skyscrapers, Singapore is considered one of the greenest cities in the world. So you have a great alternation of progressive urban flair and unique nature. In the Singapore Botanic Gardens you can stroll through the National Orchid Garden, while just a little later you can enjoy the view over the modern financial district in the skybar "Cé la vi". Or you can visit one of the colorful Hindu temples, the lively markets in Little India, ancient pharmacies or the historic Chinatown. Singapore is a city that lives from its contrasts. You can find more tips on "Good Morning World".

However, your trip to Singapore does not have to end here. We recommend that you continue your trip after five days. Namely to Bali. The island of the many backpackers and solo travelers who are looking for their inner center is only 2'45 hours away by plane. Here you will surely feel comfortable, because so many travel alone and everywhere there is an open-minded atmosphere. Besides, it is always a bit more sustainable to savor a long-distance trip over a longer period of time.

#3 La Dolce Vita in Palermo

Palermo is Italy's safest city (source: Tagesspiegel). And also perfect for those who want to travel alone. The capital of Sicily is located directly on the water, is blessed with the best weather and invites you to enjoy La Dolce Vita with brioche, gelato and croissants in the shade of the historic buildings.

What else can you do on your singles vacation? Walk along the harbor, stroll through the markets - such as the Ballarò Market or La Vucciria - look over the old town from the roof of the cathedral or take the bus just ten minutes out to Mondello Beach for a wonderful beach day.

With the Interbus you can get everywhere anyway. At reasonable prices you can travel from town to town and explore even more corners of Sicily. Even more sustainable - and also more beautiful - is only the train, which travels through the countryside, gorges and every now and then along the coast.

#4 Get down near The Hague

Sure, on a retreat vacation you have a lot of peace and quiet. But you still have people around you. If you want to travel alone, to really be alone and be with yourself, we recommend a retreat on the Dutch coast near The Hague.

Our tip: Instead of moving into a large vacation home where you might feel lonely, look for a small cottage. Like this Tiny House, for example, which is just a few minutes' walk from the beach and ideal for bike rides along the promenade. On a small private terrace overlooking the water, you can watch the sunset in the evening, lose yourself in the vastness of the horizon and get fresh air and energy.

Day trips to the city of The Hague - but also to Rotterdam - are also worthwhile during your singles vacation. In the blog post "City trips Europe" we tell you what makes Rotterdam so beautiful and sustainable.

#5 Pilgrimage through Spain

One last tip comes from our travel blogger Franzi: She made a solo pilgrimage through Spain in the summer of 2023 and reports here about "Pilgrimage on the Camino".

Traveling alone: Our conclusion & top tip

We think that a singles vacation is always worthwhile, no matter where it goes. You should only make sure that you choose a safe region and approach your planning well organized.

If you still have the idea that traveling alone is not for you, you can test the whole thing "on a small scale". It does not have to go immediately for two months to Bali. Try it first with a long weekend on the Dutch coast and see how you like it to be alone on the road.

You can always "loosen up" your solo trip. You could, for example, rent a vacation home in Denmark with friends and then leave it up to everyone to decide when and how they arrive. You could spend the days separately, all have their own me-time, and in the evening you sit down together to play, eat or talk, if you want to. The only important thing is that you respect each other's space.

This way you would have both: your time for yourself, your "traveling alone", and the closeness to friends.