Solo travel can be exciting as well as frustrating. No single recipe will make your solo trip a good experience. It all depends on your attitude, plans, and travel country.
To enjoy traveling alone, you need to be prepared for the fact that no one will be there for you, and you will have to solve any difficulties or issues on your own, and no one will be there to help you.
For some people, solo travel is an opportunity to be alone with themselves, and for others, it is an opportunity to find new people. Or you don’t have anyone to go on vacation with.
Either way, Italy is a great place for solo travel. Although I wouldn’t say it’s the only European country that would be good for it. No, plenty of other countries would be just as great: Spain, Denmark, or the Czech Republic would also be great choices. But Italy has something special, considering it’s one of my favorite travel destinations.
Why you and Italy can be a perfect match?
Primarily because there is a lot to do there; history is Italy, and Italy is history. In every major city, from narrow Venice to ancient Rome and further south, you can feel the flavor of ancient times. From the Roman Forum to the vineyards of Cantina di Filippo and the sunny beaches of Marina di Grosseto, the feeling of being in an outstanding place is always with you.
Okay, that sounds overly romanticized. Perhaps I wanted it to sound that way because Italy deserves it. But more to the point, admire this:
Yes, it’s worthy to come and see. Even if you’re alone.
Among the positives is the convenience of flying from the US; you can fly to Rome, Naples, Milan, or Florence (and a few other cities). Often, you won’t even need a connecting flight. The second plus is that the prices are pretty low compared to the rest of Western Europe. I traveled to Italy a year ago, and dinner in a typical restaurant cost me about $20. Travel is quite expensive, but buying a good ticket would cost about $40 to go from Rome to Florence. And yes, don’t take buses; opt for rail transportation whenever possible; it’s fast and convenient here.
On the downside, English is not spoken by many people here. According to various information, 13% to 29% of Italians speak English. But this “data” does not tell us much about the situation on the field, as it depends on what we mean by “speak English.” If it is to “speak fluent” English, it’s not that large for several people, especially those over 40. But I spent two weeks in Italy and had no problem ordering food or asking for anything. Even those who don’t speak English fluently have a basic knowledge of English, so there’s no problem with basic communication.
Another thing is if you want to talk to someone long and thoroughly. In this case, not every Italian will be suitable. People, especially the older generation, don’t speak English well enough for you to tell them about your life and talk to them about many topics. As for the younger ones, it’s on an ad hoc basis. I met an Italian girl at the Albos Club beach in Fregenae who spoke excellent English. She had a funny Italian accent and waved her hands whenever she opened her mouth.
But the other Italians I met were not so fluent in English. So we made up for it with wine and a willingness to talk when you explain a seemingly simple thing in a hundred different ways before you can understand each other.
Anyway, they are friendly, and if they find out that you are from the United States, they will definitely show interest in you and sympathize with you even if you don’t know Italian. So you can make many acquaintances here, with Italians and other Europeans. In fact, tourists from all over Europe come to Italy, so in two weeks, I got to know not only Italians but also Brits, Germans, Ukrainians, Poles, Russians, and Austrians. In general, in the high season in Italy, there is a salad bowl of people, especially in popular tourist spots, so you’ll definitely have someone to chat with.
What about safety in Italy?
Italy is a fairly safe country. But petty theft is common in Rome and other major cities. For example, your phone or wallet can be stolen, so keep them close to you. Also, near famous sights, you may be sold a souvenir (sometimes quite aggressively) for three times the price. So ignore such people and don’t start talking to them; it’s the best tactic.
But I didn’t encounter any problems with personal safety during the trip, so just be sensible and follow a set of standard rules: don’t carry valuables in open pockets, in public transportation it’s better to take off your backpack and keep it in front of you. But in general, Italy is a safe country, so you don’t have to worry any more than if you are walking in the center of Cisco or Boston.
