# Your first solo trip: where to go and how to prepare without the dread

> Pick your first solo destination on one simple test: easy, safe, and full of low-effort ways to meet people. Everything else you'll learn on the road.

- Page: https://viaggisingle.it/en/first-solo-trip/
- Language: en
- Updated: 2026-10-27
- Status: in editorial review: checked against sources, not yet signed off by an editor
- Italian version: https://viaggisingle.it/primo-viaggio-da-soli.md
- Publisher: ViaggiSingle (https://viaggisingle.it)
- Citation: credit “ViaggiSingle” with a link to the page

On a first solo trip, the destination matters more than you'd think. Not because of how pretty it is, but because of how tiring it is. A city with simple transport, walkable streets and people around in the evening leaves you energy to enjoy it. A complicated one spends that energy for you on tickets, connections and wrong turns.

This page is about choosing well the first time. After that you'll choose for yourself, and better than any ranking.

## You're in good company

Solo travel isn't niche. Hostelworld counted 4.5 million solo trips booked on its platform between July 2025 and June 2026. ([source](https://www.hostelworld.com/state-of-solo-travel)) Thailand took the largest share (7.6%), followed by Spain, Vietnam and Italy. ([source](https://www.hostelworld.com/blog/?p=1308901)) From the UK, two of those four are a short flight away.

## What actually matters the first time

**An easy city.** Easy means you can get in from the airport or station without awkward changes, the centre is walkable, transport has one ticket and an app that works, and if you get lost someone will answer you in English. Our city pages cover all of this in "Getting around", including arriving late at night.

**The safety that matters.** Not safety in the abstract, but the streets you sleep on and go out in. Every city page splits safety into tabs (general, women, LGBTQ+, night, scams) and lists emergency numbers. Across the EU, 112 works everywhere. ([source](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/112))

**An easy way to meet people.** The first evening is when being alone feels heaviest. A social hostel, a free walking tour, a cooking class: the "Meet people" block on each city page gives places, days and times.

**The right length.** Three or four nights is a good first trip. If you'd rather test the water, a long weekend somewhere near home works just as well.

**Papers in order.** UK travellers: the FCDO's foreign travel advice has entry rules for 226 countries and territories, plus email alerts. ([source](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice)) US travellers can enrol in the State Department's STEP programme. ([source](https://mytravel.state.gov/s/step)) On a UK or US passport, the EU's Entry/Exit System records fingerprints and a facial image on your first entry to the Schengen area; it's been fully operational since 10 April 2026. ([source](https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/smart-borders/entry-exit-system_en)) UK residents should also carry a free GHIC, which the NHS stresses is no substitute for travel insurance. ([source](https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic))

**Luggage you can carry alone.** It sounds minor, but the first time, everything in your bag is yours to haul up stairs, onto trains and over cobbles. A cabin bag and a small daypack are plenty for four nights, and leave your hands free when you arrive.

## Using the Solo Score for a first trip

| Component | First-timer profile | Default profile |
|---|---|---|
| General safety | 25 | 20 |
| Ease | 25 | 15 |
| Sociability | 20 | 20 |
| Women's safety | 15 | 10 |
| Cost for one | 8 | 15 |
| LGBTQ+ inclusion | 5 | 10 |
| Nightlife and events | 2 | 7 |
| Demographics | 0 | 3 |

The logic: the first time, what counts is feeling at ease, not wearing yourself out, and finding company when you want it. Cost weighs less because on a short trip, the price gap between two similar cities matters less than how easy they are. If budget is the deciding factor for you, switch to the budget profile.

The ranking on this page comes straight from the data: cities at the top are the ones where a first solo trip takes the least effort. The full method is on the [Solo Score page](/en/data/solo-score/).

## Read before you go

- [First solo trip checklist](/en/blog/first-solo-trip-checklist/): the weeks before, travel day, the first night, plan B.
- [Eating alone: the counter method](/en/blog/eating-alone-the-counter-method/): dinner is the bit people dread most.
- [Where to go alone in December](/en/blog/where-to-go-alone-in-december/).
- [The single supplement and how to avoid it](/en/blog/single-supplement-how-to-avoid-it/).

## Solo Score ranking: First time

1. [Lisbon](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/portugal/lisbon.md) (Portugal): 83
2. [Montréal](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/americas/canada/montreal.md) (Canada): 83
3. [Amsterdam](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/netherlands/amsterdam.md) (Netherlands): 80
4. [Porto](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/portugal/porto.md) (Portugal): 80
5. [Ljubljana](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/slovenia/ljubljana.md) (Slovenia): 79
6. [Copenhagen](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/denmark/copenhagen.md) (Denmark): 78
7. [Dublin](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/ireland/dublin.md) (Ireland): 78
8. [Valletta](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/malta/valletta.md) (Malta): 78
9. [Berlin](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/germany/berlin.md) (Germany): 77
10. [Prague](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/czechia/prague.md) (Czechia): 77
11. [Madrid](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/spain/madrid.md) (Spain): 76
12. [Budapest](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/hungary/budapest.md) (Hungary): 75
13. [Reykjavík](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/iceland/reykjavik.md) (Iceland): 75
14. [Taipei](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/asia/taiwan/taipei.md) (Taiwan): 75
15. [Valencia](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/spain/valencia.md) (Spain): 75
16. [Barcelona](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/spain/barcelona.md) (Spain): 74
17. [Tallinn](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/estonia/tallinn.md) (Estonia): 73
18. [Edinburgh](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/edinburgh.md) (United Kingdom): 72
19. [Buenos Aires](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/americas/argentina/buenos-aires.md) (Argentina): 66
20. [Milan](https://viaggisingle.it/en/destinations/europe/italy/milan.md) (Italy): 66

## Frequently asked questions

### Where should I go on my first solo trip?

Somewhere short-haul and walkable, with simple public transport and plenty of ways to meet people. The Solo Score's first-timer profile ranks cities on exactly that: safety and ease carry 25 points out of 100 each, sociability 20.

### How long should a first solo trip be?

Three or four nights is a good length: long enough to settle in, short enough that you won't get bored if the place doesn't click. A long weekend somewhere close is a good rehearsal.

### Hostel or hotel for a first solo trip?

Depends how much company you want. A social hostel gets you talking to people on day one; a hotel gets you quiet. A private room in a hostel is the middle ground. In Hostelworld's 2026 survey, 58.8% of solo travellers said reviews from other solo guests matter when booking.

### What should I check before I fly?

Entry rules on the FCDO or State Department page for your destination, a GHIC if you're a UK resident heading to Europe, travel insurance, and 112 saved in your phone. If you hold a UK or US passport, expect the EU's Entry/Exit System to take your fingerprints and photo on first entry.

### What if I feel lonely on the first night?

That's normal and it doesn't mean the trip was a mistake. Book something for the next morning, like a walking tour or a class. Having somewhere to be tomorrow changes how tonight feels.

### Where do solo travellers actually go?

On Hostelworld bookings between July 2025 and June 2026, Thailand had the largest share of solo trips (7.6%), followed by Spain (6.4%), Vietnam (5.6%) and Italy (5.2%).

## Sources

- [Foreign travel advice](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK) (official, accessed 2026-10-27)
- [Best Places for Solo Travel in 2027](https://www.hostelworld.com/blog/?p=1308901), Hostelworld (study, accessed 2026-10-27)
- [The 2026 State of Solo Travel Report](https://www.hostelworld.com/state-of-solo-travel), Hostelworld (study, accessed 2026-10-27)
- [Apply for a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)](https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic), NHS (official, accessed 2026-10-27)
- [112, the European emergency number](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/112), European Commission (official, accessed 2026-10-27)
- [Entry/Exit System (EES)](https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/smart-borders/entry-exit-system_en), European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs (official, accessed 2026-10-27)
- [Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)](https://mytravel.state.gov/s/step), U.S. Department of State (official, accessed 2026-10-27)