SO SORRY to hear about your bad news - never comes singly, huh? But, congratulations on your plans. I wouldn't worry about your safety in Europe or Asia (but do wear a money belt as defense against pickpockets).

Normally I'd suggest either Sicily, or Rome plus Amalfi Coast, or Greece (Crete+Santorini+Mykonos, or a cruise including Ephesus) given what you're looking for, but it's miserably hot in much of Europe right now, and air fares are at their peak.

Now would be a great time to go to Scandinavia or the Baltic countries, but I don't know about their beaches. Does it have to be sea water, or would a lake do? If so, you could do a city plus lake in the Alps - maybe Vienna plus Zell-am-See or Lyons plus Annecy. But, again, air fare will be high.
Maybe you can ask over on the South America board about beaches in the north, since it's winter there right now.

My two favorite solo destinations when I need to get away are Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Honolulu/Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii.

I like them both for the mix of relaxation, beach, friendly local people, and I can get around without renting a car.

I'm not sure about the spiritual aspects you are seeking, but besides that they fit your requests very well.

p.s. Really sorry about the double-whammy this week. Ouch! Though I will add getting let go from a long time job (about 4 years back) was one of the best things that ever happened to me.

Thailand? Generally safe for tourists, beaches and city destinations, nightlife, historical and spiritual sites.

Ah, what a timely thread. Genuinely sorry to hear about your situation, but as a gal who just broke up with her boyfriend last night and turns 33 in a few weeks, I am sharing some of your restlessness...

Thanks for the feedback. Ahhhhh, Greece would be wonderful, but the airfare all over Europe right now is HIGH. Just flying into London is approx $1200 right now. I'm still looking, and beach water is always preferred...

Why not take a trip to Hawaii, we have warm weather and great nightlife as well as long strips of beach to just spend some time alone and reflect. There are a lot a spiritual and cultural things to be found here in the islands. You dont need a car the Bus system here is great.

I can also recommend Hawaii as a good solo destination. But to clarify escrowmanager's statement, you can easily do without a car on Oahu; the bus system there can get you just about anywhere you want to go. But you definitely need a car on any of the other islands, as public transportation is essentially nonexistent.

I am traveling solo as well as a single woman to italy next week. will arrive in milan on august 8th and head up to lake como. I will be in the lake como area for about 4-5 days and do 2 days in milan and return home to san diego.

Hi,
A great book for you to read before or during your trip: "eat, pray, love - one woman's search for Everything across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's a recently published memoir of a woman your age in a similar situation.
Best of luck to you!

I think you can do the things you mention on your list at most any beach destination. I believe it's more about what you choose to do, than about the place itself.

How about over on the Caribbean side of Mexico? Where you could visit some of the ruins. Playa del Carmen or Isla Mujeres maybe.

I am thankful for all of the wonderful suggestions and encouragement. Please keep them coming, though I am harboring towards Italy, France, and the UK I haven't finalized my travel plans. I'm thinking London pub crawls, Paris, the beaches in the south of France, and rounding out with 5-6 days in Italy. NCounty-it is a small world, I am from Escondido.

Wow that's a lot of (fabulous) places... how long do you have for your trip?

between 15-20 days, is that enough?

If I could spend 15-20 days, I would eliminate the south of France. it is too much and less bang for the buck or effort. You could easily spend all that time in Italy alone going from Rome and south (capri, sorrento, amalfi coast which I like better than the french riviera anyway) and head north to Florence, Tuscany and then maybe Venice and the lakes.

what about Paris and the UK, worth the effort to encompass all in one trip or are they individual trips?

Everyone has their own travel style but I would not want to go to 4 different countries in only 15-20 days. Reasoning is too much time and money 'wasted' moving one place to the next, checking in and out of hotels, etc.

I would rather pick 2-3 locations in 1 country and have a more relaxed trip.

I would choose Paris and south of France together. Or Italy and include some beach time somewhere there.

I guess you could put 3 days in London at the start or finish of either if you really wanted to. I wouldn't only because London is huge and expensive.

Since it is your first trip to Europe and going solo, simpler logistics make for a more enjoyable, less stressful trip in my experience.

I suggest Bali. It is healing like no place else on earth. There are beaches, cultural sights, good food, noce people, nightlife if you want it.

Sorry to hear your bad news. I am 33 as well, sans boyfriend!

Whenever I need to "get away", I have booked an all-inclusive resort vacation. This time around, it will be the Club Med at Kemer in Turkey. I've stayed at Club Med before solo, and I find that it's just enough entertainment and mingling that I need, as well as being about to find a quiet spot on the beach to take in the ambience and lots of sun rays. Plus, I don't have to worry about "where my next meal is coming from" and beverages, etc are included. Plus, there is the option to leave the resort to go to the neighboring towns to do some shopping, and to experience the locals.

Club Med is a great idea....especially if you are solo and like beaches and newly single. If you really want to go to Europe though, I would consider the hot weather and limit your visit to one country. I have done the hectic cover as much as I can trips many times in my younger years and reflect on them as errors in judgment. I would do just Italy (which I would recommend), or just France or maybe London and Amsterdam, just across the channel. The advantage to Italy is that it might be good for your ego with recent events to have some Italian men around; although someone told me recently that they are not as aggressively romantic as they used to be.

Thank you all,
I've narrowed down to southern Italy and Greece for approximately 20 days, but having second thoughts about the costs involved given travel about Greece is mostly through ferries and the hotels this time of year are a tad high for a solo traveler. Anyone out there who has done southern Italy and Greece? Thoughts?

Where in Greece? I thought it was fairly cheap for Europe - get yourself a Lonely Planet and/or Rough Guide. Of course, if you want posh hotels, anywhere's expensive...

downbutout - I second the comment that disasters like this can turn out to be blessings in disguise. I was let go from my job a couple of years ago and in no time, managed to get a fantastic job that pays me twice what I was making at my last job (and I'm able to take tons of time off to travel). Have also been through the painful breakup... maybe you'll get back together, maybe you won't... either way, you'll be thrilled with the result. Stay strong and pat yourself on the back for treating yourself so fabulously. So few people do.

I've never been to Greece, but I loved, loved, loved Italy when I went and would gladly move there if I had the chance. Southern Italy should be gorgeous, if a bit hot. I would try to go to Rome if you have the chance (ignore the recent posting from the person who hated it... they'll love you there.).

Have a FANTASTIC time!!! And if you get a chance, I know it's a bit cheesy, but see The Last Holiday with Queen Latifah. I felt embarrassed renting it, but it had such a great lesson about learning to treat ourselves like the queens we are. (It's not sad - don't worry.)

Southern Italy is gorgeous, great choice! I would stay in Sorrento as my hub and book a hotel before you go. I stayed there on my 6 week free wheeling trip around the world with no reservations and had to walk door to door trying to find a place to stay with little luck. It is a nice hub to explore Capri and the Amalfi coast and Pompeii. I would fly into Rome of course and definitely take a few days to do Rome. Might as well see the Sistine chapel, stroll the elegant shops of the Via del Corso, explore the Piazza Navona, etc. So much to see and do there. I recommend a restaurant called Abruzzi. Fabulous home style soup and spaghetti carbonara (yes, I know....bad for the waistline). I loved the island of Crete in Greece much more than Athens but I never made it to Santorini which looks like the vision of Greece.

Again, just a personal point-of-view, but I would not do Greece solo as a first trip to Europe, for a number of reasons. Why not Italy for this trip? It will be much easier to arrange your logistics.

Sorry to hear about your breakup! I can relate... I was in the middle of planning a trip to Paris with my boyfriend for my major birthday ending in an 0 and now find myself in the middle of a breakup.

I'm considering going alone, so far the only thing reserved is an apartment. Have you considering doing that.. if you will be in one area long enough? It can be cheaper than a hotel and even fun solo... think Cameron Diaz in The Holiday. Although hers was a home exchange (great movie if you haven't seen it, similar situation to yours). I've used vrbo.com (vacation rentals by owner) many times with good results. Lets you feel like a local, wouldn't do it any other way now.

I've been to London solo, you'll do fine if you plan ahead, act confident and are aware of your surroundings. There are some great websites and books on the subject.

You go girl!! Have fun and FOLLOW YOUR HEART!

Again, I have to reiterate at how grateful I am of the extremely helpful feedback from everyone and encouraged by all of your support. I am looking forward to what I've decided is my trip to Italy. I will keep you posted and I appreciate any info on some great insider locales (restaurants,bars,shopping) in Rome, Naples, Sorrento, and Amalfi Coast. I would imagine it would be too much to make it down to Sicily within 10 days. Is that a correct assumption?

I think that's a correct assumption. You might want to put your final ideas on a new post over on the Europe forum, to get specific feedback about an Italy itinerary for 10 days.

Definitely agree you should skip Sicily with only 10 days. Go for Rome plus Amalfi, maybe a day trip to Naples for the museum, and for sure trips to Pompeii and Herculaneum. Lots of good guide books around for this trip. Have a wonderful time!!!

If you click on my name, you can read my trip report about 2 weeks solo in Rome and Naples. I went last November so the info is fairly recent. Have awonderful trip!

It might be too late for this but I just got back from Buenos Aires yesterday which aside from Sydney is the best city in the world (and I live in NYC). It is so inexpensive compared to the US as the peso is very weak, so you can eat, shop, and drink till your hearts desire. I stayed again at the Home Hotel Buenos Aires which is a wonderful boutique hotel where they will cater to your every need. Fabulous! BA is quite safe and a foodie kind of town, plus wonderful shopping and museums.

Ghana, West Africa. I've done it twice and solo and I'm female. It's a great country with great people. I've been to Africa 4 times. Ghana is an easy country and it's Englisg speaking. Happy Travels!

I did Italy (Rome, Pompeii, Florence) solo a few years ago, and was in a situation almost identical to yours (minus the job problem) and had a great time! Rome was great, as was Florence, and I can not wait to go back! It was fairly easy to get around, people were friendly, and it was a great single trip. I have done other solo trips (Chile, Peru, Thailand, Cambodia), and I think that as long as you have a sense of adventure, then you will be fine.

How's the trip to Italy coming? I was following your thread and situation with interest, but we haven't heard from you in awhile. Maybe you'll just send us a postcard from Rome

Yes, i´ve been there too.
Have you considered a meditation retreat as part of your travel plans? Check out:
http://www.dhamma.org/

I must agree (and expand on) an earlier comment - leaving my job and losing a partner (at the same time) was really tough - but in reptrospect proved to be a really positive development. THe universe moves in mysterious ways. Good luck!

I just started the book but you should read Eat, Pray, Love. The other travels to Italy, India and one other place while going through a similar introspective process. You should definitely check it out. Her last name is Gilbert. First name, Elizabeth, I think. Maybe the book will help to give you ideas. Good luck!

I'm interested to hear from all of you ladies how your trip(s) went. I'm a 50's something single headed out to Rome and the Amalfi Coast. I'm beginning to get a little concerned as it seems form what I read that there are so many families and honeymooners on the Amalfi Coast and surrounded areas. It would be nice to know that there are at least a few available middle-aged singles roaming around in those areas.


Thanks,

Susie

I (solo female, 60s) had a good time on the Amalfi coast, but I wasn't looking for a good time...

You might find my TR useful: http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/more-graffitii-than-garbage---report-from-s-italy.cfm

Although this might be more what you're looking for: http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/bumbling-my-way-to-and-through-italy-good-lord-whats-going-to-happen-when-i-use-the-train-system.cfm

I just returned from a solo trip to Peru; I just turned 50. There were lots of solo travelers of all ages and there is a camaraderie there. I can't think of a better place for solo travel though than Southern Italy and the Amalfi coast if you are looking for some company and attention; the men there are the most attentive that I have encountered in the world.

Susie, For your specific question about going solo on the Amalfi coast I would repost over on the Europe forum. Only a very few of us even read this Travel Tips board and this OP is almost 5 years old.

Try Australia, quite safe outside central Sydney and Melbourne (and they're OK until midnight), expensive, but lots of eligible men

You're well rid of him; keep looking!

I wasn't dumped, I did the dumping for very good reasons, but with a child, full time responsible job and at 38, a worry.

Now happily married for 23 years+ to a lovely man 11 years my junior who takes me on world travels. You never know what will be behind the next door that opens.

Commiserations.

Since the original post was about 4 years ago, hopefully DownButNotOut is Up and About again with many solo trips to Greece, Rome, etc. under her belt.

Looks like it is about time to start planning a "Turning 40" trip.

I would absolutely do Italy! Been a travel bug my whole life and went to Italy a few times by myself. Life changing to say the least....
You can enjoy everything you're looking for there. Trains are great and city's safe. Wherever you go, immerse yourself in the culture and people. Personally, I wouln't go to only beachy resort for this transition time.

You may also consider India!! all the things you are looking for......

Taj Mahal!!

I am planning a solo trip as well. I went on ancestry.com and found out my family is from Ireland and Scotland. I was thinking of going to Ireland and exploring the countryside and hitting up Dublin or I could go to Scotland and do some exploring as well. I'm not sure of the safety, though. Does anyone have any advice?

As for Italy, I was in Rome alone for a few days and felt incredibly safe. I kept my head up and never let on that I was a tourist. I even had some Americans mistake me for being a native and asked for directions!