elcon

I will be going to Rome and Florence in May. As a solo female traveller going overseas for the first time, any help would be appreciated. In particular; can I buy a ticket to travel from Rome to Florence on the Eurostar the day of my trip at Termini, or should I purchase online before i go? Also, same question to go for a quick day trip from Florence to Venice. Any advice on good restaurants for single diners?

mcnyc

Hi elcon,

If you already know what time of day you're headed to Florence and Venice, <b>and</b> can find a discounted fare on Trenitalia for your Eurostar trips, then by all means, purchase your ticket online before you go, and make sure you print out your confirmation number.

sacc

Hi Elcon, I'm a woman who almost always travels alone. I've been to both Florence and Rome many times and I have seen a lot more solo diners there than I have ever seen in North America. It just seems much more common and as a result, it seems to me that lone diners in Italy are treated with the same respect shown to couples or groups. So I think you could feel comfortable in pretty much any restaurant you want to try. I've also noticed that loyalty is really rewarded, so if you find a place you like and return a few times, you'll be treated especially well. That said, one of my favourite restaurants in Rome, in terms of friendly staff and good food at reasonable prices, is La Sagrestia, at via del Seminario 89, which is just about a one minute walk from the Pantheon (on the left side, if you're facing the Pantheon.) They'll treat you very well.

As far as trains, you might find it more convenient to buy your Eurostar ticket before you leave home. I think it would simplify things for you -- Rome's Termini is a big, bustling train station and if you're carrying luggage, trying to find the right track, and get through the crowds, it might reduce the stress a bit to already have your ticket in hand.

For day trips out of smaller stations, you probably wouldn't find it difficult to buy your ticket on the spot. As well, I often print out the train schedules from the Trenitalia website for towns I want to visit before I leave home. That way, when I do day trips I can get to the station on time and make sure I get on the right train. This can be a bit tricky on your first visit to Italy because the destination on the large posted schedules at the station and on the front of the train will be the name of the last town on that particular rail line. The train schedules on the Trenitalia website also lists all the stops along any particular route, so you can follow along and know when you're getting near your stop (or if you've gone too far!)

BTW, it's a pretty long trip -- about 4 hours one way --- from Florence to Venice. You might want to rethink that as a day trip, since you'll lose more than 8 hours just on travel alone! There are so many places much closer to Florence that make for great day trips.

Best of luck planning!

Lawchick

I travel alot for work and often eat alone. I've eaten in everything from McDonalds to 2 star Michelin restaurants on my own (didn't do a 3 star yet on my own)....There is no problem dining alone in Europe

suze

I have traveled solo at least part of the time on 5 trips to Europe, without problem. Venice is a favorite of mine, and particularly easy as a single person.

I prefer going to more casual places for dinner myself, bars and cafes instead of 'normal' restaurants. I'm not a big foodies and am much more comfortable in more modest places. Also eating earlier in the dinner-hours can help for a more smooth experience.

Some days when I know I will be too tired, I find nice to-go food somewhere in the afternoon, and bring it w/ a bottle of wine &quot;home&quot; for a picnic in the hotel room.

notbob

You may want to reconsider the Venice daytrip. It is a long way from Florence to Venice. It would make a very big travel day without much time to savor Venice. Unless you can re-arrange your trip to accomodate more time like 2-3 nights in Venice, I'd suggest saving her for another trip. And I think Venice is one of the most special places on the planet. As others have said, you will find many places closer to Florence in travel time to explore should you feel the need to get out of the city.

frogoutofwater

Travelling alone, I have sometimes asked hotel staff for recommendations for a nice, moderately priced restaurant I'd feel comfortable going to by myself. Nine times out of ten, they've provided a good recommendation.

SusanP

I've been to Italy five times by myself. I have never been in a restaurant where I felt uncomfortable being alone. Don' worry about it!

mcnyc

Take the Eurostar from Florence to Venice, the trip is about 2h 30m or so, but no more than 3hrs.

If you want to do Venice as a day trip from Florence, you can, but it's not recommended. I did Venice as a day trip once, and while I loved it, I felt it was too short a time. So the next time, I stayed over for a few nights. Many people who go to Venice as a day trip end up disliking it. Venice is really worth at least a night if you can spare it.