Woman Travelling Alone
 

I am a female in my 50's and will be travelling to Florence by myself in February. I know that my days will be full, but does anyone have any suggestions for the evenings? I don't want to have to spend the evening in my room. What about women by themselves in restaurants? Thanks. maeve

Don't even worry about it, there are many women traveling alone or in groups of two whom you can meet and hang out with in Florence.<BR>I was traveling with my friend and on a day tour we met a woman in her 50's traveling alone and we made friends with her and for the rest of our stay we all hung out together. <BR>But even if you don't meet anyone, (but try to be outgoing and see what happens), you will have a good time anyway, I am sure.<BR>One of the nights I dined alone in an outdoor restaurant and had such fun with the waiters and the owner that I was glad I was alone! We teased each other and had a great time, then whenever I passed by we waved.

Maeve -<BR><BR>I've been to Florence several times on my own, and have dined alone in many restaurants there. I have usually been treated extremely well, especially when things have been a bit quieter (as they likely wiil be in February.) I've had the opportunity to chat a bit with owners, waiters, or even chefs a few times, as well as some interesting conversations with those at neighboring tables.<BR><BR>I always take my travel journal with me, so that if these sorts of opportunities do not present themselves, I can write in it between courses (often about the food and restaurant!) Florence does not have a great deal of nightlife per se, so I generally plan dinner as my evening entertainment and enjoy it.<BR><BR>If you type &quot;florence and solo&quot; in the text search box, you will find prior threads on this subject.

Hi, Maeve. I've not been to Florence alone, but I was in Rome alone and in Florence and Venice with a girlfriend. I will say that a woman is never alone in Italy. Men will smile and try to talk to you. &quot;Oh, you are eating alone? You don't have a husband? No boyfriend? American men must be crazy to let you leave.&quot; You get the drift. It is so good for the ego. I've not had bad service in Italian restaurants although I've read of some who have. It had nothing to do with being alone. Have a good trip - I am SO envious!

I have not been to Florence but have traveled alone quite a bit (thru my 40's) including Venice twice. I don't mind eating alone but usually have a paperback novel with me in case I want the distraction of reading. For later evenings I'd check out small cafes or bars very near your hotel that look/feel comfortable to you. Go in, sit at a table or the bar (which ever seems msot appropriate) and order a glass or carafe of wine. Again I'd have my book just in case. If you go to the same place several nights in a row most likely the waiters will quickly become friendly and welcoming to you.<BR><BR>As far as an evening alone in my room, ahhhh... sometimes that is heaven to me after a busy day (get some food to go from a restaurant or grocery, a nice bottle of wine, and cozy up).

Hi Maeve!<BR>Everyone is right but I wanted to add one more thing. (ok maybe 2), First if you want to meet other solo traveler's sign up for English tours during the day. There will be plenty and they provide a wonderful opportunity to meet others. Also, throughout Europe I've never been treated less than wonderfully when dining solo, (except for London). I too always have a book with me to read if I want to. Enjoy! It is a great self discovery!

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and your encouragement. I will follow your advice and I look forward to a great adventure. Maeve

I'm a woman just 60 and have travelled very recently alone to both Florence and Rome. You should have no problems. As for the evenings, you can eat alone happily in all restaurants except maybe the most formal, where you may or may not feel comfortable. What about evening entertainment? I often find tickets for the ballet, concert etc. and go there one evening. Or you can walk and sight-see later into the evening and bring a nice take-out supper to your room.<BR>Just make sure that your hotel is somewhere that's busy in the evening and you will not even need to worry about coming home late.

I've travelled all over Italy solo and Florence is one of my favorite cities. It's not the most single-friendly city in the evening (lack of free places to sit and people watch, fountains, etc), but that shouldn't stop you from having a great time. I would advise dining at a restaurant such as Trattoria Marione, a bustling crowded place where there are plenty of tables for one or two. If you're so inclined, it's practically impossible not to strike up a conversation with the diners at the next table! Or have dinner at an outdoor restaurant on the square - Piazza della Signoria - probably not the culinary highlight of your trip but good for people watching. There are some great cocktail bars if you're interested - Astor is one of my favorites - but I personally don't like going to those places alone. Instead sit at a table on the square and enjoy the ambiance and a coffee or cocktail - and as others have said above, after a while, you might not be alone, you might be fighting them off with a stick : ) And if all else fails, there's always window shopping! Enjoy!

I have just had three months in Europe, arriving home mid january, travelling to eight countries on my own. It was a wonderful and very rewarding experience. I'm in my fifties also. I stayed three weeks in Florence,and used it as a base to travel to a number of towns in Tuscany, some that were non touristy and others like Siena, Lucca and Arezzo. I had no trouble filling in those three weeks. At no time did I ever feel uncomfortable by being on my own, I did not dine out at night very often but prefer to have a midday lunch and not worry too much about dinner. The inner areas of Florence are always bustling at night with locals and tourists alike and there are literally hundreds of cafes and restaurants. You will not feel uncomfortable about dining alone, many locals do and it is another way of learning about local life. I found the italians to be very respectful, it is nice to be greeted when one enters a cafe and to be farewelled on leaving as if visiting someones home. I miss it already. If you would like to ask me any questions, please email me at<BR>[email protected]<BR>