what do I do???
 

I am making plans to go to Europe before the end of the year. This will be my first time travelling alone as well as in Europe. I am going on my own then meeting some family for two days and heading home, this will be the first time meeting some of them. I debating whther or not I should go alone. I was thinking of asking my boyfriend to go with me. Part of me wants to go alone, but he has never been as well and it would also be nice to enjoy Europe with someone. I know that I will be easy to meet people there but I'm just so confused. Help!

I'm a big fan of travel solo but I don't have a boyfriend who might want to go along. When I travel alone I don't "meet people" but that's because I'm not trying to. There's nothing hard about planning a trip to Europe for 1 or for 2. Only you can decide which you want to do.

I use to travell solo a lot. I wont stop travelling if nobody can come with me. My last trip goes back to July-August this summer, France and Spain. I had a wonderful time (3700km of driving). You meet people, lots of people. Actually, you can meet more people when you travel alone than when you travel with somebody. Of course is nice if you go with your boyfriend, but if he cannot go, just go solo and enjoy it, enjoy the freedom to travel solo. It's a wonderful experience, believe me.

In terms of what you want to do, it's up to you. You have to decide what you want out of this trip. You can decide to go on your own, you will meet people along the way and you get to choose what you want to do. On the other note, if you want to share you trip then gladly take your boyfriend along. Either way you will have a great time. The only thing I have to add is that trips can make or break relationships.

Venice

This will be my fourth trip alone to Venice Italy. I almost always travel alone as I like the freedom to do as I please, but certain cities just seem more solo-friendly. Venice for example has great people, I usually go in winter and just wander the streets at random and talk to shop keepers in out of the way places. I have been invited to dances, restaurant openings, dinner, and coffee and given tours around local neighborhoods by the people I meet. Restaurants seem more suited to dining alone and the appetizer selection at the bars is a favorite of mine for a varied and inexpensive meal. In restaurants I have ended up talking to owners, staff, and other travelers. Perhaps it is the general atmosphere of Venice, no cars, very safe, and so much to explore. That, and you can walk everywhere. True, at times, it would be nice to have that romantic walk in the evening with someone, though I really only missed company when was I at carnivale at night for some of the concerts. The local people I knew (I had met there on previous trips) were all busy with the event and most non-local people had come with their friends in groups. Made me miss my friends but then again that was two nights, and concerts (reggae) are to me a group type event, the rest of the time alone (two weeks) was just fine. It did make it possible for me to take as many pictures I wanted of costumes and wander for hours with no issues with friends wanting to go here or there.

Florence was busy and fast paced, part of it was I went after Venice (almost got run over...after Venice I conveniently forgot about cars...oops) fine for wandering by day, almost impossible to get table at night even with what were supposed to be reservations. The only way I got to eat in anything resembling a timely manner was due to the kindness of others waiting for dinner that allowed my to join them to share a table. Made for a nice evening with locals that way too, but something about Venice has all other cities beat hands down IMHO.

Other cities I have been to solo include, Frankfurt, Vienna, Paris, Geneva, Helsinki, Bologna, and Budapest. Of those Helsinki was also nice solo and Geneva a close second to that.

I have never had a terribly bad travel experience, traveling alone anywhere though I have encountered a few annoying patches as with any travel. ie. Complete rip off cab ride to the airport at 4 am for a 6 am flight in Bologna– airport counter check in wasn’t open yet, but the terminal was, after agreeing on a price for the trip I was extorted by the driver who wouldn’t take the bags out of the car until I paid more, nothing to be done except pay as there was no one around and no visible security...easier than arguing the point ...yuk

Again also a lot of great experiences as well, dinner with other travelers, nice woman on the plane gave me a ride with her and her friend to the place where I was staying from the airport in Vienna when I asked her about the bus, very nice.

Vancouver BC Canada is another city that is nice for solo travel too, very friendly people. Got “adopted” by a group of people while waiting for a table in a bust restaurant, started talking to them , was asked to join them, they even bought dinner ..amazing. Met others during a beer tasting tour. I am still friends with these great people.

I don’t think I would have as much of the local experience or talk to as many new people if I was with someone on these trips. Gives me a chance to be very focused on where I am at the moment. Maybe invite your BF to join you for part of the trip.