I spent a week alone in Europe and learned 9 lessons about solo travel

• I had plenty of experience traveling alone before I went to Germany and Austria.
• But solo travel in Europe was a different beast.
• I learned how to tame it.

When planning my trip, I learned that some countries are safer for solo travelers — particularly females.

While staying outside the city can be an adventure, I recommend that first-time solo travelers stay in the center to make their trip easier.

I spent one week alone in Europe before a friend joined me, but I surprised myself by wishing I’d booked a longer solo trip.

My first week in Europe was tough. Getting used to navigating and exploring on my own took some time. Without someone else to share the process with, I found the first few days difficult to fully enjoy.

But by the end of the first week, I felt settled into the nomadic lifestyle and confident in my abilities to navigate cities independently. In fact, I left Europe wishing I had given myself more time alone to truly immerse myself in these new places. Each challenging moment I faced allowed me to grow.

To those planning a solo trip to another country, I recommend giving yourself at least two weeks to explore — especially if it’s your first visit. After finding your footing that first week, the second week will feel even better.

When I’m alone, my headspace can make or break a trip. So, I learned to stay in the moment, celebrate small wins, and not dwell on mistakes.

My trip wasn’t perfect. There were times when I went to the wrong train station, got caught in the rain, and struggled to sleep. Dwelling on these mishaps made it harder to overcome them and get back to enjoying myself.

Early in my travels, I made a conscious choice to push through and focus on what I could control, like buying an umbrella, arriving at stations early, and taking extra time to sleep. These small wins boosted my spirits.

When I arrived in Vienna on an overnight train from Berlin, I was exhausted and hadn’t slept. I knew I needed rest, but I couldn’t check into my Airbnb until 3 p.m. I started going into random hotels to book a room. By the third hotel, I had booked a safe, comfortable place to doze.

I framed this as a small win to celebrate. I got out of my head by focusing on positive problem-solving and found exactly what I needed.

My trip was full of little victories like this, from finally getting to my Airbnb in Neustrelitz on the day I arrived in Berlin to finding a delicious food cart next to a park while exploring Vienna.

Being dehydrated and tired made it harder for me to stay positive. I learned that it’s important to prioritize health when traveling solo.

Sleep makes everything better.

That last-minute hotel booking in Vienna changed everything. When I first got to the city, I didn’t notice how it looked or felt because I was so exhausted.

After some much-needed rest, I remembered why I was there and felt a new wave of excitement about my travels. I could appreciate where I was and take in the architecture surrounding me.

Getting sleep also made me feel more in touch with what my body needed. As soon as I woke up in the hotel, I chugged my water bottle while trying to remember the last time I’d had anything to drink. I realized that I must have been so dehydrated. From then on, I took every opportunity to fill my bottle.

I learned that it’s easy to pack exploration into every hour without planning for rest when visiting a new country for just a couple of days. But without it, I couldn’t enjoy myself. Staying in good health became a priority for the remainder of my travels.

Language barriers can make communication tricky, but I’ve found that smiles and gestures go a long way.

While living in New York City constantly exposes me to foreign languages, I rarely communicate with people who don’t speak English.

In Europe, I encountered more language barriers than ever before. But that didn’t hold me back as much as I thought it would, thanks to gestures and body language.

At first, I wasn’t confident about communicating in different languages, and I approached people nervously, making it harder for me to ask for help when needed.

When I started with a smile, people seemed more eager to help me. From checking out at markets and stores to asking for directions on the train, locals communicated across language barriers using gestures, such as pointing to things around the room.

The time difference made it hard to stay connected with my loved ones. I learned to schedule calls instead of hoping our free time would overlap.

I never used to schedule calls on trips. I just called my loved ones whenever I got a chance. However, traveling to a very different time zone made me realize that staying in touch would take effort.

On this trip, I was six hours ahead of New York, which meant I was already asleep by the time my people got home from work each night.

So I called loved ones during their lunch breaks, around 6 or 7 p.m. my time. This helped me feel less lonely during my trip since I didn’t know anyone in Germany or Austria.

Ultimately, I found that traveling solo in other countries makes me appreciate the times when I’m traveling with a buddy even more.

Traveling solo in new countries is hard but rewarding. I learned a lot about myself and pushed through uncomfortable situations, which made me feel like a stronger person coming out of the trip.

It also made me appreciate traveling with someone else in new ways. When problems arise, I feel grateful for someone to solve them with. I take advantage of all the things I miss out on when traveling alone by initiating conversations, like daily recaps and deeper discussions about our perspectives on the destination we’ve chosen together. I cherish little moments, like sharing a meal and saying goodnight.

If you had asked me if I’d travel alone through Europe again in the middle of my first week, I probably would have said no way. But now that I’ve been through it, I’m more confident than ever that I could do it again and would enjoy it even more.