**UPDATE!** My first solo trip to Portugal is booked! A very big thank-you to everyone who gave advice, suggestions, comments and shared info. I appreciate very much! Happy and safe travels everyone! ***
Hi everyone!
Looking for destination suggestions for a solo adult female(first solo trip)Not looking for a resort but rather walking/hiking, sight seeing etc. Modest budget, decent weather (nothing to extreme with heat or cold) safety and will to stay in hostels. Hoping to go this February or March.
Portugal? Hungary? Peru?
I aware this is a very broad question but I appreciate suggestions!
Thank you!

Azores!!!! Sao Miguel specifically. I went there last June and it was incredible! Very safe, reasonably priced, temperate weather and lots of natural attractions to see and do!

Also, Iceland (but it will be dark those months). Beautiful country with lots to see and do but a bit more $

Thank you for the suggestions! Azores is definitely alluring and Iceland will hopefully happen in 2018!

Cuba... specifically Trinidad de Cuba. Google for all the specifics. Cheap and amazing service. Rooms aren't much to write home about but the area and the city are safe single. Www.voyagesdestination.com

South East Asia is a common first solo trip. It was mine! Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam are easy cheap places.

Thanks for the suggestion! How long did you go for?

It was a while ago, I think it was 3-4 weeks. I only travelled through Thailand and Cambodia, but wanted to also go to Laos and Vietnam

I did Nicaragua as my first solo trip. I had a blast.

I did a solo trip to Australia in Nov. Stayed in hostels, cooked my own food...it was one of my top 3 trips ever

Nepal was my first solo trip. Depending on duration, you can do Bolivia and Peru. Bolivia Hop is a good way to commute between the two countries.

Bolivia hop eh? Thanks for the tip!

Portugal....great hiking, friendly, cheap, safe and fantastic food & wine! We were there in February and March and there weather was lovely (not for swimming though)

Thank you!

Did you stay in hotels? Hostels?

airbnb, small guest houses, a pousada, a farm, and small hotels

I was in Portugal in the summer, with a friend for part of the time and alone for part of the time. I stayed in hostels everywhere I went and it was great. I'm dying to go back - Portugal is beautiful!

Southern Spain: Malaga and Córdoba.
I’ve been in March, it’s warm in the day and slightly chilly at night. Beautiful historic sights, good food, museums, very safe.

Peru for sure! It's very affordable and I found the people extremely kind and helpful. I backpacked around Cuba as a single traveler and it was horrible.

Why was Cuba horrible? You can pm if you like

Peru is definitely looking good !

I've done Italy solo multiple times. It's lovely and I've always had a wonderful time.

I also enjoyed various islands in the Caribbean, but not sure how they're recovering after the hurricane.

+1 I've done Italy by myself, it's lovely!

Tip. Pick a small country that way you can easily travel via ground transport & see a lot in a short amount of time while not wasting time commuting. Take into accout the time & money to get to some of these recommendations. Costa rica is a good start ~ 5h

Thank you for the advice, never took that into account about the time commuting!

I really enjoyed Japan solo, felt very safe there, and the hostels were fantastic (I got to play with some kids of the folks who owned one, I have no idea what they were trying to teach me to play - but it was a heck of a lot of fun)
If you get a rail pass, transport is super easy

Peru was my first solo trip. Hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and explored the Amazon Jungle in Puerto Maldonado for a few days. The Canadian dollar goes far, it's easy to get around, and most people speak English. The people were absolutely amazing. Two weeks were perfect there! After Peru, I've backpacked to several other countries solo.

Thank you for the info. Peru and the Machu Picchu trail are definitely a big interest for me. I’m curious about the Cdn dollar and what it gets you

Just booked a vacation to peru - all hiking trails require booking months in advance as they fill up fast, and you must go with a guided tour (fairly expensive)

Steph WHAT?! Really??

Yeah! They are trying to preserve the trails, so spots are limited.

Steph well that changes everything! Thanks for the big heads up!
Where did you book thru?

Patches, there are other treks to Machu Picchu that you can take. The Inca Trail permits are usually booked months in advance. There are several last minute treks that you can book at one of the places at the Main Square in Cusco.

Merle thank you!

Patches my family and I are doing an alternate route, with similar features:
http://www.salkantaytrekking.com/

I have been to Barcelona, New Zealand, Australia and Miami as a solo traveller! All were amazing, all had hostels I enjoyed and were easy to navigate: get a money belt for sure to keep money and passport safely tucked under your clothes.

Slovenia is absolutely gorgeous.

Romania!!

Hungary-Heviz thermal baths/Lake

I’m doing a solo trip to Norway in March! Found a cheap flight and some good airbnb

Norway has never crossed my mind but I’ll look into it! Good suggestion, thank you !

Patches my pleasure. Lots to do...I’m doing a northern lights tour, paragliding and hiking Trolltunga.

Scandinavia is amazing but challenging to do on a small budget!

Did solo travelling in Spain - Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Granada - all was fantastic sites, affordable, lived in hostels everywhere, had a great experience. Followed basic safety rules, like didn't go out past 10 pm, always had a cross-body bag (front-facing) to avoid getting robbed, didn't wear anything too expensive etc.

Solid advice!! Beware of robbers in Europe, always have things front-facing

I did a solo trip to Spain too and it was amazing. Additionally, I brought my beach stuff in a grocery bag and kept my valuables in a diaper.

Nepal

I went to Nepal solo too and volunteered amazing experience

I volunteered at an orphanage. Did a meditation retreat. And visited Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini. It was definitely a soul searching solo trip. Nepal is a magical place...like no other. I've traveled around the world solo, and this was the best by far.

Victoria it was a life changer!

We ended up in Lumbini almost by accident when we crossed the border from India. What luck! A magical spot.
I just sent a donation to the school we volunteered at in 2012. Had a long chat with the founder about the kids and how much they've grown up, as well as some prospects for international exchanges. I have so much to give back to that country. I am still overwhelmed with how generous our village was, when they really had nothing.

If anyone wants to volunteer at a Nepali school I highly recommend Maya Universe Academy.

I had a great time in Ecuador. I felt totally safe everywhere except Guayaquil. I really enjoyed exploring Cuenca, in the mountains. Then I rented a car and drove the coast. Awesome trip and I made several new friends.

How long do you have, what are your goals to see/do/experience, and what makes you happy? I've been a solo female traveller in many different regions

I have approximately 7-10 day’s. I don’t have any goals or any plans. I just need to travel and explore. Simple as that
Suggestions?

Personal preference is eastern Europe. There are a lot of different cultures & landscapes in a fairly compact area, and it's inexpensive. Plus I love the food
You could travel from Bulgaria to Poland in that timeframe by train, with a bit of time for hiking.

Or if you want a cheaper flight then I'd say Costa Rica is a good bet. Panama is also amazing and not as popular.

Final suggestion for now - Ireland. It's not far away, you can find a good deal on flights (I like the Hopper app), and there are endless opportunities to walk & explore.

Of course, with your trip coming up soon, you could just do a flight search to anywhere & see where it takes you

You are awesome! I just discovered Hopper last week and have been playing around with it. Flights to Portugal on there are averaging $750-ish round trip.
WestJest is also having a sale and the UK seems dirt cheap

I just noticed this week that Hopper has an option to put in dates & origin airport, with destination Anywhere. Love it!
Hostels would be the best option for accommodation. You'll meet other people to do things with for sections of your trip, and get inspiration about places to go.

Lisa just found an app tonight called “Hostel World” and it is great

This thread is fun Patches
I don't think you'll need to book hostels in advance of your trip if you are going to Europe, although I would book for the first night so you don't have to figure that out at the airport. This will give you more flexibility in case you decide to stay longer in one place, or go in an unexpected direction.
I've heard that the student rail passes are worthwhile for western Europe (certainly helped my budget in Scandinavia). Trains in eastern Europe are cheap and also buses are sometimes better there, so don't buy a pass for that region.
My favourite train info site is The Man in Seat 61. Bahn.de is good for schedules & pricing across Europe.

Lisa thank you for the info on hostels! I was chatting with a friend last night about that and if I book in advance or not. Booking the first night is a great idea!
Didn’t think much about traveling by train and I’ll look up your suggestion for the train info site.
Are the hostels generally clean ? Most of the ones I’m looking at seem great on the website pics (like everything else on the web) and offer free wifi, breakfast and tours of the city which is a great bonus

Variable. Read the most recent reviews. Bedbugs are always a possibility but they're harmless, just annoying. If you happen to end up with some hitchhiking bedbugs, wash EVERYTHING in a hot wash.
That's the main reason most hostels provide or rent sheets and ban sleeping bags!

Lisa yes bedbugs are a concern! I was wondering if I should bring my own top sheet for a bed but if I can rent one then that should work

Patches if you want to bring something of your own, buy a silk sleeping bag liner. They're expensive here but they seem to work really well as protection against bites. I'm an insect magnet & my silk allowed me to sleep outside in hammocks in Central America

Spain

I would do the following and start in late March if possible. It would be a three week trip. Fly to Madrid. Stay two nights. Take train to Seville. Stay 3 nights. Take train to Malaga. Stay 3 nights. Take train Ģranada. Stay 3 nights. Take train to Valencia. Stay three nights. Take train to Cordoba. Stay 3 nights. Take train back to Madrid. Stay 4 nights. Fly back home. You will love this. Have done this. It is an amazing trip.

Wow! Good suggestions! Was all that expensive ? How to plan or navigate?

The weather at that time is very pleasant. You can book the trains from home. Very beautiful area. Good prices on hotels and great prices in hostels at that time. You will see so much beauty while experiencing a rich culture and history. The food - WOW.

Angelo thank you!

http://www.planetware.com/.../top-rated-hiking-trails-in...

Switzerland

Definitely a place I want to go. Thank you

I often travel solo. My favourite places so far have been Thailand, the Philippines, Costa Rica, and the azores.

Ireland. Iceland.

I backpack solo 2-3 times a year and almost anywhere can be done on a budget. Definitely find out what’s in off season right now (February is a good time for most places). The safest I have ever felt was in Greece (did Athens and Santorini). I felt comfortable walking alone at midnight as a female in central Athens, and all the hostels were lovely. Italy is also a wonderful place to see, everything is gorgeous. Let me know if you want some advice on flight deals, I book most of my Europe trips for ~500!! Best of luck

And Greece is beautiful!!

Thank you !
$500?! For round trip flight?

Patches yes, it’s possible!! Try skyscanner and watch the prices over a month or so. icelandair is usually pretty good for prices, but I always check skyscanner first! Most recent trip I booked is to Scotland & it was $510 roundtrip, all thanks to watching skyscanner for a month!

Larissa wow! Are those flights with lots of layovers? I’m finding decent flight prices but with multiple layover and hours and hours till you finally get to your destination. I’m not finding that appealing

Patches my Scotland one has an hour layover in Iceland, you might have to pick through deals or spent a teeny bit extra (like $30-50) to avoid insane layovers. Or, if you can, make a trip of it! I had a 20hr layover in NYC on my way to Puerto Rico just so I could subway into town for a day!

Larissa I don’t mind paying a bit extra at all and yes, I’ve thought about taking a day to explore during a layover:)

Peru was amazing! If you plan for 2 weeks, just Peru, if you plan for 3 weeks, you can also plan to visit Bolivia as well.

Ireland:)

Italy...5 days in Rome then take the super train to the coast and catch ferry to amalfie. Train can stop at Pompeii on the way. I always felt safe. Just be smart! And don't stop in Naples horrible place!

Tel Aviv is awesome and very easy for the English-speaking traveller. Amazing food scene, great sightseeing, and I felt very safe there as a solo traveler (though that was like 10 years ago). I've only been to Niacragua as a family traveller, but we did some awesome tours while being based in Leon, Managua and San Juan del Sur. I've read/heard that Nicaragua is the safest place for solo women travellers in Central America. We had guides with us for most of our outdoor activities like volcano hikes etc--I highly recommend Julio Tours if you do hire a guide--he's a fascinating gent, very well-informed and a good person. He's got a great team, too.

Agree. I was in Israel just over a year ago. I always go solo and it was very safe and easy to get around. Great train and bus system and almost everyone speaks at least some English. I also crossed over into Jordan and went to Petra which is stunning. I'm and older woman and whenever I travel I am always cautious but never fearful.

Thank you!

Patches Hope you have fun wherever you end up going!

The Azores are wonderful, economical and very safe

https://www.geekyexplorer.com/things-to-know-azores.../

i go solo everywhere, you just go the place you want you dream, just take care of yourself like a treasure and everything will be all right

I love it! Thank you!

Patches enjoy your trip!

I did London solo last November. I booked through marlin travel and entire trip was around $2600.00.

Nice! How long were you gone? What did that include?

I would recommend Portugal or Spain. Both very safe. Weather wise perfect and for Europe fairly economical. Lots of great place to explore in either country.

I think a lot of countries have strict restrictions as a cat visiting other countries...be sure to check with embassy/consulate about importing animals before booking travel

Good advice. I’ve been looking up if I need a visa and it seems for the most part if I’m staying under 90 days I don’t need one

Patches need a travel buddy? Lol

Madeira. A Portuguese island. Tons of hiking. Mountains. Inexpensive. Very friendly. Check out the apartment rental of Tomaz bairos. On air B&B great guide.

Thank you! I’ll look it up

Patches sorry last name is teixeira

Costa Rica or vietnam

Costa Rica

I'm selling flights to Dublin from Toronto 16th to 21st if ur interested in buying??

What month?

February with aerlingus pm me

Portugal - Algarve - Hostels throughout. Safe place - I know two women that are there now on their own.

Malaga .. and Gibraltar.

I went to Costa Rica alone and it was so much fun. Lots of activities you can do. If you are interested I can give you more details. Let me know

New Zealand...just spent three months there.

I would take a look at Malta

Portugal and Barcelona.

Portugal , went to Lisbon just me and my girlfriend. Inexpensive, lots of good food and lots of things to do

Portugal is beautiful

You have Spain tagged in there. Nothing in Spain is done on a modest budget! Others have recommended Barcelona, let me tell you, unless you have €1000 to spend a week outside of your accommodations, you’re in for a rough ride... even gelato is €5 a serving... a regular lunch? €15. A pitcher of sangria if you choose to imbibe: €17. You can do much more in Portugal than the tourist traps of Spain

Whoa.... really? Thank you for the advice. That is one of my biggest concerns is the cost of everything once I’m there. I’m a ‘easy keeper’ and don’t need anything fancy but I also want to experience good food and some treats (gelato etc) but those prices scare me a bit....

I don't think that's true at all...I went for a trip to London and Barcelona in 2016 (4 nights in each place) and spent $1700 Canadian for everything....including flights and accommodation (flew to london, then to barcelona, then back to toronto). Our airbnb was only $60/night/person for the two of us...so it can be done cheaply. Just a tip, in most of these places it's cheaper to splurge on a big meal at lunch and pay lunch time prices and eat a smaller dinner or even just tapas than it is to pay for a nice big meal at dinner time.

Allison thank you for you input
good idea about having a big lunch.
$1700 is doable for that and should be cheaper with one person in hostels

Also went to Barcelona for two nights and three days, alone too. Stayed at this amazing hostel which costs me $30 per night (it was a mixed dorm but felt really safe) right in the city centre. So much to see if you walk around the area, so many cute tiny streets with so much characteristics. Food price is somehow same here in Canada tbh for a good meal ($10-15)Really depends on how you would like to spend your money on. But for me I found it cheap. Btw if you want the hostel I stayed at, they also hosts night out with other guests, perfect way to meet new people! Have fun on your trip! But Spain is very worth it. Check out Malaga too if you can!

Thanks so much for your advice!

I have not found Spain expensive. Food in grocery stores is inexpensive. Starting on April 3, I found the following. Madrid - JQC Rooms - $58.00/night. Seville - Pension Nuevo Pino - $51.00/night. Malaga - Casa Al Sur Terraza Hostel - $54.00/night. Granada - White Nest - $39.00. Cordoba - Hotel Riviera - $69.00/night. Location and safety should be a major goal. If you find a cheaper place 25 km from the downtown, you will spend a lot of time commuting.
Many restaraunts have great specials. Just do not eat across the street from a major tourist site. Walk a few blocks away and there will be better food at cheaper prices. I can recommend some good places if you want.

Angelo wow! Thanks for the info sharing and advice!

New Zealand

Looks awesome! Is it not quite expensive to visit tho?

I'd leave Australia & New Zealand until you have more time. Long, expensive flights and so much to see once you get there! I had a 10 month working holiday in Oz and there are still tons of places I'd love to visit there.

Lisa good point!

Belize!

https://www.belizehub.com/.../can-fly-toronto-belize-310.../

Costa Rica, I travel solo all the time. Great trip

I loved Costa Rica but they ding you pretty
Good if your not a local or Tico

mexico!

Tamarindo Backpackers in Tamarindo Costa Rica

I just came back from England and Ireland solo trip and I loved Ireland so much! Already planning another trip back there

Mexico City
lots and lots of sight seeing .... extreme fun.. one of the best food you can find - especially the street food... very safe and very cheap... a hotel in the center would be like $25 CAD a night... so U can be on budget without even trying
Let me know if you need more info..

Thank you

I love Mexico but Mexico City is a No No

Do the Camino de Santiago from Portugal onwards

Budapest walking tours are good. Széchenyi Baths great experience!

Myself along with half of toronto is currently in Belize thanks to this site !! Highly recommend

That was a great deal!!

Costa rica

Portugal is definitely the place to go. Very safe. Very easy to get around

I just did the exact same thing in Nicaragua. Msg if you want details

Queenie Mak

Go to mstravelsolo.com she has blogs on females travelling alone, staying at hostels and has been to all the places on your list

Thanks for the tip!

Check out Wild Women Expeditions Patches

Based on the amount of days you have, you'd want to consider somewhere that is under 10 hours of travel. Don't bother going to South East Asia as that is already a days travel to get there and another to get back. Also not sure how you are with jet lag too. My suggestion is Portugal. There are plenty of great deals from Toronto due to the amount of Portuguese here and thus a great airline relationship is built. Portugal is often overlooked at from Spain but people miss out on the prices. It is significantly less expensive than their neighbours and offers quite a lot of unique opportunities. Fantastic hikes, beaches, sunshine. I do a lot of photography and enjoyed Lisbon as a base, loads of character. Porto is another gem, it's a few hour train ride and is also a fantastic place to do a lot of walking. Crime in the country is very low as the police presence is respected. The quality of hostels in Portugal is pretty damn good as well. Some of the better updated ones in recent memory.

Utah

Prague and area. Inexpensive. And beautiful. Great for walking and hiking nearby.

Budapest is beautiful and full of history, you can get to beautiful countryside towns easily, and Hungary is relatively cheap compared to Western European countries. Can’t recommend it enough.

Peniche, Portugal! I have been there by my self twice, and loved every moment. It is safe, fun, and very inexpensive. This is where I stay (even as a non surfer):
http://www.surfcastle.com/

Thank you for the link, I’ll check it out

Iceland for sure. Ultra safe and cheap to get there (not as much to stay there) larger cities have a decent selection of hostels and if you're a backpacker, it's a dream as hitchhiking is very safe and normal there

Thank you! Iceland is definitely a place I want to go. Not sure for weather this time of year... maybe in March?

We were there in January a couple of years ago. Planning another trip this September (unless we go to Portugal instead
). Magical but expensive...hoping it'll be easier to visit on a budget in Sept when we can self-drive & camp.

Lisa my best friends husband went to Iceland last year for 2 weeks and they rented a camper van and lived in that. He loved it. I want to say he spent around $2500?

We will only have about 4 days but that's going to feel like a long time after our last trip (<24 hrs)

How about the Camino in northern Spain.

New Zealand, Iceland are super safe for female travels. Portugal is safe and cheaper than the above to options. UK and Northern Ireland. NZ only expensive if you do skydiving or Heli hikes and other activities but all hiking is free! I have documents for all of the those. If you are short for time then probably Portugal is more reasonable given cost and travel time.

I did New York City for my first solo trip ( female).

Portugal would be LOVELY. Great people, food, architecture, history, etc. Also espresso everywhere is 0,80€!

In other news, the Portuguese coffee exchequer had to raise the espresso rate by .25% due to rising returns on agricultural loans...

In other news, the Portuguese coffee exchequer had to raise the espresso rate by .25% due to rising returns on agricultural loans...

On a different tack- places that I wouldn't recommend for your first solo trip based on my own experience:
India (unless you book a tour in advance)
South Africa
Morocco
Honduras (unless you go to Roatan only)
UAE e.g. Saudi Arabia, Dubai
There are many things to love about all of the above places, but cultural differences and travel challenges may be better appreciated when you're a bit more experienced & comfortable with traveling.

Very good points! Thank you

I'm also going to say Thailand. Too many scams there. Although I know a lot of people love it, and it's truly beautiful...I found Cambodia an easier travel experience (Vietnam too, but I was Couchsurfing there so that's always a different kind of experience)

Lisa all those places seem absolutely wonderful and I want to go but the crazy long flight is a tiny bit of a turn off.

Patches I agree. Don't spend too much time flying to somewhere and then feeling like you didn't have enough time to explore. Also, the time difference will have an impact- follow all the advice about adapting to local time immediately, to avoid jet lag. Or go somewhere south where this won't be an issue.

Belize visitors- please link to blogs etc about your experience, it's somewhere I'd love to visit. It lost out in favour of Honduras when I was in that region, and also I was traveling with a non-swimmer so we would have had some difficulty agreeing on activities
Would also like some honest assessment of how locals treated you as I've heard reactions can be mixed.

(Pm me or tag me in separate posts please, don't want to hijack this post)

Peru is actually great, especially if you hop on a group tour like G Adventures. You get a taste of city life in Lima, mountains in Cusco (and the Inka Trail) and rainforest in the Amazon. And the people are so nice and the food is OMG.

I’m think Peru will be my March trip
Thank for you suggestions !

I am Hungarian and I live in Toronto. If you decide to go to Budapest, I am happy to share you great ideas.

I’m also Hungarian!
That’s one of my top destinations and right now flipping back and fourth between Hungary and Portugal.
I would love some suggestions!

Pm you.

Azores! It's a short flight from Toronto, the weather this time of year is 15 to 20°C, and there is plenty to see and do. The people are lovely, so helpful, and it's incredibly safe. You could stay busy on the main island, Sao Miguel, hiking around the crater at Sete Cidades, exploring the city, Ponta Delagata, the botanical gardens and hot pools of Furnas, and visiting Lagoa do Fogo for an unreal postcard view. If you do decide to visit another Island, check out Faial. The city there is Horta, and it's small, but filled with lots of characters, and wonderful restaurants. One place by the harbour brings out hot pieces of lava rock for you to cook your entire meal on. There are two volcanos on that Island, and the interactive centre at the volcano with the most recent explosion (1950s) is very memorable.

I used love home swap for my 12 weeks in New Zealand. It's a great platform.

I just did a solo trip to Thailand. Very easy to travel there and so many lovely sites to see! I was never hassled unlike other places I have traveled.

I did a solo trip to Southeast Asia, and I felt safe. Thailand is probably the easiest place in Southeast Asia to go because there's so many young people from all over the world doing the exact same thing. It's very inexpensive while you're there which is good for your budget, the weather is beautiful, and has lots of opportunities for hiking. It also has many safe hostels, which is also a great place to meet friends. March is a good time to go for more bearable temperatures.

Just got back from Portugal. Would highly recommend it. We did have a car and made getting around easier. It was quite affordable. The smaller little cities are quite cheap. A lot of history and architecture.

Solo trips - check out G Adventures, I did many of them in Asia, small group, always felt very safe. In Europe, almost anywhere even if your first solo vacation. I always go on a walking tour of the city the first day to get my bearings (check out Sandemans). Prague, Budapest, Krakow - are getting more popular but still affordable. Amsterdam and Belgium and France good choices too and easy to get around.

Thanks for sharing, good idea on a waking trip. I’ve been looking at Hostels and most of them seem to offer free tours

Hike the French Camino (or part of it) ... if you don’t like hostels, stay at some of the many hotels along the way. A life changing experience. You will meet so many interesting people, many also travelling solo.

Thank you!

I went to Nicaragua solo in July/August. Its everything you want and more. Don't be afraid of rainy season...its gorgeous and green and wildlife is active. I highly highly recommend.

Thank for sharing:)

I went to Hong Kong solo in February a few years ago. Weather was in the teens. From Tian Tan Buddha to Peng Chau island, some interesting areas to hike. Amazing inexpensive food, including the world's cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant. Pop culture. Night markets. Luxury shopping (even just looking). Bring comfortable shoes. - And English spoken widely.

Thank you for sharing! I’m very interested in going but not sure about the crazy long flight

I broke up my flight to New Zealand with three days in Hong Kong. Loved it.

Lynn how long was your trip total?

3 months

I used an awesome home swapping platform. It was incredible.

Lovehomeswap

Lynn wow, 3 months?! That’s great!

How about Cinque Terre!? The Italian Riviera. Safe. Fun, beautiful, with Great hiking and you can fly in through Venice or Rome and extend your stay there.

Good idea! Thank you for sharing

Seconded! It's gorgeous, it's Italy, and there's great opportunities to hike through eat of the five. I've been to Italy twice and this is the only place I've made a point to return to. That said, can't wait to go back to Florence. If you're anything like me, Italy could be a good first solo trip because you can get a lot out of it without going off the beaten path.

Sarah Cassellis thank you for sharing! Did you find it expensive as a solo traveller there?

We found the prices actually very reasonable. I agree with Sarah. Florence is beautiful and so much to do. Our 22 y.o daughter just spent some time in Rome on her own. Hostels were 14$ the food was reasonable. She said she was glad not to have anyone there in some ways because it freed her up to spend as much or as little time as she wished at all the historical sites and museums churches etc. Cinque Terre is an easy train ride. I recommend staying in Monterosso Al Mare. The hike is incredible for the fitness and the views!

Debbie omg what a beautiful picture!!!
That’s one of the reasons I want to go alone, so I can go at my own pace

Costa rica for sure

Portugal--very safe, beautiful country, food, great wine, affordable.

Camino de Santiago - last 100km hike.

You did a 100km hike?

Agree about the Camino. You can start wherever you like on the ~800 km. We hiked from Leon to Santiago de Compostela. It was just shy of 400km. Safe and lots of places to stay (at least when I went in 2009)

Sara Lynn thank you for sharing!

Prague....the best !

Portugal! The salty pelican

First vote: Argentina.
Peru is very nice too but a little bit harder to navigate fit your first solo female trip. Cusco and surrounding is awesome but the rest can be a little much.
Other places I've been alone which i found amazing and safe and meet your criteria:
Philippines. Nicaragua.

My daughter loved Argentina.

Thank you for sharing! The Philippines would never have crossed my mind

I did Spain for two weeks as my first solo trip and loved it. Let me know if you need any suggestions.

Thank you!

Would love to hear what you did and how you planned it! Thinking of going in a few months!

Charlene where are you thinking?

The Camino de Santiago, coastal Portuguese route. Here's my blog post about ours last summer: https://argento2665.wordpress.com/.../the-coastal.../

Just finished reading! Enjoyed it! Hope I don’t get blisters!

Just don't use Vaseline! I took one for the team there.

Another vote for Portugal - especially using someplace like Porto as your home base. Very inexpensive and very beautiful with great hiking opportunities. You can get great airfare deals with flexible dates from AirTransat, TAP and Azores Airlines. My other suggestion (though maybe wait until at least late April) is the Transylvanian region of Romania. Lots of gorgeous old-world villages, and the prices can't be beat. You'll find plenty of articles online about the great hiking and other outdoor activities. Brasov is a good home base, and trains to the other major towns are dirt cheap (if slow).

Romania is gorgeous, especially that region, but I have found the public transit system challenging. I once ended up on what must be the slowest train in the world
. Also had difficulty buying tickets in advance, and trains & buses being canx or delayed for hours with little to information available. This left me surrounded by some very persistent gypsy children at one point.
I love Romania but of all the eastern European countries on my list, it's the last that I'd recommend for someone's first solo travel experience.

Thanks so much for sharing! I have looked at a few air lines but not the Azores Airline (which would seem like an obvious one to look at!)

Lisa's points are well taken, but I'll respectfully disagree. What's great about Transylvania is that it's inherently social, and people will help you. Canceled train? No problem - a local will direct you to a bus or shared minivan. Yes, Romania may require you to be intrepid and outgoing and have your eyes open. I've gone twice and have had all sorts of things go wrong. But I've also been repeatedly invited to join groups for a meal or some homemade Tsuika. I don't know that I'd recommend it for a first-ever travel experience. But for the solo traveler it can be a real treat.

Lisa did you find it difficult to navigate on your own? Where you needed to be and how to get there? I admit this is a big weak spot for me

Klaus thank you for sharing! I’m speaking with a friend now who is praising Romania

Patches the first time I was traveling with someone, and we were on a tight timeline. We spent most of our time being frustrated ha ha. But that was more about what we were trying to do, then Romania itself.
I went back on my own so I could build some better memories. This time I was flexible and kind of made it up as I went along. But I'd had years of travel experience by then, so I was confident that it would all work out. I did base myself in Brasov for a few days (where, in true Romanian fashion, the tourist information is closed on weekends!). Stayed in a hostel that was more like a shared apartment, and met lots of great people. Also visited some random villages and ended up on several detours. Like I said, wonderful country but better for a seasoned traveler or someone incredibly easy going.

Lisa thanks again for sharing! You are a seasoned traveler

One day that'll be you too

Wow, all amazing ideas. Have had solo travel on my bucket list for years, would like to go in mid-May. I'm more excursions booked from the hotel's front desk. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Prague. Beautiful city. Lots of walking. Can very easily travel to cesky krumlov yourself.

Well personally Prague and Czech Republic is inexpensive, great for walking. Lots to see. How about Austria...great country with a variety of places......not many better places than Salzburg or inns brook.