Backpacking Europe alone this summer - who's done this? Tips?
Hey guys,
I'm flying into Heathrow (alone) on a one-way this summer and just seeing where I end up over the course of ~8 weeks. Obviously I have some cities and Countries in mind I'd like to hit, but I don't want to go into this with a set itinerary. Has anyone done this, or something similar? Does anyone have any tips or advice? Places and Cities you loved and would recommend? Mainly Western Europe.
If possible, definitely make a stop in Rome. Hands down the favorite part of my journey.
Something I found particularly enjoyable was taking a scenic train from Prague to Rome (stopping in Venice as well). From there, a train to Bari and a ferry across to Patra, Greece and the train ride up to Athens. It was a bit of a lengthy journey, but so incredibly worth it.
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You're going to have a great time and meet a ton of interesting people. I recently got back from a 3 month backpacking trip through Europe and had some unbelievable experiences. One thing I would suggest is to see more than just the big famous cities. Going from city to city gets exhausting, especially if you're trying to take in a new language, see the sights, and learn some of the history. Some of my favorite places were small towns in the Swiss Alps, or the Greek islands... places where I could get away from the tourist crowds and take in some scenery.
Some other tips for going solo:
-keep your debit card and credit card separate so if one gets stolen you will still have the other one to get cash. I learned this the hard way.
-do a walking tour the first day or two you arrive in a new city. It's a great way to get oriented, learn some history and meet other travellers doing the same thing.
-the hostel booking websites are great for finding out where the best places to stay are by reading the reviews and using the ratings. The good hostels will book up in the summer time, so having some places booked a few weeks in advance will make a big difference in the type of place you get. I used hostelworld.com and would occasionally pay the extra dollar or two for 'cancellation insurance', so you really have nothing to lose if you change your plans along the way.
-having a phone of some sort is a good idea when you're by yourself. The cheapest option is getting an unlocked phone and getting new SIM cards in each country you're in. I got an international SIM card that would switch to the local provider depending on what country you're in. It was really convenient but definitely more expensive.
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Whatever you do, make sure to talk about it like you're the only one who's ever done it when you get back. Also, be sure to explain how much better things are over there, to everyone in Canada, and let us know how little we understand about culture over here.
Sorry, so many people are like this when they come back from an experience like you're heading out for.
Last edited by jayswin; 12-27-2012 at 11:54 PM.
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Well I wasn't alone, but did it 18 years ago. You will need to book a lot of hostels in advance as by the time you hit June, hostels in places like Rome, Paris, Berlin will be full.
So if you can pick a route and maybe allow a day or to in-between to check out some smaller towns.
Rail pass is great, trains seemingly go anywhere at any time. Most cities have really good public transit, and a lot of areas are small enough that you can walk around. I know we timed out a few night trains for some longer trips, but the day after those, is a good laundry day where you take it easy, and get a bit more sleep that night.
I thought Paris had a lot to see, as did Rome and Venice. Vienna, at the time was a nice clean city, that I thought had some striking women. Munich was also a fun place to spend a few days. Enjoyed some quieter time in Switzerland as you can go to a place like Interlaken, take an hour long train to a mountain town, than hike up to a couple other's. Different than here where it's so vast in the mountains.
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The idea is you stay with locals, in their homes. It's an amazing way to get an idea of what living in that city is really like, and its free. You get the double benefit of saving money, and also having some incredible experiences with the locals.
Barcelona is an amazing city. Italy is something to see. It generally gets cheaper the further you go south.
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I never did it alone and I am a little jealous of you for doing it. I would love to now, but I don't think my wife would let me.
If you're sticking to mostly Western Europe, I think you should stop in Amsterdam. I know it's a backpacker's cliche, but I don't think you'll find nicer people anwhere in the world. Plus, you will want to get in some guaranteed debauchery if you're going by yourself.
I would also recommend Slovenia and Croatia if you end up going that far. Ljubljana has a lot of neat summer festival things that go on. The Adriatic coast of Croatia is just a short bus ride from there and is cheap compared to Italy, but has many similarities (Roman and Venetian towns).
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I've done Europe solo. I've also done Japan and Egypt solo. Just stick to Hostels. If you end up in a hotel, you won't be able to meet anyone. Meeting people is what you have to do to have an enjoyable time. You can't be on your own the whole trip.
I've never done the couchsurfing thing, but as mentioned that could be an option as well.
Some European cities offer bike tours. I prefer these over walking tours. Way easier to get around, you can cover more of the city and get a lay of the land and you're with people that will likely be more in your age range.
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I'm flying into Heathrow (alone) on a one-way this summer and just seeing where I end up over the course of ~8 weeks. Obviously I have some cities and Countries in mind I'd like to hit, but I don't want to go into this with a set itinerary. Has anyone done this, or something similar? Does anyone have any tips or advice? Places and Cities you loved and would recommend? Mainly Western Europe.
Thanks
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I guess that was a set itinerary, but I love her sense of adventure, and love of travel.
Also, try to learn some basics in French, German, Italian etc. It will really help. Please don't expect European to just speak English. Many do, but you will get much more satisfaction out of speaking to them a bit in their native language. You have plenty of time to do this before you go. And if you get off the beaten path a bit, you may find yourself in an area that doesn't speak English at all.
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Of the cities I've been to in Europe, specifically: London, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna, Budapest, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Talinn, and St. Petersburg;
The hottest women (beyond doubt) are in Helsinki, the best food and museums are in Paris, Vienna is the prettiest, Amsterdam is the most fun, Budapest the most interesting, and Stockholm is the one I most want to go back to.
Can totally miss: Antwerp, Brussels, Copenhagen, Talinn, Frankfurt.
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Also, try to learn some basics in French, German, Italian etc. It will really help. Please don't expect European to just speak English. Many do, but you will get much more satisfaction out of speaking to them a bit in their native language. You have plenty of time to do this before you go. And if you get off the beaten path a bit, you may find yourself in an area that doesn't speak English at all.
You are right, language is something to be planned ahead for.
I know there are mobile/android type apps to make translation much easier...research them and find one that works for you.
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Flights are so cheap in Europe with Easyjet and and Ryanair that it is actually cheaper then trains in most cases.
Plus, you get more time in each location. Obviously hop a few trains for the experience, but depending on how much ground you want to cover, flying is easy.
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Everyone who goes travelling has a different experience, and there's pretty much no way you can screw this up and come back regretting it. No matter what you'll do, you'll have a blast. But here's a few things that might help smooth your way.
Know your budget, and be prepared to exceed it. Western Europe is expensive, and if you don't have a handle on how much money you should be spending on a daily basis, you can drain your bank account very quickly, or might find yourself avoiding things just to save a few bucks. Math it out as much as possible beforehand so you've got a ballpark idea. I would suggest a EUrail pass because, although it's a pretty hefty outlay before your trip starts, it takes some of the pressure off of travel decisions once you're there - particularly when you're in Germany or Switzerland where trains are damned expensive.
Bring a small, foldable waterproof case with you. MEC sells some nice seal line ones. They are invaluable when traveling along in beachy places, as you can put your cards, phone, and/or camera in them when you go to the beach, and then stow them in your board shorts pocket when you go swimming, leaving nothing on the beach for you to worry about. Also, buy board shorts with a pocket.
Learn some local language, but not too much. I've found you can get by anywhere in the world with about 30 words and the numbers 1-10. Once you know where you'll be spending most of your time, do a bit of research into that local language. I wouldn't bother with German, Swedish, Dutch, or Norwegian though - most of them speak English better than you or I.
Mix up your cities and your nature experiences. Going from city to city to city is a bit dazzling, and you'll probably prefer to split up major cities with quieter experiences.
Don't rush. Three months is not enough time to see all of Europe, and you have to resist the pressure to try. You will see some of Europe, so just try to identify what parts you're most keen to see, and be flexible when opportunities arise on the road.
Connect with people. Traveling alone becomes tedious rather quickly. Meet people, travel with them if possible. Hostels are great for this.
Book your hostels in advance. You're going in summer, and it's stressful looking for a place to stay while the sun is going down and you're trekking around an unfamiliar city with your backpack (also, buy a good backpack. MEC has excellent ones that split into two - a main pack and a zip on smaller pack - that are brilliant for traveling). In my experience, hostelbookers.com is the best hostel site (oh yeah, also have a wifi device with you - iPod touch might be ideal, but that's if you don't want to spring for a wifi enabled local phone, or rent a phone for the 3 months, which apparently is possible).
Insofar as places you should not miss, I would suggest Berlin and Interlaken/Gimmelwald are among the most fun places you can go in Europe. Rome is also fantastic. But there is no shortage of cool places to go and, again, rushing them is not the way to go.
Also, if you're there during Midsummer, you should be in Sweden. Or so I've heard...
Whatever you do, you'll have a great time. Don't stress it, but don't leave it totally unplanned either. Unless you're filthy stinking rich of course.
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Backpacking Europe alone this summer - who's done this? Tips?
