How Rick Steves Recommends Overcoming One Of The Biggest Downsides Of Solo Travel

Traveling solo might feel intimidating at first, but it's something every traveler should experience. The ability to choose what, when, and how you plan your travels is entirely up to you, and you only. Getting up at 6AM to catch the sunrise? How about taking a sporadic day trip to a neighboring village that nobody has ever heard of?

Traveling solo allows you to make your own decisions about your itinerary. It's the ultimate feeling of freedom and builds confidence in your ability to look after yourself. Although, as freeing as solo travel can be, loneliness can sometimes rear its ugly head now and again. Travel guru Rick Steves, who has traveled solo extensively, recommends how to overcome one of the biggest downsides of solo travel.

Whether you're looking to explore the best destinations in Italy to discover on your own, or discovering the best tips for planning your first solo trip, everyone has their own travel style when it comes to dining out. Some solo travelers love the alone time during a meal, while others may miss the back and forth chit chat of enjoying a meal with someone. Steves mentions that, "when you're on your own, you don't have a built-in dining companion." He goes on to explain that for him, "a downside of traveling alone is trying to enjoy fine dinners solo." 

The misconception of solo travel is the fact people think that they need to be alone 24/7, however, this isn't the case. One of the best ways to meet other travelers from around the world is to join a tour with like-minded people that have the same interests as you. Steves talks fondly about group travel, saying, "And that's one of the joys of taking a tour: You have company! And thanks to our "no grumps" policy, when you travel with Rick Steves' Europe Tours, you'll have fun company."

Steves mentions how he traveled to Portugal for 12 days, and by joining a tour he spent the whole time "laughing, learning, and exploring with a great group of 25 new friends." Whether you want to join a tour group as a solo traveler for a longer duration of time, or even join a day tour, you are guaranteed to meet other travelers that you can sometimes forge connections with that can potentially blossom into lifelong friendships.

While bringing a book to a restaurant and tuning out the world can offer a soothing sense of solitude, some meals are simply more enjoyable when shared with others. As Steves puts it, "You could invite someone to join you for, say, a rijsttafel dinner in the Netherlands, a smorgasbord in Scandinavia, fondue in Switzerland, a paella feast in Spain, or a spaghetti feed in an Italian trattoria." He also encourages sociable dining by suggesting that "If you're feeling sociable, eat in places so crowded and popular that all the tables are shared, or ask other single travelers if they'd like to join you. Eat in the members' kitchen of a hostel; you'll always have companions. Make it a potluck."

For solo travelers who prefer not to join a tour but still want to meet new people, there are plenty of ways to find dinner companions. A number of travel apps now cater specifically to solo travelers, offering safe and user-friendly options for connecting with others. EatWith is a popular platform that offers communal dining experiences in more than 200 cities around the world. If you're looking to meet people with shared interests, Meetup is a great place to find online groups and attend in-person events. For solo female travelers, Tourlina focuses on safety, requiring a verification process before users can chat with one another, ensuring a more secure way to connect.

Taking a seat at a communal dining setup, such as a beer garden, is another surefire way to meet other travelers, and even locals. Don't be shy and grab a seat next to another traveler or group and introduce yourself. You'd be surprised how open people are when it comes to grabbing a drink with other travelers. Taking a cooking class is another great way to meet fellow travelers, plus you get to enjoy the meal you learned to prepare together at the end.

One of the best ways to have a great trip in Europe is to be open and flexible to joining others on the fly. If you strike up an organic conversation with someone on the street and they invite you for coffee, but you were on your way to visit a church, consider saying yes, especially if you have time to visit the church later or the next day. Being open and flexible can lead to meaningful interactions and unexpected connections.