You may even feel embarrassed for feeling scared and anxious for the trip you’ve been looking forward to for so long. 

I had the same for my first solo trip to south east asia for my 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training.

I was scared of getting sick, feeling unsafe and not being able to communicate without a common language; or not even internet connection. 

To be honest, many of these things happened, as I got Parasites in Bali and first day the taxi driver brought me to a completely wrong resort in the middle of nowhere and I had no internet. 

But this experience was needed to realize that all will be fine, no matter what happens. 

If you are travelling alone for the first time, let’s not start with politically, religiously or geographically unstable destinations. 

I don’t mean to boost these “it’s a scary place” myths about destinations like Burma/Myanmar, or Gaza or Ukraine. 

Yet let’s be honest; it’s better for you to start solo travel adventures from more touristy destinations that have been stable for a long time.

Depending where you are from, but most of the countries of Europe are a great place to start.

Personally I am from Finland, and although the language is difficult, I would say Nordic countries are among the safest destinations in the world.

Also destinations in Central and Southern Europe are safe, yet beware of pickpockets is more required, the more touristy the destination is. Tourist hubs like Barcelona and Rome in that way are not the best ones to begin with. 

I recommend starting from slightly smaller cities and places.

Best solo travel destinations in Europe for first time solo travellers are
Helsinki, Finland

Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain

Brasov, Romania

Zagreb, Croatia

This may be surprising, but destinations like China, Thailand and Vietnam are also very safe for first time solo female travellers. To say it bluntly, the communist culture makes pickpocketing basically nonexistent. 

Solo travel culture is strong in southeast asia, so people are used to seeing female solo travellers, and in general people are friendly and helpful in countries like Vietnam and Thailand.

Now that you have decided where to go, it’s time to do some preliminary research. 

I recommend placing this prompt to ChatGPT, so you get a nice, tailor-made list of things to consider when going to your chosen destination of  travelling alone for the first time.

“Create a simple and calming checklist for a first-time solo traveler going to [insert destination]. I deal with travel anxiety, so include tips to help me feel more prepared and safe. Cover basics like packing, safety, local customs, transportation, communication, and grounding practices. Keep it friendly, supportive, and easy to follow.”

You can save the list to your phone notes or even print it out.

During the trip it’s all about realizing that you have time to take deep breaths, ground yourself and prioritize your wellbeing before getting to that bucketlist.

I won’t ever be the person who recommends this fast travel, which focuses on ticking off the tourist attractions to see to rush to the next one. 

But I believe for everyone dealing with anxiety when traveling for the first time alone, it is beneficial to start with slow travel activities. 

These can be:

Joining a walking tour, as it is a low-key activity, to feel safe among others while exploring the destination.

Booking a yoga class, or any other activity you like to do back home as well, as this gives you the feeling of familiarity in the unfamiliar.

Eating your favorite food in a restaurant, also to give your gut system a little but longer to get used to the local microbiome.

You may also want to read: Gut Health While Traveling

Visit a calm destination, like a museum or art gallery to root back to your senses while still already exploring cool things abroad.

Another great one is to get into observation mode and enjoy the people-watching while chilling in park or a café.

Just because you are doing first time solo travel and not anymore these touristy all–inclusive holidays to resorts, it does not mean you can’t find cool, organized experiences. 

When traveling alone, it is actually ideal also to make friends abroad while traveling by joining organized tours. 

Another cool idea is Airbnb Experiences or Booking a local guide who will show you around. 

This way you will likely experience less touristy, and more deeper experiences when locals take you to the hidden gems and know their way around. 

It’s not always about what you do or what happens around you, but how you perceive and experience it.

I don’t mean to push toxic positivity on you, but it is helpful to realize that anxiety and excitement are kind of the same emotion, just a different intensity. 

Realizing that anxiety is a feeling that you don’t need to push away, but rather, it is a normal way of feeling about something that really matters to you, yet is a bit new and scary at the same time. 

Simply feeling the anxiety instead of forcing it away, can alleviate the negative symptoms that suppressing an emotion causes during first solo travel.

With the help of our breath, we can significantly calm down our nervous system.

Personally I take 15 minutes every morning to root to my breath with this calming breath work exercise. It works even for migraines and other anxiety and tension-related symptoms.

Sometimes, it’s more helpful to imagine what would happen, if your biggest fears happened. 

Try journaling your thoughts down with these writing prompts:

What’s the worst that could happen? How would I handle it?

What is the worst thing that has happened in the past? How did I handle it?

The second prompt also gives you confidence, as it is literally proof of you being able to deal with tricky situations.

There are moments when you simply need a way to survive the anxiety attack.

I recommend calling mom or a friend. They can help you calm down and give perspective that everything is and will be alright.

If you are out and about, find either a calm place to sit and calm down, or return to your accommodation to ground and root. 

Get some rest and realize that your wellbeing is much more important than ticking off all those attractions from the bucket list. What’s the fun of it anyway if all you feel is weight on the chest?

You can always also reach out to people in similar situations, for example in solo travel facebook groups. 

I’ve seen many conversations where people call out for help for tricky situations, like accommodation turning out to be a scam in the destination, and there are many helpful people helping the person to figure their way. 

So think of the world like Hogwarts; Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.

And remember, anxiety is normal, and as everything in life, that too shall pass.