My Amazing Experience as a Solo Female Traveler in Central Europe

I have traveled solo to Canada and Iceland a few times. I even wandered around London and Amsterdam alone for a few hours. But I had never traveled solo in Europe.

So, after making London my jump-off point to Prague, Vienne, and Budapest this past May and June, I wanted to share my experiences, lessons, and thoughts about my first time as a solo female traveler in Central Europe.

Pub Crawling, Clubbing, and . . . Kidnapping?

As a solo traveler, I love to go out to the local pubs and experience nightlife. But typically, I tend not to do pub crawls or clubbing because, at age 35, the next day really hurts. But I decided to sign up for a last-minute pub crawl when I was in Budapest.

After the first 20 minutes, I regretted signing up. I was lucky enough to lead ten very young guys to the first bar. One of them, a guy from Denmark, kept asking if I was traveling solo and why.

Then he decided to enlighten me, saying that traveling solo is dangerous, and asked if I had seen the movie Taken. He was hinting at first, but then boldly said I would be taken since I was a female and these countries aren't safe for females.

I asked how old he was, and he said 21. I told him I was 35 and had been solo traveling since I was his age. I also schooled him on solo traveling. Between that and leading nine other immature and ruckus guys, I was really over that night. I do not mind hanging out with younger people, but this was too much, and all I wanted to do was leave.

That's when my night got better.

"My kids," as I referred to them all night, dispersed away, and I was greeted by two Aussies who were traveling. They saw my distressed look, and we bonded instantly. We got our first drinks a few minutes later, and our table grew with other pub crawlers. That's when magic happened.

I was the only American, which, to be honest, was really nice since I was hanging out with a lot of them during my trip. It was so lovely to chat with non-Americans and have a fun conversation about where we were from, what our next stops on our trips were, and sharing travel tips learned through our experiences—and stories about the journeys that shaped those tips.

Through each stop, we all stayed together and had such a bloody good time that we ended up in a club and dancing the night away. It was the second club I ever went to in Europe (the first time was in London, over ten years ago).

Though I was dying the next day (late nights, jet lag, and 17 days of traveling), it was my best night in Budapest. Despite being "schooled" by a 21-year-old on how to travel, that night turned into one I will always cherish.

I never once felt scared to be a solo female traveler in Budapest, Vienna, or Prague. I was smart, kept aware of my surroundings, and always watched my drinks since, sadly, we must do that as females.

My biggest advice is not to allow anyone to scare you into not traveling alone, especially if it is a male. Because we all know that males don’t always make the right choices, look at “my kid” above.

How to Meet Other Travelers

I am always a sucker for hostels with a rooftop or a bar. These are the easiest ways to meet people.

My first night in Prague was my birthday.

As I was checking into my hostel, I overheard two Americans talking. Come to find out, one of them lived down the street from me, and his friend was doing a residency near where I grew up. What a small world! After they learned it was my birthday, I told them about our rooftop, and they bought me a beer.

We played a game with 12 other people for the next two hours. With the moon being our only light, besides our phones and a lot of beer, I had an out-of-body feeling as I looked around, telling me this was a special moment and I should soak it up.  Later that night, the guys I met and I wandered the streets in Prague, heading to another bar, though we all probably had enough to drink that night. Walking around Old Town Square with no one around and enjoying the Gothic Church of Our Lady and other sites against the dark black sky was surreal. Though I never saw most people from that night again, being on a random rooftop with people in a random country was still a special moment.

A few days later, I found myself on that rooftop with a couple more Americans (and non) on my last night in Prague, dancing under a full moon, trying to convince myself to go to a club. Though the club part didn't happen, we went to the Prague Beer Museum and Anonymous Bar since I convinced them to go there.

I have a picture of myself a few hours prior with my "Remember" drink. It’s a special token; if you order that drink, they take a picture of you with the words “Remember, Remember” followed by the date you were there.

Four hours later, I had the picture with all four of us in it.

I have it pinned on my board above my work computer. Pictures like this remind you of that special moment you make with random strangers and the most important moments you make with yourself while traveling.

In my experience, the "friends" I make while traveling are temporary. Yes, I am friends with them on social media, and we chat occasionally, but then you return from holiday. You tend to go back to your daily schedule and life.

You are not the same person in real life vs. your travel life. At least not me. Watching people's lives unfold after only meeting them for a night is fun. And it's extra special when you share a magical night.

The Magic of Solo Traveling

Isn't that what traveling is all about? Making special magic moments to keep with you and retelling those stories? To expand who you are as a human? If that’s wrong, then I don't want to be correct.

After 19 days, four countries, four flights, four trains, countless memories, and many beers, my trip ended. And it was one of my top three most influential trips. It led me to change my career path and allowed me to take a much-needed break to find my creativity.

Thank you, Central Europe, England, and everyone I met on my trip, for coming along on my birthday trip!

I want to know: What holds you back from traveling solo in Europe or in general? What things have people said to you while traveling that were ridiculous? What was your experience traveling solo in Central Europe? Let me know your thoughts, and be sure to share your stories!