Boldly Go Solo

Singles tours to Ecuador, Ireland, Italy and Peru

I now throw out the idea of "singles" travel for those who might be interested in joining a tour composed solely of people traveling alone, who are presumably not married.

I have not gone with the group Singles Travel Service, but I'm on the email list and they recently sent me a newsletter on some of their future trips.

Such as: Ecuador, a multisport and multicultural adventure; the Inca Trail in Peru,including Machu Picchu, of course; Ireland's Cities - including Dublin and Galway; and an Italy Cultural tour, that includes Rome, Florence and Venice.

50 gorgeous bridge photographs to set solo travelers daydreaming

Take a look at these 50 utterly fantastic photos of bridges around the world. 

At first, I didn't think of this as something to write about on a solo travel blog. But scanning (or should I say "spanning") the photos stirred up so many memories of my travels.

I thought maybe it would do the same for you, even if you haven't been across or in view of any of these particular bridges. For instance, seeing the bridge in Venice - one of so many you cross as you walk the quiet, carless streets - reminds me how special a place that city is.

If you've never gone because you haven't had someone to travel with...not a good excuse. You could wander for hours on your own marveling at the uniqueness of the place and stopping for pizza, gelato, cappuccino (what's not to like about eating in Italy?!) Bring a camera and a book and take your sweet time exploring any which way you'd like. 

I didn't see too many other bridges I'd actually visited represented on the 50 Fantastic Bridge Photographs post. But as my mind wandered, I remembered Chain Bridge in Budapest. I got to visit that one because I had gone to Club Med alone, met someone I became friendly with and a couple of years later she moved to the city for work and invited me to visit.

Solo skiing in Davos and St. Moritz in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe

If you're a solo traveler and ski fanatic, you might want to follow Gabriella Le Breton's winter adventure. Le Breton is the subject of a series of articles in Britain's The Telegraph, called "Single for the Season" about a single woman who is visiting 20 ski resorts this winter.

In mid-January, Le Breton was in Klosters, Switzerland, solo skiing her way at the "preferred ski destination of Prince Charles."

In late January, in report a on Le Breton's solo skiing I found on a blog called Travel Blog Land she was at Courchevel, a ski resort in the French Alps.

I've never skied in Europe. It's such a romantic notion, though. I imagine skiing into huts mid-mountain for hot soup or buttered rum. And skiing right into town at the end of the day, perhaps directly to the back door of my chalet?

I base my fantasies on one spring visit to Zermatt, Switzerland, where these things seemed possible, although I wasn't skiing there. I was staying at the Zermatt youth hostel (I was definitely a youth then) and several fellow hostelers had skis stored against a wall near the door. A few bucks a night for a room near the Matterhorn? Not a bad deal, whether you're skiing or not. 

Gifts for a solo traveler from a German Christmas market and the Smithsonian Institution

Today I got one of those great gifts that a traveler's gotta love. Unusual, one-of-a-kind, retro. On the other end of the continuum from the snazzy travel gadgets and apps available these days. Which are also nice. But this gift was unique.

It came wrapped in a map, In this case, a map of Germany with tourism information on the inside. Double-sided travel wrapping paper! And tied with string? Hardly. Tied with neon green shoelaces with the word "travel" repeated throughout. They'll be on my sneakers as soon as I finish this post.

The book, "Where on Earth: A Geografunny Guide to the Globe" was promoted in the 90's by the Smithsonian Institution, where my gift giver works. It has entries such as, "The Silk Road is not a street made of cloth. It doesn't have 'Dry-clean Only' written on it. It isn't even really a road. There are no signs saying, 'Silk Road, Next 3 Exits.' "

Single supplement waived on cruise lines in 2011

'Tis the season to go cruising. And, I'm seeing a lot of offers from companies waiving the single supplement.

What astounds me is how much people have been willing to pay to travel solo on a cruise. Avalon Waterways' announcement about waiving the single supplement on some 2011 cruises in Europe says that you can save up to $5,396.

Yikes. If that's the savings, how much is the cruise? Not only am I not going solo, I'm not going at all unless somebody treats me to it! Then again, some of the cruises are 23 days long so the price may not be outrageous for what you get.

But clearly the clientele is wealthy and retired. Either that or these cruisers saved vacation days and money to take the trip of a lifetime.

But there are other, less expensive, cruising choices. USA Today says that MSC Cruises is reducing the cost for solo travelers as much as 30 percent on 7-night Caribbean voyages.

9 outdoor ice skating rinks for the solo traveler, with bonus rinks slipped in

The cold weather is starting to settle in here in the Northern hemisphere.

Instead of settling into your sofa, how about slipping out for some ice skating in the great outdoors? At scenic ice rinks around the world?

The globalgrasshopper writes about 10 of the world's best outdoor ice rinks, (However, the one in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, is no longer open.)

Ice skating is a perfect way for solo travelers to people watch and get some exercise at the same time.

Rinks with magnificent backdrops can be found in front of the town hall in Vienna; beneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris; within sight of the stunning El Capitan and Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in the U.S. and elsewhere.

I'd like to add two others, only because I've personally tested them. Skip the skating at the expensive and packed ice rink at New York City's Rockefeller Center and head straight to the skating rink in Central Park.

You get views of the city but also feel the spaciousness of the park around you.

And then there's the National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden ice rink in Washington, D.C. Open already. Skate to the music while gazing at the terrific sculptures, by Roy Lichtenstein and others.

10 reasons to visit Iceland and why it's perfectly fine going alone

Bootsnall, a great travel site, recently published a post on 10 reasons to visit Iceland now. The photos are gorgeous and I agree with all their reasons. Except maybe #10. I'll get to that in a moment.   

I've been to Iceland twice (as I've written here before), once in the winter and once in the summer. Many friends have been there over and over. One for business. He loves it. Another couple because it's so close. And they love it.

Paradores for solo travelers in Andalusia, Galicia and other Spanish cities

I'd heard about paradores, but had never been clear how they'd fit into the solo traveler's world. So after hearing from Holly Maguire of escapio, I offer the following Q & A. 

(Below: Parador de Siguenza)

What exactly is a parador?  

Traditionally, a parador would be a place to stop off for the night on major traveling routes. The Spanish Paradores concept had rescued historic buildings from deterioration by selecting monasteries, palaces and churches across Spain and giving them a modern makeover. 

This makes for unique historic hotels, with all the modern comforts and usually with excellent views of a city or a beautiful landscape.

Why should a solo traveler choose a parador over some other type of lodging?

Solo travelers would get much closer to true Spanish hospitality and history by selecting a parador over a beach resort or classic city hotel.

Anyone looking to discover typical regional cuisine will also be delighted, as there are tasting classes and cooking courses at many of the paradores. These are a great way to spend an evening getting to know fellow travelers.

(At right: Parador de Leon)

Is London safe for solo travelers?

"Is London an extremely dangerous place to travel alone?" This was the question posed by a "young woman traveling alone" on a site called English Travel Deals.

If you'd been in the room with me you might have seen my eyes roll. And a smile appear. What kind of question is that? If you go to London and nothing happens to you, you will feel like you are in a safe city.

If you go and get pick-pocketed, you will forever think it's the Wild West of Europe.

But to tag a whole Western city dangerous? It doesn't make sense. Is Los Angeles dangerous? Is Dallas dangerous? Is Oklahoma City dangerous? Definitely at certain times and in some places. Particularly when terrorists strike, which they have in many tourist destinations such as London and Madrid.

Solo travelers can live like locals in cities around the world

Fellow travel writer Laura Byrne Paquet ended up in Amsterdam's Red Light District doing...well...not what you think. Paquet and her husband, tourists from Canada, had arranged a special meeting.

No, not for what you think!

They had arranged to have dinner with a local couple. A company called Like-a-Local arranges for visitors to have dinner with local residents in cities in Europe and the United States.

Paquet chose dinner at the home of a couple who wrote on the site that they loved to cook traditional Dutch food. She whipped out a credit card to cover the cost for a four- to five-course dinner and voila. She had a "reservation" for dinner. At someone's home.

One of the highlights of such a dinner, in my mind, is learning about a neighborhood in richer detail than you can from a guidebook. Paquet's host described a project to restrict prostitution in the famed red-light district and encourage upscale businesses to move in. 

Over multiple glasses, the foursome also talked about the intricacies of Dutch politics. We get some of those stories here in Washington, D.C. I would have enjoyed hearing a Dutch point of view.