Why Italy is the Perfect Place for a Solo Trip

I always imagined going to Italy on my honeymoon or at least with the man I loved. But when I realized it was ridiculous to wait my whole life to go somewhere I always wanted to go, I went alone. Yep, I went on my dream romantic trip by myself. And — spoiler alert — traveling alone in Italy was incredible. Turns out, Italy is the perfect place for a solo trip.

There is no denying Italy is romantic. It has everything a dream destination could ask for: beautiful scenery, delicious food, incredible culture. But who says there isn’t romance in enjoying those things alone? I’m a big fan of traveling solo so obviously I think there’s romance to find anywhere, alone or otherwise.

My trip to Italy was every bit as amazing as I’d imagined. And, honestly, I was happy to be there alone. Now I’m convinced Italy is a perfect place for a solo trip. Here’s why.

Traveling Alone in Italy: Why Italy is the Perfect Place for a Solo Trip

Italy is full of stuff to do.

No matter where you go in Italy, there’s so much to do that it’s almost impossible to accomplish everything in one trip. Possibly even one lifetime! I spent 10 days traveling alone in Italy spread between Rome, Venice, and Milan, and my itinerary was jam packed with sightseeing, tours, day trips, dinners, and operas.

My first stop was Rome, where I had a particularly packed to do list full of historical sites. And the best way to see them, especially the Colosseum and Vatican City, is with a guided tour. Those tours required wearing headphones while the guide talked into my ear, which made them perfect for touring solo. Not to mention literally thousands of people tour those sites every day, so I hardly felt alone. (In fact, I was immensely grateful for a quiet, solo lunch after the overcrowded Vatican tour!)

I also saw the opera and explored all the overrated tourist traps (I’m looking at you, Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain). Plus one day I adventured to Pompeii and Naples. In between I had a list of must eat dishes in Rome, plus obligatory afternoons of wine in pretty piazzas. And I even found whiskey in Rome! I had so much to do, I didn’t have time to worry about being by myself.

(Related :: Rome: The Good, The Bad & The Delicious, What to Eat in Rome, and 5 reasons to take a day trip to Pompeii from Rome.)

Italians are friendly.

If there’s one thing traveling solo makes you keenly aware of, it’s the level of friendliness in different places. Usually it’s cultural and often it depends on the language barrier (or lack thereof). But traveling alone in Italy was easy because of two things: everyone was so friendly, especially in the south, and everyone speaks English.

It always takes me a day or so to get into the groove of traveling alone and remembering that no one notices that I’m eating by myself. But in Italy there was hardly a breaking-in period because my servers and fellow diners were so friendly. I felt like I was making friends everywhere I went, from servers suggesting wine pairings and joking around with me, to diners who asked me to join their tables. (Once I even accepted!)

Italian food is incredible.

I’ll argue Italy is practically synonymous with “good food” and my trip only confirmed that. Everything was delicious! Obviously the pasta is phenomenal, but so is pesto, pastries, coffee, cheese, charcuterie… the list goes on. And enjoying all of it sans travel companion allowed me to really savor it.

After spending five days exploring Rome’s history, I took the train to Venice for a completely different experience. Venice is stunning; every view was postcard-level pretty. But it’s overrun by tourists and tourist-friendly shops dominate the entire city.

So instead of battling the throngs of people, I hunted down specific restaurants known for their food. I enjoyed long lunches of Venetian seafood, like anchovies, oysters, and pasta with mussels. One day I created a deconstructed lunch, starting with appetizers of cicchetti — Venetian tapas of small toasts topped with seafood — at Bar All’Arco, then had razor clams and shrimp pasta at Rusteghi Wine Bar. I finished with espresso at the Caffe Florian in San Marco Square. It was a perfect day.

When I think of Venice, I won’t think of canals or crowds, I’ll think of two things: incredible food and a breathtaking opera house.

(Related :: a guide to two days in Venice and what to eat in Venice.)

It’s easy to get around.

Italy, like most European countries, has an elaborate rail system that makes getting around really easy. From navigating within a city on the metro to connecting to other cities (or countries), the mass transit in Europe gets you wherever you need to go.

The trains are comfortable and clean, and far more relaxing than flying. Since navigating roads and driving in a foreign country would be difficult alone, getting around the whole country on the train was an easy answer. (Not to mention much less stressful regardless of a travel companion!)

After taking the train from Rome to Venice, I hopped on another high-speed train to Milan. It was a quick 2.5 hours, giving me an entire day to spend in Milan.

The scenery is stunning.

Everywhere you look in Italy, the scenery is stunning. No matter what kind of view you want, Italy has it: mountains, beaches, cities, small towns, everything. And not being lost in conversation with someone else allowed me to soak it all in.

On my second day in Milan I took a guided day trip to the Piedmont wine region. Just a two hour drive from the modern city of Milan is the Barolo wine region. Rolling hills covered in meticulously maintained vineyards stretch out into the fog (or, on clear days, to the Alps). Perched on top of many hills are medieval castles, standing strong for centuries overlooking the wineries.

The tour took us to Marrone Winery, where we learned about Barolo wines and had a multi course wine pairing lunch. Then we visited the nearby Brezza Winery, where we tasted another 9 wines. I couldn’t get over how beautiful the region was and how peaceful it all felt. (Certainly all the wine didn’t hurt!)

(Related :: What to know for taking a day trip to Barolo from Milan.)

Traveling alone in Italy allows you to savor everything.

I’ve wanted to go to Italy my entire life. I dreamed about touring the Colosseum, experiencing Pompeii, and seeing an opera at La Scala, the world’s best opera house. Before I left my hotel for the opera, I was nervously excited, in a giddy I-can’t-believe-this-is-happening way. And once I stepped inside La Scala, it felt surreal.

It may sound odd, but I was grateful I was alone. It’s hard to convey how much it meant for me to see an opera at La Scala. (Plus it was my 100th opera!) And because I was by myself, I didn’t have to attempt to explain or justify how monumental the moment was. Instead I could take it all in, savoring every second.

I wasn’t excited about the opera itself; I’m not a fan of The Elixir of Love. But sometime during the second act, the tenor’s aria combined with the outstanding acoustics at La Scala — and the very fact that I was there — brought me to tears. And I didn’t have to be embarrassed by it since I didn’t know anyone sitting near me. I could just feel pure joy in the moment.

(Related :: a guide to Milan and incredible facts about the La Scala Opera House.)

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Traveling with others is such a bonding experience that creates lifelong memories. But traveling alone is equally amazing, if not more so, because it allows me to truly stay in the moment and experience the place without getting distracted or tainted by the interpersonal headaches that sometimes come up in travel. Even in a place that I couldn’t imagine going by myself, traveling alone in Italy was amazing.

Stay tuned for more on Rome, Pompeii, Vatican City, Venice, Milan, and Piedmont.

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