Wanderlust

Top 5 Destinations for Solo Female Travelers

I am the first one to tell you to just go. Pack your suitcase and just go. Every woman should venture out on her own. But if you’ve never done it before, it can sound a bit scary. While there are some places in the world that are safer than others, it’s actually not as bad or scary as we all think. If you are somewhat prepared and have general street smarts, there are many places that are perfect for solo travelers.

ICELAND

The Land of Fire and Ice, it is. Iceland is really a spectacular place and there is no place like it. Solo travel is super easy and comfortable here. Everyone is extremely nice and Reykjavik nightlife and scene is a great place to meet locals. Everyone, solo or not should travel Iceland because of its natural beauty and endless glaciers, waterfalls, geysers, hot springs, and overall landscape. Don’t forget to visit the Blue Lagoon too! It’s one for the books! Please note Iceland is one of the most expensive countries so make sure you are prepared. It’s definitely worth it!

SWITZERLAND

Switzerland is so picturesque it looks fake. This country is extremely clean and classy and everyone is incredibly beautiful and nice. From incredible mountain views, River backdrops, endless greenery hilltops, and endless meadows of florals you’ll never want to leave. If you are visiting Switzerland you must visit the little town of Lauterbrunnen. It’s the cutest most adorable stunning little town that has a waterfall running down the middle of it.

I stayed in Lucerne and then we took trains and buses to the same must-see destinations. Easy to see and get around throughout all of Switzerland. Don’t forget to wrap yourself in their culture too with their amazing chocolates and delicious foods.

POLAND

Poland is the one country that I was interested in but was never on top of my list. I decided to head there because I had one more destination to do before heading home and I found a great Airbnb in both Krakow and Warshaw so I went for it. And I’m so glad I did. Poland is definitely a very underrated country. Poland is beautiful, has so much history and the food is so good too. I learned so much here and I also met so many people. Sign up for a free city tour and you’ll meet some great people and learn things you never knew before. Trigger Warning though, Poland went through some hard times during WWII and Hitler, so things might be a bit sad but so much appreciation for the country and people. The little town of Krakow is super small and incredibly safe. So explore the main square and hit up all their cute restaurants, vodka tastings, and their bread on wheels. I would recommend taking the train from Krakow to Warshaw. It was a great easy scenic ride. Warshaw is a little bit bigger but also very easy to get around on foot. Hit the square and history of the city. Check out Lazienki Park, followed by some pierogis or their famous barszcz, which is dumplings in red beet broth soup.

SLOVENIA

Slovenia. One word. Magical. I met my friend in Croatia and then we drove to Slovenia and it was just amazing. Scenic routes galore and super safe. People are extremely nice and there’s not that many people. There are endless things to do here in Slovenia. You can visit museums, visit Lake Bled, castles, white water rafting and more. We chose water rafting because the experience in turquiose waters was one I was never going to be able to do otherwise. I would recommend to walk around the lake and take photos. The things you’ll see will surprise you. Get on a boat or kayak, see the church in the middle of the island up close. Get in a kayak in the Soca Valley. Honestly that experience is still fresh in my head because it was so awesome. Check out the pics below.

AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam is one of my favorite coolest cities. Known around the world for its liberal lifestyle and super chilled out vibe, this city is a fantastic place to hang out on your own. I didn’t know one person when I entered and left with 3 friends and that’s only staying two nights there. The canals are yours to explore as you discover the unique culture and nightlife of the city. Rent a bike or just walk around exploring it all and meeting the locals. There is endless amounts to see here. Head into as many museums as you can, trust me it’s an experience of a life time. From Anne Frank, Van Gohg, to the sex museum. I know. Really?! Yes when in Amsterdam. Oh yes and don’t leave the city without trying all it has to offer as in the green and THC we know about. Also their infused coffees and do not, DO NOT leave the city without trying one of their famous waffles with sauce of choice!

Follow Me on IG at @carlaloren xoxo

MY TOP PRE TRAVEL TIPS

There is nothing like that feeling before heading out on our travels. I learned a lot this past year while I was traveling for six months around the globe that I wish I knew before I left. I constantly get asked various questions by followers and friends on what they should expect, what to bring, what are must have apps, etc. So here they are:

♥ Contact your bank and phone provider letting them know you will be out traveling. The last thing you want is any blocked transactions on your trip!

♥ I love who ever invented Sanitizer Wipes. Honestly they are crucial for flying. Yes I am that girl. Have some handy on your carry on to wipe down your whole area. Seats, windows, tray, monitors and please wipe down the head rest! 🙂 Planes are one of the most germ infested places you can be so put these on top of your list.

♥ Adaptors, adaptors, adaptors. Even though most hotels have them, hostels and airbnb’s usually don’t. You want to make sure you are all set when it comes to having fully charged electronics and appliances for your day/night out. 😉 I got mine on Amazon and couldn’t have been more happy with it.

♥ Make sure your passport doesn’t expire within the 6 months of travel. Some countries will not let you fly if so. I had a friend that couldn’t go on his travels that he planned with his buddies for months ahead of time because of this.

♥ Even though English is spoken in almost every country locals do appreciate it when travelers try to speak their native tongue. Download the Google translation app or Duolingo for even a better experience.

♥ Make sure to take all your favorite products that you might not find overseas. Shampoo, face wash, toothpaste, razors, medications/vitamins and your favorite snacks! (protein bars are my fav)

♥ Make a copy of your passport and driver license. You never know when you will need to show your documentation so it’s better to have several copies with you then wasting time finding a printing/copy place in a city you don’t really know your way around. This helped me a lot when our Airbnb and a bank overseas needed this info.

♥ When you finally know where you are staying take a couple of minutes to know where the closest hospital or urgent care is just in case of emergencies.

♥ My favorite thing to do is favorite/star all the places I want to visit in that country or city on my google maps app. You can organize it by type of place so it’s easily accessible and with you at all times. I loved this for all the sights, restaurants, activities that were top on my must do’s. Another reason why I love this is that you can send it to your fellow travelers and friends so they have them too!

♥ Wifi…not being connected for a while might seem amazing but we all know it’s crucial. Make sure that your accommodation has wifi. Even though most places do, it’s very important to double check before hand.

♥ Make sure you know all the airline rules and regulations before you fly. Weigh your bags before hand so if you are planning to purchase overseas you’ll be prepared when you come back.

Safe travels!

CP x

EUROTRIP

Being that I have not traveled internationally for over a year I started to get a travel bug pretty hard. When my boyfriend passed away I really needed to take some time to get away. Thankfully, my best friend from Austin, AKA TheHungryChronicles texted me and called me asking if I would go on a River Cruise to Budapest, Vienna, and Nuremberg I immediately said YES. No questions asked.

We had the most amazing time that we will never forget. We spent two nights in Budapest so we got to see everything that city had to offer, it was my big city fav! The entire cruise was a total of seven days so we were abroad for ten, which I wouldn’t have minded if we stayed a little longer. We rented bikes which was the best idea we could have done. If you ever go there I would definitely recommend doing that because it’s so easy to get around and it’s a great bike friendly city. I had no idea we would also be seeing the most beautiful tiniest cities in between the others. The city of Passau blew my mind. It was so charming and cute and just perfect. I could definitely live there as well and go back and spend more time there. Our trip was filled with incredible history, art, bike rides through the cutest towns and vineyards, amazing beer/wine and food, sauerkraut and picturesque towns that will be on my mind forever.

Our boat was the Viking Cruise, which was perfect to say the least. Everyone is incredibly nice, great food, comfortable beds beautiful boat and they make you feel like family the whole time. They truly care about you and your time with them. What made this trip even more special was meeting all the special people that worked on the boat as well as the people that were on vacation with us. That’s what makes traveling so special. You meet people from all over the world and sometimes so close to where you’re from but you connect across the globe and share moments that you can cherish forever. I live for travel. It’s what keeps me alive. It’s what leaves you speechless, then it turns you into a storyteller. For more pictures of our trip, make sure to check out my IG @carlaloren.