100 Days in Madrid: The Magic of Traveling Alone

It was 8:30am when I moseyed off my RyanAir flight. Half-awake, I entered the main hallway of Vienna Airport and looked around. As the German signage around the airport came into focus, so too did all my fears. Where in the world am I? Was I in over my head coming here by myself? And how am I going to find the train to the city center? 

These were a few of the questions haunting my mind on Monday morning of Spring Break. I’d spontaneously decided to travel to Vienna and Prague solo, finishing with a visit to Amsterdam with a friend. By the end of the first day, however, all my questions and fears had subsided. As it turned out, traveling alone was a beautiful experience. Here’s what I learned on what ultimately became a Spring Break for the ages:

Traveling alone isn’t as scary as I thought. I’d already imagined the worst-case scenarios: missed flights, losing my phone and passport, and dirty hostels were at the forefront of my mind when I arrived in Vienna. But none of those things happened. I’d prepared well enough to know my way around town, and I’d done the proper research to book a solid hostel. With that preparation, there was truly nothing to worry about. I spent minimal time worrying, and practically all my time exploring and enjoying one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to (highly recommend the Schönbrunn Palace!)

Time alone is pretty easy when you’re exploring a new city. Another fear I had with solo travel was… well… being alone. I love time to myself, but five days in countries without English or Spanish speakers around me seemed daunting. Going into my trip, I genuinely thought I could lose my mind by Day 5 in Prague. What I soon found out, however, is that it’s pretty easy to walk alone when everything around you is novel. It simply wasn’t possible to get caught up in my thoughts or leave the present moment when the Charles Bridge, Vienna State Opera, and Prague Castle were standing right in front of me. It felt as though every corner I turned, there was something new waiting to leave me stunned. Even the “dull” moments are anything but dull. One of my best memories from Prague was getting a cheap grocery store breakfast and sitting to eat in a local park. I felt like a fly on the wall as I watched Czechians walk their dogs, play with their kids, and talk with their loved ones on a crisp spring morning. 

Traveling alone means traveling on your schedule. Anyone who’s traveled alone will immediately tell you how nice this can be. Like waking up late? Sleep in. Traveling on a budget? Go get your grocery store breakfast. Whatever your travel preferences might be, you can adhere to them unequivocally, without having to negotiate with a travel buddy. With this freedom, you can vacation exactly how you want, making for smooth, easy-going travel. 

I discovered the magic of solo travel during Spring Break, and I couldn’t recommend it more to future IES Abroad students. That being said, traveling with friends is a blast too. At the end of the day, you really can’t go wrong exploring the wonders of Europe.