Solo in Europe - Tips needed and welcomed!!!

[Virtopia]

So, I've planned the the most amazing trip for next fall. I'll be going on the Adventure of the Seas for a 7 night southern Caribbean cruise and 6 days later, I'll be going on the Explorer of the Seas for my first European cruise!

 

I will have two friends with me on the first cruise, but will be traveling to Europe on my own. My cruise leaves from London and repositions to Barcelona, where I will be spending 3 days before heading home.

 

I'm looking for any tips and advice for traveling solo in Europe. I've already started to look into hotels and am wondering about safety and things of that nature. Appreciate the assistance!! :)

 

 

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[Scrapnana]

A good way to see a lot is to take the hop on hop off bus tour. I always do the complete circuit once and then decide where I want to get off the next time. Many have a two day pass that is not much more than a one day pass.

 

Be very careful with your personal posessions. Barcelona is notorious for pickpockets.

[calliopecruiser]

In most major cities in Western Europe, you'll find personal crimes are not a huge issue (no more than - and often less than - in the US), but property crimes are much more a concern. So watch for pickpockets and plan accordingly. Barcelona has one of the highest pickpocket rates, but still there's no need to go overboard, just don't do anything stupid and watch yourself in places where tourists congregate (like street performers and tourist sites).

 

Otherwise, I've found traveling solo in Europe to be no different than traveling solo anywhere else -- i.e. not a problem at all. I did 2 weeks solo in Spain (including almost a week in Barcelona) and 2.5 weeks solo in Portugal (including a 2 week road trip).

[zoncom]

Money belt worn underneath pants with zipper side on skin. Put PP in money belt.. Barcelona really bad. I liked Hotel El Canton, very affordable,nice location.

[travelnap]

I would agree with the other posters, major concern in Europe is the pickpockets as they are prevalent in many of the metro areas. Barcelona and Rome probably have the worst reputation for pickpockets. If you are staying in Barcelona it is fairly easy to get around there, so you should be fine. The Hop On/Hop Off bus is a good way for any solo to get a good overview of the city and then decide where they would like to tour more. Have a great trip.

[Cashew14]

I think it is fantastic that you are travelling solo, good on you :)

 

We have holiday homes in Spain and Gran Canaria and the one thing which I would advice you to do, is to download an app on your mobile phone which translates from English to Spanish and try to speak it. The locals welcome this immensely and will be more helpful if you ask them for anything.

 

Try to get recommendations from the hotel where to eat good local food. They will also help you with this.

 

Other than that tripadvisor is probably the best way of finding interesting things to do in Barcelona. My son went there with his friends this year and they absolutely loved it. No problems with thieves but common sense is key like anywhere else in the world.

 

I wish you a super holiday and welcome to Europe. :)

[mrobstad]

I needed the HOHO bus to get my bearings in Barcelona. Las Ramblas is fun to people watch, so try to get a hotel near there. Since you're on RCCL, try to connect with other CcMembers beforehand. If you are going to Italy, I strongly recommend either joining a group or starting your own with Rome in Limo for every Italian port. Millions of positive reviews on CC for them. Enjoy! It was the trip of my lifetime, too!

 

 

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[LibrarianLizy]

I agree with everything said here. The HOHO bus in Barcelona is really good; I think it's about 25 euro. I found the Rick Steves Guide to Mediterranean Cruise Ports to be very helpful for getting around Barcelona and finding places to eat and shop. It was good elsewhere, I just used in the most in Barcelona.

 

Use TripAdvisor to find your hotel; there's tons to choose from so it may get overwhelming. You might try seeing what hotels your cruise line typically uses and stay in one of those or find ones similar. Or ask your roll call; there might be someone you could meet up with before the cruise and share a cab to the port!

 

Have fun!

[JoePatNYCT]

Actually you're sailing out of Southampton, not London. It'll be at least 2 1/2 hours by bus from London Heathrow. The preferred method of travel is the RCL transfer which will be easier (direct) but more expensive. If you're making your own plans, you can check out National Express:

 

http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_national_express.htm

 

In Barcelona, there are plenty of cabs to take you to El Prat but a cheaper option (if your hotel is close) is the bus which will pick you up at the Playa Catalunya (at the north end of Las Ramblas).

 

 

And don't forget your power converter!

[CoffeeGoddess]

I did a solo Mediterranean cruise this past July and it was awesome. I have my review of it in my signature below. I loved Barcelona and basically used the underground to get around. Just like any large city or tourist area you just want to keep your wits about you and make sure you do the little things that deter theft. I had a cross body bag that I wore with the pockets towards me for when I was walking around and never had an issue.

 

I really like Rick Steve's videos and books for learning about where I wanted to go and how to go about it. I also used Google maps to check out how to get to the places I wanted to go. Additionally, the Ports section here on Cruise Critic forums is an awesome resource for what to do and how to do it for the ports you will be in.

 

Have fun!

[bottomfeeder]

Have you been to London before? If you haven't (and well, even if you have--I could happily go back there every year and find new interesting things to do every time) is there any way you could squeeze in a few days in London before your cruise?

 

I have not been to Barcelona solo (have been a couple times with others) but I did spend several days solo in Seville and also several days solo in London, and a day in Copenhagen for that matter, before or after different cruises. Oh, and I'd say Naples is worse for pickpockets even than Barcelona...but not a reason not to go!

 

Have a great time! :)

[Virtopia]

Thanks for the tips everyone!!

 

I wish I could afford to go to London a few days before, but I'll probably only be there for one night. I'd rather spend any extra days I have in Barcelona.

 

I have heard about the pick pocketers so I will keep that in mind as well. I have been looking for hotels near Las Ramblas as well, since that's where all the action is.

 

I've written all these down and keep them coming! :D

 

 

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[laurieal]

I'm in the process of booking the same cruise and I will also be travelling solo. I'll be in London for a few days before the cruise, and in Barcelona for 2-3 days after.

 

I was in London for a week around New Year's Eve (solo again), so if you have some specific questions about being a solo tourist in the city, I can probably answer some of them.

 

The only safety-related thing I can think about regarding London is don't board unlicensed cabs. I never felt unsafe in London, but the latest I was out was 10pm and there were enough people around for me to be comfortable.

 

I wouldn't wait too long before booking a room in London for October; I expect the rugby world cup will bring a lot of people to the city and prices already are a lot higher than what I paid in December.

 

If you're landing in Heathrow, I recommend taking the Heathrow Express train to Paddington station. From there, you can get pretty much anywhere using public transit. I will also rely on the train to take me to Southampton on boarding day.

 

Those are the only tips I can think of at the moment, but if you have any questions about London, ask away!

[Dancer Bob]

If you're flying over day of or day before cruise, make sure you know the time zone change and allow for jet lag. If it's day before, I'd suggest heading down to Southampton, there's several hotels not far from the National Express terminal, in various price ranges.

Last time I was in Barcelona, I stayed in the Poble Sec area, which is only a couple of subways stops away from Las Ramblas. The pickpockets didn't seem to be too bad there, but there were a lot preying on the tourists around the World Trade Centre/ferry terminal, and of course the HOHO bus stops.

Edited January 10, 2015 by Dancer Bob

[mrobstad]

If you are going to Italy, start a tour group with Rome in Limo.....thousands of CC posts about this amazing company, and a great deal if you can fill an 8 person van. I'd use them in every Italian port.....excursions are quite pricey! And if overnighting in Venice, save a day for Burano!

 

 

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Edited January 11, 2015 by mrobstad

[patreke]

Hi

 

My sister & I are on the same cruise. Make sure you let us know if you are thinking of doing any private shore excursions, I think from the roll call it should be pretty easy to find people to fill a van. I need to start getting organized and see what is out there.

 

I haven't been to Barcelona but have been solo to London and Paris. I think the biggest thing is to be aware of what is going on around you and not be stupid. and most of all, have a great time. The best part of solo travel is getting to do exactly what you want to do! Europe is much more solo friendly I feel than North America.

 

Look forward to meeting you.

 

Patti