My first solo trip experience
I didn’t manage to sit down and write about many of the trips and experiences I had in 2022. So I wanted to start the year with the first post for 2023 being about my first ever solo trip. This one took place back in August 2022 and although it was a short two-day trip, it felt pretty good spending time with myself and being on my own. Let me tell you about it.
I enjoyed hanging at Zurich Lake a lot
Why no solo trips before
I am not against traveling solo, neither am afraid of doing it. It is just that I always had a boyfriend and traveled everywhere with him. Then we had kids, so we started traveling with them as well. Last summer I wanted to go to a concert in Zurich and it just was much easier attending it on my own rather than with the whole family since I would be the only one at the concert. So I took the plane from Ljubjana to Zurich and started my trip.
Just to make one thing clear : ) I have traveled to a lot of locations on my own before but I would not be on my own after arriving. There would be someone meeting me there or waiting for me.
The old town of Zurich
Zurich for solo trips
I consider Zurich a perfect destination for a first solo trip. It is not too big, not too small of a city, with well-organized public transport, and probably the most important thing – it is safe. Crime rates are really low in Zurich and Switzerland. Actually, Zurich stands at the prestigious 129th place on Numbeo’s Crime Index by City list for 2020 (this is also the last place which means Zurich is the safest city according to Numbeo).
Charming Zurich is full of photo opportunities like this one
Being on one’s own
I didn’t know what to expect and how it would feel to be on my own and on a trip. I thought I may feel lonely or bored. Since my trip was only one-night-two-days, I actually didn’t have time to start feeling lonely or anything negative. I think it would take me some more days to feel that way or to miss my family desperately.
A good piece of advice for your first solo trip is to keep it short. Two or three days sounds more reasonable than two or three weeks at a new place, if you haven’t traveled on your own before. I followed that travel tip and can confirm that two days felt right for my first solo experience on the road.
The Chinese Garden in Zurich is the one place I would really love to go back with someone to take pictures of me there. Such a photogenic place!
Accommodation for solo travelers in Zurich
If you prefer staying at hotels in general rather than hostels or Airbnbs, just book a hotel for your solo trip. You don’t have to follow any rules for solo accommodation rather than booking a safe place that fulfills your requirements.
Since I traveled alone, I wanted a unique experience and that’s why I booked my spot at a capsule hotel. I won’t be able to try this type of accommodation when traveling with my family, so now it was the time. I booked a capsule at the female dorm at Alpine Garden – Capsule Hotel located right at the Zurich Airport. It was quite interesting, comfortable, and not claustrophobic at all. This particular capsule hotel has the check-in and check-out process digitalized, so you don’t even have to speak to anyone to get to your capsule. Not sure that I liked that part though.
The female dorm at my capsule hotel and me wearing socks and flip flops :):)
The capsule itself.
The thing that impressed me the most was the fact that everyone seemed to socialize at the lobby late at night. I got back from my concert an hour and a half after midnight and the lobby was full of people talking and having fun.
I felt very excited going on a solo trip and you should do, if you’re planning one. Every here and there we all need some new experience, we all seek a bit of solitude and time for ourselves. Last, but not least: if you are asking yourself should you try traveling on your own, I say go for it!