Did you know that you have friends in Australia? Thanks to volunteers like the Brisbane Greeters, visitors can count on a warm welcome in cities around the world.
© Brisbane Marketing

The Singular Art of Solo Travel Connections

“But don’t you hate being all alone?” That question—intoned with tragicomic emphasis—is one that solo travelers hear a lot. In fact, when it comes to the art of travel, soloists have plenty of company.

According to a recent study, solo travel has more than doubled among first-time travelers since 2013. Half are Millennials, while Boomers who’d rather pack and roam than pine at home make up another 18 percent. That’s a two-percentage point increase from 2013, and it’s expected to soar like a hypersonic jet over the next several years.

Vintage art of travel can reflect a sad stereotype of the solo traveler.

From “Me Time” to “We Time”

One obvious benefit of traveling solo is the freedom. It’s you who decides whether to spend all day at the British Museum, memorizing every pot and placard, or to laze about reading Keats at Hampstead Heath.

Straight up tired of the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Had an eyeful of the Eiffel? There’s no one to shame you for detouring to a comic-book convention or following your nose to the nearest patisserie for, um, research purposes.

But there’s another, surprising benefit to solo travel—it offers excellent opportunities for socializing. You just have to know where to look.

Places to Go, People to See

Consider the popularity of London Cultureseekers with solo travelers.

Three times a week, individuals ranging in age from 20 to 80 chip in a few quid to visit museums, art galleries, stately homes, and more. There are plays, concerts, history talks, and guided walks, often to venues as little known to non-locals as they are marvelous to explore.

The British Museum is inviting whether you prefer
to mingle or to go single .
© Joyce McGreevy

Members hail from around the world and on any given day most are meeting for the first time, thanks to organizer Robert Coleman. He’s the chap with the clipboard who greets you at the day’s designated gathering spot.

Newcomers typically start off by staying as close to Robert as timorous baby goslings to a gander. Soon they realize it’s safe to wade in and make introductions.

“The group is very friendly,” says Robert. “After events, we always head to a local pub or cafe to chat.”

An Essex man who moved to London, he went searching for a group that shared his passion for the city. When he couldn’t find one, he started his own. That was ten years ago. Today, membership of London Cultureseekers tops 21,000.

Solo travel can be royally sociable. At Althorp, Robert Coleman (3rd from left) and friends
meet the 9th Earl Spencer (center), brother of the late Princess Diana.
© Robert Coleman/ London Cultureseekers

Global Meet and Greets

Oh, I see: solo travel can be a way to engage more fully with others. Suppose, however, you’ve landed in a city where you don’t know a soul?

Take walks, make friends. In Vienna, Austria, volunteer greeter Ulli (in red) welcomes
visitors from Switzerland, Spain, Germany, and Slovakia.
©Vienna Greeters

Say hello to a local. From Adelaide to Zagreb, more than 100 cities now offer official greeter programs. These are free public services that match visitors with city-savvy residents.

For instance, Chicago Greeter has 200 volunteers and can customize a visit for you based on your language, choice of neighborhood, and interest. The key to this and other global city groups is to book several days in advance.

Connect with community worldwide. In Chicago, greeters help newcomers navigate
public transportation for 25 neighborhoods, each with its own character, culture, and history.
© Chicago Greeter

Food for Thought, in Thoughtful Company

Now let’s talk solo sustenance. Taking cooking classes and joining dining groups are other ways to make friends across cultures.

Worried that gastronomical sprees mean astronomical fees? Inexpensive alternatives abound. Some classes and groups, like many posted on MeetUp, are volunteer run. Search by city and country, for everything from Copenhagen Vegans to the Singapore Supper Society.

At other international organizations, like Culinary Backstreets, costs are moderate. The focus is on “holding back globalized sameness” and giving travelers a sense of authentic culture and traditions.

There’s always room at the table for a sociable solo traveler, such as in Cookistan,
a Turkish culinary school for locals and visitors.
© Cookistan

Take Istanbul, where guides are required by law to complete a rigorous training process of several years. There, Ayşin Ekinci—guide, chef, and owner of Cookistan—offers classes that are budget-friendly and richly rewarding.

Starting with a history lesson on foot, Ayşin introduces you to traditional food producers in Kurtuluş, a Greek, Turkish, Kurdish, Jewish neighborhood. Then it’s back to Ayşin’s home, where you’re guided through the cooking of local dishes. Meanwhile, you’re getting acquainted with locals and visitors.

From Solo to Global: The Ultimate Travel Connection

It’s been said that we travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. Likewise, those who travel the world alone soon discover that none of us need feel alone in the world. In the art of travel—including solo travel—each of us can contribute to making a more inclusive global portrait.

A volunteer greeter welcomes U.S. visitors to the Museum of Brisbane, Australia.
©Brisbane Marketing

Wherever you’re going,  find a volunteer greeter to welcome you here. 

Learn more about London Cultureseekers, Culinary Backstreets, and Cookistan.

The 18th century portrait of a lone traveler is by Raffaele Faccioli (1845-1916) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Discuss solo travel ideas and destinations by joining the Solo Travel Society here. 

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.