Your friendly, no-fuss guide to making a solo vacation, for women over 50, safe, fun, and life changing.
I’m 68 and can tell you honestly: A solo vacation was one of the best decisions I ever made. I didn’t have a perfect plan. I had a wish list, a suitcase, and a ticket to Lisbon. It turned into something much bigger than a trip. it became the beginning of an era.
And if I can do it, so can you.
Updated May 2026
Yes! And it can be such an empowering thing to do.
Choose destinations known for being welcoming to female solo travelers.
Share your schedule with family and friends.
Keep your documents and money in a safe place.
Be attentive when you are around touristy spots.
Pick a place you want to go. That is the most important thing!
Choose a place with good infrastructure, good walking areas, culture, hotels and hospitals.
Cities or small towns will feel safer because there are people around you. You still need to be attentive!
Here are some of my favourite spots for a first solo vacation.
Lisbon, Porto, Edinburgh, Bologna.
I love Paris and Rome, and you will too but you need to be very attentive about pickpockets. It’s become part of the culture.
Join small group tours, workshops, or cooking classes.
Do you have a hobby? Look for a short workshop that will help you develop your hobby and meet people.
Go to the same cafe every day, if you are staying longer in a place. It will help you feel connected to the place and you might make connections.
Lonely can show up at any time of your trip. So the first thing to do is to be aware of what you are feeling and stay calm.
Bring a journal, it will allow you to vent and to write your issues. Journaling helps me express my self and many times it’s all I need.
Bring your hobby (sketching, photography) because it will keep you busy and it’s a way to connect with your surroundings.
Join short tour groups and look for workshops.
Be flexible!
Schedules, may change. Hotels may cancel. Anything can go sideways. Be flexible and go with the flow.
Maybe you want a break from routine. Maybe the kids are grown and the calendar finally only belongs to you. You are ready for something new. Maybe you are newly single, retired or simply curious about what it feels like to only do what you want. It’s a great feeling.
Whatever your reason, it’s enough. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Start.
Before you open a single browser or travel book, write down what you actually want from this trip. Not what you think you should want. What you want.
Mine usually looks something like this:
Your list will be different from mine, as it should be. Use it as a compass, not your contract. It will change. That is the point.
Slow travel is the opposite of the exhausting “14 cities in 10 days” approach. It means staying longer, going deeper, and actually feeling the place you are in. Fewer destinations. More presence.
I designed it that way on purpose. I wanted to show you the Portugal I love. But you are not meant to do it all.
Pick what calls you, drop what doesn’t, add more breathing moments wherever you need.
If Nazaré makes you want to stay an extra two days, stay.
Day 1 Arrival in Lisbon, breath
Pick up a rental car.
Option 1: Hire a hiking guide to go to the Sintra hills.
Option 2: Drive to Quinta do Pisão near Cascais for a gentle walk.
Evening dinner in Cascais or back in Lisbon.
Revisit favorite spots, and check out my favourite hidden gems in Lisbon.
Evening: Rooftop drinks and dinner
And one more thing I’ve learned the hard way, solo doesn’t mean alone the whole time. Plan a stop where you meet up with a friend. Schedule a group tour for a day or two. Loneliness can sneak up on anyone, building in connection is smart, not a compromise.
It won’t just be olives and a woven bag, though those too.
You’ll come home with a deeper sense of yourself. Stories you can’t quite fit into a single dinner conversation. a fresh way of looking at your everyday life. Energy you forgot you had.
You don’t need to plan, an epic trip to start. Even a solo weekend away can shift something in you.
Check out my guides:
Yes it’s safe, and safe to travel alone in Portugal.
But, there is always a but.
Be attentive to your things. If you are traveling by car place everything in the trunk (boot).
Pickpockets are a thing, hide your goodies.
Be attentive to your surroundings as you would, anywhere.
Decide on the cities you want to visit.
Go to Google maps and plan out your drives.
Know how long you will drive each day.
save your maps so you can look at them off line.
Save each drive separately on Google or Maps so that you have it all organised and don’t have to worry about that.
When in doubt, call the hotel you are staying at to ask for directions.
Have fun!
Visa, Mastercard, Revolut.
American Expressed is not accepted everywhere.
Marguerite Beaty, Blogger, Photographer & Artist
Welcome to the sunny side of life for women over 50! We aim to create a space where women feel empowered, supported, and inspired to lead their best lives after 50. Join our Instagram!
Share this article with your friends!
By providing your email here, you will receive a notification every time Marguerite posts a new article :)
By providing your email here, you will receive a notification every time Marguerite posts a new article :)