In 2015, I packed a single carry-on for my first solo trip that really counted – a week in Reykjavik with no pre-planned itinerary. That decision taught me more about trusting my instincts than any guidebook ever could. Looking back, five destinations stood out that year not because they were trendy, but because they offered something essential for a woman travelling alone: safety, beauty, and space to breathe. Here they are, with the honest details that made each one unforgettable.
1. Reykjavik and the Golden Circle, Iceland
Iceland in 2015 was still a quiet secret compared to today’s crowds. Reykjavik felt like a small, colourful village where everyone nodded hello. I spent my first evening walking along the waterfront, watching the sun sit low on the horizon for hours – that endless light is a gift for a solo traveller who wants to explore without rushing. The Golden Circle tour was easy to book from any hostel or hotel; I joined a minibus with eight other solo travellers, mostly women, and we huddled together at Geysir as the cold wind whipped our faces. Practical tip: rent a car if you can drive stick – the South Coast becomes yours alone, with waterfalls and black sand beaches where you can sit for an hour without another soul. For accommodation, I stayed at a small guesthouse near the old harbour where the owner left fresh rye bread on the kitchen counter every morning. The Blue Lagoon felt overpriced and crowded, but the local geothermal pools – like the one in the suburb of Laugardalur – cost a fraction and were filled with Icelandic grandmothers who smiled at me as I soaked away the jet lag.
2. Porto, Portugal
Porto in 2015 was already known for port wine, but the solo traveller experience was still wonderfully affordable. I arrived by train from Lisbon and found a small apartment in the Ribeira district, a warren of narrow streets with laundry hanging between balconies. Every morning I bought a pastel de nata at a baker’s shop and sat on the steps of the Cathedral, watching the Douro River glitter below. The city is safe to walk alone even late at night – the locals are used to tourists, but they still treat strangers with a quiet warmth. The real magic came when I crossed the Dom Luís I Bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia and visited the port lodges. At Taylor’s, the guide gave me a private tasting because the group was small; I learned how tawny and ruby are made, and walked through ancient oak barrels with dust motes floating in the light. For a more adventurous day, take the train to the Douro Valley – the ride itself is a visual poem of terraced vineyards. I packed a cheese sandwich and a book, and by evening I was the only passenger in a tiny train station at Pinhão, waiting for the return journey.
3. Lake Bled, Slovenia
Slovenia in 2015 was a revelation for solo female travellers who love nature without needing to be extreme. Lake Bled is postcard-perfect – the island church, the castle on the cliff, the turquoise water – but what made it special was how easy it was to be alone in company. I stayed in a family-run guesthouse ten minutes from the lake; the owner, a grandmother named Maja, brought me homemade strudel and told me about her sons who now live in London. Every day I walked the 6-kilometre path around the lake, stopping at a wooden bench to read or just stare at the water. To reach the island, you can rent a rowboat for a few euros; I rowed myself out in the early morning, and the only sounds were oars dipping into the water and a single church bell. For hiking, the trail up to Mala Osojnica gives a panoramic view that you’ll have mostly to yourself if you go before 9 a.m. Practical note: the bus from Ljubljana takes only an hour, and the station in Bled is a short walk from the lake. Bring a small backpack with snacks, because restaurants on the water are pricey; instead, buy a local sausage from a stall and eat it while sitting on the dock.
4. Marrakech, Morocco
Marrakech in 2015 tested my solo travel confidence more than any other destination, and rewarded it deeply. The first afternoon in the Medina was overwhelming – scooters, smells, sellers calling out – but I quickly learned a rule that carried me through: walk with purpose and smile only when you mean it. I found a riad tucked away in the northern part of the Medina, where the host, Fatima, served mint tea and drew maps on napkins showing me the best hammam (not the tourist one) and the bakery where women brought their bread to be baked in a communal oven. The Jardin Majorelle was already famous but still peaceful; I spent two hours there just sitting under a bamboo canopy. For a day trip, I joined a small group of other solo women to hike in the Ourika Valley – we saw waterfalls, ate tagine cooked on a fire, and listened to the guide explain Berber traditions. The souk can be intimidating, but I found that buying one small thing – a pair of leather slippers, a ceramic bowl – and then saying “la, shukran” firmly earned me respect. What I wish I’d known: download offline maps for the Medina, because the streets are a labyrinth, and trust your instinct – if an alley feels quiet too long, you are allowed to turn back.
5. Sri Lanka (Kandy to Ella by Train)
Sri Lanka in 2015 was emerging as a solo travel haven, and the train ride from Kandy to Ella was the single most memorable journey of my year. I booked a second-class seat (the one without air conditioning, because that’s where the windows open wide) and squished in next to a young Sri Lankan woman who shared her jackfruit snacks and taught me a few words of Sinhala. The train snakes through tea plantations, past waterfalls, and around mountain bends so sharp you can lean out of the car and feel the mist on your face. I got off at Ella, a sleepy town with a backpacker vibe, and stayed in a homestay run by a couple who cooked me rice and curry every night. The hike to Little Adam’s Peak was easy enough to do alone, and at the top I met a French woman my age who was travelling solo for a month – we exchanged tips and went for a drink at a tiny café with a view of the Ella Gap. Practical tip: book your train ticket at least a day in advance from the Fort Station in Colombo, and buy a seat reserved for tourists if you want a guaranteed window spot. The ride takes about seven hours, but it feels like a meditation.
Each of these destinations gave me something different – courage in Marrakech, stillness in Bled, warmth in Porto, wildness in Iceland, rhythm in Sri Lanka. If you’re planning a solo trip in the spirit of 2015, remember that the best travel happens when you leave space for the unplanned: a stranger’s snack, a wrong turn that leads to a hidden garden, a morning with no agenda except watching a lake wake up. That’s the whole point of travelling alone – you get to write the story as it comes.
