Solo travel can be awesome. But it can also be lonely.

Being lonely while travelling is something I’ve experienced many times. I used to judge myself harshly for that fact—but accepting that about myself made it easier to manage. Loneliness is a feeling, and like any feeling, it can be processed and moved through.

I’ve found that there are a few ways to feel less alone while travelling solo—for a short time, or for multiple days, depending on what you’re seeking. My top tips are:

Be prepared to be a little more extroverted than usual. It’s possible striking up conversations with others doesn’t come naturally to you. If this is the case, remember that most people get better with practice, so the best way to get over this fear is to do it often. If you’re looking for somewhere to start, might I suggest…

Find an activity you like. The ones I’ve found the most helpful at meeting other travellers are travel-based activities: walking tours through the city, private wing museum appointments, etc. It gives you something to do that you’re both interested in (which is ideal for striking up conversation), and gives the opportunity to take breaks from conversing with others as you ask questions or wander to other exhibits. If you’re somewhere longer-term (say, 2 or 3 weeks) and looking to make friends, you might think of activities you’d do at home that you consider social, like book clubs, rock climbing, or single’s nights.

Make friends with the locals. Your tour guide, the mom & pop restaurant owners who were super chatty, the next door neighbour at your Airbnb; all these people can provide micro moments of connection, and can be wealths of knowledge about your local area.

Check out the local hostel. Hostels are great at bringing young/broke travellers together; I’ve met some amazing people by staying in hostels, as they’re usually focussed on the experiences travel brings (rather than whatever is most expensive). Usually, they’re people who understand and respect boundaries through sharing spaces like bedrooms and kitchens. If you’re not staying at a hostel, consider looking up ones in the area you’re staying, and see if they have a bar or restaurant attached to them. Just going for a meal might connect you with fellow travellers!

Get online. It might not be as fun as meeting people organically, but there are plenty of services online that will help you meet others locally. Apps like SoloTraveller and Showaround can help you meet other solo travellers and locals, but there are a lot of other services you can use to meet people IRL. Meetup is pretty great for themed group get-togethers; Eventbrite can connect you with events in the city you’d be interested in; BlaBlaCar is pretty good at connecting people who want to road trip together (I’m sure it goes without saying, but please be safe when getting into a stranger’s car!).

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. It’s not just about being extroverted or seeming approachable. If you find someone on your walking tour you like, ask if they want to do something after, like grab a meal or get a coffee. You might even suggest another activity you’ve been looking forward to: “This tour of the catacombs was pretty cool. I’m really excited to see the cable car; would you want to meet up later and go together?”. The worst thing they can say is they’re not into it (and even if you fear rejection, this is the ideal scenario…you’ll probably never see them again!).

Have you made friends through travel? How do you handle loneliness when you’re away from home? Let me know in the comments – and as always, happy travels!