Ways to Enjoy a Solo Adventure in Italy (and how to have fun after)
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Italy is synonymous with lovers. From the gondolas gliding through Venice to the hand holding over a candlelit carbonara, or dreamy Tuscan sunsets – romance may be everywhere. But here’s the secret that no one tells you, no matter how much you scroll the web for solo travel adventures.
Italy is one of the best places in the world for food, culture, and solo traveling.
You may think that as a solo traveler, you have to compromise on the things you can do, but in reality? It couldn’t be further from the truth. You can eat when you're hungry, stay where you feel inspired, and take detours whenever the aroma of espresso lures you down a cobblestone alley – there really is nothing better than leading your own adventure.
We spent 2 whole weeks winding through Bologna, Florence, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast — not with a group, not for Instagram, but for our own pleasure. And what did we find? Eating alone in Italy is more about immersion than anything else.
Regardless of whether you’re a gourmand or an adventurous extrovert, here are five real ways to turn a solo foodie trip through Italy into a rich, yet totally satisfying experience. Checklist at the ready, pack your bags – this one deserves to whisk you away.
1. Try a Local Cooking Class
This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised to find out how many people travel around Italy eating and not cooking. But why can’t we do both? Don’t just eat — cook it yourself. In Bologna, they do some of the best pasta-making classes in a grandmother’s home kitchen. You start off with flour and eggs on a rustic wooden board, learn to knead with a very particular nonna leaning over you – and you get to finish by shaping perfect tortellini with ricotta and sage.
The best part? These sorts of classes aren’t just for the food. They’re about making new friends in the group environment, getting stuck into the culture, and creating something with strangers who feel like friends by the end of the meal.
Travel tip: Look for smaller classes in family-run settings that offer a more intimate experience.
2. Find Night Time Activities
One thing about traveling alone is that the night times can sometimes feel long if you don’t have a plan. After 12 hours of stimulation, museums, meals, conversations – you’ll probably find yourself yearning for relaxation. At the same time, you don’t want to be bored.
Some nights you may want to sit and write about the magical trips you have taken that day, but other nights, you’ll want to indulge in some online entertainment. The best way to do that? Online games, which can be enjoyed from any setting you like. You can stay in your hotel room or Airbnb if you prefer, or you can get out and enjoy the town while you have fun.
Whisk yourself off to a cozy wine bar, order the finest glass of red, and dabble in some online games. If you want to capture the exotic feel, you could go for an Egyptian-style game, such as A Night With Cleo. Simple, easy to play, and still a dash of that other-country feel, it’s a great pick for solo travelers. Next thing you know, it’ll be morning, and you get to explore all over again.
And honestly? After hours of navigating new languages and menus, there’s something oddly comforting about slipping into an online game that doesn’t require anything but fun. Play while at a bar, or play in your pajamas so you can recharge for another day of excitement - the world is your oyster.
3. Explore The Markets
In Florence’s Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, you can wander for hours — brushing past locals buying artichokes and wheel-sized rounds of pecorino, listening to the music of Italian vendors heckling each other in jest. Give raw honey straight from the comb a taste, sip on local olive oil like wine, and grab a crusty porchetta panino to eat in the sun.
Nothing beats the true culture of Italy’s markets!
4. Eat Like a Local
Dining alone in Italy will never be awkward, just empowering. Skip the influencer-studded restaurants with QR codes and laminated menus. Instead, look for the places where grandfathers eat alone with a glass of red, or where the menu is scribbled in chalk and changes by the day.
Want to blend in? Order like a local. Say “un quartino di rosso, per favore,” and enjoy the cheapest, most delicious house wine of your life.
5. Say YES to Everything
Solo travel is where spontaneity comes in handy. Learn to say yes and go with the flow, as that’s the only way you can enjoy the true Italy as we know and love it. When you’re not tied to an itinerary, you start saying yes to the unexpected: a detour to a lemon grove in Sorrento, an invitation to a family barbecue in a Tuscan village, or a lazy afternoon where all you do is eat gelato on church steps.