Eat Pray Love. Letters to Juliet. Gladiator. Even The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
What do they all have in common? A lone protagonist against the glorious backdrop of Italy, falling into beauty, adventure, and possibly a bowl of cacio e pepe.
Solo travel isn’t just a TikTok trend; it’s a full-blown movement. According to travel platform Atlys, searches for solo travel have risen by 60% since 2022, driven largely by Millennials and Gen Z travellers craving independence and self-discovery – but also increasingly by solo older women, with Skift reporting that nearly 40% of women planned solo trips for 2025 – an 8% jump from 2024.
“Solo travel has evolved beyond a niche. It’s become a definite travel movement,” says Antoinette Turner, General Manager at Flight Centre South Africa. “Travellers aren’t waiting for the perfect companion anymore. They’re realising that confidence and curiosity are the only tickets they need.”
Europe leads the charge, holding a strong share of the global solo-travel market, and if one country was made for main-character energy, it’s Italy.
So, order that gelato per uno, cue your soundtrack, and prepare to live your movie.
Italy for the Lovers: Romance Without the Partner
Italy doesn’t need a plus-one to feel romantic. She is the romance. The clink of a wineglass against ceramic, the sigh after a first bite of truffle pasta, the sunlight warming your shoulders as church bells echo somewhere in the distance.
For dreamers, Tuscany is the set piece: Florence for grandeur, Pienza and Montepulciano for the quiet, wine-soaked stillness of the countryside – the kind of places where a long lunch can fix a broken heart.
Movie Moment: Letters to Juliet – handwritten notes, olive groves, candlelight.
How to live it:
- Stay: Choose an agriturismo, a countryside or farm stay that blends a working farm with a family-run guesthouse. Expect vineyard views, homemade breakfasts, and the kind of hospitality that makes you feel adopted by someone’s nonna. Many host cooking classes or olive-oil tastings right on site.
- Do: Join a small-group pasta-making class, olive-harvest workshop, or truffle hunt. They’re social without being overwhelming and perfect for meeting fellow solo travellers.
- Eat: Take yourself on a date. Order the house wine, watch the sunset stretch across the vines, and linger as long as you like.
Getting around Tuscany: The countryside is vast, so mix romance with realism. In hill towns like Pienza or Montepulciano, rent an e-bike for vineyard rides. For longer hops between villages or wineries, hire a car for a few days. Many agriturismos can arrange local rentals or shared transfers. Not driving? The Tuscany by Train routes (Florence–Siena–Arezzo) and local wine-tour shuttles keep things easy and scenic.
Pro tip: Platforms like BonAppetour and EatWith let you join dinners hosted in locals’ homes – instant company, zero awkward small talk.
Italy for the Action Heroes: Amalfi Coast, James Bond Energy Activated
If you’ve ever wanted to feel the wind in your hair and pretend your Vespa is an Aston Martin, head to the Amalfi Coast. This stretch of candy-coloured cliffs has starred in enough films to deserve its own IMDb page, and for good reason.
Movie Moment: No Time to Die – coastal chases, turquoise drama, espresso between explosions.
How to live it:
- Base yourself: Choose Sorrento or Salerno, well-connected by train and ferry, with the same views minus Positano’s price tag.
- Explore: Hop ferries to Capri, Positano, and Ravello: Capri for cinematic glamour, Positano for pastel chaos, Ravello for poetic calm. Confident on two wheels? Rent a Vespa for short scenic hops; for longer stretches, the SITA Coast-to-Coast bus or Circumvesuviana train will get you there safely (and cheaply).
- For thrills: Go sunrise kayaking in Praiano, SUP-paddling near Maiori, or snorkel the underwater ruins of Baia, where statues and mosaics lie just below the surface. Hike the Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) for views so wild you’ll whisper, “are you seeing this?” to no one in particular.
- Slow it down: Between adventures, linger at a seaside café with granita al limone, watch fishermen mend their nets, and let the soundtrack be the hum of Vespas and espresso machines.
Getting around: Driving here is not for the faint-hearted. For sanity:
• Take Trenitalia or ItaliaRail to Salerno or Sorrento, then swap to ferries or SITA buses.
• Book a shared shuttle pass (Amalfi Coast Experience or Travelmar Ferries) for flexible, hop-on-hop-off exploring.
Budget tip: Visit in May or late September when the sea’s warm, prices dip, and the crowds go home.
Italy for the History Nerds: Stand Where Gladiators Roared
If your love language is architecture and your ideal date is a museum, welcome home.
Rome is pure theatre; you can almost hear Russell Crowe bellowing “Are you not entertained?” in the Colosseum. Florence hums with genius, Bologna pairs intellect with ragù.
Movie Moment: Gladiator, The Da Vinci Code — proof that intellect can be intoxicating.
How to live it:
- Rome: Every corner is a film set—a swirl of espresso, ancient dust, and scooter horns that somehow sound like applause. Step into the Colosseum, wander the Forum, then take an audio-guided walk via VoiceMap or Rick Steves Audio Europe. For something darker, join a catacomb tour or moonlit stroll through the ruins.
- Florence: Visit the Uffizi Gallery early to stand alone with Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, then cross the Arno to the Oltrarno district, where artisans hammer silver and press leather by hand.
- Hidden Gem: Bologna: Italy’s oldest university town hums with intellect and appetite. Stroll beneath its terracotta porticoes, browse bookshops, and end with tagliatelle al ragù, mortadella, and a glass of Lambrusco.
Pro tip: Many museums and archaeological sites offer free or discounted entry for under-30s or over-65s, though policies vary – check each museum’s website. Passes like the Roma Pass or Firenze Card can save time and euros.
Turner adds, “Italy is perfect for first-time solo travellers because it feels familiar yet endlessly surprising. The culture naturally invites connection, whether that’s over a shared table, a market conversation, or a missed train that turns into a story.”
Finding Your Flow: Getting Around Italy with Ease
Italy was built for wanderers, and she rewards curiosity.
Trenitalia and Italo high-speed trains slice through the countryside in a blur of vineyards and terracotta roofs: Rome to Florence in 90 minutes; espresso to Aperol in a day. Regional trains connect smaller gems like Lecce, Matera, and _Orvieto_—perfect for spontaneous “what if I just get off here?” detours.
Plan smarter: Apps like Omio and Trainline handle ticketing in English, show real-time delays, and store e-tickets, saving you from paper chaos and ticket machines that look like IQ tests.
Driving: In big cities, skip it. ZTL zones, minimal parking, and locals with Formula One ambitions make it a headache. But for Tuscany or the Dolomites, a short-term rental offers freedom to chase vineyards and viewpoints. Pick the smallest car you can: narrow lanes, smaller cars, less drama.
Short hops: If you’re confident, vespas and e-bikes are perfect for coastal towns and hilltop villages.
Practical wisdom: Pack light. Stations mean stairs; elevators are optional. A compact roller bag saves both triceps and tears.
Safety: Italy is friendly and overwhelmingly safe, but a touch of street smarts keeps your trip smooth. Neapolitan alleys charm by day but stick to well‑lit streets at night. In big cities, keep your bag zipped on public transport and skip the “friendly” bracelet offers around major landmarks.
And remember: Italy moves to her own tempo. Trains may linger, ferries may nap, yet somehow, you’ll arrive exactly when you’re meant to – and maybe with extra time to grab a cornetto.
Eating Like a Local (Even Alone)
Solo dining in Italy isn’t awkward. It’s art. It’s where you learn that food here isn’t a meal; it’s a performance (and occasionally a spiritual awakening involving olive oil).
Here’s your cheat sheet to decoding Italy’s dining scene:
Ristorante: Formal dining, white linens, multi-course menus, and waiters who call you signora like you just inherited a villa.
Trattoria: The heart of Italy – family-run, friendly, full of clatter and wine. Paper placemats optional; love guaranteed.
Osteria: Once humble wine taverns, now lively, no-menu gems where you eat what’s cooking that day. Expect to be adopted by neighbouring tables.
Enoteca: Wine bar meets appetiser heaven – bruschetta, cheeses, and meats: the original Pinterest charcuterie board, but louder and better.
Regional Flavours
Italy’s flavours change like scenery, and every region has its own rhythm:
- The Coast: Fresh seafood reigns. Try spaghetti alle vongole (clams), grilled calamari, or fritto misto di mare. Pair it with a crisp white wine and sea air.
- The Farmlands & Hills: Tuscany and Umbria are all about breads, olives, and cured meats (the true ancestors of the charcuterie board). Look for ribollita (hearty bread and vegetable soup) or panzanella (bread salad).
- The North: Creamier, buttery dishes like risotto alla Milanese or polenta with wild mushrooms are staples.
- The South: Expect spice and sunshine. Try eggplant parmigiana, fresh mozzarella, arancini, and limoncello.
One rule: Never order Pasta Alfredo. Italians don’t know him. If you ask, the waiter will blink and say, “Who’s Fredo? And why does he make such terrible pasta?”
Cultural tip: Dining is theatre. Meals unfold slowly, the bill (il conto) appears only when requested, and lingering is encouraged. Sip. Savour. Stay. In Italy, eating isn’t just living; it’s belonging.
Offbeat Italy: Hidden Gems for Solo Wanderers
Beyond the big three – Rome, Florence, Venice – lies an Italy with a softer pulse and richer charm.
- Lecce (Puglia): Baroque facades, lazy piazzas, locals who treat you like family.
- Matera (Basilicata): Sleep in cave-carved hotels, ancient walls, modern comfort.
- Sicily: Palermo’s chaos, Taormina’s calm, Etna’s fire – one island, infinite moods.
Italy is quietly diversifying away from the classic “triangle.” Travellers are branching into Puglia, Sardinia, and smaller towns to escape overtourism and find something authentic. In April 2025 alone, Italy welcomed 10.6 million visitors (+13% YoY), many heading straight for these hidden gems.
Pro tip: Walk the Cammini d’Italia, a network of ancient pilgrim routes, for the ultimate slow-travel immersion.
Final Scene: Your Solo Italian Epilogue
Italy doesn’t hand out Oscars, but she’ll give you something better – clarity, confidence, and carbs.
“Italy has this magic where the trip you plan isn’t the trip you remember most,” Turner reflects. “It’s the unexpected detours, the tiny kindnesses, the moment you look around and realise you didn’t need anyone else to make it extraordinary.”
The solo-travel wave is real, the stats impressive, but what matters most is this: Italy meets you where you are and feeds you until you feel whole again.
So go ahead, miss a train, order dessert, and toast yourself at sunset. Because you’re not waiting for someone to share the moment – you’re starring in it.
