How to Meet People While Travelling Solo

There’s a certain kind of freedom that comes with travelling alone.

You can wake up whenever you want. Eat when you feel like it. Change your plans at the last minute. Spend three hours wandering around a museum, just because. Nobody’s looking at their watch or badgering you about what to do next.

But there’s one thing that can be surprisingly difficult about solo travel: what do you do when you actually want some company?

Travelling with a friend or partner provides a buffer. You’re already a little social unit. The loneliness doesn’t feel as stark because, at the end of the day, you still have each other.

Solo travellers need to be more intentional about it. 

Which can seem daunting, especially if you’re an introvert like me. The last thing you want is to walk into a crowded hostel bar and announce: “HELLO, I’M ALONE AND WOULD LIKE SOME FRIENDS PLEASE”.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do that! 

I've travelled a lot, both with friends and on my own, and lived in four different countries. I’ve spent my fair share of time trying to build a social life somewhere new. Some approaches have worked brilliantly, while others have fallen a bit flat.

The thing I’ve realised about making friends as a solo traveller is that you don't necessarily need to be more outgoing - you just need to put yourself in situations where connection is more likely to happen.

Without further ado, here are some of the best (and most enjoyable) ways I've managed to make friends while travelling solo.

Stay somewhere social

Your choice of accommodation can make a surprisingly big difference.

If you're happy staying in a dorm, you're practically guaranteed opportunities to meet other travellers in the same boat. Hostels with communal kitchens, lounges and organised activities are a great option. If that’s not your cup of tea, consider guesthouses, homestays and BnBs with shared spaces. 

The key is creating proximity without pressure. Small talk at the coffee machine in the morning. A book-swap by the pool. A chat in the reception while you wait for a taxi. These casual interactions often spark deeper conversations and unexpected connections.

Lean into your hobbies

This is probably my favourite piece of advice for fellow introverted travellers. 

After all, you’re not just a traveller. Maybe you’re also a reader. A runner. A photographer. A yogi. A football fan. A person who likes live music, art exhibitions, board games or terrible pub quizzes.

Whatever you enjoy doing in your normal life, there’s probably a local version of it happening where you're visiting.

Look for local events and communities online. Think book clubs, run groups, volunteering projects, gigs - things you would actually do at home. While in Lisbon, I've used Meetup to find regular writing groups and meditation workshops, which I love.  

I’ve found that once you have plans, it’s easier to invite potential friends along than organise something from scratch. If they say no? Then you go anyway. Win-win!

It’s all about creating low-stakes interactions and building a network in the place you’re visiting. When you're doing an activity together, you already have something to talk about. Shared interests are a shortcut to connection.

You don’t always need a wild night out. Sometimes all you need is a familiar face and somewhere to go on a quiet Tuesday evening - things that make a new place feel much more like home.

Do a walking tour

Walking tours have been a mainstay of my travel itineraries for years. 

No matter the city or season, you’ll probably find a free walking tour. Companies like Freetour provide a ready-made group of people who are interested in the place they’re visiting. It’s a chance to stroll around together for a couple of hours and chit-chat about what you see along the way - the city itself provides endless conversation starters.

If walking about isn’t your thing, there are also food tours, photography walks, architecture tours or other small-group experiences to take advantage of. 

And if the conversation goes stale? Don’t worry - at worst, you’ll only be together for an hour or two!

Try a language exchange

Language exchanges are particularly good if you're hoping to meet locals and experience the more “authentic” side of a place. And as I mentioned before, having a shared interest or activity is a shortcut to connection. In this case: practising a language.

You might spend half an hour speaking your native language and half an hour attempting the local one. It won’t be perfect - there will definitely be mistakes and more than a few enthusiastic hand gestures. But I’ve found that being mutually bad at something can be a very bonding experience.

Workaway actually has a Language Buddy feature that connects travellers and hosts interested in practising different languages, which can be a great way to make a local connection before or during your trip.

Everyone appreciates when travellers attempt to speak the local language - so why not make some connections doing it?

Consider a cultural exchange

If you want to go a little deeper than just meeting people for an afternoon, doing a cultural exchange can be a great option.

Staying with a host or helping out on a project gives you insight into a place that you’d never get if you were just passing through. Workaway is one option for this kind of travel, connecting travellers with hosts around the world for cultural exchange and volunteering opportunities. 

You might spend several days or weeks living alongside someone, helping with their project, sharing meals, meeting their friends and gradually becoming part of their everyday routine. The day-in, day-out nature of it is fertile ground for long-lasting connections, both with locals and other travellers.

I’ve noticed that there's something about being abroad that can accelerate friendship. You're all sharing a slightly unusual experience and figuring things out together, often with the awareness that your time together might be limited. That can make bonds develop surprisingly quickly, especially if you’re spending a lot of time together.

Sometimes it’s not about climbing that mountain or visiting that famous landmark. It’s shared, everyday routines that make a place feel real, and can end up being some of your favourite travel memories. 

Find other travellers in your area

They say that birds of a feather flock together - now there are countless online communities, apps and groups helping friendship-seeking travellers do just that. 

In addition to things like Facebook groups, Whatsapp communities and MeetUp events, Workaway has several features designed for exactly this. If you're already part of the Workaway community, meeting other travellers can be even easier. Workawayers Nearby allows members to find other Workawayers in the same area, while the Travel Buddies feature helps travellers connect with people heading to the same destination around similar dates.

This is great if you're nervous about approaching strangers in person. You can chat online first, find something in common and then decide whether you'd like to meet for a coffee or join an activity together.

Of course, the same common sense applies as with meeting anyone online: choose a public place for a first meeting and let someone you trust know where you're going. Safety first!

Share a meal

No matter who you are or where you’re from, we all have to eat. 

Food is a great connector. Some of my favourite moments while travelling have come from moments centred around food - a wine tasting in Paris, a cooking lesson in Japan, aperitivo on the piazza, dinner in a (very local) restaurant in Lisbon. The list goes on.

While travelling, keep an eye out for communal dinners, supper clubs, cooking classes or food tours. You can find a lot of options on apps like MeetUp and Get Your Guide.

I also recommend giving Timeleft a try. Timeleft is an app that sets you up with a group of strangers for dinner, drinks or coffee (whatever your preference). Timeleft sends you the time and date - all you have to do is show up. A great hack when you’re stuck for plans.

Be kind to yourself

Perhaps the biggest misconception about solo travel is that you need to be incredibly confident to do it.

You don't!

Making connections just takes practice - striking up a conversation with a stranger, inviting people to join you for an activity, or just saying yes to things you’re a little nervous to do. 

The more you do it, the easier it gets. I promise.

It’s also important not to measure the success of your trip by how many new friends you make. Not every person you meet needs to become your best friend. Travelling is, by definition, transient - some connections last hours, days, weeks. Others will last a lifetime.

I’ll admit, I've struggled with this myself while living abroad. The international lifestyle can be a revolving door of hellos and goodbyes, and for a while I found this tiring.  

Eventually, though, I started looking at it differently. Instead of focusing on the goodbyes, I try to appreciate the fact that I now have people scattered all over the world who I can message if I'm passing through.

It makes the world feel smaller (in the best way).

All that to say, travel isn’t about collecting friends like fridge magnets. It’s about being open to possibility, about learning, expanding and about putting yourself in situations that make connection easier. 

So go out there, meet people and see the world. And don’t forget to have fun!