If you are trying to decide to travel solo I encourage you to jump right in. It will be the best trip and far from lonely. Here are my tips for a safe, fun adventure. I would use a balance of hostels and airbnb or bed and breakfasts where you are staying with a local.
Hostels are great for the younger crowd as they usually have a pub and an active nightlife at their building. They also sponsor tours such as a pub crawl and city walks. Its a great way to meet others and spend the day seeing the sights with your new found friends. Some hostels have some history to them and most are conveniently located. I stayed at the Clink hostel in London some years ago. The history to it is, it was a former courthouse so it kept a couple court rooms, One is their internet cafe, another is a media room. They have a few sleeping rooms that were former jail cells so if you have a desire to spend the night locked up heres your chance and it can make for a great story, hahahaha Another benefit to a hostel is they are inexpensive to stay in and usually have cheap eats & drinks as well as access to a kitchen. Some even put out a breakfast spread. I encourage you to look up hostelworld.com if this is your speed.
For those of us including myself who have graduated from the late night parties an airbnb is a great option. If you are renting a room it can be very reasonable and comfy. It is great to share a place with a local so they can share all the hidden gems of their city. Also its interesting to see how another culture lives. Many will provide breakfast and possibly some refreshments. I have stayed in many and thoroughly enjoy it. One that comes to mind is when I took my young adult son with me on a business trip to Florence and our host was very welcoming with my son while I was away. Francisco was a few years older than my son so they found common interests, enjoyed music, prepared some meals together and he so kindly took my son on a city adventure to see some sites. This is what makes a trip memorable and lasting. Here is my refer a friend link to airbnb. You will find a great discount on your booking as well https://www.airbnb.com/c/reneew22?currency=USD
Another great way to meet the locals and do something you enjoy is to attend a Meetup. Go to Meetup.com before you travel and see whats scheduled and sign up. Perhaps a photography group, a wine tasting group, a dinner social will interest you. The list is long and the locals will enjoy meeting you. You will add value, interest to the meeting/outing.
So you say you must see the iconic tourist spots and don’t want to go it alone. The Hop on Hop off bus groups are perfect for this. Many singles are experiencing the attractions this way. Get off wander to site see and jump back on as they usually have a flexible schedule.
When hunger calls heres a tip DON’T eat at any of the cafes in the tourist areas as they are usually high priced and poor quality and usually not even locally made. Wander off in the neighborhoods, those side cobblestone streets and find a family run restaurant for a meal to savour and bring you memories that will make your mouth water for more. Another idea and my favorite, actually its a must when we travel. Adventure to the market by your airbnb and buy bread, meat, cheese, wine, & snacks and take a picnic along for the day. You will always find a park, a nice bench, or a special garden to sit relax and take in all the sites and sounds around you while you enjoy your mid day feast. Perhaps you will pack a book as well and just take it all in.
Traveling alone is great to clear your head, do some soul searching, recharge your batteries, get inspired. A journal is sure to get filled in so pick up a special one. I would save that for my great finds in the local street markets.
Be fearless, be cautious as you would anywhere, be adventurous, and ready for the best trip of your life. Just think you can do anything or nothing while away as you only have to please yourself. Pretty powerful.
