18 year old solo traveler. Would you allow this?

How street smart is he? Is he used to navigating public transport, booking his own tickets etc for things - is he good at personal budgeting to make his ££ last while he’s away etc?

Loads of great tour companies out there if that’s what he prefers, but this is one I have experience of so can recommend - and they do 18-30 tours G Adventures European 18-30 tours

I would try to let the tour/solo travel decision be led by him if you can though.

I went on several coach trips including Scandinavia, western and eastern Europe and new Zealand with a company called top deck as a solo traveller. Very safe as you're with a group, great for meeting new people all over the world - still in touch with many after 15 years since travelling together. Great way of seeing as much as possible with an efficient use of time and money. The tours I went on ranged from 2 weeks to 3 months and I ran some of my trips back to back so was away travelling longer. To me it was the safest way of me going travelling on my own without actually being on my own. Top deck seems to be aimed a younger crowd, we were all in our early to mid twenties and mostly students or on gap years.

Id make sure they know the basics

Get on the man in seat 61 and look at train travel through Europe - easy to get about and some magnificent places Rome, Florence, Denmark, Sweden etc

Get him to order himself a GHIC and get decent health insurance
Explain no drugs whilst travelling, don't let himself get into the position of helping someone - often these two go hand in hand.
Never ever tell anyone that you are travelling alone, have an imaginary mate...
Have two forms of payment - never keep them together

others can come up with some sensible safety advice

In some ways he will be solo and people will ignore him as most tourists and traveller are in groups - ive travelled solo and found people talk to me in broken English or the native language of the country I'm in, expecting me to be local as I'm on my own. This I see as a good thing as people aren't looking to scam me.

I have travelled independently, but I always wish I had done something like this for the companionship too. Going on your own is a bit tougher. It woudl be such a wodnerful way to see a bit of the world, with ready made friends, and the safety net of it being organised for him.

https://www.topdeck.travel/tours/europe/delve-deep-denmark-norway-sweden

Topdeck offer some fab trips, I would love to do the Croatia sailing one! Sadly I'm 40 and too told for this kind of thing now.

Contiki offer similar https://www.contiki.com/en-gb/destinations/europe

Even an unusually naive 18-year-old will be okay alone in Sweden, Denmark etc. Everyone speaks amazing English in the major cities and everything is really easy. It’s just like travelling in the UK. He should try to stay in hostels with a young customer base so he will meet other young people.

He will also be fine in Italy, but it’s harder to navigate. Could he start with Scandinavia and then see how he feels about more challenging travel based on that?

Well done for owning your issues and encouraging him out into the world, OP - I know it can’t be easy.

Scandinavia and Italy all sound quite safe and close to home relatively. I travelled and worked abroad from the age of 19. I think just ensuring he reads up on safety of any region he's travelling to (whether that be road or common crime to watch out for) as there are different norms everywhere.

My DD travelled alone round Australia after uni, ended up au pairing in Melbourne for a few months. She’s quite introverted and wanted to do it alone, she booked Airbnb’s and did a lot of long train journeys. Had a fantastic time and as she is single by choice does a lot of travelling around the UK alone now. She has never had any problems here or abroad.

Would I allow it? I’d be worried, of course but I wouldn’t be controlling and not allow it, they are 18 so they can go traveling if they want

I think it would be best to start in this country and make sure he knows how to use public transport etc. You can't just drop him off at the airport and expect him to know what he's doing.

I just don't think it's helpful to listen to everyone saying that you should let him go and he'll have a great time and make friends etc. There are loads of 18 year olds who would not have a great time and would not make friends. It totally depends on what sort of person he is...I know he's shy but shyness can be debilitating or it can just mean it takes a bit longer to get to know people.

And stop beating yourself up...you're not responsible for your DS's personality. It's not as if going on days out and holidays would have changed his experience of school is it? He's not been completely isolated.

My ds did some European travel (Inter-railing) this year, he was 17. He went with a friend but they both travelled alone to the meeting point (friend was already in Europe, so there were some sections of travel that they both did alone).

They planned the itinerary in advance, but made a few tweaks while on it. It was fine and he was very good at keeping in touch, messaging every morning and evening and we could see his whereabouts on the Find My Friends app.

I think the question of travelling solo or with someone probably depends on what kinds of things your son would like to do. My ds and his friend did a few hikes and I would have been more worried if he had been alone on those, for example. Your son may well meet people along the way that he can do sections of travel with. Or perhaps he could book certain experiences along the way with an organised group (another great way to meet people to perhaps travel part of the way with).

One really good tip that I read on here is to make sure he has packed a photocopy of his passport (in case his loses the original). Also write your phone number down (in case he loses his phone).

It's great that your ds wants to do this. I was very anxious before he left but that turned to excitement for him once he was travelling. I hope your son has a great time, OP.

My ds at 18 went to Iceland as his introduction to solo travelling. He did himself proud. Had a great time and was much more confident and capable than I would have been. He did go on a couple of organised trips which I think as a first go was a good idea but mainly because there are lots of tours in Iceland. We did help him out a little but I think at 18 they should at least be contributing to costs. You’ve got to give him the freedom for him to learn and grow in confidence

I would allow it. My daughter spent a few weeks in south east Asia, albeit with her boyfriend rather than solo and had the best time. She met lots of solo travellers and made loads of new friends while out there.

How about Interrailing for something with more of an itinerary - depends on your budget but something like this https://www.byway.travel/inspiration/interrail?utm_campaign=22027105331&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAoT3GJprbauF0GAgrT7rI3yvsrTV5&gclid=Cj0KCQjwm7q-BhDRARIsACD6-fW1RbxAc_vZvOq3xPjqtR9Y77rcmpsnKgfBmlWcoFi4I1XuJSyXY2MaAuHDEALw_wcB

DD looked at it originally but it was much, much cheaper to go to south east Asia in the end.

Could he not start small- weekend in Rome- flights cheap with Ryanair- then build up confidence?
Be sure he is security aware without spooking him- pick pockets and not waving phone around in busy places
Help him research it before- things to see how to use the metro, how to get a terravision from the airport, how to book tickets to colliseum etc.
That might also help your anxiety about this too.
He could meet some similar age people at John Cabot just by hanging around in Trastevere
John Cabot | Study Abroad and Degree Programs in Rome, Italy

Group tours
Best 18 to 35s tours 2025/2026 | Intrepid Travel UK

Allow him? Insist on what he does?

Unfortunately it doesnt work like that. My 19yr DS is going on his first holiday without us and all I could do was help with the plans, double check the safety, encourage to go safer places, book transfers in advance etc.

Its hard I know, i feel for you.

I’d encourage him to find a group as it would be more fun and easier to navigate different countries/languages. Foreign countries can be quite lonely on your own, although if he’s staying in youth hostels there will be others around.

Where did he grow up? Is he used to big cities?

You should look at something like Raleigh International or International Citizen Service which will provide structure and a built in community as well as an adventure. He’s never been abroad before?

He'll have an amazing time. Has he ever been to an airport?

DS has signed up with Angloville for this summer - three weeks in Poland. No pay, but accommodation and food covered, you just need to be a native speaker ot English as it involves residential camps speaking English to foreign learners.

It's a big bad world out there and I don't think your son sounds mature enough to travel on his own. He still sounds like a boy. I also don't think you as his mother should be financing it. He needs to save up and do it himself. That will take a few years and hopefully by then he will have more confidence and maturity. I'd be scared to let him out there on his own.

Take a look at G Adventures organised tours. I did one around S E Asia and it was great not having to worry about sorting transport and accomodation. They also do trips for younger age groups I believe. They organise excursions to attractions and obviously a ready made group of fellow travellers to socialise with.

Just remind him not to fall for anyone's sob story, a young relative of mine got relieved of all his money in East Asia by someone who vanished, because he has a kind heart and believed a sob story.

His parents had to bail him out.

If he's shy would he be happier on his own anyway? A group trio or some mini group trips (thinking an organised countryside tourbus - as it can be tricky to get to some nice rural places without a car) might be more fun than being alone but only if he regards being with a group of strangers as fun! Plus likely more drinking if he's with a bunch of similar aged people.

Interrailing is still good value and very flexible. He could do shorter European trips to build up confidence rather than 8 weeks away from home on his own. I always get a bit bored solo travelling as I'm not the type to go out alone in the evening or make friends easily.

Many European countries will have a lower crime rate than the UK!

I second the suggestion of Exodus. They are very, very expensive though.

If he is interested in activities, then theskigathering.com organises travel groups for beginners where they’ll stay together and learnt to ski together. I know someone who did similar and has stayed friends with the people she met for years - they go skiing together every year and visit each other regularly.

Could he and his girlfriend go for a weekend away to Rome as a start so he can find his feet a bit with someone he knows? Does his college have some kind of online noticeboard where he could post looking for people to travel with?

19yo DD is of an anxious disposition but even she is excited to go from Italy to London for a week by herself. She’s been with me before and she’ll have no language problems.
We’ve paid for and booked as much as possible in advance (hostel, shuttle to/from the airport, tickets to events) and she has a physical debit card as well as the app on her phone. Passport will be either in her body purse or in the hostel safe.

I think a European destination is a great way for them to spread their wings.