AIBU to ask for recommendations of solo travel to Malta or Budapest

[Solotraveller2018]

Ok so I admit this was partly inspired by a thread I saw earlier today but I have some time coming up in the next month where I can take up to 3-7 days off and I'd like to travel somewhere alone.

Not massively confident doing it but I'm hankering after some time to do my own thing, read books and just generally enjoy myself. No one else can come with me but I'm hoping I'll be fine.

I love the sun and beaches but would also like some variety of things to do if possible and so a city break is also an option. I'm easy either way I suppose. I just don't want to get too bored or lonely.

I've narrowed it down to two options: Malta and Budapest.

Does anyone have any advice or suggested itinerary about what to do/see there and where to stay? Also would you advise going there alone as a single woman? I have to admit I am a little bit nervous of travelling around alone by myself. I am 31 if that makes any difference when it comes to suggestions about what to do.

bump

Anyone?

I’ve been to Malta a few times. You will be perfectly safe there as a single woman.

City-wise, the capital (Valletta) is great. The area around St Julian’s and Sliema is also fab. Beaches are plentiful and very nice - the water is clear and warm. I highly recommend a trip to the Blue Lagoon on Comino (one of the tiny islands between Malta & Gozo). Mdina and the Mosta Dome are worth a visit (bear in mind you will need to cover shoulders and knees to enter the cathedrals/churches).

Buses are frequent and the phone app is brilliant - it will tell you where your closest stop is, what buses go where, and timings.

I highly recommend Budapest- beautiful, safe and historical, plus fairly cheap.

What about Iceland, Austria, Switzerland (I loved Bern and Basel), or Denmark- Copenhagen?

I loved ALL of the places I mentioned, and I am a v nervous traveller, suffering with anxiety etc, but the travelling alone actually helped me. One tip: if you go to Buda, please make an effort to learn a bit of Hungarian- they really appreciate it, and many locals (older shopkeepers etc) won’t know much English.

Both sound great - how about one this year and one next? Valetta is the European Capital of Culture this year, which either makes a good reason to go this year, or might make it more busy/expensive.

Agree about Comino. You also need to go to Gozo for the day. The main town and the citadel is great to walk around, and there's the inland sea and what was the Azure window (it fell into the sea during a storm last year).

I went to Malta for work on my own a few years ago and it felt perfectly safe, even when walking around at night - the locals I was working with said it was safe too and you would see lone female joggers etc, even after dark.

Have you looked up coach tours op? Im looking into that as a solo traveller as i am petrified of getting lost abroaf. I went to scotland last year and got terribly lost and cried in the street until i found a taxi. Malta and hungary i have both heard great things for and both fairly cheap. Budapest if you arr heavily into history.