A few years ago in Venice, I met an old Peruvian woman backpacking around Europe. She had always wanted to visit the continent, but was continually waiting on other people to accompany her. That month, she realized that she would always be waiting on other people, so why not just… go by herself? With that in mind, she packed her bags and booked a ticket to Italy.
A solo vacation seems daunting but it’s not as scary as it sounds. Plan ahead and take sensible precautions. Visit the next state over to recharge your batteries. Walk through the gardens of Paris for some inner reflection. Check out the backpacker community in your neighbouring country. Stoke your wanderlust.
In our series of highlighting cool startups from the Index.co community, here are our picks to get you set up on your next solo adventure.
Plan with Inviita
The possibilities of where you can go on your next vacation are endless – so how on earth do you pick? Plan your trip with Inviita. The Lisbon-based startup have selected guides based on your mood and whatever activity you want to do. The app will suggest cities for you to go to and the community will recommend you places to visit.
Feeling artsy and spiritual? Get a list of some of the most beautiful basilicas in Rome, handpicked by other travellers who have been there.
Sleep with Overnight
The gears for your solo trip are turning. You’ve picked your destination. You have an idea of what you’re going to do there. How about accommodation? Whether your “me time” spans a weekend, a week or a month, Overnight is here to help.
Its platform lets you book last-minute stays with local verified hosts in Los Angeles and Austin. Overnight’s mission is to encourage travel spontaneity and human connection. So forget the lukewarm receptionist at the hotel chain. Take the hot drink and warm welcome from your fellow traveller host.
Visit with Yeti
Next time you’re in a new city and want some of the local flavour, check out Yeti. “Technology brought us online. Isn’t it time it took us off?” That’s the idea behind their local recommendation engine that wants to help you up your discovery game.
The app learns your environment by analyzing what you’re interested in, and combines this data with what similar users like to provide suggestions. The result is a curated list of cool recommendations of things to do and places to go.
Socialize with Backpackr
The founders of Backpackr are “two simple broke backpackers” who are building a global community of helpful travellers. If you feel like being social on your solo trip, Backpackr makes it easier for you to meet with other likeminded people.
The app comes with exclusive tips and suggestions, based on the sharing and caring ethos of the backpacker mentality. It’ll tell you about hostel deals, pub crawls, cheap food, local tours and free events so you can maximise your fun.
Record with Polarsteps
So you know where you’re going, where you’re sleeping and what you’re going to do. How about keeping a frills-free travel log? Polarsteps will help you record your adventures easily so you can share it with your friends, the world, or keep it for yourself.
If you have images of commitment-heavy journaling, don’t worry. The app will keep track of the route you’ve taken and the places you’ve visited automatically and in offline mode. You don’t even have to take your phone out of your pocket. Very cool.
Happy traveling!
Are you ready to take the first step on a thousand-mile journey? Check out the travel market on Index.co and keep up-to-date with the startups who are focused on making your vacation awesome.
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