Portugal can have lost the World Cup semi-finals, but in relation to your next trip for 2023, this picturesque European nation should take first place. I recently took my first solo trip to Lisbon’s dynamic capital city and Algarve’s stunning beaches in southern Portugal. After my experience, I can let you know that there’s a myriad to like a couple of place that boasts beauty and substance, and why it’s an ideal destination to your first solo international trip. Listed here are six the explanation why Portugal is a solo traveler’s dream:

It’s accessible to English speakers. 

You don’t speak Portuguese? Don’t worry. It’s estimated that about one-third of the country’s population speaks English. Restaurants had English menus and signs catering to American travelers, and most of my Uber drivers spoke English. Re-evaluate in the event you’re a Spanish speaker and plan to speak that way; reconsider. The Portuguese favor an attempt at their language.

It is comparatively secure. 

When traveling, I enjoy exploring a latest city on foot. Lisbon, the coastal capital city, is walkable and presented little risk during my stay. The one warning I received from locals was to watch out for pickpockets on the famous Tram 28. Travel safety experts cite Lisbon’s low crime rates to find that town is secure for female solo travelers. While within the Algarve, I also felt comfortable exploring the cobblestone streets of Old Town Albufeira.

The Portuguese individuals are warm and welcoming. 

A really patient Uber driver gave me an impromptu Portuguese lesson. My concierge on the Corinthia Lisbon Hotel made me a customized map every single day of my stay, which he created based on my points of interest. And while waiting to catch the high-speed train from Lisbon to the Algarve, a fellow traveler walked to the top of the platform (I believed he might fall off!) to substantiate that I used to be catching the precise train. These are only a couple of examples, but trust me, the people of Portugal will welcome you with open arms.

It’s incredibly reasonably priced. 

In comparison with France and other more popular European destinations, Portugal is one of the crucial reasonably priced countries in Western Europe. To avoid wasting additional coins, I like to recommend traveling during off-peak months (i.e., October to April). In response to Lonely Planet, “[Hotel] prices are typically around 25% off high season rates” during those months. After I visited the Algarve in October, my 4-star hotel (including complimentary breakfast) near the beach was lower than $100 an evening. Transportation is significantly inexpensive there: a 45-minute Uber ride in Lisbon was just below €10. And the USD exchange rate is nearly comparable to the Euro, meaning that your dollar will stretch farther than usual!

Portugal has an experience for each sort of traveler. 

Despite being a small country, Portugal offers a wealth and variety of backgrounds. For the cosmopolitan traveler, benefit from the tiled buildings, museums, fado music, and rooftop bars of Lisbon. Near the capital city are day trips to Sintra, for fairytale-like castles which you could’t see elsewhere, and Cascais, a preferred beach town with small-town charm. Porto, one other popular city, boasts cruises along the Douro River Valley and port wine tastings. And speaking of wine, you possibly can visit vineyards and taste the Portuguese countryside within the Alentejo region. For stunning beaches and caves and a renowned water park, you’ll find paradise within the Algarve. The Azores, an archipelago composed of 9 volcanic islands, has increasingly been known as the “Hawaii of Europe.” And Portugal attracts other solo travelers, so that you’re prone to meet like-minded tourists no matter which adventure you select.

It’s a place of cultural significance for people of the African diaspora. 

Within the 1500s, Portugal launched the Atlantic slave trade in Europe when the primary slave ships arrived on the shores of Lagos within the Algarve region. The Portuguese were prolific slave traders, as evidenced by the sizeable Black population that also exists today in Brazil, considered one of Portugal’s former colonies. Interested by Portugal’s role within the slave trade and its history relevant to the people of the African diaspora? I highly recommend the Africa in Lisbon tour, a walking tour created by an area activist that traverses the streets of Lisbon and seeks to tell its participants with every eye-opening and thought-provoking step.

Karen J. Francis is a culture and travel author. For more adventures and travel suggestions, follow her on Instagram at @culturebykaren.