I began traveling solo after my 20-year marriage suddenly ended. These are my 5 favorite places I've visited alone.

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I began solo traveling after my 20-year marriage unexpectedly ended. I've now seen 21 countries.
Some of my favorite solo trips have been to New York City, where it's hard to feel lonely.
I've also really enjoyed my solo travels to places like Luang Prabang, Paris, and Budapest.
My 20-year marriage imploded over dinner on an ordinary Friday night. I hadn't seen it coming.
When the dust settled, I knew I wanted to travel, but I'd never done it alone. So, I began with familiar destinations, expanding into more challenging locales as my travel muscle grew.
Now, I've been to 21 countries alone and tackling the world on my own terms has become my favorite way to travel.
Here are some of the best places I've visited as a solo traveler and why I enjoyed them so much.
Many of my first and finest trips have been to New York City.
Most of my first forays into solo travel were local, and I am fortunate to live just an hour outside New York City. NYC can be great for solo travel because its bustle encourages anonymity — it's hard to feel alone in a city of millions.
For some weekend trips, I'd buy concert tickets to see my favorite artist, Billy Joel, who recently completed a decadelong residency at Madison Square Garden.
I'd take the train on a Friday afternoon, see the show, and check into a nearby hotel. On Saturday morning, I'd treat myself to brunch and walk the High Line, stopping at Chelsea Market or the Village to window shop and sip artisanal coffee.
Since the city is densely packed with shops and restaurants, switching up my trips was easy. And, by immersing myself in one neighborhood at a time, the huge metropolis felt like a series of small towns to explore.
These weekends in NYC taught me that I was my own best company.
In Paris, I explored my own interests and enjoyed the local arts scene.
I'd visited Paris twice before my solo trip, first with my husband and later with my daughter. Arriving alone, though, the French city felt brand new.
I felt so inspired by the local art scene — there really is something for everyone, from architecture to live performances.
I used this trip as an opportunity to satisfy my own curiosity and spent the week walking with self-guided audio tours. It was thrilling. My favorite tour explored the haunts of the 1920s "Lost Generation" of writers and painters.
I was captivated by Sylvia Beach's Shakespeare and Company, the cafés frequented by literary legends like Hemingway and Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein's apartment salon, but I'd never had the opportunity to tour the sites because my husband and daughter weren't interested. This time, I did.
Although I was solo, indulging in my individual passions and enjoying such beautiful art made me feel less alone.
My trip to Budapest was a mix of spontaneity and pre-booked plans.
My first New Year's Eve apart from my daughter, I welcomed the new year with a fresh city — I flew to Budapest.
I'd made some reservations in advance, like a tour of the imposing Hungarian Parliament Building and an evening cruise on the Danube.
I even booked a ticket to see the operetta "Die Fledermaus," in Hungarian, at the opera house. I didn't speak Hungarian, but watching elegant opera patrons swirling about in gowns and furs felt like an adventure.
Here, it was also easy to sprinkle spontaneity into my trip — an impromptu nighttime photography tour and a local lunch of paprikash and cream cake at a restaurant recommended by an Uber driver.
In many ways, Budapest's walkability made foreign solo travel less logistically overwhelming for me. The Buda and Pest sides of the city are joined by grand bridges with walkways, making it easy to cross on foot.
Although trams or taxis were readily available, I could count on my feet instead of trying to navigate car rentals or public transit. Plus, walking affords deeper exploration in a new city.
My trip to Antigua, Guatemala, was a nice mix of solo adventures and group trips.
In February, I try to escape the chilly wintery weather at home by visiting someplace warm. One of my favorite picks so far has been Antigua.
Although the flight from the New York area was only about four hours, the Gautamalan town felt a world away from home. Framed by might volcanoes and filled with cobblestones and low, pastel-hued buildings, it felt lost in time in the best way.
In Antigua, I wandered through Cathedral ruins, marveling at the blue sky pouring through gaping windows. I toured a museum filled with ancient pottery, sampled local craft beer at Antigua Brewing Company, and shopped for jade.
I also booked day trips with small groups that took me to Lake Atitlan's villages and Chichicastenango, one of the largest markets in Central America.
All in all, my four-day trip was a perfect mix of solo time in town and excursions with groups outside of it.
I appreciated how many group trips and tours were available in the area, which are great for solo travelers. When I go back, I'm going to join a group to hike a volcano.
I loved mixing spontaneity with planned experiences in Luang Prabang, Laos.
After a tour through Laos, I returned to spend more time in its northern city, Luang Prabang. I really appreciated how the quiet city seemed to encourage solitude in the company of others.
My riverside hotel offered complimentary bike rentals and a sunset Mekong River cruise, and I took advantage of both. The views were incredible.
During the trip, I rose before sunrise to give alms, providing rice to orange-clad monks of all ages. Together in silence, I didn't feel alone.
At one point, while walking back to my hotel, I passed an English language school recruiting volunteers and spent the morning helping a young man practice English for an upcoming interview. In the afternoon, I hiked up Mount Phou Si, which was laden with Buddha statues of all sizes and colors.
All in all, I liked that my trip was filled with planned cultural activities and wonderful spontaneous opportunities.