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Dear Solo SHE,

I’ve just returned from a long weekend in Lisbon, and honestly — if cities could hug you, this one would’ve given me a bear hug. Portugal still has my heart, but Lisbon? Lisbon has my curiosity.

As soon as I landed, I ran straight into pastel de nata runs (yes, that’s now a daily ritual). The custard was warm, the streets were steep, and somehow — every tile wall felt like a postcard waiting to be photographed. On my second day, I met two other solo travelers — one from Canada and one from Japan — both insisting I join their tram-hopping adventure. Not gonna lie, I didn’t hesitate. Trams are basically the city’s way of saying “Climb aboard; let’s get lost together.”

We ended up at a tiny cafe tucked between azulejo walls where the espresso hit like sunshine in a cup. Later, we wandered down to a miradouro (a lookout with the best view of the city), and all of us just stood there, candidly quiet — no photos, no words at first — just taking in the layers of red roofs and pastel skies as the sun dipped.

If you go, walk everywhere. Your feet will hate you, your heart will thank you, and your camera roll will explode. Also, don’t skip the local markets — food never tastes as good as when you’re sharing bites with newfound friends.

Dear Solo SHE,

Have you ever gone somewhere entirely on a whim and ended up staying longer than planned? That was Seville for me. I originally booked it as a quick stopover but somehow — flamenco rhythms, orange blossoms in the air, and late-night tapas conversations — kept me there for three extra nights.

My first meal was at this tiny plaza cafe where the waiter didn’t speak much English (and I definitely didn’t speak much Spanish)… but somehow we ended up laughing like old friends. The sangria was stronger than expected and sweeter than I thought possible — but that’s probably what made those first moments in Seville feel like a warm welcome from the universe.

That night turned into late dancing at a small courtyard bar with fellow travelers from all over the world — a collage of accents under string lights that felt almost magical. We traded stories between sips and shared food we couldn’t pronounce; all of it somehow made perfect sense.

Seville taught me something simple: plans are good, but magic happens in the unscripted moments. If a city wraps you up and refuses to let go — don’t rush out the door. Stay another day. See where else life wants to take you.

Until the next detour

Dear Solo SHE,

I can’t say enough good things about Portugal. It was on this trip, my second to this beautiful country with incredible landscapes that never cease to end, that I almost convinced my dad to go in on a timeshare with me and that’s not to say I won’t keep trying. This time I went to visit in the summer so it was way more touristy and just HOT. Per usual, I met strangers aka new friends who had itineraries of what they planned to do, check out instagrammable places and most of all, were also traveling solo – the trifecta. Because of my new stranger friends, I went to the beach – which by the way was freezing, if you’ve been to Nice, you get it. Later on, I wound up in a commune aka yoga resort where scissors were used to tear apart my incredible pizza after a “hot yoga” session – yes, the sun beaming was what made it hot and also cleaning. Some of the best food trucks I’ve experienced were at this resort/commune and if you’re open to simple living, this is for you.