First night alone in a new city in Europe: make it great

A counter seat in a tapas bar, eight o'clock, your first evening in a new city. The barman slides over a plate of something grilled and glistening, tells you what it is, and points down the street to the place with the best coffee in the morning. The couple two stools along recommend a walk by the river tomorrow. By the time your glass is empty you have a plan, a favourite bar and the start of a story. The city is already yours.

The first night in a new city sets the tone for the whole trip, and a little planning makes it a great one. Here is what works.

Land in daylight

Choose the earlier flight if you can. A city met in the afternoon gives you your bearings, an open bakery and an hour of ordinary life to watch before the evening begins. You see the streets, the squares and the river, and the night ahead feels like an adventure rather than a puzzle.

Walk a loop before anything else

Drop the bags and head straight back out, without a plan and without your phone doing the navigating. Pick a direction, walk twenty minutes, buy something small, walk back. That one loop teaches your feet where home is, and it does more for how a city feels than any landmark.

Book the first dinner before you fly

This is the single best piece of solo travel admin there is. Not the most famous restaurant, just a booked one, chosen from your sofa a week earlier. A reservation turns the evening into an easy errand. Ask for the counter if there is one. Counters are where solo diners chat to the staff, swap tips with their neighbours and get the best view of the kitchen.

Plan tomorrow tonight

The best first nights end with tomorrow already lined up. Book a walking tour, a morning bike hire, a market visit or a day trip out of town. Having one active thing in the diary for the morning makes the first night all about anticipation, and gives you something to talk about at breakfast.

One bar, one drink, then bed

If you fancy going out after dinner, make it one bar and one drink. Sit somewhere new, watch the city go by, and enjoy belonging somewhere you only arrived a few hours ago. Then get a good night's sleep, because tomorrow is the first full day.

The hosted shortcut: first night at Casa Agara

Some trips are about the city. Others are about the outdoors, the food and the company, and for those there is a shortcut that makes the first night the easiest of the lot.

Fly into Santander, about an hour from the house (ask Rob about transfers), and your first evening at Casa Agara is already sorted. Dinner is cooked, with vegetables from the kitchen garden. The bar is free: house wine, beer and spirits, help yourself, with only premium brands carrying a charge. Most of the people pulling up a chair booked on their own too, and the talk turns quickly to what everyone wants to do that week. Rob hosts, and Chispa the house dog handles the welcome.

And there is plenty to talk about. The house is an 18th-century stone casona in the Cabuérniga valley, inside the Saja-Besaya reserve. The week ahead can hold walks through oak and beech woods, horse riding on mountain trails and beaches, surf on the coast under an hour away, yoga in the open hall, painting in the garden and a big day out to the Picos de Europa, about an hour and a half by car. On the hosted weeks, every meal is included and so is minibus transport during the week, so the planning is done before you land. Not every week includes every activity, so check the week's page for what is planned.

Make Santander your city

If you have a city itch to scratch as well, Santander is the gateway. Arrive a day early, walk the seafront, find a counter for dinner and try every tip in this guide, then head for the valley and let the hosted week take it from there. City night first, mountain week after: a pretty good double act.

First night questions

What should I do on my first night in a new city?

Arrive in daylight if you can, walk a short loop from your hotel to get your bearings, and have dinner booked in advance. Then plan one active thing for the next morning, such as a walking tour or a bike hire, so the trip starts with momentum.

Where is the best seat for a solo diner?

The counter. You get the best view of the kitchen, easy chat with the staff and tips from the people beside you. In Spain, a stool at the bar with a plate of whatever is good today is completely normal.

How far is Casa Agara from Santander?

About an hour from Santander airport and the Santander ferry port, and roughly an hour and a half from Bilbao. Ask Rob about transfers when you book.

Are meals included on a hosted week?

Yes. Every meal is included on the hosted weeks, from breakfast to a home-cooked dinner, along with the free house bar. See the week's page for arrival details and the current price.

Your next first night

Our weeks are booked through Spice Escapes, our exclusive booking partner, which has run hosted group holidays for over 40 years. See the upcoming weeks and pick your next first night. If you lead a walking club, a cycling club, a riding group or a yoga retreat, enquire about bringing your group and Rob will reply personally with dates and how a week could work. The second night is even better.