Traveling alone can be one of the most liberating and empowering experiences of your life. It’s an opportunity to discover more about yourself and your identity, give yourself space to process and reflect on various parts of your life, meet new people, and explore the world at your own pace.

Taking a sabbatical or extended time off from work can be a transformational experience, but it can also be stressful to plan. This is how I planned my Italy sabbatical to get the most out of my time off.

After recently coming back from a month-long solo trip to Italy, here are the top five things I’m glad I packed as a solo traveler.