I’ve been on more than 20 solo city breaks – these are my favourites

An urbanite for most of my adult life, I have long enjoyed solo city breaks – I’ve taken more than 20. I love the experience of gazing up at architectural details, watching other people’s lives unfold around me and savouring the tastes, sounds and smells. Solo travel is on the rise. Hilton’s annual trends report found that 34 per cent of people surveyed were planning to take a solo break in 2025 while research by Abta, the travel association, showed that 16 per cent of Britons had taken a trip alone in the 12 months to August 2023, up from 11 per cent a year earlier. For first-time solo travellers, a city break is a fuss-free way to test out the trend. Over-50s specialist tour operator Kirker Holidays reports that bookings for independent short breaks to cities such as Paris have increased by 20 per cent in the past five years. Meanwhile, in a new portfolio of solo breaks launched by tour operator Regent Holidays, several city-based trips aim to bridge a gap between group and independent travel with a mix of structured activities and free time.  Waking up to increasing demand, more travel companies are waiving single supplements and hotels are marketing rooms for one. Restaurants are no longer reserved for romantic dinners or group gatherings, with bar stools inviting lone travellers to dine. Based on a combination of attitudes, activities, cost and choice of activities, we’ve picked the best European cities for a solo break. (Photo: Oleh Slobodeniuk/Getty)

Athens, Greece

Shedding its image of being polluted and overcrowded, the ancient birthplace of democracy is emerging as one of Europe’s most liberating city breaks. Getting lost in an open-air museum of archaeological ruins is a joy to do alone – a combination ticket for the Acropolis and six more sites is £30/$41 with GetYourGuide.  But it’s the booming arts scene that is attracting a new crowd. Alternative Athens runs a three-hour street art tour of murals nodding to the origins of graffiti – deriving from the Greek word for “to write”– and commenting on the socioeconomic situation today.  Mediterranean culture is best understood around the table. Snack on koulouri and gyros in Varvakios Agora central market or squeeze into nearby 150-year-old basement taverna Diporto – where everyone is a new friend. Parties run from dusk to dawn, and the metro system operates until 1am at weekends. People-watch at Alexandrinó bistrot in Exarcheia and try natural Greek wines at Heteroclito in Monastiraki. In downtown Piraeus, contemporary hotel Twinn has single rooms from €65 (£54/$73). (Photo: Greek National Tourism Organisation)

Tampere, Finland

In Finland, it is not only socially acceptable to spend time in your own company, it is expected. For a nation of introverts, solitude is an art form, so there is no need to feel self-conscious about dining, dancing or diving into crisp Baltic waters alone. According to a survey by Visit Finland last year, 32 per cent of its tourists were solo travellers. Women, in particular, are attracted by some of the lowest crime rates in Europe – with second city Tampere scoring 79.4 per cent in a safety index compiled by crowd-sourced quality of life database Numbeo. Once they get warmed up, Finns are very hospitable – especially in the sauna. In the Tampere region, there are more than 70 public spaces to sweat – including the country’s oldest sauna Rajaportti, lakeside Rauhaniemi and modern city-centre hang-out Kuuma. Falling within the eurozone, Finland is one of the cheaper Nordic nations, with a good public transport network. Buses and trains are easy to navigate with a 24-hour ticket loaded on to the Nysse app (€8/£6.60/$9). Several hotels also have packages for single travellers, including Solo Sokos Torni Tampere (from £134/$182 per night). (Photo: Visit Finland)

Manchester, UK

It is a cliché, but cities tend to be friendlier the further north you go in the UK – especially on the pocket. More affordable, less overwhelming and reliably welcoming, Manchester has recently surpassed London in “go-to” lists compiled by the likes of Time Out and Lonely Planet. According to a 2023 Leisure Visitor Survey compiled by the local tourist board, 19 per cent of tourists to Greater Manchester were solo travellers and almost 90 per cent of all visitors praised a sense of inclusivity. Gay Village on Canal Street is a hub of restaurants, bars and clubs welcoming the UK’s second-largest LGBTQ+ community outside London.  The Timeleft app provides a stress-free solution to finding no-strings dinner dates on Wednesday nights, matching up five solo strangers based on their personality type (£12.90/$17.50), plus dinner costs). For those preferring to focus their attention on the food, the bar-stool dining at New Wave ramen and cocktail bar is perfect for a solo lunch or dinner.  A step-up from a hostel, Yotel Deansgate has compact rooms from £73/$99, while Moxy Manchester’s social spaces are conducive to striking up new conversations (from £100/$136 per night). Visit Manchester recommends joining a music or pub walking tour, or diving into cultural venues. (Photo: George Standen/Getty/iStock Unreleased)

Vilnius, Lithuania

With no one to split the cost, travelling alone requires careful budgeting. Scoring top position in Post Office Travel Money’s cheapest city breaks report for the second year in a row, Lithuania’s baroque Baltic beauty offers weekend breaks for half the price of Amsterdam. One of the best ways to discover the medieval old town and the bohemian Uzupis neighbourhood is on foot. Free walking tours led by local guides set off from the cathedral square every morning at 10.30am. Cheaper prices make Michelin-starred dining more manageable. Sit at the bar or a single window seat at Nineteen18, where ants feature in one of the dishes of a 10-course meal (€94/£78/$106) in an upscale food hall. Or delve into elevated family-style traditional cuisine at Amandus – a large-scale supper club serving diners simultaneously at 7pm (€90/£75/$102).  Making use of a new rail route connecting the city with Latvian capital Riga, Regent Holidays has launched a four-night twin-centre solo escorted tour from £950pp/$1,290pp, including single-occupancy rooms and flights. (Photo: Aytac Unal/Anadolu Agency via Getty)

Reykjavik, Iceland

Fewer than 400,000 people live in the land of fire and ice, meaning everyone gets to know each other quickly. Only a few streets connect the capital, making it manageable to explore and limiting indecision when choosing a place to eat or drink. Alcohol – like everything in the country – has a wallet-draining price tag, but apps such as Barhopp and AppyHour are a good source of deals. 101 Reykjavik Street Food also has homemade food at (relatively) decent prices – around £16/$21.73 for fish and chips. Beyond urban attractions, Iceland’s capital is a gateway to exploring the outdoors. Loft HI Hostel in the city centre is one of the most affordable places to stay (private rooms from £100/$136; women-only dorms from £42/$57) and the rooftop terrace is a great place to meet other adventure-seekers. In town, Tjörnin Pond is a popular spot for birdwatching, while Perlan has a nature exhibition and observation deck. Even at the busiest times of day, there is space for contemplation – justifying why Iceland has ranked top of the Global Peace Index since 2008. (Photo: KeongDaGreat/Getty/iStockphoto)

Lisbon, Portugal

A forgotten corner of Europe for decades, Portugal’s capital has undergone a transformation, attracting non-EU settlers with Golden Visa and digital nomad schemes. A proliferation of bars and restaurants in the Bairro Alto and Chiado districts has amplified prices, but many cheaper, traditional bars with seating for singles have clung on despite rent rises. People-watch among cabinets of curios at Pavilhão Chinês in Bairro Alto and sink into the discreet dusty velvet banquettes of Bar Procópio close to romantic Amoreiras Garden. In the day, cafes favoured by remote workers can be a social place for a coffee – try one of several Copenhagen Coffee Labs. Hostels cluster around the hilly but compact city centre, often with appealingly low rates. Identifying a rise in solo travellers, boutique hotel AlmaLusa Alfama, overlooking the Tagus River, has single rooms from £125/$170 and a concierge service with dedicated solo-travel activities, including guided tours and sunset sailing trips on the river. Travel community Girl Gone International has a network of 15,000 females in the city, while laughter is guaranteed at English-speaking events organised by the city’s most popular Meetup group – Lisbon Comedy. (Photo: Audrius Venclova/Getty/iStockphoto)

Berlin, Germany

Anything goes in this city built on dissidence, defiance and counterculture, making it easy to dip into activities without having a partner in tow. In a survey by restaurant booking platform OpenTable, Germany’s capital was named best in the world for solo dining experiences. At Kink Bar & Restaurant in Prenzlauer Berg, chefs entertain diners by preparing food in an open-plan kitchen. Nearby Unsicht Bar hosts musical dinner shows in the dark – so there’s need for a plus-one. Anyone intimidated by Berlin’s notoriously hedonistic nightlife scene can still catch the city’s beats on a Silent Disco Walk’N’Dance Tour, held every second Sunday on an ironic stomp around the Government Quarter (€14.90/£12.40/$16.84). To move at a more tranquil pace, Slow Travel Berlin organises cultural walking tours. Or use Gaffl to connect with people, using interest filters to find like-minded types. Choose between a hostel bunk and boutique hotel room at The Circus complex in Mitte, with a microbrewery on site and a calendar of events (single rooms from €95/£78/$106). (Prices accurate as of February 2025, US$ conversions calculated in May 2025) (Photo: spreephoto.de/Getty/Moment RF)