Revealing the best city destinations for solo travellers

Solo travelling has quickly become one of the biggest travel trends in recent years and is showing no signs of losing popularity any time soon. Travelling on your own may not be to everyone’s tastes, but for those who love to fully embrace adventure and immerse themselves in the local culture, it can be a great opportunity to get involved and boost your independence.

City breaks have been rapidly on the rise within the solo travel community, offering short-term breaks that still provide plenty of opportunity to soak up the sights and sounds of a beautiful location. There is a wide range of idyllic cityscape destinations across the globe, but which destinations are the best choice for travellers who are doing it on their own? To find out, we at Wizz Air have collated the top city-break destinations for solo travellers in 2023.

 

Best solo-travel cities

We looked at cities with the highest number of positive TripAdvisor user reviews left by solo travellers. Once we had collated city destinations with the most positive reviews for both restaurants and attractions, we ranked these destinations as the top 10 cities for solo travellers in 2023.

With that being said, let’s take a look at these 10 destinations that are ideal for those travelling alone.

 

Rhodes, Greece

In first place is the city of Rhodes, located in the historical hotspot – Greece. The city is home to a range of activities for solo travellers to enjoy, including spending a day relaxing on Rhodes Beach, exploring the streets of the Medieval City of Rhodes with a group tour, and sampling wine at one of the city’s many wineries.

Rhodes is generally considered a safe location to visit and is known for its friendly locals and welcoming atmosphere, making it a great option for those wanting to explore the island solo.

You’ll need transport of some kind to navigate Rhodes, however the island is well connected with public transport, with their bus system connecting the old and new towns making them easily accessible, and an affordable way to travel the island.

 

Split, Croatia

In second place is the city of Split, Croatia. This beautiful city has a host of attractions for solo travellers to enjoy, including a walk around Diocletian’s Palace, an ancient palace built for the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the fourth century A.D.

There are many day trip options for solo travellers, with Krka Waterfalls food and wine tasting tour being one of the top rated attractions, with the swimming Krka Waterfall tour coming in second. Both of these tours are affordable, include all transfers and showcase one of the most scenic attractions in a friendly and well-managed environment.

Split is a relatively small town, meaning it’s extremely easy to navigate and sitesee without the need for transport. All major sites are no more than 40-minutes away from each other, making it a super easy and affordable place to travel around.

 

Faro, Portugal

Next, in joint third place with the Turkish city of Istanbul, is the city of Faro, located in Portugal.With it being a coastal city, there are a number of day boat tours and wildlife watching tours, where dolphins have even been spotted, all coming in at an affordable price point and a good way to meet other travellers.

If you’re heading to Faro Old Town, make sure you make the most of the free historic walking routes that are popular around the city. Travelling around the Algarve is also very easy and inexpensive when public transport is used, however be mindful that it’s probably easiest to pay cash for the buses around the city, so keep some change to hand.

Faro is also noted as an incredibly safe city to travel, especially for those going solo.

 

Istanbul, Türkiye

In joint third place with Faro, Portugal is the Turkish city of Istanbul. The city is a haven for historical landmarks, including the Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace, each of which can be explored alone or with a guided tour.

Istanbul is also home to some truly unique sights, such as the colourful houses of Ferner and Balat, two city districts known for their brightly painted houses and beautiful walks. If shopping is your thing, the Grand Bazaar and Egyption Bazaar are some of the oldest markets in the world (the Grand is the oldest), so are definitely worth a visit.

A number of solo travellers on Tripadvisor stated that they felt safe while travelling the city with many tourists commenting on how the locals were friendly and welcoming, making it a great option if you’re thinking of adding Istanbul to your travel list.

 

Florence, Italy

In fourth place is the city of Florence, located in Italy. This historical city is home to several of the world’s most famous works of art, including Michelangelo’s David. Florence is also filled with an assortment of art galleries and museums, offering plenty of opportunities for solo travellers to soak up the culture.

For those looking to get hands-on, there are a variety of pasta-making experiences, alongside wine tasting tours, both in the city and in the Tuscan countryside. Or, for travellers wanting a laid-back travel experience, why not take one of the many boat tours around the city’s Arno river system?

The best way to navigate Florence is by foot, with the whole length of the city being walkable in around 30-minutes making it an ideal location to travel alone.

 

London, United Kingdom

In fifth place is the capital of the United Kingdom, the city of London. This city is a hotspot for museums and galleries, which can be a great way to fill a day and is also often free of charge. Notable museums include the British Museum, Natural History Museum, and Imperial War Museum, while galleries worth visiting in the city include the National Gallery and the Tate Modern.

Other attractions that are great to enjoy alone include the London Eye, offering scenic views of the city from above, and Hyde Park, which makes a great picnic spot. Guided tours are one of the most popular activities in this exciting city. From bus tours, museum tours and even pub tours! This is a great opportunity to meet new people and experience all London has to offer.

 

Reykjavik, Iceland

Next, in joint sixth place with Seville, Spain is the city of Reykjavik, located in the beautiful country of Iceland. This city offers a range of day tours for solo travellers to enjoy with others visiting the city. The Golden Circle tour takes tourists out to the Þingvellir National Park, where they can enjoy natural waterfalls, geysers, and wildlife.

Those lucky enough to be in the city at the right time might be able to view the northern lights at night, illuminating the city with a vibrant natural display of greens and other hues. One of the most popular attractions Reykjavik has to offer is the Blue Lagoon, a perfect relaxing activity and one featured in many films and influencer feeds.

Travelling around Reykjavik is easy with many options to choose from. From 24 hour taxi services that can take you anywhere, renting a bike is a popular mode of transportation as the city is bike friendly. Local buses are also available to use throughout the city.

 

Seville, Spain

In joint sixth place with the city of Reykjavik is the Spanish city of Seville. Seville is an easily walkable city, with much of the city residing on flat land that makes for an easy commute between attractions. The city is filled with gardens and cafes to enjoy, along with a variety of museums and galleries.

There is no limit to the number of activities that you can do in Seville. City tours and walking tours can be a great opportunity to learn about the city and really learn about the history and wonders. Why not visit the Flamenco Show at Casa de la Memoria and enjoy the show of talented dancers taking centre stage, this show is a creative and cheap way to have fun and meet new people.

The easiest way to tour the city is using the hop on hop off bus and tram links which are easily accessible to use just remember to buy a ticket!

 

Valletta, Malta

Next, in joint seventh place is the city of Valletta, located in Malta. Known for being a fairly small city, Valletta can be easily navigated on foot – and can be fully explored in as little as 3 days! There are walking tours available throughout the city to help tourists get the most out of their stay and ensure they visit the best sights, though those looking to remain alone can also easily access the sights without the need for a tour guide.

The Upper Barrakka Gardens offer stunning views and great photo opportunities, allowing visitors to see all three of the “three cities”, alongside the Grans Harbor, from this viewing point.

Those on a budget during their solo travel should take advantage of the ‘The Original Valletta Walking Tour’ which is only £16.30 for three hours! The tour is a perfect opportunity to meet new people and learn about the city’s heritage. If you really want to learn more about the history of Valletta the ‘National Museum of Archaeology’ has been noted to be a ‘hidden gem’.

 

Nice, France

Wrapping up our 10 cities that are the best destinations for solo travellers – in joint seventh place with Valetta – is the French city of Nice. Located within the French Riviera, Nice offers beautiful landscapes and vineyards for tourists to enjoy.

Nice is generally an expensive city but there are some amazing activities to take part in even if you are on a budget. According to TripAdvisor a best seller is the ‘Mediterranean Coastal Sightseeing Cruise from Nice’. Sailing along the French Riviera, the trip consists of passing by historic landmarks including the Castle of Nice while learning all about the history from a tour guide. For anyone travelling alone this is a great way to get to know new people and create new connections.

 

Ready to jet off on your next adventure?

If you’re in need of cheap flights to get you to and from these iconic destinations, look no further than here at Wizz Air. We can help you get the cheapest flights to each of the locations mentioned above, with the potential to build additional discounts through our newsletter and on-site fare finder.

 

Methodology

Wizz Air gathered a list of cities across Europe based on Euromonitor’s top 100 cities in 2019, Europa’s list of culture and tourism cities, and Holidu magazine’s list of European cities with the most tourism. We then used TripAdvisor reviews to rank these cities based on their suitability for solo travellers. To do this, we collated reviews that were tagged as ‘solo travellers’ for both restaurants and attractions in the city. 

For each restaurant in a city, the number of 5,4,3,2 and 1-star reviews left by solo travellers was collected, and then the percentage of 5-star reviews across the city was calculated. To factor in attractions, a sample of 1000 recent solo reviews from each city's most popular attractions was taken, with the percentage of 5-star reviews across the city then being calculated.

The final score was based on the percentage of 5-star reviews from each city averaged – with cities then ranked accordingly. Within the ranking, the top-scoring city for each country was included, ensuring that each country was only included once.