Bidish Solo travel is a tricky territory. Having traveled solo many times, I can say that it has some great and some okay moments. There were days I felt the rush of excitement while cruising alone on a train beside the Mediterranean Sea, while there were also days I wished I had my close ones beside me as I was witnessing the otherworldly beauty of Venice. Regardless, solo travel always gives you that “glad I did it” feeling, because waiting for the right company can often feel so endless that you miss out on all the fun. And Europe is a great place to solo travel – there are a ton of solo travel destinations in Europe that invite you to experience its rich culture and timeless beauty.
To provide you with quality recommendations for the best solo travel destinations in Europe, I have invited some seasoned travelers who have first-hand solo travel experience and are happy to share them with you. Below, I’ve compiled the recommendations in their own words.
Top Solo Travel Destinations in Europe
Antwerp, Belgium
Recommended by Carolin. Carolin is the creator of Solo Travel Story, a blog where she shares her solo adventures and tips for independent travel.
Picture credit: Carolin
Antwerp – Leipzig’s Belgian Twin
With its trendy café scene, stunning art nouveau architecture, and friendly atmosphere, I rate Antwerp as one of the best places in Europe for solo travel. Its rich history as a merchant city and the workplace of famous artists often reminds me of my equally beloved Leipzig. Both cities share a connection through their extensive publishing and printing heritage.
Whilst you’re here, don’t miss out on Plantin’s printing workshop, the newly refurbished Paul Peter Ruben’s residential home or the impressive library at Nooteboom Zaal. Get lost on a self guided walking tour and marvel at the unique Bootje Huis, the station designed as a cathedral and often rated as Europe’s prettiest station and other art nouveau masterpieces in the Zurenborg triangle. All of these stops can easily be explored by bike, too.
You also love fashion, art and design? No problem for Antwerp. Known as a centre for arts & culture, it can easily keep up with Milan or Paris, minus the big price tag. Favourite areas to snap up a unique piece of fashion from local brand Essentiel or concept art are Klosterstraat or Kammenstraat. All of these exciting sides of Antwerp will make you hungry and I got great news for you. Antwerp has 16 Michelin-starred restaurants and is secretly known as Europe’s most affordable destination for fine dining. Places such as Kommilfoo, Dome or The Jane should be high on your list, but also PAK or family-run Bateau Perdu for casual dining are my top places.
More recommendations are in my extensive Antwerp guide. See you soon?
Liechtenstein
Recommended by Elizabeth Cullen. Elizabeth is a travel blogger at Travel gems and mishaps and the author of the book Greater Than a Tourist – Italy .
Picture credit: Elizabeth
After living in Los Angeles for fifteen years, I moved to Lake Como in Italy in 2018. Hiking has always been one of my main hobbies. I have completed some amazing hikes including summiting Kilimanjaro and the trail to Everest Base Camp. As my preference is to travel solo, I was anxious to find interesting places I could combine both on mainland Europe. I was delighted, on a recent trip to Liechtenstein, to learn that it has the densest network of hiking trails in Europe. A 75km trail showcases the whole country. Liechtenstein is an extremely safe country so hiking the trail solo really appealed to me.
Several of my friends raised concerns when I said I was doing this alone. But I was pretty sure I’d have phone reception at all times. I wasn’t summiting a mountain and I would always be reasonably close to an urban area. Also I planned to book the trip through the tourism board and leverage their baggage service. I presumed and hoped someone would check if a hiker didn’t arrive at an agreed hotel !
The 75km trail starts at the Swiss border in the south and ends at the Austrian border in the north. An app maps the stages and identifies milestones in its eleven municipalities. Detailed descriptions on historic and popular sites are included. As a history lover this was an added bonus to me. You can also follow the distinctive ‘Liechtenstein Weg’ signs.
So I spent five fantastic days in Liechtenstein. The trail takes you through some beautiful forests, along the river Rhine and into picturesque towns and villages. It was a challenge at times with several tricky uphill paths especially in the wet weather. Despite having some issues with phone reception, I never once felt unsafe and thoroughly enjoyed the solitude. I went at a quiet time so I didn’t meet anyone, doing the same route, either on the trail or in the hotels. While it would have been lovely to meet fellow hikers – navigating everything myself felt extremely rewarding. I only got lost once, for less than one hour.
I highly recommend the Liechtenstein Trail for solo hikers. The scenery is breathtaking, the hike is a good physical challenge and Liechtenstein the perfect location for ‘alone time’ ! You can find more information about the Liechtenstein trail in my three-part Liechtenstein guide.
Strasbourg, France
Recommended by Emma Gilbert. Emma is a travel blogger at Forever Lost in Travel, who travels extensively while keeping a full-time 9-to-5 job.
Strasbourg, where fairytale village meets fun French city. Where you can get lost in small streets lined with half-timbered houses, or marvel at grandiose cathedrals and canal-spanning historic buildings. The city has a charm that’s not easily matched, and is one of my favorite places in France, and indeed one of my favorite solo travel destinations in Europe.
While it is popular, especially during the festive Christmas period, there always seem to be pockets of quietness in Strasbourg to enjoy a meal or drink at a sidewalk restaurant or café and watch the world go by. Is there a better solo travel activity?
A walkable city, you don’t need public transport or a car to get to most of what you’ll want to see in the compact city centre. Instead, enjoy poking around cute little shops or walking over bridges that connect the city.
Strasbourg is amazing for solo travelers: I felt very safe walking around, even in the early morning to reach a tour meeting point, or after a late evening stroll to see the illuminated Notre-Dame de Strasbourg. Winter or summer, there’s never a bad time to visit Strasbourg. Only a two-hour train journey from Paris, it’s easily accessible from the country’s capital, and might be just the calm break you need from the busy big city.
Kotor, Montenegro
Recommended by Prakash Pokhrel. Prakash Pokhrel is a Nepali travel vlogger at Ek Yatri, sharing his journeys and travel guides on YouTube. He has visited 87 countries so far.
I didn’t plan on visiting Montenegro at first. The idea came to me while I was in Dubrovnik, enjoying the old walls and sea views during the final leg of my Croatia trip. One evening, I looked at a map and saw Kotor, which was just across the border and less than two hours away by car or bus. The next morning, I decided: why not?
That last-minute choice turned into three unforgettable days in one of the most beautiful bays I’ve ever seen.
Leaving Dubrovnik for Kotor felt like leaving the tourist hotspot and heading into someplace calmer. When I reached Kotor, I was stunned. The mountains towered right above the town and the old town looked like a medieval movie set, with narrow cobblestone streets, stone houses, and sleepy cats in every corner.
On my second day, I went on a morning hike to San Giovanni Fortress, a climb of about 1300 stone steps. The view was unbelievable as the old town was beautifully spread out below.
On my last day, I joined a 3-hour ship cruise around the bay of Kotor. The highlight was visiting Our Lady of the Rocks, a small island with a church and a fascinating story about how locals created it stone by stone. That evening, I enjoyed my final guesthouse dinner, chatting with the hosts about Montenegro’s history and their favorite hiking spots.
Kotor wasn’t in my original itinerary, but I’m so glad I went. I heartily recommend you to visit Kotor, even solo.
Budapest, Hungary
Recommended by Alex Brown. Alex is the traveler behind Adventure to Every Country, documenting his goal to visit all 193 UN-recognized countries. He has visited 81 countries so far.
Picture credit: Alex
Hungary was country number 59 on my quest to visit every country. And Budapest is one of Europe’s most popular city break destinations. Therefore I was keen to see what all the hype was about.
Few cities in the world offer so much to do on such a low budget. You can spend weeks in the Hungarian capital and you will not run out of new things to discover. You can walk beside the River Danube, or even take a dinner cruise along it. There are thermal baths which offer an experience you can’t find in most other European cities. Budapest has some of the best architecture in Europe, as well as traditional markets near Vati Utca.
Therefore is Budapest worth visiting for solo travel? It’s a resounding yes from me!
It’s great for solo travel because it’s very affordable, has a lot to do, and there’s a big hostel scene which makes it easy to meet people. I’ve been to Budapest three times now, and it gets better each time.
And it’s one of Europe’s safest cities too. You can read more about Budapest on my Budapest guide.
Lisbon, Portugal (My Pick)
After hearing all these amazing recommendations, I wanted to add one more to the list.
I have found Lisbon to be one of the best solo travel destinations in Europe. Its vibrant capital city life intertwines beautifully with the historic Alfama neighborhood. The food is affordable, the beach is near, the historic streets are escape-worthy, and the fairytale castles of Sintra are only half an hour away by train.
During my time in Lisbon, I loved waking up early and walking up to Miradouro de Santa Luzia, grabbing a coffee and a croissant while bathing in the morning sun and enjoying the sweeping views of Alfama and the sea.
I’ve also heard great things about the hostel scene in Lisbon too. Some of the travelers I met in Porto shared that they had one of their best hostel experiences in Lisbon, with happy hour social events aimed at bringing travelers together.
Lisbon is also a superb destination for a nomadic base. From here, you can travel north to Porto or south towards Algarve – both just about 3 hours away via FlixBus. You can read more in my extensive Lisbon travel guide.
Bonus: If you’re a fan of Nepali food, Lisbon has a surprisingly great Nepali food scene. You can find affordable Nepali thali sets, momo, and street foods that taste very close to what you would get in Nepal.
Did you find your favorite place in this list? If you have some awesome destinations that solo travelers should not miss, please let me know in the comment section below. : )
You might also be interested in:
- Best Romantic Getaways in Europe – Recommended by Traveling Couples
- 12-Day Winter Europe Itinerary: Explore 7 Countries for Under 700 Euros
- Dubrovnik Travel Guide: Best Things to Do in Dubrovnik
- Valencia Travel Guide: Best Things to Do and See in Valencia
- 10 Best Things to Do in Venice in 2024
- 10 Best Things to Do in Prague in Four Days
Thanks so much for including me in your post. I see there are some great recommendations from fellow colleagues included, too. Kotor and Strasbourg would make it onto my list.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
My pleasure. 🙂 Glad you liked the post. Thank you very much for your contribution to the post. 🙂